Taxonomic review and phylogenetic analysis of Enchodontoidei (Teleostei: Aulopiformes)

Enchodontoidei are extinct marine teleost fishes with a long temporal range and a wide geographic distribution. As there has been no comprehensive phylogenetic study of this taxon, we performed a parsimony analysis using a data matrix with 87 characters, 31 terminal taxa for ingroup, and three taxa for outgroup. The analysis produced 93 equally parsimonious trees (L = 437 steps; CI = 0.24; RI = 0.49). The topology of the majority rule consensus tree was: (Sardinioides + Hemisaurida + (Nardorex + (Atolvorator + (Protostomias + Yabrudichthys) + (Apateopholis + (Serrilepis + (Halec + Phylactocephalus) + (Cimolichthys + (Prionolepis + ((Eurypholis + Saurorhamphus) + (Enchodus + (Paleolycus + Parenchodus))))))) + ((Ichthyotringa + Apateodus) + (Rharbichthys + (Trachinocephalus + ((Apuliadercetis + Brazilodercetis) + (Benthesikyme + (Cyranichthys + Robertichthys) + (Dercetis + Ophidercetis)) + (Caudadercetis + (Pelargorhynchus + (Nardodercetis + (Rhynchodercetis + (Dercetoides + Hastichthys)))))). The group Enchodontoidei is not monophyletic. Dercetidae form a clade supported by the presence of very reduced neural spines and possess a new composition. Enchodontidae are monophyletic by the presence of middorsal scutes, and Rharbichthys was excluded. Halecidae possess a new composition, with the exclusion of Hemisaurida. This taxon and Nardorex are Aulopiformes incertae sedis.