Subfamily Ptereleotrinae

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Introduction

Members of the Ptereleotrinae, commonly known as dartfishes, are elongate, but not as slender as wormfishes, and have short and strongly oblique jaws. Currently, seven described genera and about 59 species are known from all tropical seas, except the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Australian fauna comprises six genera and 21 species.

Hoese (1984) first suggested a close relationship between the Microdesminae and Ptereleotrinae. One of the main features (an elongate posterior pelvic process) thought to unite the two groups has since been found to be variable, and Harrison (1989) and Thacker (2000, 2003) have disputed the relationship. We follow Nelson (1994) in recognising the groups as subfamilies. Recent work, based on mitochondrial cytochrome b genes (Akihito et al. 2000), suggested a relationship between these two groups and the Kraemeriidae, and more recent studies (Thacker 2009; Hoese & Motomura 2009; Agorreta et al. 2013; Tornabene et al. 2013) also suggested a close relationship between the two groups, with the microdesmines more closely related to some ptereleotrines than others. Nelson (2006) placed the group as a distinct family, Ptereleotridae, a rank not supported by recent studies.

The genera Aioliops, Nemateleotris, Parioglossus and Ptereleotris were revised by Rennis & Hoese (1987), Randall & Allen (1973), Rennis & Hoese (1985) and Randall & Hoese (1985), respectively. Klausewitz & Conde (1981) reviewed the genus Oxymetopon and H. Ikeda is currently undertaking a study of that genus. Rennis & Hoese (1987) discussed relationships within the subfamily.

 

General References

Agorreta, A., San Mauro, D., Schliewen, U., Van Tassell, J.L., Kovačić, M., Zardoya, R. & Rüber, L. 2013. Molecular phylogenetics of Gobioidei and phylogenetic placement of European gobies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69(3): 619–633

Akihito, P., Iwata, A., Kobayashi, T., Ikeo, K., Imanishi, T., Ono, H., Umehara, Y., Hamamatsu, C., Sugiyama, K., Ikeda, Y., Sakamoto, K., Fumihito, A., Ohno, S. & Gojobori, T. 2000. Evolutionary aspects of gobioid fishes based upon a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b genes. Gene 259: 5-15

Harrison, I.J. 1989. Specialization of the gobioid palatopterygoquadrate complex and its relevance to gobioid systematics. Journal of Natural History 23: 325-353

Hoese, D.F. 1984. Gobioidei: Relationships. pp. 588-591 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760

Hoese, D.F. & Motomura, H. 2009. Descriptions of two new genera and species of ptereleotrine fishes from Australia and Japan (Teleostei: Gobioidei) with discussion of possible relationships. Zootaxa 2312: 49-59

Klausewitz, W. & Conde, B. 1981. Oxymetopon cyanoctenosum n.sp., un nouvel Eléotride des Philippines, avec une étude comparée du genre (Pisces, Perciformes, Gobioidei, Eleotridae). Revue Française d'Aquariologie et Herpétologie 8(3): 67-76 figs 1-19

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Randall, J.E. & Allen, G.R. 1973. A revision of the gobiid fish genus Nemateleotris, with descriptions of two new species. Quarterly Journal of the Taiwan Museum 26(3, 4): 347-367 figs 1-7

Randall, J.E. & Hoese, D.F. 1985. A revision of the dartfishes, genus Ptereleotris (Perciformes: Gobioidei). Indo-Pacific Fishes 7: 1-36 figs 1-11 pls 1-4

Rennis, D.S. & Hoese, D.F. 1985. A review of the genus Parioglossus, with descriptions of six new species (Pisces : Gobioidei). Records of the Australian Museum 36: 169-201 figs 1-37

Rennis, D.S. & Hoese, D.F. 1987. Aioliops, a new genus of ptereleotrine fish (Pisces: Gobioidei) from the tropical Indo-Pacific with descriptions of four new species. Records of the Australian Museum 39: 67-84 figs 1-17

Thacker, C. 2000. Phylogeny of the wormfishes (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Microdesmidae). Copeia 2000(4): 940-957

Thacker, C.E. 2003. Molecular phylogeny of the gobioid fishes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 26(3): 354-368

Thacker, C.E. 2009. Phylogeny of Gobioidei and placement within Acanthomorpha, with a new classification and investigation of diversification and character evolution. Copeia 2009(1): 93–104

Tornabene, L., Chen, Y. & Pezold, F. 2013. Gobies are deeply divided: phylogenetic evidence from nuclear DNA (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Gobiidae). Systematics and Biodiversity 11(3): 345-361

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
14-May-2015	GOBIOIDEI	07-Apr-2015	MODIFIED	Dr Doug Hoese
		12-Feb-2010	(import)