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Videos of the our Shows from 2001 to 2019 are available on www.vimeo.com/southendaquarist
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Videos of the our Shows from 2001 to 2019 are available on www.vimeo.com/southendaquarist
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Southend Leigh and District Aquarist Society.
The Society has been active since at least 1935 and even held a show in the Kursaal in 1938. Current members range from novices to those with life long experience of fishkeeping in aquariums & ponds.
New members always welcome- you get three meetings at no cost to see if you like us- we won`t ask you to subscribe until your fourth visit.
We have held a Show almost every year since 1948. Traditionally our show is held in May.
Southend-on-Sea commonly referred to simply as Southend, is a large coastal town and wider unitary authority area with city status in southeastern Essex, England.It was granted city status by the Prime Minister on the recent knifing of the popular member of parliament for Southend West, Sir David Amess, who had long championed the town as deserving the city status. The city lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. It is home to the longest leisure pier in the world, Southend Pier. London Southend Airport is located 1.5 NM (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) north of the city centre.
An illustrated talk on the Aquarium at Gran Canaria
More news for the fishkeeper can be found at:- https://www.facebook.com/groups/181515255319981// this is derived from newspapers & websites etc. plus
Archive of Aquarium Magazines aqua-worlduk.weebly.com
& in Memory of Howard Preston responsible for the interest in wild livebearers in the UK howardpreston.weebly.com
Meetings are now held on the second Tuesday in the month at:-
Benfleet Cricket & Social Club, Manor Road,Benfleet, Essex, SS7 4PA, at 8.00 pm
All fishkeepers are welcome. We no longer meet at the Chuch Hall in Westcliff
Next meeting is on the 12th December 2023 and will be "Secret Santa" and Christmas Fare.
Also the judging of the fry rearing competition.
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Hyphessobrycon cantoi • A New Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes: Characidae) of the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group from the lower Amazon Basin, Brazil
Hyphessobrycon cantoi
Faria, Guimarães, Rodrigues, Oliveira & Lima, 2021
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0102
ABSTRACT
A new species of Hyphessobrycon belonging to the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group from the lower rio Tapajós, state of Pará, Brazil, is described. The new species is allocated into the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group due to its color pattern, composed by an anteriorly well-defined, horizontally elongated humeral blotch that becomes diffuse and blurred posteriorly, where it overlaps with a conspicuous midlateral dark stripe that becomes blurred towards the caudal peduncle and the presence, in living specimens, of a tricolored longitudinal pattern composed by a dorsal red or reddish longitudinal stripe, a middle iridescent, golden or silvery longitudinal stripe, and a more ventrally-lying longitudinal dark pattern composed by the humeral blotch and dark midlateral stripe. It can be distinguished from all other species of the group by possessing humeral blotch with a straight or slightly rounded ventral profile, lacking a ventral expansion present in all other species of the group. The new species is also distinguished from Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus by a 9.6% genetic distance in the cytochrome c oxidase I gene. The little morphological distinction of the new species when compared with its most similar congener, H. heterorhabdus, indicates that the new species is one of the first truly cryptic fish species described from the Amazon basin.
Keywords: Biodiversity; Cryptic Species; DNA Barcoding; Rio Amazonas; Rio Tapajós.
Hyphessobrycon cantoi.
Living specimen, Brazil, Pará, Santarém, stream tributary of lago Maicá (not preserved).
Hyphessobrycon cantoi, new species
Diagnosis. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from all congeners, except H. amapaensis, H. ericae, H. heterorhabdus, H. sateremawe and H. wosiackii, by the presence of an elongated, anteriorly well-defined humeral blotch that becomes progressively diffuse and blurred posteriorly, overlapping with a midlateral dark stripe. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. ericae and H. wosiackii by lacking a caudal peduncle blotch (vs. presence of a caudal peduncle blotch). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. amapaensis, H. heterorhabdus and H. sateremawe by lacking a ventral extension of the humeral blotch (vs. ventral extension of the humeral blotch present, although absence of ventral extension may occurs in specimens of H. amapaensis). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be further distinguished from H. amapaensis by presenting a conspicuous midlateral dark stripe (vs. inconspicuous midlateral dark stripe) and by possessing a relatively thin red longitudinal stripe (vs. midlateral red stripe very thick and conspicuous). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be also further distinguished from H. sateremawe by presenting a humeral blotch narrower, occupying vertical height equivalent to less than one scale row to middle of body (vs. humeral blotch and continuous midlateral stripe broad, occupying vertical height equivalent of two scale rows to middle of body). Hyphessobrycon cantoi is also distinguished from H. heterorhabdus by >9% of genetic distance in the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. heterorhabdus by 53-79 mutations and from H. ericae by 87 mutations in the COI gene (S3).
Etymology. The specific name is a homage to André Luiz C. Canto, curator of the fish collection of the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará (UFOPA), in recognition of his contribution to the knowledge of the fishes from the rio Tapajós basin. A genitive noun.
Tiago C. Faria, Karen L. A. Guimarães, Luís R. R. Rodrigues, Claudio Oliveira and Flávio C.T. Lima. 2021. A New Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes: Characidae) of the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group from the lower Amazon Basin, Brazil. Neotrop. ichthyol. 19(1); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0102
==========================
Hyphessobrycon cantoi
Faria, Guimarães, Rodrigues, Oliveira & Lima, 2021
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0102
ABSTRACT
A new species of Hyphessobrycon belonging to the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group from the lower rio Tapajós, state of Pará, Brazil, is described. The new species is allocated into the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group due to its color pattern, composed by an anteriorly well-defined, horizontally elongated humeral blotch that becomes diffuse and blurred posteriorly, where it overlaps with a conspicuous midlateral dark stripe that becomes blurred towards the caudal peduncle and the presence, in living specimens, of a tricolored longitudinal pattern composed by a dorsal red or reddish longitudinal stripe, a middle iridescent, golden or silvery longitudinal stripe, and a more ventrally-lying longitudinal dark pattern composed by the humeral blotch and dark midlateral stripe. It can be distinguished from all other species of the group by possessing humeral blotch with a straight or slightly rounded ventral profile, lacking a ventral expansion present in all other species of the group. The new species is also distinguished from Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus by a 9.6% genetic distance in the cytochrome c oxidase I gene. The little morphological distinction of the new species when compared with its most similar congener, H. heterorhabdus, indicates that the new species is one of the first truly cryptic fish species described from the Amazon basin.
Keywords: Biodiversity; Cryptic Species; DNA Barcoding; Rio Amazonas; Rio Tapajós.
Hyphessobrycon cantoi.
Living specimen, Brazil, Pará, Santarém, stream tributary of lago Maicá (not preserved).
Hyphessobrycon cantoi, new species
Diagnosis. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from all congeners, except H. amapaensis, H. ericae, H. heterorhabdus, H. sateremawe and H. wosiackii, by the presence of an elongated, anteriorly well-defined humeral blotch that becomes progressively diffuse and blurred posteriorly, overlapping with a midlateral dark stripe. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. ericae and H. wosiackii by lacking a caudal peduncle blotch (vs. presence of a caudal peduncle blotch). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. amapaensis, H. heterorhabdus and H. sateremawe by lacking a ventral extension of the humeral blotch (vs. ventral extension of the humeral blotch present, although absence of ventral extension may occurs in specimens of H. amapaensis). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be further distinguished from H. amapaensis by presenting a conspicuous midlateral dark stripe (vs. inconspicuous midlateral dark stripe) and by possessing a relatively thin red longitudinal stripe (vs. midlateral red stripe very thick and conspicuous). Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be also further distinguished from H. sateremawe by presenting a humeral blotch narrower, occupying vertical height equivalent to less than one scale row to middle of body (vs. humeral blotch and continuous midlateral stripe broad, occupying vertical height equivalent of two scale rows to middle of body). Hyphessobrycon cantoi is also distinguished from H. heterorhabdus by >9% of genetic distance in the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Hyphessobrycon cantoi can be distinguished from H. heterorhabdus by 53-79 mutations and from H. ericae by 87 mutations in the COI gene (S3).
Etymology. The specific name is a homage to André Luiz C. Canto, curator of the fish collection of the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará (UFOPA), in recognition of his contribution to the knowledge of the fishes from the rio Tapajós basin. A genitive noun.
Tiago C. Faria, Karen L. A. Guimarães, Luís R. R. Rodrigues, Claudio Oliveira and Flávio C.T. Lima. 2021. A New Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes: Characidae) of the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus species-group from the lower Amazon Basin, Brazil. Neotrop. ichthyol. 19(1); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0102
==========================
Amblyceps crassioris • A New sisoroid Catfish (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae) from Odisha, India
Amblyceps crassioris
Vijayakrishnan & Jayasimhan, 2023
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15599
facebook.com/Meenkaran
Abstract
Amblyceps crassioris, a new species of amblycipitid catfish, is described from the Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in having a combination of the following characters: a deeply forked caudal fin, centrally projecting hooks on proximal lepidotrichia of median caudal-fin rays absent, jaws equal in length, lateral line absent, body depth at anus 15.1%–19.5% standard length (SL), caudal peduncle depth 13.0%–18.3% SL, adipose-fin base length 21.1%–27.1% SL, eye diameter 7.35%–14.1% head length and 38 total vertebrae.
Keywords: biogeography, cryptic diversity, Eastern Ghats, Mahanadi River, Sisoroidea
Cleared and stained caudal fin of Amblyceps sp.
(a) Amblyceps crassioris, paratype, showing absence of centrally projecting hooks (b) Amblyceps tenuisipinis showing poorly formed centrally projecting hooks and (c) Amblyceps arunachalense (Photo Credit : Achom Darshan) showing well-developed hooks on the proximal lepidotrichia of median caudal-fin rays.
facebook.com/Meenkaran
Amblyceps crassioris, a new species
Amblyceps crassioris habitat
photo by Abhisek Mishra
Balaji Vijayakrishnan and Praveenraj Jayasimhan. 2023. Amblyceps crassioris, A New sisoroid Catfish from Odisha, India (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae). Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15599
facebook.com/Meenkaran/posts/781103777364380
twitter.com/Meenkaran1/status/1727359672242590204
==========================
Amblyceps crassioris
Vijayakrishnan & Jayasimhan, 2023
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15599
facebook.com/Meenkaran
Abstract
Amblyceps crassioris, a new species of amblycipitid catfish, is described from the Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in having a combination of the following characters: a deeply forked caudal fin, centrally projecting hooks on proximal lepidotrichia of median caudal-fin rays absent, jaws equal in length, lateral line absent, body depth at anus 15.1%–19.5% standard length (SL), caudal peduncle depth 13.0%–18.3% SL, adipose-fin base length 21.1%–27.1% SL, eye diameter 7.35%–14.1% head length and 38 total vertebrae.
Keywords: biogeography, cryptic diversity, Eastern Ghats, Mahanadi River, Sisoroidea
Cleared and stained caudal fin of Amblyceps sp.
