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Abstract
<p class="first" id="d4225140e51">This is the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis
of the Characidae to date and
the first large-scale hypothesis of the family, combining myriad morphological data
with molecular information. A total of 520 morphological characters were analysed
herein, of which 98 are newly defined. Among the analysed taxa, 259 species were coded
by examining specimens, three fossil species were coded from the literature, one species
was coded almost completely from published figures, 122 were partially coded from
the literature, and 88 were analysed exclusively from molecular data. The total number
of species in the analysed dataset is 473. Analyses were made by parsimony under equal
and extended implied weighting with a broad range of parameters. The final hypothesis
was selected using a stability criterion that chooses among the most parsimonious
trees of all searches. It was found by weighting molecular characters with the average
homoplasy of entire partitions (markers). The resulting hypothesis is congruent with
previous molecular-based phylogenies of the family. The Characidae are monophyletic,
with four main clades: the Spintherobolinae new subfamily; an expanded Stethaprioninae
including the Grundulini, Gymnocharacini, Rhoadsiini and Stethaprionini; the Stevardiinae;
and a clade composed of the Aphyocharacinae, Characinae, Cheirodontinae, Exodontinae
and Tetragonopterinae. Also, a stem Characidae was found, as formed by the Eocene-Oligocene
genera †Bryconetes and †Paleotetra as successive sister groups of extant members of
the family. A subfamilial classification is proposed, but deep changes in the systematics
that are beyond the scope of this study are still needed to classify the Characidae
into monophyletic genera.
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