A Phylogenetic Study of the Neotropical Characiform Family Curimatidae (Pisces: Ostariophysi)

Vari, Richard P. A Phylogenetic Study of the Neotropical Characiform Family Curimatidae (Pisces: Ostariophysi). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 471, 71 pages, 45 figures, 3 tables, 1989.—Osteology and soft anatomy of the species of Curimatidae were studied to examine the hypothesis that the family is monophyletic, and to advance a hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships within the family. Features of the branchial apparatus, buccopharyngeal complex, hyoid arch, jaws, palatine arch, and neurocranium corroborate the monophyly of the Curimatidae. Additional characters in a subset of these systems are congruent with the hypothesis of a sister group relationship between the Curimatidae and Prochilodontidae (Vari, 1983). Shared derived characters of those systems and the antorbital, infraorbitals, opercular apparatus, ligamentum primordiale, hypural complex, caudal-fin rays, proximal pterygiophores of the dorsal fin, laterosensory canal systems of the head and body, and squamation define phylogenetic subunits of the Curimatidae, supporting a phylogenetic hypothesis of four sequential dichotomies and a terminal polychotomy. I recognize eight genera in the Curimatidae. Curimatopsis, Potamorhina, Curimata, Psectrogaster, Steindachnerina, Pseudocurimata, and Curimatella are each hypothesized as monophyletic on the basis of additional shared derived characters. No unique derived characters were found to define the eighth recognized genus, Cyphocharax. Curimatichthys Fernandez-Yepez (1948) is a synonym of Curimatopsis. Potamorhina is redefined to include Gasterotomus Eigenmann (1910), Gasterostomus Femandez-Yepez (1948), Suprasinelepichthys Fernandez-Yepez (1948), and Potamorrhina Braga and Azpelicueta (1983). Curimata Bosc (1817) has nine junior synonyms: Semitapicis Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889b); Peltapleura Fowler (1906); Acuticurimata Fowler (1941); Allenina Fernandez-Yepez (1948); Lambepiedra Femandez-Yepez (1948); Bitricarinatra FernandezYepez (1948); Bondichthys Whitley (1953); Stupens Whitley (1954); and Semitapiscis Braga and Azpilicueta (1983). Three genera are included in Psectrogaster. Pseudopsectrogaster Fernandez-Yepez (1948), Hamatichthys Fernandez-Yepez (1948), and Semelcarinata FemandezYepez (1948). Rivasella and Curimatorbis, both proposed by Femandez-Yepez (1948), are synonyms of Steindachnerina Fowler (1906). Curimatella has three junior synonyms, all described by Femandez-Yepez (1948): Apolinarella, Walbaunina, and Lepipinna. Cyphocharax has four synonyms: Xyrocharax Fowler (1913b), Hemicurimata Myers (1929), Curimatoides Fowler (1940), and Cruxentina Fernandez-Yepez (1948). The hypothesis of intrafamilial phylogenetic relationships described herein is incongruent, to differing degrees, with classificatory schemes proposed by Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889b), Eigenmann (1910), Fowler (1975), and Gery (1977b). Numerous differences exist at all taxonomic levels between the scheme of relationships proposed in this study and the "phylogenetic tree" put forward by Femandez-Yepez (1948). Additional hypothesized derived characters described herein are in agreement with the reassignment of Anodus Spix, 1829 (in Spix and Agassiz, 1829) and Eigenmannina Fowler (1906) from the Curimatidae to the Hemiodontidae, first proposed by Roberts (1974) and congruent with results of Vari (1983). Homoplasious characters are discussed in terms of their overall taxonomic distributions, and relative to their innovative versus reductive natures. Reductive features involving the degree of development of the laterosensory canal system were found to be convergent between Curimatopsis and a subset of Cyphocharax. These paedomorphic features are evidently a consequence of the relative size reduction of these species compared to proximate outgroups. 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 cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Vari, Richard P. A phylogcnetic study of the neotropical characiform family Curimatidae (Pisces: Ostariophysi). (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 471) Bibliography: p. 1. Curimatidae—Latin America—Classification. 2. Fishes—Latin America—Classification. I. Title. II. Series. [QL638.C89V37] 1989 [597'.52] 88-15661