Notes on the structure and relationships of the alepocephaloid fishes. American Museum novitates ; no. 2473

Abstract

"The alepocephaloid fishes, which have had a long, uncertain taxonomic history, are compared with members of the Argentinoidei. The two groups share a distinctive pharyngobranchial structure not known to occur in any other major group of fishes. Study of the caudal skeleton of alepocephaloids and argentinoids reveals additional trenchant similarities between these two groups. Other anatomical information is consistent with the hypothesis that alepocephaloids and argentinoids form a monophyletic assemblage. The two groups are included as two superfamilies, the Alepocephaloidea and Argentinoidea, of the suborder Argentinoidei. Suggested rearrangements of members of the Argentinoidea also are propsed"--P. [1].