(a) Amblyceps crassioris, paratype, showing absence of centrally projecting hooks (b) Amblyceps tenuisipinis showing poorly formed centrally projecting hooks and (c) Amblyceps arunachalense (Photo Credit : Achom Darshan) showing well-developed hooks on the proximal lepidotrichia of median caudal-fin rays.
facebook.com/Meenkaran
Amblyceps crassioris, a new species
Amblyceps crassioris habitat
photo by Abhisek Mishra
Balaji Vijayakrishnan and Praveenraj Jayasimhan. 2023. Amblyceps crassioris, A New sisoroid Catfish from Odisha, India (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae). Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15599
facebook.com/Meenkaran/posts/781103777364380
twitter.com/Meenkaran1/status/1727359672242590204
==========================
Resolving Phylogenetic Relationships and Taxonomic Revision in the Pseudogastromyzon Genus (Cypriniformes: Gastromyzonidae): Molecular and Morphological Evidence for A New Genus, Labigastromyzon
in J. Chen, Y. Chen, Tang, Lei, Yan et Song, 2023.
DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12761
Researchgate.net/publication/373874401
Abstract
The Pseudogastromyzon genus, consisting of species predominantly distributed throughout southeastern China, has garnered increasing market attention in recent years due to its ornamental appeal. However, the overlapping diagnostic attributes render the commonly accepted criteria for interspecific identification unreliable, leaving the phylogenetic relationships among Pseudogastromyzon species unexplored. In the present study, we undertake molecular phylogenetic and morphological examinations of the Pseudogastromyzon genus. Our phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial genes distinctly segregated Pseudogastromyzon species into two clades: the Pseudogastromyzon clade and the Labigastromyzon clade. A subsequent morphological assessment revealed that the primary dermal ridge (specifically, the second ridge) within the labial adhesive apparatus serves as an effective and precise interspecific diagnostic characteristic. Moreover, the distributional ranges of Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon are markedly distinct, exhibiting only a narrow area of overlap. Considering the morphological heterogeneity of the labial adhesive apparatus and the substantial division within the molecular phylogeny, we advocate for the elevation of the Labigastromyzon subgenus to the status of a separate genus. Consequently, we have ascertained the validity of the Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon species, yielding a total of six valid species. To facilitate future research, we present comprehensive descriptions of the redefined species and introduce novel identification keys.
Keywords: Labigastromyzon, mitochondrial genome, phylogeny, Pseudogastromyzon, taxonomy
Jingchen CHEN, Yiyu CHEN, Wenqiao TANG, Haotian LEI, Jinquan YAN and Xiaojing SONG. 2023. Resolving Phylogenetic Relationships and Taxonomic Revision in the Pseudogastromyzon (Cypriniformes, Gastromyzonidae) Genus: Molecular and Morphological Evidence for A New Genus, Labigastromyzon. Integrative Zoology. DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12761
Researchgate.net/publication/373874401_phylogenetic_relationships_and_taxonomic_revision_in_Pseudogastromyzon_et_Labigastromyzon
This research elucidates the marked geographical delineation between Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon genera, with a limited overlapping region. The evolution of labial structures from elementary to intricate morphologies aligns with mitochondrial genome phylogenetics. Notably, the labial adhesive apparatus in Pseudogastromyzon exhibits unimodal and bimodal morphotypes, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of species identification within this genus.
==========================
in J. Chen, Y. Chen, Tang, Lei, Yan et Song, 2023.
DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12761
Researchgate.net/publication/373874401
Abstract
The Pseudogastromyzon genus, consisting of species predominantly distributed throughout southeastern China, has garnered increasing market attention in recent years due to its ornamental appeal. However, the overlapping diagnostic attributes render the commonly accepted criteria for interspecific identification unreliable, leaving the phylogenetic relationships among Pseudogastromyzon species unexplored. In the present study, we undertake molecular phylogenetic and morphological examinations of the Pseudogastromyzon genus. Our phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial genes distinctly segregated Pseudogastromyzon species into two clades: the Pseudogastromyzon clade and the Labigastromyzon clade. A subsequent morphological assessment revealed that the primary dermal ridge (specifically, the second ridge) within the labial adhesive apparatus serves as an effective and precise interspecific diagnostic characteristic. Moreover, the distributional ranges of Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon are markedly distinct, exhibiting only a narrow area of overlap. Considering the morphological heterogeneity of the labial adhesive apparatus and the substantial division within the molecular phylogeny, we advocate for the elevation of the Labigastromyzon subgenus to the status of a separate genus. Consequently, we have ascertained the validity of the Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon species, yielding a total of six valid species. To facilitate future research, we present comprehensive descriptions of the redefined species and introduce novel identification keys.
Keywords: Labigastromyzon, mitochondrial genome, phylogeny, Pseudogastromyzon, taxonomy
Jingchen CHEN, Yiyu CHEN, Wenqiao TANG, Haotian LEI, Jinquan YAN and Xiaojing SONG. 2023. Resolving Phylogenetic Relationships and Taxonomic Revision in the Pseudogastromyzon (Cypriniformes, Gastromyzonidae) Genus: Molecular and Morphological Evidence for A New Genus, Labigastromyzon. Integrative Zoology. DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12761
Researchgate.net/publication/373874401_phylogenetic_relationships_and_taxonomic_revision_in_Pseudogastromyzon_et_Labigastromyzon
This research elucidates the marked geographical delineation between Pseudogastromyzon and Labigastromyzon genera, with a limited overlapping region. The evolution of labial structures from elementary to intricate morphologies aligns with mitochondrial genome phylogenetics. Notably, the labial adhesive apparatus in Pseudogastromyzon exhibits unimodal and bimodal morphotypes, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of species identification within this genus.
==========================
Latest paper on the gymnotiform fauna of the triple border of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru!
| document.pdf |
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A new species of armored catfish of the genus Scobinancistrus (Loricariidae: Hypostominae) from the Xingu River basin, BrazilAUTHORSHIPSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGSAbstractA new species of Scobinancistrus from the Xingu River, Brazil, is described. It can be distinguished from its congeners by color pattern and a combination of non-exclusive characters: overall body covered by large yellow spaced blotches over a dark background (vs. small round and densely packed spots over light or dark background in S. pariolispos and S. aureatus); lack of orange to yellow/orange distal band on dorsal and caudal fins (vs. presence in S. aureatus), dorsal fin not reaching adipose-fin supporting plate when adpressed (vs. reaching the adipose-fin plate in S. pariolispos and S. aureatus). The new species is only known from a portion of the middle Xingu River, ranging from the Volta Grande do Xingu, an area under a strong anthropic impact due to the construction of the Belo Monte dam, to near the Iriri River confluence with the Xingu River. Aspects concerning the species’ threats and its conservation status are discussed.
Links for full paper https://ni.bio.br/1982-0224-2023-0038/… https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0038
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Links for full paper https://ni.bio.br/1982-0224-2023-0038/… https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0038
==========================
Libys callolepis • The First Jurassic Coelacanth from Switzerland
Libys callolepis
Ferrante, Menkveld-Gfeller & Cavin, 2022
DOI: 10.1186/s13358-022-00257-z
Researchgate.net/publication/363791599
twitter.com/Lionel_Cavin
Abstract
Coelacanths form a clade of sarcopterygian fish represented today by a single genus, Latimeria. The fossil record of the group, which dates back to the Early Devonian, is sparse. In Switzerland, only Triassic sites in the east and southeast of the country have yielded fossils of coelacanths. Here, we describe and study the very first coelacanth of the Jurassic period (Toarcian stage) from Switzerland. The unique specimen, represented by a sub-complete individual, possesses morphological characteristics allowing assignment to the genus Libys (e.g., sensory canals opening through a large groove crossed by pillars), a marine coelacanth previously known only in the Late Jurassic of Germany. Morphological characters are different enough from the type species, Libys polypterus, to erect a new species of Libys named Libys callolepis sp. nov. The presence of Libys callolepis sp. nov. in Lower Jurassic beds extends the stratigraphic range of the genus Libys by about 34 million years, but without increasing considerably its geographic distribution. Belonging to the modern family Latimeriidae, the occurrence of Libys callolepis sp. nov. heralds a long period, up to the present day, of coelacanth genera with very long stratigraphic range and reduced morphological disparity, which have earned them the nickname of ‘living fossils’.
Keywords: Sarcopterygii, Actinistia, Libys, New species, Mesozoic, Toarcian, Morphology
Skeleton of Libys callolepis sp. nov. on the part (holotype, NMBE 5034073).
A Photos with osteological details: 1, denticles on the proximal fin rays of the caudal fin. 2, Postparietal shield with the otic sensory canal opening as a deep groove crossed by pillars (white arrowhead). 3, Posterior parietal and the supraorbitals with their pillars (white arrowhead). 4, Consolidated snout with the anterior opening for the rostral organ (white arrowhead). 5, Teeth on the prearticular. B Semi-interpretative line drawing of the specimen
Libys callolepis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Libys species with the postparietal shield about half the length of the parietonasal shield (the parietonasal is then proportionally shorter than in the type species). The teeth covering the prearticular are very small, and rounded and smooth. Between 41–47 neural arches. Fin rays are slender than in the type species and then not expanded. The scales are strongly ornamented with irregularly sized and elongated round-to-ovoid ridges disposed along a longitudinal axis.
Etymology: From the ancient Greek καλός, kalós, (‘beautiful’, ‘nice’) and λεπίς, lepís, (‘scale’) in reference to the nicely ornamented scales of the species, which differentiates it from the type species.
Holotype and only known specimen: NMBE 5034072 and 5034073, a sub-complete specimen preserved in right lateral view as part and counterpart. Most of the bones, including the scales on the body, are preserved in anatomical position and only the bones of the cheek and the jaw are missing. The specimen is kept in the collections of the Natural History Museum Bern (Canton of Bern, Switzerland).
Horizon and type locality: Toarcian (Lower Jurassic), Creux de l’Ours section, locality of Les Pueys near the Teysachaux summit (Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland).
Skeleton of Libys callolepis sp. nov. on the counterpart (holotype, NMBE 5034072).
A Photos with osteological details: 1, articular head of the scapulocoracoid. 2, Scales on the flank immediately beneath the first anterior dorsal fin. 3, Scales of the lateral line showing the ornamental pattern with the larger central tubercles (white arrowheads point, showed only on one scale). 4, Scales on the ventral flank from the pelvic to the anal fin. 5, Axial mesomere (white arrowhead) surrounded by some fin rays of the anal fin. 6, Axial mesomeres (white arrowhead) partially covered by sediment in the pelvic fin. B Semi-interpretative line drawing of the specimen
Christophe Ferrante, Ursula Menkveld-Gfeller and Lionel Cavin. 2022. The First Jurassic Coelacanth from Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 141: 15. DOI: 10.1186/s13358-022-00257-z
Researchgate.net/publication/363791599_The_first_Jurassic_coelacanth_from_Switzerland
twitter.com/Lionel_Cavin/status/1575729513513684993
==========================
Libys callolepis
Ferrante, Menkveld-Gfeller & Cavin, 2022
DOI: 10.1186/s13358-022-00257-z
Researchgate.net/publication/363791599
twitter.com/Lionel_Cavin
Abstract
Coelacanths form a clade of sarcopterygian fish represented today by a single genus, Latimeria. The fossil record of the group, which dates back to the Early Devonian, is sparse. In Switzerland, only Triassic sites in the east and southeast of the country have yielded fossils of coelacanths. Here, we describe and study the very first coelacanth of the Jurassic period (Toarcian stage) from Switzerland. The unique specimen, represented by a sub-complete individual, possesses morphological characteristics allowing assignment to the genus Libys (e.g., sensory canals opening through a large groove crossed by pillars), a marine coelacanth previously known only in the Late Jurassic of Germany. Morphological characters are different enough from the type species, Libys polypterus, to erect a new species of Libys named Libys callolepis sp. nov. The presence of Libys callolepis sp. nov. in Lower Jurassic beds extends the stratigraphic range of the genus Libys by about 34 million years, but without increasing considerably its geographic distribution. Belonging to the modern family Latimeriidae, the occurrence of Libys callolepis sp. nov. heralds a long period, up to the present day, of coelacanth genera with very long stratigraphic range and reduced morphological disparity, which have earned them the nickname of ‘living fossils’.
