Phylogenetic Relationships and New Classification of the Superfamily Scorpaenoidea (Actinopterygii: Perciformes)

Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships of the supeirlami!y Scorpaenoidea are reconstructed cladistically. based on speeimens belonging to 18 families, 59 genera, and 86species, by using osteological and myological characters recognized in 111 transformation series. The tbllowing relationships are inferred ; <1) the former Scerpaenoidei is paraphyletic; (2) the family Sebasti-dae is not monophyletic, most of the genera included having initially branched ofi' other ingroup taxa: (3) the family Setarchidae and Trachyscor-pia have a sister relationship, being nested within the paraphylatic Scor-paenidae; and <4) the family Neosebastidae is the sister group of the former Platycephaloidei, In conelusion, the Scorpaenoidea is reclassified into 20 families, accepting several redefined taxa, such as the Sebastidae, Sebastolo-bidae, and Seorpaenidae.