ABSTRACT
For a discussion of the composition and relationships of the Elopomorpha (see Lauder and Liem 1983; Smith 1984; Jamieson 1991; Nelson 2006). They contain the Elopiformes, Albuliformes (in which the Notacanthiformes are subsumed), and Anguilliformes (Nelson 2006). They all have a leptocephalus larva. That this is a synapomorphy of a monophyletic group (Greenwood et al. 1966) has been questioned but sperm structure unequivocally unifies the group. The great value of spermatology for taxonomy and phylogeny is thus strikingly demonstrated by this assemblage. Molecular analysis of mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA sequences (Wang et al. 2003) (Fig. 10.18) and of 10 nuclear genes (Orti and Li, Chapter 1) and a combined molecular and morphological analysis (Inoue et al. 2004) have confirmed elopomorph monophyly. Monophyly is further supported by whole mitogenomic analysis which indicates that elopomorphs are the plesiomorph sister-group of the remaining teleosts (Clupeocephala), excepting the more basal Osteoglossomorpha (Lavoue et al. 2005) (Fig. 10.1).
