Assiculoides

Gill, Anthony C., 2013, Classification and relationships of Assiculus and Assiculoides (Teleostei: Pseudochromidae), Zootaxa 3718 (2), pp. 128-136 : 130-131

Assiculoides + Pseudoplesiopinae + Anisochrominae + Congrogadinae

A relationship of Assiculoides to the Pseudoplesiopinae + Anisochrominae + Congrogadinae clade is supported by the following two synapomorphies.

3. Infraorbital bones five or fewer: Although Godkin and Winterbottom (1985: 641) reported that pseudochromines have five infraorbitals, Assiculus and other pseudochromines except Assiculoides are plesiomorphic in having six infraorbital bones (which includes the dermosphenotic and “lachrymal”) ( Figure 4 A). Assiculoides and the other subfamilies are derived in having fewer infraorbitals: five in Assiculoides ( Figure 4 B); four or five in pseudoplesiopines (Gill & Edwards 1999: fig. 10, Gill & Edwards 2004: fig. 2); three to five in anisochromines (Springer et al. 1977); one to five in congrogadines (Godkin & Winterbottom 1985, Winterbottom 1996). Comparison of the construction of infraorbitals (particularly the consistent – and plesiomorphic – presence of a prominent suborbital shelf on infraorbital 3) and the relative sizes of posterior infraorbitals suggests that the reduction from a six infraorbital condition is a result of “fusion” of infraorbitals 4 and 5.

4. Haemal spine of preural vertebra 2 attached to centrum: Assiculus and other pseudochromines except Assiculoides are plesiomorphic in having the haemal spine of pu2 autogenous ( Figures 2 A–B). It is also autogenous in some specimens of the congrogadine genera Natalichthys Winterbottom (1980) and Halidesmus , but it is attached to the pu2 centrum in all other congrogadines and in Assiculoides , anisochromines and pseudoplesiopines ( Figures 3 A–B, Springer et al. 1977, Godkin & Winterbottom 1985, Gill & Edwards 1999, Gill & Fricke 2001). Variation within the Congrogadinae is not unexpected given their eel-like shape (see discussion of character 1). This character was previously identified by Godkin and Winterbottom as a synapomorphy of the Pseudoplesiopinae + Anisochrominae + Congrogadinae .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Left lateral view of caudal skeletons of: (A) Pseudochromis fuscus Müller & Troschel (1849) (Pseudochrominae), AMS I. 18469 - 044, 48.0 mm SL; (B) Assiculus punctatus, NTM S. 10016 - 009, 32.2 mm SL. Cartilage shown in dark grey. Outer principal caudal-fin rays indicated by arrows. Abbreviations: EP 1 – 3, epurals 1 – 3; H 1 – 5, hypurals 1 – 5; HSP, haemal spines; NSP, neural spines; PH, parhypural; PU 2 – 3, preural centra 2 – 3; UC, compound urostylar complex.

FIGURE 3. Left lateral view of caudal skeletons of Assiculoides desmonotus: (A) WAM P. 30929 - 008, 41.3 mm SL, paratype, with short pu 2 neural spine; (B) WAM P. 30929 - 008, 46.2 mm SL, paratype, with long pu 2 neural spine. UNF, uroneural fragment. Other methods of presentation follow Figure 2.

FIGURE 4. Lateral view of left infraorbital bones of: (A) Assiculus punctatus, NTM S. 10016 - 009, 32.2 mm SL (redrawn from Gill & Hutchins 1997: fig. 1 B); (B) Assiculoides desmonotus, WAM P. 30929 - 008, 41.3 mm SL, paratype (redrawn from Gill & Hutchins 1997: fig. 1 A).