CRANIAL OSTEOLOGY OF BREGMACEROS MCCLELLANDI THOMPSON, WITH A NOTE ON ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER GADIFORMES

Cranial osteology of Bregmaceros meclellandi of the family Bregmacero- , tidae is described. The family Bregmacerotidae differs from other families of Gadiformes in many respects. The study reveals some diagnostic osteological features such as the asymmetry of some cranial bones, absence of mucous cavity in the frontals, absence of foramen in parietals, presence of teeth on vomer and branchial arches. The opisthotic is the largest bone of the otic region, contrary to prootic in other gadoid fishes (Mujib 1967, 1969). Bregmaceros meclellandi also possesses some osteological features identical with M. bilinearis (Mujib 1967), which bring the family Bregmacerotidae close to the Subfamily Merluccinae more than to Gadinae and Lotinae.