Comparative scale morphology and squamation patterns in triplefins (Pisces: Teleostei: Perciformes: Tripterygiidae)

Scale surface morphology and squamation patterns provide new and useful information for tripterygiid systematics. A comparative study comprising 48 tripterygiid species was conducted to identify the most useful scale and squamation characters with- in the family and to clarify their systematic significance. Several characters were estab- lished. Three types of bending of the first interradial circulus were found: straight, bulging rostrad, bulging caudad. The genera Forsterygion, Grahamina, and Obliquichthys have a straight interradial circulus, which separates them from the remaining triplefin genera. Also, body scales with a pentagonal shape were found uniquely in those three genera. Several features of the lateral line scales proved to be of particular value for taxo- nomic purposes. The squamation on the head, belly, caudal peduncle, and fins was also found to be of interest in this context. From the results, it is concluded that scale and squamation studies can be valuable tools in investigating systematic relationships among the Tripterygiidae.

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