Interrelationships among the Species of the Genus Puntius (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) as Indicated by the Caudal Skeletons

Abstract

The studies on the osteology of caudal skeleton and the ray counts showed that the species of Puntius studied fall into two groups. one containing 11 species and the other with one species. The major group with I I species has a primitive caudal skeleton with 6 free hypurals and 16 or more branched rays, the minor group with one species has an advanced caudal skeleton with 5 free hypurals and 15 branched rays.