1st Edition
Morphological Evolution, Adaptations, Homoplasies, Constraints, and Evolutionary Trends Catfishes as a Case Study on General Phylogeny & Macroevolution
The major aim of this work is, to help clarify the interrelationships of catfishes, with major implications on the study of the general evolution of these fishes. A great part of this work, therefore, deals with a cladistic analysis of catfish higher-level phylogeny based on extensive morphological data, in which are included some terminal taxa not included in previous analyses, but principally a large number of characters traditionally excluded from those analyses, with particular attention being given to catfish morphology. This analysis gives particular importance to complex, integrated structures. It will be interest to students, ichthyologists and biologists working in evolution, taxonomy and phylogeny.
Catfishes : Introduction: Phylogenetic Position within Teleostei
Catfish Families
Historical Overview of Higher Level Phylogeny of Catfishes
Catfish, an Exceptional Biological Group
Methodology & Material: Phylogenetic Methodology
Delimitation of Terminal Taxa
Material, Techniques and Nomenclature
Phylogenetic Analysis: Character Description and Comparison
Cladistic Analysis, Diagnosis for Clades, and Comparison with Previous Hypotheses
Character State Changes for Individual Genera; Results of Phylogenetic Analysis: Major Outlines
Higher-level Phylogeny and Macroevolution of Catfishes: A Discussion: Structures Associated with Movements of the Mandibular Barbels
Pectoral Girdle Complex; Adductor Mandibulae Complex; Palatine-maxillary System
Suspensorium and Associated Structures; Elastic Spring Apparatus
A Discussion on the Origin and Biogeographic Distribution of Catfishes
Catfishes, Case Study for General Discussions of Phylogenetic and Macroevolutionary Topics: Primary Homologies, Secondary Homologies, and a Priori Versus a Posteriori Explanations in Evolutionary Biology; Homoplasies, Consistency Index, and Complexity of Macroevolution
Functional Uncouplings and Morphological Macroevolution
Myological Versus Osteological Characters in Phylogenetic Reconstructions; Analysis of Distinct Anatomical Regions in Phylogenetic Reconstructions
Aptations, Exaptations and Adaptations in Macroevolutionary Studies
Parallelisms, Convergences and Constraints in Macroevolution; Cordelia’s Dilemma, Historical Bias, and General Evolutionary Trends
Punctuated Equilibrium, Speciation, Living Fossils and Macroevolution
Biography
Rui Diogo