Keywords: Sarcopterygii, Actinistia, Libys, New species, Mesozoic, Toarcian, Morphology
Skeleton of Libys callolepis sp. nov. on the part (holotype, NMBE 5034073).
A Photos with osteological details: 1, denticles on the proximal fin rays of the caudal fin. 2, Postparietal shield with the otic sensory canal opening as a deep groove crossed by pillars (white arrowhead). 3, Posterior parietal and the supraorbitals with their pillars (white arrowhead). 4, Consolidated snout with the anterior opening for the rostral organ (white arrowhead). 5, Teeth on the prearticular. B Semi-interpretative line drawing of the specimen
Libys callolepis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Libys species with the postparietal shield about half the length of the parietonasal shield (the parietonasal is then proportionally shorter than in the type species). The teeth covering the prearticular are very small, and rounded and smooth. Between 41–47 neural arches. Fin rays are slender than in the type species and then not expanded. The scales are strongly ornamented with irregularly sized and elongated round-to-ovoid ridges disposed along a longitudinal axis.
Etymology: From the ancient Greek καλός, kalós, (‘beautiful’, ‘nice’) and λεπίς, lepís, (‘scale’) in reference to the nicely ornamented scales of the species, which differentiates it from the type species.
Holotype and only known specimen: NMBE 5034072 and 5034073, a sub-complete specimen preserved in right lateral view as part and counterpart. Most of the bones, including the scales on the body, are preserved in anatomical position and only the bones of the cheek and the jaw are missing. The specimen is kept in the collections of the Natural History Museum Bern (Canton of Bern, Switzerland).
Horizon and type locality: Toarcian (Lower Jurassic), Creux de l’Ours section, locality of Les Pueys near the Teysachaux summit (Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland).
Skeleton of Libys callolepis sp. nov. on the counterpart (holotype, NMBE 5034072).
A Photos with osteological details: 1, articular head of the scapulocoracoid. 2, Scales on the flank immediately beneath the first anterior dorsal fin. 3, Scales of the lateral line showing the ornamental pattern with the larger central tubercles (white arrowheads point, showed only on one scale). 4, Scales on the ventral flank from the pelvic to the anal fin. 5, Axial mesomere (white arrowhead) surrounded by some fin rays of the anal fin. 6, Axial mesomeres (white arrowhead) partially covered by sediment in the pelvic fin. B Semi-interpretative line drawing of the specimen
Christophe Ferrante, Ursula Menkveld-Gfeller and Lionel Cavin. 2022. The First Jurassic Coelacanth from Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 141: 15. DOI: 10.1186/s13358-022-00257-z
Researchgate.net/publication/363791599_The_first_Jurassic_coelacanth_from_Switzerland
twitter.com/Lionel_Cavin/status/1575729513513684993
==========================
Labeo mbimbii & L. manasseeae • Two New Labeo (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin
Labeo mbimbii & L. manasseeae
Liyandja & Stiassny, 2023
DOI: 10.1206/3999.1
URI: hdl.handle.net/2246/7321
Researchgate.net/publication/370855834
Abstract
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp., and Labeo manasseeae, n. sp., two small-bodied Labeo species, are described from the lower and middle reaches of the Lulua River (Kasai ecoregion, Congo basin) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two new species are members of the L. forskalii species group and are genetically distinct from all other species of that clade. Morphologically they can be distinguished from central African L. forskalii group congeners except L. dhonti, L. lukulae, L. luluae, L. parvus, L. quadribarbis, and L. simpsoni in the possession of 29 or fewer (vs. 30 or more) vertebrae and from those congeners by a wider interpectoral, among other features.
The two new species are endemic to the Lulua River and, although overlapping in geographical range and most meristic and morphometric measures, are readily differentiated by differing numbers of fully developed supraneural bones, predorsal vertebrae, snout morphology, and additional osteological features. The description of these two species brings the total of Labeo species endemic to the Lulua basin to three. The third endemic species, L. luluae, was previously known only from the juvenile holotype, but numerous additional specimens have now been identified. The cooccurrence of 14 Labeo species in the Lulua River, three of which are endemic, highlights this system as a hotspot of Labeo diversity in the Congo basin and across the continent.
Keywords: Labeo mbimbii, Labeo manasseeae, Labeo, Classification, Cyprinida, Congo (Democratic Republic), Congo, Classification, Fishes
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp. Holotype (AMNH 277862, AMCC 249232):
A. lateral view, immediately postmortem; B. in preservation, lateral view; C. ventral view; and D. dorsal view. Scale bar = 1 cm.
Labeo manasseeae, n. sp. Holotype (AMNH 269110, AMCC 249240):
A. immediately postmortem; B. in preservation, lateral view; C. ventral view; and D. dorsal view. Scale bar = 1 cm
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp.
Labeo manasseeae, n. sp.
Tobit L.D. Liyandja and Melanie L.J. Stiassny. 2023. Description of Two New Labeo (Labeoninae; Cyprinidae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin. American Museum Novitates. (3999); 1-22. DOI: 10.1206/3999.1 URI: hdl.handle.net/2246/7321
Researchgate.net/publication/370855834_Description_of_two_new_Labeo_endemic_to_the_Lulua_River_in_DR_Congo
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Labeo mbimbii & L. manasseeae
Liyandja & Stiassny, 2023
DOI: 10.1206/3999.1
URI: hdl.handle.net/2246/7321
Researchgate.net/publication/370855834
Abstract
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp., and Labeo manasseeae, n. sp., two small-bodied Labeo species, are described from the lower and middle reaches of the Lulua River (Kasai ecoregion, Congo basin) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two new species are members of the L. forskalii species group and are genetically distinct from all other species of that clade. Morphologically they can be distinguished from central African L. forskalii group congeners except L. dhonti, L. lukulae, L. luluae, L. parvus, L. quadribarbis, and L. simpsoni in the possession of 29 or fewer (vs. 30 or more) vertebrae and from those congeners by a wider interpectoral, among other features.
The two new species are endemic to the Lulua River and, although overlapping in geographical range and most meristic and morphometric measures, are readily differentiated by differing numbers of fully developed supraneural bones, predorsal vertebrae, snout morphology, and additional osteological features. The description of these two species brings the total of Labeo species endemic to the Lulua basin to three. The third endemic species, L. luluae, was previously known only from the juvenile holotype, but numerous additional specimens have now been identified. The cooccurrence of 14 Labeo species in the Lulua River, three of which are endemic, highlights this system as a hotspot of Labeo diversity in the Congo basin and across the continent.
Keywords: Labeo mbimbii, Labeo manasseeae, Labeo, Classification, Cyprinida, Congo (Democratic Republic), Congo, Classification, Fishes
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp. Holotype (AMNH 277862, AMCC 249232):
A. lateral view, immediately postmortem; B. in preservation, lateral view; C. ventral view; and D. dorsal view. Scale bar = 1 cm.
Labeo manasseeae, n. sp. Holotype (AMNH 269110, AMCC 249240):
A. immediately postmortem; B. in preservation, lateral view; C. ventral view; and D. dorsal view. Scale bar = 1 cm
Labeo mbimbii, n. sp.
Labeo manasseeae, n. sp.
Tobit L.D. Liyandja and Melanie L.J. Stiassny. 2023. Description of Two New Labeo (Labeoninae; Cyprinidae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin. American Museum Novitates. (3999); 1-22. DOI: 10.1206/3999.1 URI: hdl.handle.net/2246/7321
Researchgate.net/publication/370855834_Description_of_two_new_Labeo_endemic_to_the_Lulua_River_in_DR_Congo
==========================
A new species of Trimma of the T. taylori species group (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea, Indian Ocean PISCESTAXONOMYPYGMYGOBYCORAL REEF GOBIESSAUDI ARABIACORAL ECOSYSTEMS AbstractA new species of Trimma is described from the Red Sea along the Saudi Arabian coast. Specimens and/or photographs of this species are available from the Egyptian Red Sea to Eritrea. These specimens, formerly identified as T. taylori, differ from all other samples from the Indo-Pacific currently identified as T. taylori in having 9 and 8–9 dorsal- and anal-fin rays respectively (vs. usually 10 and 10 rays), 13 pectoral-fin rays (vs. usually 14 rays), and cycloid scales covering the entire predorsal region from the upper base of the pectoral fin anterior to a convex line posterodorsally to just lateral to the base of the sixth first dorsal-fin spine (vs. predorsal region mostly or entirely covered with ctenoid scales). In addition, specimens from the Red Sea form a monophyletic lineage in a Maximum Likelihood analysis of the COI gene. In this tree, the new species is the sister group to a clade composed of three lineages. One is composed of specimens from the Maldives, which is the sister group of a single available specimen from the Seychelles. These two together are the sister group of specimens of a widespread western Pacific clade.
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Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Alternative conservation outcomes from aquatic fauna translocations: Losing and saving the Running River rainbowfish
Karl Moy, Jason Schaffer, Michael P. Hammer, Catherine R. M. Attard, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Richard Duncan, Mark Lintermans, Culum Brown, Peter J. Unmack
First published: 16 October 2023
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4023
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1 INTRODUCTIONThe translocation of alien species is a major threat to many ecosystems worldwide (Vitousek et al., 1997; Clavero & García-Berthou, 2005; Gallardo et al., 2016). Globally, the rate of translocations has been increasing (Seebens et al., 2017), with alien species currently present on every continent (Prins & Gordon, 2014). Although there has been considerable research examining the adverse effects of alien species (McNeely, 2001; Prins & Gordon, 2014), translocations can also be an effective tool for conservation and management (Minckley, 1995; Tuberville et al., 2005; IUCN/SSC, 2013). Translocation has become a key tool for conserving freshwater fishes, using both wild and captive-bred fishes (Minckley, 1995; Lintermans, 2013a; Lintermans et al., 2015). When referring to different types of conservation translocations, this article follows the definitions provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC, 2013).
Most early conservation translocations of fish have involved large-bodied threatened species that were often potential angling targets (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Lintermans et al., 2015). However, the practice has also been applied to smaller threatened fishes (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Hammer et al., 2013; Lintermans et al., 2015; Tatár et al., 2016). The continued existence of certain species, such as the Pedder galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) is solely the result of conservation translocations (Chilcott et al., 2013), whereas the conservation status of several Critically Endangered species, such as the red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis; Kerezsy & Fensham, 2013) and several other galaxiid species (Koster, 2003; Hardie, Barmuta & White, 2006; Ayres, Nicol & Raadik, 2012) have benefited substantially from translocations.
