Hoplichthyidae Kaup, 1873

Smith, W. Leo, Everman, Elizabeth & Richardson, Clara, 2018, Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Sea Robins, and Stonefishes (Percomorpha: Scorpaeniformes) and the Evolution of the Lachrymal Saber, Copeia 106 (1), pp. 94-119 : 117-118

Hoplichthyidae Kaup, 1873

Type genus: Hoplichthys Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829

Sister taxon: Triglidae

Concept and content: 17 species classified in one genus: Hoplichthys

Phenotypic diagnosis: Middle portion of second circumorbital sensory canal bridge present with more than two sensory openings (character 3, state 3); basisphenoid absent (character 19, state 2); prootic and intercalar in contact (character 20, state 1); lateral lateral-line canal pore on pterotic absent (character 22, state 0); skinny lateral-line sensory canal between pterotic and preopercle present (character 23, state 1); Baudelot’s ligament absent (character 25, state 3); metapterygoid lamina absent (character 32, state 1); rudimentary to no space between metapteryoid and hyomandibula (character 33, state 1); first pharyngobranchial cartilaginous (character 41, state 1); tooth plate on second pharyngobranchial absent (character 42, state 1); dorsal spines slender (character 57, state 1); lower hypural plate and parhypural fused (character 71, state 1); hemal spine and third preural centrum fused (character 72, state 1); hemal spine and second preural centrum fused (character 73, state 1); levator externus III absent (character 89, state 1); levator posterior absent (character 90, state 1); gill opening wide (character 107, state 1); body lateral line with bony plates (character 109, state 2); spines on lateral-line scales present (character 110, state 1); body scales absent (character 111, state 1).

Support statistics: This family was represented by a single taxon in the analysis, so it does not have bootstrap support values.

Systematic comment: Familial and generic composition and species recognition follow Eschmeyer et al. (2017).