Paxton concilians: A New Genus and Species of Pseudamine Apogonid (Teleostei: Percoidei) from Northwestern Australia: The Sister Group of the Enigmatic Gymnapogon

Abstract

Paxton concilians is described as a new genus and species of pseudamine apogonid from four specimens trawled off northwestern Australia. It differs most conspicuously from all other apogonids in having a continuous dorsal fin but shares with other members of the family certain specializations of the dorsal gill arches, last spinous dorsal fin pterygiophore, and cutaneous sensory system. We recognize two subfamilies of apogonids, the Apogoninae and Pseudaminae, and diagnose the latter on the basis of numerous derived features. We propose that Paxton be added as a fourth member of the Pseudaminae (with Gymnapogon, Pseudamia, and Pseudamiops) and provide strong evidence that Paxton is the sister group of Gymnapogon, a taxon whose phylogenetic position within the Apogonidae has never been well understood.