A review of factors influencing the success of freshwater fish reintroductions reported that second to addressing the cause of initial decline, habitat-related factors were the greatest predictors of reintroduction success (Cochran-Biederman et al., 2015). The importance of suitable habitat in determining the success or failure of conservation introductions is echoed by studies of invasive fish species, which have found that if the habitat characteristics of the receiving environment are suitable then an invasion is likely to succeed, regardless of other factors (Moyle & Light, 1996a; Moyle & Light, 1996b; Harris, 2013). That an introduction is likely to fail in the absence of suitable habitat seems straightforward; however, some reintroductions may fail even in the presence of adequate habitat (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987; Leggett & Merrick, 1997).
Out of all failed conservation translocations of fish, 71% used captive-reared fish (Cochran-Biederman et al., 2015). Captive-reared fish are often raised under conditions that are vastly different from the environment into which they are released (Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003). Consequently, captive-reared fish often exhibit behaviours that are detrimental to their survival in the wild, and as a result often suffer from high mortality rates once released (Brown & Day, 2002; Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Sparrevohn & Støttrup, 2007), which is a prevalent problem across fauna groups (Berger-Tal, Blumstein & Swaisgood, 2020). The behavioural impacts of captive rearing have been known for some time (Brown & Day, 2002), with captive-reared fish showing deficiencies in key behaviours such as predator recognition and avoidance (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003; Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007) and foraging skills (Brown & Laland, 2002; Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003). Studies on the success of conservation introductions of freshwater fishes within Australia (Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Ebner, Johnston & Lintermans, 2009; Brown et al., 2012) and abroad (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003) suggest that predation and competition are likely to play a major role in translocation success. Brown, Davidson & Laland (2003) showed that environmental enrichment and exposure to live foods resulted in fish being better able to handle novel prey items. Meanwhile, several studies have shown that repeated exposure to predators, or their stimulus (e.g. scent or pictures), will improve the predator avoidance behaviours of captive-bred fish (Brown, 2003a; Vilhunen, 2006; Hutchison et al., 2012; Abudayah & Mathis, 2016). As a result, research and implementation of environmental enrichment and predator training of captive-reared fish is becoming more commonplace (Vilhunen, 2006; Hammer et al., 2012; Roberts et al., 2014; Lintermans et al., 2015).
Most research investigating methods to improve the survival of captive-reared fishes has taken place overseas, although some recent research has been conducted in Australia (Hutchison et al., 2012). In both cases, the research investigating introduction success has focused almost entirely on large-bodied, predatory, recreationally important species, such as brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (Brown & Smith, 1998; Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003; Brockmark, Adriaenssens & Johnsson, 2010), or percichthyids (Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Ebner & Thiem, 2009; Hutchison et al., 2012). However, of the 17 Australian species used in conservation introductions documented by Lintermans et al. (2015), 10 were small-bodied species. Small-bodied species usually have vastly different requirements compared with large-bodied species, and a conservation measure that works well for large species may not be as effective for smaller species (e.g. growing them to a large size to prevent predation).
1.1 Study organism backgroundThe extinctions and declines of native fishes resulting from hybridization with alien species have been well documented throughout Europe and North America (Hitt et al., 2003; Rosenfield & Kodric-Brown, 2003; Meldgaard et al., 2007; Ludwig et al., 2009). Compared with other countries, introgressive hybridization with alien species has not typically been considered a threat to Australia’s native biodiversity (Hitt et al., 2003; Meldgaard et al., 2007; Ludwig et al., 2009) because most alien species have originated from other continents with biota that are taxonomically distant (Lintermans, 2013a). However, high levels of genetic structuring between populations as well as many new cryptic species were identified by recent broadscale genetic studies of Australian freshwater fishes (Hammer et al., 2007; Raadik, 2014; Shelley et al., 2018). Accordingly, introgressive hybridization caused by translocations of ‘native’ species outside their natural range, or from one part of a species range to another, has more recently been recognized as a threat to conservation for Australian freshwater fishes (Lintermans et al., 2005; Harris, 2013; Couch et al., 2016).
Endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the family Melanotaeniidae, or rainbowfishes, contains more than 110 species with multiple undescribed taxa (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). The genus Melanotaenia is by far the most numerous and widespread in Australia, occurring throughout the northern half of the continent and into south-eastern regions (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). There are several ‘lineages’ within the genus, and species within the same lineage rarely co-occur (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). In 2016, the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) listed four Melanotaenia species as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered, owing to introgressive hybridization with a widespread member of the genus (Lintermans, 2016), with a subsequent International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment confirming their threatened status (Hammer, Unmack & Brown, 2019b).
One of the species listed by the ASFB and the IUCN was the Running River rainbowfish (RRR Melanotaenia sp.). This species was first recorded in 1981 as a phenotypically unique population of rainbowfish from the usual native eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida) found in most rivers in the region (Martin & Barclay, 2016). Further collections across the region suggested that there was a complex of different rainbowfish populations, the taxonomy of which was unclear (Martin & Barclay, 2016). As part of a broader rainbowfish research project, fieldwork was conducted across the Burdekin River basin in August 2015 to try to resolve the taxonomic status of the various rainbowfish populations native to the region. During this fieldwork it was discovered that eastern rainbowfish had colonized the reach of Running River containing RRR, as well as being established in large numbers further upstream at Hidden Valley (Unmack & Hammer, 2015), an area previously lacking any rainbowfish (Martin & Barclay, 2016). It is unclear whether this represents a new translocation, or whether it represents downstream dispersal from earlier recorded translocated populations above Paluma Dam (although recent searches above Paluma Dam have failed to find any rainbowfish) (Martin & Barclay, 2016). Subsequent genetic and morphological examination supports the recognition of RRR as a separate species (P. Unmack, M. Hammer, G. Allen, unpublished data). As currently recognized, RRR is restricted to 13 km of Running River between two gorges (Figure 1). Running River is a major tributary to the Burdekin River, one of Australia’s larger river basins, situated on the north-eastern coast of Queensland (Pusey, Arthington & Read, 1998). The lower gorge prevents the upstream movement of eastern rainbowfish, whereas the upper gorge prevents the movement of RRR further upstream.
FIGURE 1
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Map of the study area showing the location of Puzzle and Deception creeks and their positions relative to Running River and its gorges. Purple arrows indicate the range of Running River rainbowfish, whereas orange arrows indicate the range of the eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida). Created by AWC Spatial Officer Tani Cooper, and used with permission from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.Once eastern rainbowfish had been detected in Running River above the upper gorge in 2015 it was realized that RRR was at risk of extinction via hybridization, as no members of the Australis lineage (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013) of rainbowfishes are ever found in sympatry. At this point it was apparent that this population was distinct and worth conserving, but its taxonomic status would not be clear until genetic work had been conducted. Initially, 52 live wild fish were collected and then brought back to the University of Canberra as an insurance population. As this research lacked any formal funding, crowdfunding was initiated via the University of Canberra Foundation to cover the costs of genotyping potential broodstock, and keeping, breeding, and shipping the fish, and used internal University of Canberra funding to fund a postgraduate research project. Funds were sought by directly contacting various aquarium societies, primarily from North America, Australia, and Europe, as well as being solicited from members of the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association during presentations and in their journal Fishes of Sahul. In addition, we put out calls for donations via social media in various Australian native fish-related Facebook groups and in the aquarium magazine Amazonas. There is tremendous worldwide interest in rainbowfishes from aquarium hobbyists, as they are brightly coloured and easy to keep and breed. Many aquarium hobbyists, clubs, and businesses have a strong conservation ethos and are enthusiastic about supporting projects like ours by donating money. Once preliminary data on the taxonomy of rainbowfishes in the Burdekin River basin had been collected it became clear that RRR was a unique taxon from the Australis lineage and action was needed to save it.
The only conservation options available for RRR were either to hold the fish in captivity for the long term or to find locations where they could be translocated to, as it would take a massive effort to remove the eastern rainbowfish from upper Running River and then restore RRR in their native range. Maintaining the species in wild habitats was the most feasible option, thus the next challenge was to determine whether any suitable sites for translocation might exist.
The eastern rainbowfish is a capable disperser, occupying most habitats throughout its range, unless there are significant barriers to prevent movement, and thus finding habitats where it is absent is unusual. The region around Running River is seasonally arid and most small creeks in the region do not hold water permanently. The middle to lower section of Running River has two larger tributaries, Deception Creek and Puzzle Creek, which are located on Mount Zero–Taravale (Figure 1), covered by two pastoral leases owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC, a not-for-profit conservation organization). Both creeks have sections that flow through gorges or rocky reaches that hold permanent water, and both were reported to have fishes of unknown species present (T. White, manager of the AWC Mount Zero–Taravale Sanctuary). Both creeks were sampled in February 2016, with Deception Creek having a large population of spangled perch (Leipotherapon unicolor), as well as a few purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda sp.), whereas Puzzle Creek had the same species, but the uppermost section above a waterfall only contained an abundant population of purple spotted gudgeon. Deception Creek flows into Running River below the lower gorge, with eastern rainbowfish native to its lower reaches. One medium-sized waterfall was located on Deception Creek approximately 12 km upstream from the confluence with Running River. Puzzle Creek flows into Running River in the middle of the upper gorge, which historically probably lacked rainbowfish; in addition, it has several major waterfalls of 10–20 m in height present along its course. As both creeks lacked rainbowfish they were considered suitable long-term translocation sites. This was an extraordinarily fortuitous situation given the lack of permanent streams in the area and the lack of eastern rainbowfish in both these streams. Any translocations into other rivers would have had impacts on native rainbowfish populations located in downstream reaches, whereas the eastern rainbowfish in lower Running River already had a potential influx of RRR from upstream.
As small-bodied freshwater fishes commonly have a high risk of extinction (Reynolds, Webb & Hawkins, 2005; Olden, Hogan & Zanden, 2007; Kopf, Shaw & Humphries, 2017; Lintermans et al., 2020), there is a need for a better understanding of the factors influencing, and methods for improving, the survival of captive-bred small-bodied freshwater fishes once released, to reduce the chance of failure. One example of this type of failure is the previous attempts to return Melanotaenia eachamensis (Lake Eacham rainbowfish) to Lake Eacham after they were extirpated owing to the introduction of other fishes (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987). A captive breeding programme was established (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987) that produced 3,000 fish, which were then released into the lake; however, subsequent surveys failed to detect any survivors (Brown et al., 2012). Subsequent research showed that captive rainbowfish can behave very differently from wild fish (Brown & Warburton, 1997; Brown & Warburton, 1999a; Kydd & Brown, 2009). This highlights the complexity that can be involved in obtaining successful reintroduction outcomes.
The main goals of the present study were to initiate a conservation programme for a recently recognized, undescribed, small-bodied rainbowfish, the Running River rainbowfish (RRR, Melanotaenia sp.). This was achieved through the design and implementation of a conservation strategy that used captive breeding and translocations to conserve the species and to evaluate the success of the strategy to inform future efforts. The study also documented the history of the species, the discovery of the translocation of eastern rainbowfish, and how crowdfunding was used to support the project. This article reports on the results of experiments conducted to examine the role of predator training on translocation success. However, these can be difficult to assess because of the limited replication, small sample sizes, and perturbations caused by weather events.
