Amarsipoidei, Pastana & Johnson & Datovo, 2022

Pastana, Murilo N L, Johnson, G David & Datovo, Aléssio, 2022, Comprehensive phenotypic phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of stromateiform fishes (Teleostei: Percomorphacea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 195 (3), pp. 841-963 : 941

Suborder Amarsipoidei nom. nov. (new name containing Amarsipidae )

Amarsipus carlsbergi .

Autapomorphies: Character 0 (8–9> 11): number of dorsal-fin spines increased to 11; character 9 (31–42> 47): number of vertebrae increased to 47; character 11 (10–12> 13): number of ventral procurrent rays increased to 13; character 12 (7> 6): number of branchiostegals decreased to six; character 14 (49.6– 55.1%> 47.6%): dorsal-fin base length decreased to 47.6% of SL; character 16 (27.6–36.6%> 21.8%): prepelvic length decreased to 21.8% of SL; character 17 (53.6–54.7%> 45.9%): preanal length decreased to 45.9% of SL; character 30 (1> 0): medial bony suture between anterior and posterior ceratohyals absent; character 66 (0> 1): dorsal-fin anterior and posterior portions separated; character 82 (0> 1): epineural 4 to last originating from the ribs; character 85 (0> 1): first supraneural located in the first interneural space; character 86 (1> 2): second supraneural located in the second interneural space; character 87 (2> 3): third supraneural located in the third interneural space; character 97 (1> 0): adductor mandibulae partes rictalis and malaris completely separated along their entire extent; character 154 (1> 0): adductor medialis absent; character 198 (1> 0): interradial membrane of the caudal fin not scaled.

Support: –.

Remarks: Amarsipidae is a monotypic family containing the sole species Amarsipus carlsbergi , recovered herein as the sister group of the remaining Stromateiformes in a long terminal branch supported by 16 autapomorphies ( Fig. 70 ). Haedrich (1969) diagnosed Amarsipus carlsbergi from the remaining Stromateiformes based on the combination of anteriorly placed pelvic fins, toothed vomer, six hypurals (erroneous, see Remarks on node 90), two epurals and absence of a pharyngeal sac. These characters are comparable with our characters 16, 41, 76 and 77, 79 and 157, respectively. When interpreted phylogenetically, only character 16 (anteriorly placed pelvic fins) represents an autapomorphy for Amarsipidae , while the remaining characters are plesiomorphies retained by this taxon.

Haedrich (1969) suggested that Amarsipidae might warrant subordinal status, but refrained from doing that because it could mask its relationship with the remaining Stromateiformes , which at that time were classified as a suborder within the nonmonophyletic Perciformes . However, given that current classifications have elevated Stromateiformes to an ordinal level ( Wiley & Johnson, 2010), the formal ranking of Amarsipoidei as the sister group of the Stromateoidei (node 100) is an appropriate taxonomic adjustment implemented herein.

Figures

Figure 70. Unambiguous phenotypic synapomorphies for Stromateiformes superimposed on the reference tree of the order obtained under implied-weights parsimony (k = 13.56554).