Revision of the genera Vinciguerria and †Eovinciguerria from the Oligocene of Romania (Central Paratethys) – comments on selected characters

Five species of the genus Vinciguerria (namely † V. macarovicii, † V. praeattenuata, † V. tal- giensis, † V. obscura, and † V. merklini) were described and/or recorded from Romania. Most of the Eocene and Oligocene fossil species of this genus from the Central and Eastern Paratethys were later grouped in two genera († Sytchewskia and † Eovinciguerria), mainly due to the morphology of the caudal skeleton. A systematic revision of the vinciguerrid phosichthyids from the Oligocene deposits of Piatra-Neamt, Romania (Central Paratethys) is presented herein. Based on the character analysis and relationships of the recent phosichthyid genera, we consider the genus † Eovinciguerria to be invalid and we re-establish the validity of the genus Vinciguerria for the Oligocene species. Morphological comparisons of the original material with well- preserved specimens of † V. obscura from Liten ice (Czech Republic) and contemporary representatives allow us to recognize that † V. macarovicii is a synonym of † V. obscura. Moreover, † V. merklini recorded from the Oligocene deposits of Piatra-Neamt (Romania) represents a juvenile specimen of † V. obscura, contrary to what was previously postulated.

Caudal osteology and its application to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship in the genus Garra

Among cyprinid family, little information is available about the phylogenetic relationships of the members of genus Garra in Iran. The structure of caudal skeleton as a valuable source in taxonomic studies of fishes can help to determine their systematic position. Hence, this study was conducted to compare the osteological features of caudal fin skeleton and reconstructing phylogenetic tree of the Iranian members of genus Garra. For this purpose, five specimens of every selected (except Iran blind carp with two specimens from each morphotype) taxon were cleared and stained to examine the osteological characteristics of their caudal fin skeleton. Also, Kura barbel (Barbus cyri) and Barzam (Capoeta trutta) were designed as outgroup. The results showed that members of Garra constitute a monophyletic group. The results revealed that the caudal skeleton features cannot discriminate the members of genus Garra at the level of species because of small number of extractable characters and their states.

The caudal skeleton of Batrachoidiformes (Teleostei: Percomorphacea): a study of morphological diversity, intraspecific variation, and phylogenetic inferences

The caudal-fin skeleton is a primary data source for systematics of fishes, with characters from this complex being proposed as synapomorphies at many taxonomic levels. Batrachoidiformes is recognized as monophyletic, although intraordinal relationships are unclear. Likewise, interrelationships of Batrachoidiformes to other percomorphs are not well established. The caudal skeleton of Batrachoidiformes has not been thoroughly studied and is poorly represented in recent phylogenetic analyses. In this study, we examined the caudal-fin skeleton of 55 of the 82 species and 22 of the 23 genera of Batrachoidiformes, emphasizing the detection of intraspecific variation to recognize morphological characters with phylogenetic significance. Intraspecific variation is high, especially in the shape of epurals and the parhypural flange. A dorsal prezygapophysis on the first ural centrum and the acute articular edge of the parhypural flange are interpreted as putative synapomorphies of Porichthyinae. The anterior epural supporting two procurrent fin rays is found only in some Halophryninae, but is absent in Allenbatrachus, Batrachomeus, Batrichthys and Halophryne. Among Batrachoidiformes, a hypurapophysis-like process on the first ural centrum is found in Thalassophryninae and Barchatus, Batrichthys, Bifax, Chatrabus, Colletteichthys, Halobatrachus, Perulibatrachus and Riekertia. Caudal-fin ray counts are phylogenetically informative at several taxonomic levels. Distal caudal cartilages are described for Batrachoidiformes for the first time.