2 METHODS2.1 Captive breedingIn 2015, 52 RRR were collected from Running River and transported to the University of Canberra. Broodstock were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on DNA from fin clips and compared with wild fish that had been collected and preserved in liquid nitrogen in 1997 (18 years earlier), to ensure genetic purity. These fish were set up as 26 breeding pairs and used as broodstock for Deception Creek releases. In February 2016 additional wild fish were collected, with 32 fish genotyped and added as broodstock for Puzzle Creek releases. Fish were spawned in 17 groups of two males and two females. Some breeding groups had extra individuals added such that half the breeding groups consisted of five, six, or seven individuals. From these 26 pairs the target was to produce 110 offspring from each breeding group to ensure that each group made an equal contribution to the next generation. A target of 260 offspring was set for the 17 breeding groups. Approximately 6,900 fish were produced at the University of Canberra, 2,700 in the first round of breeding for Deception Creek and 4,200 in the second round of breeding for Puzzle Creek. Eggs were collected on synthetic wool mops placed into breeding tanks. After 2 days of spawning, the mops were transferred to small fish tanks (40 × 20 × 20 cm) and the juvenile fish were raised for approximately 2 months before being transferred to larger tanks (91 × 35 × 45 cm). Breeding and rearing tanks had painted sides and bottom and a sponge filter. Larvae were started on a diet of live vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti), and as they grew larger moved onto a diet of juvenile brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) over the course of about a week, together with commercial flake food.
Once large enough for transport, the fish were air-freighted to James Cook University (JCU) Townsville and distributed evenly into 10 outdoor rearing ponds (108 cm in diameter and 36 cm deep, 330 L) to grow out. At JCU, the fish were fed with commercially available flake food three times a day and a mixture of frozen brine shrimp and blood worms (Chironomidae) once a day. All rearing ponds contained several large river stones and plastic mesh 50 × 100 cm with holes of 2.5 cm in diameter, which was contorted into different shapes and added to provide cover. This was to encourage natural behaviours such as using cover to escape threats, establishing and holding territories, and foraging, which have previously been found to result in improved survival rates (Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003; Roberts et al., 2014). Although there were differences in the shape and size of the rocks, all the ponds were arranged in a similar pattern.
2.2 Predator trainingRelease sites in Deception Creek were known to contain a potential predator, the spangled perch. To test the impact of predator training, half of the rearing ponds were exposed to an adult spangled perch of approximately 15 cm in length placed in a 25 × 25 cm ‘mesh box’ made from plastic 2.5-cm mesh within the outdoor pond. RRR were able to swim freely in and out of the mesh box. In addition to providing the predator, a cutaneous alarm cue was also provided, which is often released when the skin of a fish is damaged and can be used in associative learning (Brown, 2003b; Brown & Chivers, 2007; Abudayah & Mathis, 2016). To obtain this alarm cue one RRR was euthanized (with an overdose of clove oil) per week of training, crushed up, mixed with water, and sieved to remove larger fragments. This solution was then frozen in an ice-cube tray and one cube was added at the same time as the spangled perch in the hope that juvenile RRR would associate the olfactory cue of dead or injured conspecifics with the stimulus of a spangled perch. The spangled perch was left in the rearing pond for 15 min per day for 7 days immediately before the fish were released into the wild.
2.3 Release sitesDeception Creek, which flows into Running River just below the lowermost gorge, and Puzzle Creek, which flows into Running River just above the uppermost gorge, were identified as the best potential translocation sites (Figure 1). Both creeks contained barriers to the upstream dispersal of rainbowfish (Figure 1) and already had resident fish fauna, meaning that the potential impacts on invertebrates and frogs of introducing a new fish species was minimal. Throughout most of the year Deception Creek consists of disconnected pools without flow, whereas Puzzle Creek flows for most of the year but with reduced/disconnected pools during periods of low rainfall. Purple spotted gudgeon was found in both creeks, whereas spangled perch was found throughout Deception Creek and in reaches below the release sites in Puzzle Creek. Although both species have the potential to prey upon small fishes, spangled perch grows to a much larger size than purple spotted gudgeon and are more active hunters (Pusey, Kennard & Arthington, 2004). Therefore, as the predation pressure on small fishes in Deception Creek was likely to be higher than that in Puzzle Creek, releases into Deception Creek were used to assess the effect of predator training on translocation success.
In an attempt to isolate the effects of predator training, the release sites within Deception Creek were paired based on similarities between habitat variables, with one site randomly selected to receive trained fish and with the other site receiving untrained fish. Puzzle Creek release sites were also assessed, but owing to the lower number of accessible pools, habitat assessments were only used to identify suitable release sites. The habitat variables examined were pool length, average pool width, substrate composition, average depth, deepest point, and riparian cover. Pool length was measured from the uppermost water edge to the farthest downstream water edge. Average pool width was calculated by taking three measurements at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the total length of the pool using a tape measure. A transect comprising five sample points was taken along each width measurement at 0% (+25 cm), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (−25 cm) of the channel width. At each sample point, depth, substrate composition, macrophyte cover, and leaf litter were measured. Macrophyte cover, substrate, and leaf litter were all considered independent of one another. Macrophyte cover was defined as all emergent and submerged vegetation within the quadrat. Riparian cover was defined as the percentage of the bank covered by vegetation. Riparian cover was estimated by eye to the nearest 5%, whereas depth was measured using a metal ruler. All other variables were measured using a 50 × 50 cm quadrat.
Release pools were paired based on similar size, riparian cover, and substrate, in that order, with one pool randomly assigned to trained or untrained fish. As there were limits to the number of fish that could be produced, the 2,500 that were bred were divided into groups of 250 for release. This number was chosen to balance the number of release sites against the number of fish in each release.
2.4 Release and monitoringTen releases of 250 fish were performed across 10 release sites in Deception Creek between 2 November 2016 and 13 January 2017. Releases were made in groups of 250 to provide five replicates of each treatment (trained and untrained), as grow-out facilities consisted of 10 ponds. At release, the fish were approximately 3 cm in total length, on average, but varied from approximately 2 to 5 cm. Deception Creek releases occurred once every week or so; however, there was no assigned order for which releases happened when, owing to logistical constraints regarding predator avoidance training. Fish were transported from rearing ponds at JCU to their release sites in 20-L plastic buckets. Buckets were filled to one-third full and water was dosed with sea salt at 2.6 g L−1 and API Stress Coat® (Mars Fishcare, Inc., Chalfont, PA, USA), dosed at 0.8 ml L−1. Fish were delivered to their release site on the same day as collection from the rearing ponds in all but one case, which was hampered by heavy rainfall. In this instance, fish were held in buckets for 2 days with a daily water change, before delivery to their release site. Fish were held instream at the release site overnight in a holding net with dimensions of 1 × 1 × 1 m made from shade cloth and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. This allowed the fish to acclimatize to water conditions without any predation pressure. The following day the fish were released into the pool by gently up-ending the holding net.
After release, snorkel surveys were used to estimate the abundance of spangled perch and RRR in each pool. Snorkel surveys were chosen as the survey method needed to be non-destructive and non-intrusive. A small pilot study was conducted early on, comparing the detection rates among snorkel surveys, bait traps, and baited remote underwater video; however, the latter two methods did not detect a single RRR (K. Moy, unpublished data). Owing to logistical constraints, surveys occurred somewhat opportunistically. However, at least one survey was undertaken in the first week following release and this was often followed by other surveys up to 56 days after release. Forty-one surveys across five untrained and two trained release sites were made between 2 November 2016 and 5 January 2017. A large rainfall event (over 200 ml across 4 days at the nearest rainfall gauge) occurred in early January 2017, which caused flooding and restored flow to the channel, reconnecting the release pools before the predator training experiment in Deception Creek could be completed. This prevented any survey data being collected for the final three releases, which were all of trained fish. Snorkel surveys consisted of three passes: along the left bank, then the right bank, and with a final pass down the centre of the pool. The researcher kept a steady pace to prevent any double counting of fish, and on a waterproof notepad recorded a tally of the total number seen as well as the maximum seen at any one time, with a separate count for larvae. Spangled perch were also recorded in this way to estimate predator density. Follow-up surveys were undertaken for all sites in Deception Creek in May and October 2017.
After the first field season, the extent of fish occurrence throughout each drainage was mapped by walking along the creek, upstream and downstream from the uppermost and lowermost pools, respectively, and stopping at each pool encountered for 5 min to observe the presence or absence of rainbowfish. If no rainbowfish were observed within 5 min, the researcher moved to a different region of the pool and continued to observe for a further 5 min. If no rainbowfish were observed, the next pool downstream or upstream was also checked. This was repeated until three pools in a row were found without rainbowfish. This was carried out for Deception Creek in May and October 2017 and in April 2018. An attempt was made to map the extent of RRR in Deception Creek after the large rainfall event in early January 2017, following the same protocol above, but was hampered by low visibility owing to the increased turbidity.
Four releases, each consisting of 375 untrained fish, were made into four sites across Puzzle Creek in May 2017 in the same manner as those made into Deception Creek. Although the fish released into Puzzle Creek were the same size as those released into Deception Creek, only 1,500 of the originally intended 4,000 fish were released because of attrition in the rearing ponds. Owing to funding and weather constraints on fieldwork, no monitoring was undertaken in the weeks immediately after release for the Puzzle Creek releases. The planned monitoring of Puzzle Creek in October 2017 was prevented by a large rainfall event, but a survey of all release sites following the same protocol described above took place in May 2018. Distribution mapping for Puzzle Creek took place in May 2018 following the same protocol used for Deception Creek. Research was conducted under the University of Canberra Animal Ethics Committee approval CEAE 16-03.
2.5 AnalysisTwo-sample Student’s t-tests were used to test for differences in abundance in Deception Creek following release for trained versus untrained fish sites, paired by habitat variables, whereas an independent-samples Student’s t-test was used to look for differences in density between releases made before and after flooding. For observations not made in the month immediately after release, measures of abundance from the surveys were converted into measures of density by dividing the abundance by the length of the pool. Two-sample Student’s t-tests were used to determine differences in density between trained and untrained release sites within Deception Creek from data collected during May and October (approximately 6 and 8 months from release).
3 RESULTS3.1 CrowdfundingA total of AU$26,465 was raised from donations made by individuals (AU$4,435), companies (AU$1,150), and aquarium clubs (AU$20,880), with donations received from Australia, USA, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany. The largest donation was AU$10,000 from the Aquarium Society of Victoria. Most donations from aquarium clubs were solicited through personal contacts. Without these funds the project would have been impossible and RRR would be close to extinction. Crowdfunding covered all of the DNA sequencing costs, fish food, and live fish shipping, which cost approximately AU$12,000 in total. The bulk of the remaining funds were used over subsequent years to continue monitoring the wild and translocated populations, including further genetic monitoring.
