TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE CROAKER CILUS MONTTI DELFIN, 1900 (PISCES: SCIAENIDAE)

Abstract

Within the Perciform fishes, sciaenid group is one of the most diversified. Sciaenids show big otoliths, a prominent lateral line, channels on the head and pores on the snout and lower jaw. Also a very well developed and complex swim-bladder is characteristic.
According to ils original descripción, the croaker C. montti Delfín, 1900 has been considered as a member of the family Pomadasyidae. In this paper, we show the results of the analysis of 18 individuáis caught in the central coast of Chile, comparing morphological aspects of otoliths, swim-bladders, meristic and morphometric data, with others, sciaenids and with the pomadasyid ¡sacia conceptionis. We conclude that Cilus montti Delfín, 1900 must be removed from Pomadasyidae family to Sciaenidae, and that the genus Cilus is not a sinonimous of Sciaena as suggested by Norman (1966); we suggest Cilus gilberti (Abbott, 1899) as scientific ñame for the Chilean croaker.