Abstract A cladistic analysis of 20 actinopterygian species; including several new taxa from the Lower Carboniferous Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana; USA; is presented. This analysis is based upon 74 dermal cranial and shoulder girdle characteristics. The results strongly support several classical groupings such as that of Paleoniscimorpha. On the basis of these cranial data; there is some relationships between Rhadinichthys canobiensis and two of the Bear Gulch actinopterygians; all characterized by the lack of premaxillae. This analysis will later be expanded with other characters such as postcranial ones.