3.2 HabitatIn October 2016, release sites in Deception Creek varied between 100 and 280 m in length and between 8 and 14 m in width. The average depth varied between 42 and 113 cm, whereas the deepest points ranged from 1.65 to 3.00 m. Riparian cover ranged from 60% to 99%. Substrate was dominated by sand (45%–95%), followed by boulder (0%–26%), bedrock (0%–24%), and cobble (0%–17%). On average, aquatic plants (macrophytes and charophytes) covered approximately 40% of the substrate, whereas leaf litter covered approximately 25% of the substrate. Release sites within Puzzle Creek were between 150 and 265 m in length and between 9.9 and 22.4 m in width, with the average depth ranging between 84 and 125 cm, and with the deepest points ranging from 1.70 to 2.75 m. Riparian cover varied between 95% and 80%, whereas the average substrate was dominated by sand (40%–60%), followed by bedrock (3%–43%), cobble (7%–32%), and boulder (2%–7%). On average, aquatic macrophytes and charophytes covered 20% of the substrate, whereas leaf litter covered 20% of the substrate.
3.3 Predator effectsThere was no significant difference in abundance or density of adult fish between trained and untrained release sites at any point after release (Table 1). Of the seven releases in Deception Creek before flooding, fish failed to become established at only one site following the release of untrained fish. This site was surveyed five times from 2–31 days after release without a single RRR observed, and was similar to other sites in every way. At the remaining sites the abundance of released fish appeared to decline continuously over the 56-day monitoring period for both treatments at sites where samples were collected for more than 2 weeks following release (Figure 2). However, linear regression analysis did not provide statistical support for this decline (t = 0.27, P = 0.788), although this could have been the result of the low detection power caused by small sample sizes and variation in detectability. Increasing numbers of detected fish at some sites over the first few days after release (Figure 2) were probably the result of fish becoming more familiar with their new environment.
TABLE 1. Statistical output comparing trained and untrained releases of fish. A Welch’s t-test (W) compared the total observed abundance at 2–3 weeks from release, whereas a paired Student’s t-test (P) compared the density of adults at 6 and 11 months from release. The standard error (SE) was calculated from 11 abundance observations between two sites that all fell within 4 days of one another, converted to a percentage and then applied to all samples.
t-testTrained ± SE)Untrained ± SETPdfAdults
2–3 weeksW85.7 ± 18.8538.25 ± 8.42−1.600.2601.85
6 monthsP1.3 ± 0.301.86 ± 0.41−2.140.1004
11 monthsP2.0 ± 0.451.58 ± 0.35−0.650.5544
Juveniles
6 monthsP0.2 ± 0.040.36 ± 0.07−1.220.2914
11 monthsP1.3 ± 0.281.06 ± 0.21−0.670.5424
All rainbowfish
6 monthsP1.5 ± 0.442.22 ± 0.49−2.880.0454
11 monthsP3.1 ± 0.622.97 ± 0.590.110.9204
FIGURE 2
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Abundance of released Running River rainbowfish over time during the first field season in Deception Creek for trained and untrained fish. Different markers represent different release sites. Note, the number of released fish cannot increase, as fish were only released once into each site.Regression analysis found no significant link between predator density and RRR abundance or density for any survey season (Table 2). This was the case even when the analysis was broken up into different size classes for both RRR and spangled perch. Although these results were not statistically significant, there was a positive correlation between adult RRR density and the density of all spangled perch (Appendix S1).
TABLE 2. Statistical output from linear regression analysis testing predator density as a predictor of rainbowfish abundance in the first month, and density at 6 and 11 months after release.
TPRdf2–3 weeks0.5270.621−0.1375
6 months−0.0140.989−0.1258
11 months1.5450.1610.1338Fry of RRR were detected within the first field season at four sites (two trained and two untrained) 30–40 days after release. In May 2017, both juveniles and adults that were too small to have been the released fish were detected at all sites. When the total density of RRR – including fry and juveniles – was compared, untrained release sites had significantly higher densities than trained release sites at 6 months after release, but at no other time (Table 1). No significant difference in RRR density was found between releases that took place before or after the flooding that occurred between the May (t = −1.91, P = 0.09) and October (t = 0.557, P = 0.59) surveys.
Unfortunately, only one survey of Puzzle Creek was made after release, as all other attempts were prevented by heavy rain and flooding. Flooding occurred between the release and the survey, and as a result the data from the Puzzle Creek survey were not analysed.
Anecdotal observations in Deception Creek made in the hours and days immediately after release suggest that there may have been some behavioural differences between trained and untrained fish. In both pre-flood releases, the trained fish shoaled together close to the point of release and found a shallow, sandy area out of the reach of larger spangled perch and remained there for around 6 days before dispersing more widely. In contrast, untrained fish were often observed swimming near the surface in open water and swimming towards the spangled perch, which were trying to eat them, before eventually finding shallow areas in which to hide.
3.4 DispersalWhen flooding occurred in Deception Creek the RRR moved between release sites, invalidating any comparisons between treatment pools. Ten days after flooding in Deception Creek, one individual RRR was recorded in an ephemeral gully stream 660 m upstream from Deception Creek and approximately 24 m higher in elevation than the nearest release site. The movements of fish from their uppermost and lowermost release sites in both systems are summarized in Table 3. The population in Deception Creek spread upstream and downstream much faster than the fish in Puzzle Creek (Table 3). In 1 year, RRR from Puzzle Creek dispersed a total of 460 m upstream, 200 m less than the distance covered by a fish from Deception Creek in 10 days. In Deception Creek there was a large increase in the distance spread downstream between October 2017 and April 2018 (Table 3). The maximum distance of spread downstream in Deception Creek in April 2018 could not be determined because of time constraints and limited access to that portion of the creek.
TABLE 3. Upstream and downstream movements of Running River rainbowfish from their release sites in Deception and Puzzle creeks over time.
Time since releaseDistance (elevation)
UpstreamDownstreamDeception Creek May 20176 months1.9 km (31 m)1.3 km (46 m)
Deception Creek October 201711 months2.4 km (39 m)2.7 km (62 m)
Deception Creek April 201817 months2.5 km (41 m)>6.3 km (>171 m)
Puzzle Creek May 201812 months0.46 km (9 m)1.33 km (30 m)4 DISCUSSION4.1 SummaryThis study documents efforts to conserve a Critically Endangered species threatened by the establishment of an alien species. This was achieved by translocating captive-bred offspring to two unoccupied creeks isolated by large waterfalls. The conservation actions to save the RRR were an outstanding success, given that they persist in the wild adjacent to their native range, and the research and monitoring accompanying the translocation releases aims to draw lessons on techniques and habitat selection for similar future projects. Additionally, it provides insights into the rate that rainbowfish may spread through a system.
4.2 Predator trainingAlthough the small sample sizes in this experiment meant that only major differences could be detected, the data presented here do not support the hypothesis that predator training (exposure to predators prior to release) or predation pressure influenced the introduction success in RRR. Although the only unsuccessful release was of untrained fish, all other releases of untrained fish were successful, suggesting that predator-naive fish are still capable of becoming established in the right circumstances. As rainbowfish are known to use social learning (Brown & Warburton, 1999b), and as experienced fish from other releases were observed at post-flood release sites, it is likely that post-flood releases were less affected by predation encounters than pre-flood releases. Introductions into Puzzle Creek were made during a high-flow event and yet still established a sustaining population, so it is likely that the post-flood releases in Deception Creek survived to reproduction. Few released fish, if any, were present at release sites 6 months later, as most fish observed were smaller than the individuals released, and thus it was likely that most of the fish observed were spawned in the wild. Therefore, owing to the high fecundity of rainbowfishes (Milton & Arthington, 1984; Pusey et al., 2001), differences in rainbowfish density would not be expected at 6 or 11 months after the releases. As the rainfall, flow regime, habitat, vegetation, and resident fish biota of Puzzle Creek were different from that of Deception Creek, and Puzzle Creek was only surveyed once, the conclusions that can be drawn from this translocation are limited. It can, however, be said that predation and competition with purple spotted gudgeon and flooding during introduction did not prevent RRR from becoming established.
Although unquantified, the anecdotal observations made in the hours and days immediately after the Deception Creek releases followed the findings of Brown & Warburton (1999a), where naive rainbowfish were less able to evade danger than experienced ones. One reason that predation may not have had a significant impact is that neither spangled perch nor purple spotted gudgeon are primarily piscivorous (Pusey, Kennard & Arthington, 2004). The presence of a more specialized piscivore, such as the mouth almighty (Glossamia aprion), might have produced a different outcome. The mouth almighty has been implicated in the extirpation of the Lake Eacham rainbowfish (M. eachamensis) from Lake Eacham (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987), and it is not unreasonable that a similarly proficient piscivore could have adverse impacts on an introduction of small-bodied fish if they did not possess the ability to recognize or escape predators (Brown & Warburton, 1997).
4.3 Translocation successThe RRR releases were an uncommon success for Australian freshwater fish conservation translocations, which could be explained by several factors that were likely to be working in unison. First, eggs were observed within the overnight instream holding pen at some sites before the fish were released the following morning. The use of well-conditioned, sexually mature fish under conditions favourable for spawning allows them to do so on the first day, which has obvious benefits when trying to establish a new population. Second, the fish were given a soft release (with a gradual transition from captivity to nature) to allow them to adjust to the water parameters of the receiving site and recover from handling or transport stress. It has been known for some time that handling and transport not only causes stress and in turn reduced survival rates in fishes, but that the effects can linger for some time afterwards (Hattingh, Le Roux Fourie & van Vuren, 1975; Iversen, Finstad & Nilssen, 1998). However, the approach is not commonly used in fish releases and may therefore be one area in which future fish releases could improve. This soft-release approach had the added effect of allowing fish to reproduce in a protected area for a short time.
4.4 DispersalAlthough there is a paucity of information regarding the movements of Australian small-bodied freshwater fishes, studies on ephemeral waterholes (Kerezsy et al., 2013) and genetics (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013) suggest that some of these species are capable of dispersing great distances. The study of dispersal in small-bodied fishes has often been hampered by their size and the consequent limitations in employing individually tagged fish (Allan et al., 2018). However, these releases in a stream of low turbidity, where snorkelling could be used as a monitoring method, provided a unique opportunity to understand the rate at which rainbowfishes may spread throughout a previously unoccupied waterway. Puzzle Creek flows more frequently than Deception Creek, suggesting that expansion throughout Puzzle Creek could occur much faster. Although fewer fish were stocked into Puzzle Creek, the fecundity of the species should have counteracted any effect that this may have had on dispersal, meaning it was reasonable to assume that RRR would spread through Puzzle Creek at a similar if not faster rate. Contrary to what might have been expected, the RRR dispersed throughout Deception Creek faster than Puzzle Creek.
One possible explanation is that although the same number of fish per pool were released into Puzzle Creek, these pools were much larger and better connected than those in Deception Creek, resulting in lower densities of adult fish. This may have been exacerbated by flooding at the time of release, which may have encouraged dispersal. Some locations that fish dispersed to will not provide long-term habitat during dry periods, and it is almost certain that many fish died after dispersal in Deception Creek, as many individuals were observed occupying more temporary habitats (e.g. the individuals observed within the ephemeral gully). In Deception Creek, however, opportunities to disperse were less frequent and were initially limited, restricting released fish to their release sites where they increased in population size, thereby increasing the success of subsequent dispersal. The site fidelity of translocated individuals is consistently lower than that of wild individuals across most faunal groups (Clarke & Schedvin, 1997; Tuberville et al., 2005), including fish (Ebner & Thiem, 2009). Immediate dispersal from the point of release may increase the likelihood of translocation failure, as individuals may disperse to suboptimal habitats, encounter predators in unfamiliar environments, become so thinly distributed that Allee effects increase, and so forth. In some instances, ‘penning’, whereby translocated organisms are kept in pens at the release site for several days or weeks before being allowed to roam free, has been an effective method of increasing site fidelity and the overall success of establishment (Tuberville et al., 2005). It is possible that during periods of low flow, disconnected pools acted in a similar fashion, forcing fish to develop some site fidelity with their new habitat and allowing them to increase in number, thereby increasing the number of fish that dispersed when it became possible to do so.
