INTER AND INTRA VARIATION OF SCIAENID FISHES (TELEOSTEI : PERCIFORMES : SCIAENIDAE) THROUGH OSTEOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL APPROACH FROM NORTH WEST COAST OF INDIAN WATERS, ARABIAN SEA

Abstract

The taxonomic ambiguity surrounding several prominent genera of sciaenid has been a long imepdiment to research to solve species-level confusion on this groups. This study has been conducted for a compehensive assessment of species and phylogenetic relationship within the species and between the species through a combined osteological and morpholigical approach. Twelve species belonging to seven genera of family Sciaenidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) from North West coast of Indian water were studied. A data set of 51 morphological characters (24 osteological, 23 morphometric and 4 meristic) was constructed. A cladistics analysis based on the osteological characters resulted in a single most-parsimonious tree of tree length of 63 steps, Consistency index (CI) = 0.6981 and Retention index (RI) = 0.6981. This cladogram did not support the monophyly of one of the seven genera, Otolithes. The osteological data set was then combined with a data set of 23 morphometric and 4 meristic characters that has been used for establishing phylogenetic relationship with greater nodal support of tree length of 124 steps, (CI=0.6855 and RI=0.7045). The topography of the cladogram is similar as obtained from osteological data alone except Otolithes cuvieri and O. ruber found closer than the Otolithoides biauritus.