Phylogenetic Relationships of the Families Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, and Ghilodontidae (Pisces: Characiformes)

Vari, Richard P. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Families Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, and Chilodontidae (Pisces: Characiformes). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 378, 60 pages, 41 figures, 1 table, 1983.—A series of osteological and soft anatomical systems in the families Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, and Chilodontidae were examined to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa and determine whether they are a monophyletic assemblage. Numerous adaptations associated with the food gathering and manipulation systems along with those in other portions of the body provided data useful in the reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa. The evidence of this study is congruent with the hypothesis that the four families constitute a monophyletic assemblage definable by shared derived characters. Results of the analysis indicate that the Curimatidae and Prochilodontidae are most parsimoniously interpreted to be sister groups. The assemblage formed by those two families is considered to be the sister group of the monophyletic lineage that consists of the Anostomidae and Chilodontidae. Synapomorphies define the members of each family as monophyletic units. The well-developed epibranchial organs in the Chilodontidae, Citharinidae, and the Curimatidae plus Prochilodontidae, were found to represent three distinct, nonhomologous kinds of pharyngeal outpocketings. The most parsimonious interpretation of those data and other available information on ostariophysan phylogeny is that such diverticuli have been acquired several times independently among characiforms and their near relatives. This conclusion agrees with the hypothesis proposed by Nelson (1967) but indicates that Bertmar, Kapoor, and Miller's concept (1969) of epibranchial organs as the ancestral condition for teleosts is not parsimonious, at least when applied to ostariophysan fishes. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavemosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Vari, Richard P. Phylogenetic relationships of the families Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, and Chilodontidae (Pisces, Characiformes) (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 378) Bibliography: p. Supt. of Docs, no.: SI 1.27:378 1. Curimatidae—Classification. 2. Prochilodontidae—Classification. 3. Anostomidae—Classification. 4. Chilodontidae—Classification. 5. Fishes—Classification. 6. Fishes—Latin America—Classification. I. Title. II. Series. QL1.S54 no. 378 [QL638.C89] 591s [597'.53] 82-600338