Phylogenetic relationships of the species of Acestridium Haseman, 1911 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)

Abstract

A phylogeny of the species of the loricariid genus Acestridium and relevant outgroups is presented based on a parsimony analysis of 52 unweighted and unordered morphological characters. Acestridium is diagnosed as monophyletic based on the possession of the 17 exclusive synapomorphies. Two primary trees were found, and the strict consensus among those alternative trees resulted in the following relationships: ((A. dichromum + A. triplax)(A. gymnogaster + A. scutatum + (A. discus (A. colombiensis + A. martini)))). Acestridium was found to be sister to Niobichthys with this clade subsequently the sister-group to Oxyropsis + Hypoptopoma.