The early evolution of the Neopterygii

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The Neopterygii are the largest and most important group of fishes, and they also include the teleosts and thus some 50 % of modern vertebrate biodiversity. However, the origin and early evolution of neopterygians is still poorly understood, as are the interrelationships of their main lineages. This situation is mainly due to two interrelated factors, the unresolved question of the out group to Neopterygii, and many problematic homologies within basal neopterygians. The objective of the current project, which is laid out for a total period of six years, are thus a clarification of primary hypotheses of homologies in basal neopterygians and their testing in a large-scale phylogenetic analysis, thus clarifying the interrelationships of the major lineages of the Neopterygii. In the first three years applied for here, emphasis will be put on the choice of out groups, including a detailed revision of the phylogenetic position of the Chondrostei to the neopterygians and the monophyly of Neopterygii, and on the primary homologies of several important character complexes within basal neopterygians. This part will thus form the foundation for the analysis of neopterygian interrelationships in the second period of the project.