A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE STERNOPTYCHID GENUS POLYIPNUS (TELEOSTEI,STROMIIFORMES) WITH AN ANALYSIS OF PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS

The benthopelagic fish genus Polyipnus (Family Sternoptychidae Gunther ) is taxonomically revised and the phylogenetic relationships of the s pecies investigated. Examination of specimens from most major world co llections leads to recognition of 30 species for which a key is provid ed. New species are described from the South China Sea, off the northw estern coast of Australia, the Andaman Sea (eastern Indian Ocean), the western Indian Ocean off Kenya, and the western North Atlantic. A stu dy of phylogenetic relationships, based on mainly osteology and photop hores, resulted in a well-resolved phylogeny. Monophyly of the genus a nd four species groups is indicated; species complexes of earlier auth ors, not defined on the basis of shared, derived characters, are aband oned. Species that were previously members of the laternatus species c omplex do not constitute a monophyletic group and are now placed in di e asteroides and omphus species groups with their respective closest r elatives. The remaining meteori and spinosus groups contain species pr eviously referred to the asteroides and spinosus complexes. Many new r ecords are reported for most previously recognized species. Polyipnus meteori and P. omphus which were previously thought endemic to the wes tern Indian Ocean are found to be widespread in the Indo-Pacific. Most species distributions remain limited even with the advent of the new material.