4.5 Lessons learnedTranslocations are becoming an increasingly important conservation tool the world over, especially for small-bodied fishes. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of Australia; however, the issues faced here are likely to be relevant globally. Despite its importance in formulating effective conservation translocation plans, there are few studies incorporating robust follow-up monitoring on Australian native fish releases (Lintermans, 2013b) or survival in the weeks immediately after release. A recent review of threatened species monitoring in Australia found significant deficiencies for all vertebrate faunal groups (Scheele et al., 2019), as well as for freshwater fishes specifically (Lintermans & Robinson, 2018). In the present study, monitoring showed that the failed release had failed within 2 days of the release. External factors and small sample sizes that are typical of conservation translocations make it difficult to assess adequately the effect of predator training on post-release survival. Our anecdotal observations of different behaviours immediately after release suggest that this would be a fruitful area for further investigation (Berger-Tal, Blumstein & Swaisgood, 2020). Given the length of time required to examine long-term survival, we recommend that future studies focus on behavioural deficiencies occurring in the immediate period after release. Owing to its low cost and support from laboratory-based experiments (Vilhunen, 2006; Hutchison et al., 2012), we recommend the continued implementation of predator training in release programmes.
Anecdotal observations from successful releases indicated that the captive-reared fish introduced to Deception Creek gradually decreased in abundance over time. Natural processes such as predation and finding suitable resources, combined with the behavioural deficiencies of captive-reared fish, made such declines likely. However, upon release the fish were able to reproduce during periods of low flow and elevated temperatures, which are ideal spawning conditions for the other rainbowfish species in northern Queensland (Pusey et al., 2001), allowing the population to grow quickly and overcome initial declines. This suggests that the time of year that a release takes place may play an important role in determining whether or not it is successful. Owing to constraints on funding and time, it was not possible to obtain detailed information on the initial population growth for fish in Puzzle Creek in the first months after release. In contrast to Deception Creek, fish were released into Puzzle Creek at a time when conditions were not ideal for reproduction (e.g. with cooler temperatures, going into winter), and yet this still resulted in the successful establishment of a new population, highlighting that ideal conditions are not always necessary for establishment, at least in rainbowfishes.
Successful conservation introductions of Australian small-bodied freshwater fishes often take place in areas with no potential predators or competitors present, often to avoid non-native species that could prevent them from becoming established (Ayres, Nicol & Raadik, 2012; Chilcott et al., 2013). One of the main reasons for this is that predation or competition from alien species is often seen as a major cause of the decline of a species (Cadwallader, 1996; Lintermans, 2000; Morgan et al., 2003), and therefore conservation introductions are unlikely to succeed in locations where these alien predators or competitors are still present. Although negative interactions with alien species are the leading cause of decline in animal species globally (Clavero & García-Berthou, 2005; Bellard, Cassey & Blackburn, 2016; Allek et al., 2018), conservation introductions of RRR have shown that a complete lack of other species is not required. Studies on captive-reared fish have shown a rapid loss of behavioural traits, such as a loss of predator recognition (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003) and a reduced competitive ability (Rhodes & Quinn, 1998), suggesting that the recovery or adequate conservation of a species will be detrimentally affected if the species is maintained away from all predators and competitors. We would suggest that when conservation introductions are required, and predation is not an overwhelming threat (e.g. when suitable shelter from predators is available), effort should be made to include a mix of predator-free and predator/competitor-present release sites or a staged release similar to that described by Robinson & Ward (2011).
Conservation translocations for RRR contrast with those of larger-bodied, long-lived species. Unlike releases for larger species (Minckley, 1995; Harig, Fausch & Young, 2000; Ebner, Johnston & Lintermans, 2009; Lintermans, 2013c), it was possible to determine whether or not these releases were successful over a much shorter time period, much like other small-bodied fish translocations (Minckley, 1995). This can probably be explained by two factors: first, the RRR were released into habitats free of the cause of decline (introgression/hybridization); and second, like most small-bodied species RRR reach maturity at a much younger age (e.g. 1 year in rainbowfish; Milton & Arthington, 1984), compared with large-bodied species (e.g. 3–4 years in the Macquarie perch, Macquaria australasica; Appleford, Anderson & Gooley, 1998). This means that released fish can reproduce in a relatively short period of time, so even if released fish exhibit behavioural deficiencies that inhibit long-term survival, wild-spawned fish free of these deficiencies will rapidly be present (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003). However, it is also worth noting that a shorter lifespan poses an extra risk. Although it has already been noted that the conservation benefits of captive maintenance for a species may be limited (Philippart, 1995; Snyder et al., 1996; Araki, Cooper & Blouin, 2007; Attard et al., 2016), the short lifespans and generation times of most small-bodied species mean that the adverse effects of captive maintenance will take effect more quickly, and that stochastic events such as a reproductive failure can extinguish annual species rapidly.
This research has established two factors important for the continued management and conservation of small-bodied fish species: (i) that they may easily establish new populations when the dominant threat is removed and suitable habitat is available; and (ii) that conservation translocations for small-bodied fish species can be carried out on a moderately sized budget of AU$10,000–20,000. Most small-bodied species are less likely to be intentionally translocated outside their natural range, compared with large-bodied species (Rahel, 2004; Hunt & Jones, 2017), and are more likely to enter a new area through other pathways such as bait-bucket translocations and stocking contamination (Ludwig & Leitch, 1996; Lintermans, 2004; Rahel, 2004). Given the number of widespread species complexes of small-bodied species in Australia (Page, Sharma & Hughes, 2004; Hammer et al., 2007; Raadik, 2014; Hammer et al., 2019a), the chance of an accidental translocation resulting in establishment, hybridization, and subsequent introgression is quite high. However, the ease with which populations may be established is also beneficial for the establishment of refuge populations used for conservation, assuming suitable refuge habitat is available.
Rainbowfish species with broad distributions (e.g. the eastern rainbowfish and the western rainbowfish) possess many traits that allow them to establish new populations quickly, and as a result the number of rainbowfish species threatened by translocation is likely to increase in the future. Many small-bodied species in Australia are likely to face the same challenges. To date, Australia can claim that it has experienced very few freshwater fish extinctions, with the limited examples being of undescribed taxa (Unmack, 2001; Faulks, Gilligan & Beheregaray, 2010), but this is unlikely to remain the case in the future unless appropriate management measures are taken. To prevent future declines and extinctions, careful management and continued robust monitoring will be required. The establishment of conservation populations for small-bodied species should be more easily achieved, as they are easier to breed or translocate and have early maturity, but this effort requires a small but important investment of funds towards the conservation of smaller native fish.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe have been fortunate to draw on a wide variety of support to help make this project possible. First, none of this would have been possible without the incredible generosity from rainbowfish people around the world; the support from everyone for the crowdfunding portion of the project has been amazing. The non-profit Australian Wildlife Conservancy provided extensive access, accommodation, and assistance, which was essential; thanks specifically to Tim and Bree White, Eridani Mulder, and John Kanowski. In the race to save this fish from extinction, Diversity Arrays Technology, based at the University of Canberra, have provided all the genetic data on their fast track to provide information as quickly as possible. The project has benefited greatly from our research team examining broader rainbowfish systematic research: Keith Martin (who was the initial cause of all this, with his incessant poking around in nooks and crannies for interesting rainbowfishes), Mark Adams, and Gerry Allen. Many others provided valuable contributions. From the University of Canberra: Michael Jones, Rod Yeo, Arthur Georges, and Bernd Gruber. From James Cook University: Damien Burrows. From Flinders University: ‘Yuma’ Sandoval-Castillo. From Queensland Fisheries: Steven Brooks. Open access publishing facilitated by University of Canberra, as part of the Wiley - University of Canberra agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Alternative conservation outcomes from aquatic fauna translocations: Losing and saving the Running River rainbowfish
Karl Moy, Jason Schaffer, Michael P. Hammer, Catherine R. M. Attard, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Richard Duncan, Mark Lintermans, Culum Brown, Peter J. Unmack
First published: 16 October 2023
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4023
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- The translocation of species outside their natural range is a threat to aquatic biodiversity globally, especially freshwater fishes, as most are not only susceptible to predation and competition but readily hybridize with congeners.
- Running River rainbowfish (RRR, Melanotaenia sp.) is a narrow-ranged, small-bodied freshwater fish that recently became threatened and was subsequently listed as Critically Endangered, owing to introgressive hybridization and competition following the translocation of a congeneric species, the eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida).
- To conserve RRR, wild fish were taken into captivity, genetically confirmed as pure representatives, and successfully bred. As the threat of introgression with translocated eastern rainbowfish could not be mitigated, a plan was devised to translocate captive raised RRR into unoccupied habitats within their native catchment, upstream of natural barriers. The translocation plan involved careful site selection and habitat assessment, predator training (exposure to predators prior to release), soft release (with a gradual transition from captivity to nature), and post-release monitoring, and this approach was ultimately successful.
- Two populations of RRR were established in two previously unoccupied streams above waterfalls with a combined stream length of 18 km. Post-release monitoring was affected by floods and low sample sizes, but suggested that predation and time of release are important factors to consider in similar conservation recovery programmes for small-bodied, short-lived fishes.
1 INTRODUCTIONThe translocation of alien species is a major threat to many ecosystems worldwide (Vitousek et al., 1997; Clavero & García-Berthou, 2005; Gallardo et al., 2016). Globally, the rate of translocations has been increasing (Seebens et al., 2017), with alien species currently present on every continent (Prins & Gordon, 2014). Although there has been considerable research examining the adverse effects of alien species (McNeely, 2001; Prins & Gordon, 2014), translocations can also be an effective tool for conservation and management (Minckley, 1995; Tuberville et al., 2005; IUCN/SSC, 2013). Translocation has become a key tool for conserving freshwater fishes, using both wild and captive-bred fishes (Minckley, 1995; Lintermans, 2013a; Lintermans et al., 2015). When referring to different types of conservation translocations, this article follows the definitions provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC, 2013).
Most early conservation translocations of fish have involved large-bodied threatened species that were often potential angling targets (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Lintermans et al., 2015). However, the practice has also been applied to smaller threatened fishes (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Hammer et al., 2013; Lintermans et al., 2015; Tatár et al., 2016). The continued existence of certain species, such as the Pedder galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) is solely the result of conservation translocations (Chilcott et al., 2013), whereas the conservation status of several Critically Endangered species, such as the red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis; Kerezsy & Fensham, 2013) and several other galaxiid species (Koster, 2003; Hardie, Barmuta & White, 2006; Ayres, Nicol & Raadik, 2012) have benefited substantially from translocations.
