Vertebrate Zoology Exam 1 - Teleosts

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What clade comprises most of Actinopterygii?

Teleostei

What is the shape of teleosts’ caudal fin?

Homocercal - appears symmetrical on the outside, but asymmetrical internally

What is so special about teleosts’ jaws?

• Have mobile premaxilla (skull bone at tip of snout) that allows premaxillae to protrude (aka jaw protrusion)

• Many teleosts have pharyngeal jaws

Leads to great diversity of oral jaws and pharyngeal teeth

What is unique about teleosts’ scales?

They have derived a lack of ganoine in their scales, unlike the ancestral Actinopterygian state

• Most basal teleosts have cycloid scales (round)

• More derived teleosts often have ctenoid scales (comblike)

Elopomorpha

Clade made of tarpons, true eels, bonefish, ladyfish

What is the synapomorphy shared by Elopomorphs?

Leptocephalus (meaning “small head”) - specialized larva

Otophysi

Subgroup containing Cypriniformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes

What characteristic do members of Otophysi share?

Weberian apparatus - series of modified vertebral elements that connect the gas bladder with the inner ear

Cypriniformes

Clade of carps, minnows, suckers, chubs, loaches, + more

Describe Cypriniformes.

Clade of carps, minnows, suckers, chubs, loaches, + more

• Primarily freshwater

• Commercially, ecologically, and scientifically important

EX: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a model organism for studying vertebrate genetics

Characiformes

Clade of piranhas and tetras (+ more)

What is notable about Characiformes?

• 🦷 Their teeth! VVVV

• Common in freshwater fishkeeping

Image: Pacus are herbivorous, but have teeth to grind brazil nuts.

Siluriformes

Clade of catfishes

What is unique about Siluriformes?

• No scales (skin instead)

• Sensory barbels covered in taste buds

• Spine at the leading edge of the dorsal and pectoral fins

Also: Most catfish are predators and many possess ⚡ electroreceptive organs

Gymnotiformes

Clade of electric eels and South American knifefish

What clade do electric eels belong to?

Gymnotiformes

(They are NOT true eels, which are Elopomorphs)

Fill out this tree of Otophysi.

• Cypriniformes are the most basal.

• Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes are sister groups and the most derived clades.

Compared to the rest of Teleostei, is Euteleostei more derived or basal?

Derived

Salmoniformes

Clade of salmon and trout

Esociformes

Clade of pikes and pickerels

What are the most basal Euteleosts?

Salmoniformes and Esociformes

• They are sister taxa.

Stomiiformes

Clade of dragonfishes and allies

What is notable about Stomiiformes?

There are at least trillions of bristlemouth individuals in the ocean, making them the most abundant vertebrates

Myctophiformes

Clade of lanternfish

Gadiformes

Clade of cods, haddocks, and hakes

Lampriformes

Clade of Opah and ribbonfish

Example question: What clades do Characiformes belong to?

• Otophysi

• Ostariophysi

• Otocephela

• Teleostei

• Actinopterygii

• Osteichthyes

What does Acanthopterygii refer to?

Spiny-finned teleosts

Name the 4 most basal clades in Acanthopterygii.

1. 🔦 Trachichthyiformes (flashlightfish and allies)

2. 🐿 Holocentriformes (squirrelfishes)

3. 🐸 Batrachoidiformes (toadfishes)

4. Gobiiformes (mudskippers and gobies)

Percomorpha

Clade of more derived Acanthopterygians

• All Acanthopterygians except for Trachichthyiformes, Holocentriformes, Batrachoidiformes, and Gobiiformes

What are the most basal Percomorphs?

Syngnathiformes (seahorses) and Scombriformes (mackerels and tunas)

• They are sister clades.

• This was determined by molecular phylogenetic research.

What 4 clades make up Carangaria?

1. 🏹 Toxotiformes (Archerfishes)

2. 🎃 Carangiformes (Jacks)

3. ⛵ Istiophoriformes (Billfishes)

4. 🥿 Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes)

Anabantiformes

Clade of gouramis, betta fish, and snakeheads

What clade is the sister group to Carangaria?

Anabantiformes (Gouramis)

Syngnathiformes

Clade of seahorses, pipefishes, and allies

Scombriformes

Clade of mackerels and tunas

Toxotiformes

Clade of archerfishes

Carangiformes

Clade of jacks

Istiophoriformes

Clade of billfish (marlins, swordfish, and sailfish)

Pleuronectiformes

Clade of flatfishes

Cichliformes

Clade of cichlids

Beloniformes

Clade of needlefishes and flyingfishes

Cyprinodontiformes

Clade of killifishes, mosquitofish, mollies, and livebearers

Percidae

Family of true perches

Scorpaenidae

Family of scorpionfishes

Labriformes

Clade of wrasses and parrotfishes

Lophiiformes

Clade of anglerfishes

Tetraodontiformes

Clade of pufferfish, molas (ocean sunfish), and allies

Are Labriformes (wrasses and parrotfish) more closely related to Perciformes or Lophiiformes and Tetraodontiformes?

Neither.

This is an unresolved polytomy in Eupercaria.

Eupercaria

Clade of 4 clades:

1. 🦂 Perciformes (true perches and scorpionfishes)

2. 🦜 Labriformes (wrasses and parrotfishes)

3. 🎣 Lophiiformes (anglerfishes)

4. 🐡 Tetraodontiformes (pufferfishes and allies)

Perciformes

Clade in Eupercaria made of 2 families:

1. Percidae (true perches)

2. Scorpaenidae (scorpionfishes)