Poeciliini Bonaparte, 1846

Supertribe: Poeciliini Bonaparte , new

[Clade 119]

Poecilini Bonaparte, 1831: 94, unavailable name; preoccupied in Coleoptera .

Poeciliini Bonaparte, 1831 . Type-genus: Poecilia Bloch & Schneider, 1801 .

Diagnosis. Members of the supertribe Poeciliini share the following uniquely derived and unreversed features: (1) ascending process of premaxilla short and pointed [12-2**]; (2) presence of a curved and forward directed process on ventral surface of dentary [15-1**]; (3) tooth plates of third and fourth pharingobranchials fused, forming a elongate structure with teeth regularly distributed [26-1**]; and (4) fifth ceratobranchial wide and bearing teeth regularly distributed [28-1**].

Additionally, they can be diagnosed by the following not uniquely derived and/or reversed features: (1) premaxillary symphysis elevated [13-1*]; (2) teeth compressed [21-1*]; (3) five branchiostegal rays [22-0]; (4) toothless fourth ceratobranchial [27-1]; (5) absence of spines on subdistal segments of R3 [108-0]; and (6) absence of a dark stripe on median portion of dorsal fin [137-0].

Composition. Tribes: Poeciliini , Girardinini and Cnesterodontini

Distribution. North, Central and South America.