Background Fish classifications, as those of most other taxonomic groups, are being
transformed drastically as new molecular phylogenies provide support for natural groups …

The tree of life of fishes is in a state of flux because we still lack a comprehensive phylogeny
that includes all major groups. The situation is most critical for a large clade of spiny-finned …

Spiny-rayed fishes (Acanthomorpha) dominate modern marine habitats and account for
more than a quarter of all living vertebrate species. Previous time-calibrated phylogenies …

Classification of the tremendous diversity of ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) began with the
designation of taxonomic groups on the basis of morphological similarity. Starting in the late …

Dating the tree of life is a core endeavor in evolutionary biology. Rates of evolution are
fundamental to nearly every evolutionary model and process. Rates need dates. There is …

Background Phylogenetic gaps of public databases of reference sequences are a major
obstacle for comparative genomics and management of marine resources, particularly in the …

Recapitulation is a hypothetical concept that assumes embryogenesis of an animal parallels
its own phylogenetic history, sequentially develo** from more ancestral features to more …

Freshwater habitats make up only∼ 0.01% of available aquatic habitat and yet harbor 40%
of all fish species, whereas marine habitats comprise> 99% of available aquatic habitat and …

Pleistocene climatic fluctuations (PCF) are frequently highlighted as important evolutionary
engines that triggered cycles of biome expansion and contraction. Although there is ample …

Changes to allometry, or the relative proportions of organs and tissues within organisms, is a
common means for adaptive character change in evolution. However, little is understood …