Etude myologique du Saint-Pierre ou poule de mer (Zeus laber LINNE)

The taxonomic position of the John Dory (Zeus faber), included in family Cyttidae, has been debated and we will only address this issue in terms of myology. This myological study confirms that Zeus belongs to a primitive group of teleost fish evolving towards an acanthopterygian state. It shares archaic features with order Proacanthopterygii, close to Berycoidae, with which the genus Zenion marks a transition form. The evolution of order Proacanthopterygii, in particular suborder Berycoidei and families Lamprididae and Cyttidae, represents the origin of numerous families of the bony fishes. As a result, the description of the musculature of Zeus can be considered as a myological monograph of a type species from which other forms evolved. The muscle nomenclature used in this study is the same as in a previous work published on the fishes of order Orbiculates. For a general study, one may refer to the chapter on the muscular system in the recent "Traité de Zoologie" (volume XIII, fasc. 1).