Abstract
Osteological characters of the percophid fish, Percophis brasiliensis Quoy and Gaimard, 1825, the sole member of the subfamily Percophinae, are described in detail. Fifteen apomorphic characters are recognized in this species through morphological comparison with the Percoidei. Of them, the following five characters are determined to be autapomorphic for this species and its subfamily among the Percophidae: urohyal greatly depressed, complex in shape; first pharyngobranchial reduced and completely ossified; Baudelot's ligament branched distally; five supraneurals or ray-less proximal-middle pterygiophores present; and body cavity extending far posteriorly. Percophis brasiliensis is considered to be closely related to the percophid subfamily Bembropinae, because they share three apomorphic characters (presence of a lower backwardly directed opercular spine crossing the subopercle, absence of a tooth plate on the second epibranchial, and absence of supernumerary rays on the ventral portion of the first anal proximal-middle pterygiophore). Although the monophyly of the Percophidae is unconfirmed, because of the lack of plausible synapomorphies, the family is provisionally defined here by the following five apomorphic characters: exoccipital condyles separated in the midline; parasphenoid and pterosphenoid connected; anteroventral portion of second anal proximal pterygiophore with a soft ray; uroneural single; and fewer than 15 branched caudal fin rays present.
