Facial and gill musculature of polynemid fishes, with notes on their possible relationships with sciaenids (Percomorphacea: Perciformes)

The Polynemidae is a family of primarily marine fishes with eight genera and 42 extant species. Many aspects of their morphology are largely unknown, with few reports about their osteology and barely any information on their myology. This paper describes and illustrates in detail all facial and branchial muscles of representative species of polynemids. Our analysis demonstrates the existence of several remarkable and previously unknown...