Abstract
Examining the vertebrae of 15 species of the sciaenid fishes collected from the waters around Japan and the China Sea, it was found that these species are divided into five groups on the basis of the vertebral characters; Nibea-, Johnius-, Argyrosomus-, Pseudosciaena- and Collichthys-forms. The Nibea- form is represented by the fishes of the genera Nibea and Miichthys; Johnius-form by the genera Johnius and Wak; Argyrosomus-form by the genera Argyrosomus and Atrobucca; Pseudosciaena-form by the genus Pseudosciaena; and Collichthys-form by the genus Collichthys.
Of the five forms of the vertebrae, the Nibea- form is the most generalized and the Johnius-, Collichthys-and Pseudosciaena-forms are considered to be specialized. The Argyrosomus-form seems to be intermediate between the Nibea- and Pseudosciaena-forms.It is concluded that the vertebrae are useful character, as well as the cranium and sagitta, for the systematic studies of the sciaenid fishes.
