Comparative Osteology of the fishes of the family Leiognathidae Part I : Osteology

Abstract

The paper deals with the comparative osteology of 17 species of the three genera, Leiognathus, Secutor and Gazza, in the family Leiognathidae. While giving a detailed description of the osteology of L. jonesi, representing the genus Leiognathus, the osteological features of the other two genera are compared. The distinctive features of the various species are listed. The relationships among the genera and the species are discussed, and osteological keys to the genera and the species are provided. The results of the study indicate that within the genus Leiognathus the species constitute four groups: the first represented by L. smithursti, L. splendens, L. jonesi and L. dussumieri; second by L. fasciatus and L. equulus; third by L. leuciscus, L. berbis and L. lineolatus; and fourth by L. daura, L. blochi and L. brevirostris. The species L. bindus stands apart from all the other species of Leiognathus and shows affinity to genus Secutor on one hand and genus Gazza on the other, and incidentally exhibits certain specialised characters like the upwardly directed protrusible mouth of the former and the development of prominent teeth of the latter. The species of Secutor and Gazza remain distinct within the respective genera and from species of the genus Leiognathus.