Cladistic_Classification_of_Class_Sarcopterygii
Cladistic classification of Sarcopterygii
Taxonomy of lobe-finned fishes
Cladistic classification of Sarcopterygii is the classication of Sarcopterygii as a clade containing not only the lobe-finned fishes (coelacanths and lungfish) but also the tetrapods, which are closely related to lungfish. The taxon Sarcopterygii was traditionally classified as a paraphyletic group considered either a class or a subclass of Osteichthyes (bony fish). Identification of the group is based on several characteristics, such as the presence of fleshy, lobed, paired fins, which are joined to the body by a single bone.[1]
This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. (May 2016) |