A review of factors influencing the success of freshwater fish reintroductions reported that second to addressing the cause of initial decline, habitat-related factors were the greatest predictors of reintroduction success (Cochran-Biederman et al., 2015). The importance of suitable habitat in determining the success or failure of conservation introductions is echoed by studies of invasive fish species, which have found that if the habitat characteristics of the receiving environment are suitable then an invasion is likely to succeed, regardless of other factors (Moyle & Light, 1996a; Moyle & Light, 1996b; Harris, 2013). That an introduction is likely to fail in the absence of suitable habitat seems straightforward; however, some reintroductions may fail even in the presence of adequate habitat (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987; Leggett & Merrick, 1997).
Out of all failed conservation translocations of fish, 71% used captive-reared fish (Cochran-Biederman et al., 2015). Captive-reared fish are often raised under conditions that are vastly different from the environment into which they are released (Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003). Consequently, captive-reared fish often exhibit behaviours that are detrimental to their survival in the wild, and as a result often suffer from high mortality rates once released (Brown & Day, 2002; Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Sparrevohn & Støttrup, 2007), which is a prevalent problem across fauna groups (Berger-Tal, Blumstein & Swaisgood, 2020). The behavioural impacts of captive rearing have been known for some time (Brown & Day, 2002), with captive-reared fish showing deficiencies in key behaviours such as predator recognition and avoidance (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003; Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007) and foraging skills (Brown & Laland, 2002; Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003). Studies on the success of conservation introductions of freshwater fishes within Australia (Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Ebner, Johnston & Lintermans, 2009; Brown et al., 2012) and abroad (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003) suggest that predation and competition are likely to play a major role in translocation success. Brown, Davidson & Laland (2003) showed that environmental enrichment and exposure to live foods resulted in fish being better able to handle novel prey items. Meanwhile, several studies have shown that repeated exposure to predators, or their stimulus (e.g. scent or pictures), will improve the predator avoidance behaviours of captive-bred fish (Brown, 2003a; Vilhunen, 2006; Hutchison et al., 2012; Abudayah & Mathis, 2016). As a result, research and implementation of environmental enrichment and predator training of captive-reared fish is becoming more commonplace (Vilhunen, 2006; Hammer et al., 2012; Roberts et al., 2014; Lintermans et al., 2015).
Most research investigating methods to improve the survival of captive-reared fishes has taken place overseas, although some recent research has been conducted in Australia (Hutchison et al., 2012). In both cases, the research investigating introduction success has focused almost entirely on large-bodied, predatory, recreationally important species, such as brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (Brown & Smith, 1998; Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003; Brockmark, Adriaenssens & Johnsson, 2010), or percichthyids (Ebner, Thiem & Lintermans, 2007; Ebner & Thiem, 2009; Hutchison et al., 2012). However, of the 17 Australian species used in conservation introductions documented by Lintermans et al. (2015), 10 were small-bodied species. Small-bodied species usually have vastly different requirements compared with large-bodied species, and a conservation measure that works well for large species may not be as effective for smaller species (e.g. growing them to a large size to prevent predation).
1.1 Study organism backgroundThe extinctions and declines of native fishes resulting from hybridization with alien species have been well documented throughout Europe and North America (Hitt et al., 2003; Rosenfield & Kodric-Brown, 2003; Meldgaard et al., 2007; Ludwig et al., 2009). Compared with other countries, introgressive hybridization with alien species has not typically been considered a threat to Australia’s native biodiversity (Hitt et al., 2003; Meldgaard et al., 2007; Ludwig et al., 2009) because most alien species have originated from other continents with biota that are taxonomically distant (Lintermans, 2013a). However, high levels of genetic structuring between populations as well as many new cryptic species were identified by recent broadscale genetic studies of Australian freshwater fishes (Hammer et al., 2007; Raadik, 2014; Shelley et al., 2018). Accordingly, introgressive hybridization caused by translocations of ‘native’ species outside their natural range, or from one part of a species range to another, has more recently been recognized as a threat to conservation for Australian freshwater fishes (Lintermans et al., 2005; Harris, 2013; Couch et al., 2016).
Endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the family Melanotaeniidae, or rainbowfishes, contains more than 110 species with multiple undescribed taxa (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). The genus Melanotaenia is by far the most numerous and widespread in Australia, occurring throughout the northern half of the continent and into south-eastern regions (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). There are several ‘lineages’ within the genus, and species within the same lineage rarely co-occur (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013). In 2016, the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) listed four Melanotaenia species as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered, owing to introgressive hybridization with a widespread member of the genus (Lintermans, 2016), with a subsequent International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment confirming their threatened status (Hammer, Unmack & Brown, 2019b).
One of the species listed by the ASFB and the IUCN was the Running River rainbowfish (RRR Melanotaenia sp.). This species was first recorded in 1981 as a phenotypically unique population of rainbowfish from the usual native eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida) found in most rivers in the region (Martin & Barclay, 2016). Further collections across the region suggested that there was a complex of different rainbowfish populations, the taxonomy of which was unclear (Martin & Barclay, 2016). As part of a broader rainbowfish research project, fieldwork was conducted across the Burdekin River basin in August 2015 to try to resolve the taxonomic status of the various rainbowfish populations native to the region. During this fieldwork it was discovered that eastern rainbowfish had colonized the reach of Running River containing RRR, as well as being established in large numbers further upstream at Hidden Valley (Unmack & Hammer, 2015), an area previously lacking any rainbowfish (Martin & Barclay, 2016). It is unclear whether this represents a new translocation, or whether it represents downstream dispersal from earlier recorded translocated populations above Paluma Dam (although recent searches above Paluma Dam have failed to find any rainbowfish) (Martin & Barclay, 2016). Subsequent genetic and morphological examination supports the recognition of RRR as a separate species (P. Unmack, M. Hammer, G. Allen, unpublished data). As currently recognized, RRR is restricted to 13 km of Running River between two gorges (Figure 1). Running River is a major tributary to the Burdekin River, one of Australia’s larger river basins, situated on the north-eastern coast of Queensland (Pusey, Arthington & Read, 1998). The lower gorge prevents the upstream movement of eastern rainbowfish, whereas the upper gorge prevents the movement of RRR further upstream.
FIGURE 1
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Map of the study area showing the location of Puzzle and Deception creeks and their positions relative to Running River and its gorges. Purple arrows indicate the range of Running River rainbowfish, whereas orange arrows indicate the range of the eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida). Created by AWC Spatial Officer Tani Cooper, and used with permission from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.Once eastern rainbowfish had been detected in Running River above the upper gorge in 2015 it was realized that RRR was at risk of extinction via hybridization, as no members of the Australis lineage (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013) of rainbowfishes are ever found in sympatry. At this point it was apparent that this population was distinct and worth conserving, but its taxonomic status would not be clear until genetic work had been conducted. Initially, 52 live wild fish were collected and then brought back to the University of Canberra as an insurance population. As this research lacked any formal funding, crowdfunding was initiated via the University of Canberra Foundation to cover the costs of genotyping potential broodstock, and keeping, breeding, and shipping the fish, and used internal University of Canberra funding to fund a postgraduate research project. Funds were sought by directly contacting various aquarium societies, primarily from North America, Australia, and Europe, as well as being solicited from members of the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association during presentations and in their journal Fishes of Sahul. In addition, we put out calls for donations via social media in various Australian native fish-related Facebook groups and in the aquarium magazine Amazonas. There is tremendous worldwide interest in rainbowfishes from aquarium hobbyists, as they are brightly coloured and easy to keep and breed. Many aquarium hobbyists, clubs, and businesses have a strong conservation ethos and are enthusiastic about supporting projects like ours by donating money. Once preliminary data on the taxonomy of rainbowfishes in the Burdekin River basin had been collected it became clear that RRR was a unique taxon from the Australis lineage and action was needed to save it.
The only conservation options available for RRR were either to hold the fish in captivity for the long term or to find locations where they could be translocated to, as it would take a massive effort to remove the eastern rainbowfish from upper Running River and then restore RRR in their native range. Maintaining the species in wild habitats was the most feasible option, thus the next challenge was to determine whether any suitable sites for translocation might exist.
The eastern rainbowfish is a capable disperser, occupying most habitats throughout its range, unless there are significant barriers to prevent movement, and thus finding habitats where it is absent is unusual. The region around Running River is seasonally arid and most small creeks in the region do not hold water permanently. The middle to lower section of Running River has two larger tributaries, Deception Creek and Puzzle Creek, which are located on Mount Zero–Taravale (Figure 1), covered by two pastoral leases owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC, a not-for-profit conservation organization). Both creeks have sections that flow through gorges or rocky reaches that hold permanent water, and both were reported to have fishes of unknown species present (T. White, manager of the AWC Mount Zero–Taravale Sanctuary). Both creeks were sampled in February 2016, with Deception Creek having a large population of spangled perch (Leipotherapon unicolor), as well as a few purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda sp.), whereas Puzzle Creek had the same species, but the uppermost section above a waterfall only contained an abundant population of purple spotted gudgeon. Deception Creek flows into Running River below the lower gorge, with eastern rainbowfish native to its lower reaches. One medium-sized waterfall was located on Deception Creek approximately 12 km upstream from the confluence with Running River. Puzzle Creek flows into Running River in the middle of the upper gorge, which historically probably lacked rainbowfish; in addition, it has several major waterfalls of 10–20 m in height present along its course. As both creeks lacked rainbowfish they were considered suitable long-term translocation sites. This was an extraordinarily fortuitous situation given the lack of permanent streams in the area and the lack of eastern rainbowfish in both these streams. Any translocations into other rivers would have had impacts on native rainbowfish populations located in downstream reaches, whereas the eastern rainbowfish in lower Running River already had a potential influx of RRR from upstream.
As small-bodied freshwater fishes commonly have a high risk of extinction (Reynolds, Webb & Hawkins, 2005; Olden, Hogan & Zanden, 2007; Kopf, Shaw & Humphries, 2017; Lintermans et al., 2020), there is a need for a better understanding of the factors influencing, and methods for improving, the survival of captive-bred small-bodied freshwater fishes once released, to reduce the chance of failure. One example of this type of failure is the previous attempts to return Melanotaenia eachamensis (Lake Eacham rainbowfish) to Lake Eacham after they were extirpated owing to the introduction of other fishes (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987). A captive breeding programme was established (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987) that produced 3,000 fish, which were then released into the lake; however, subsequent surveys failed to detect any survivors (Brown et al., 2012). Subsequent research showed that captive rainbowfish can behave very differently from wild fish (Brown & Warburton, 1997; Brown & Warburton, 1999a; Kydd & Brown, 2009). This highlights the complexity that can be involved in obtaining successful reintroduction outcomes.
The main goals of the present study were to initiate a conservation programme for a recently recognized, undescribed, small-bodied rainbowfish, the Running River rainbowfish (RRR, Melanotaenia sp.). This was achieved through the design and implementation of a conservation strategy that used captive breeding and translocations to conserve the species and to evaluate the success of the strategy to inform future efforts. The study also documented the history of the species, the discovery of the translocation of eastern rainbowfish, and how crowdfunding was used to support the project. This article reports on the results of experiments conducted to examine the role of predator training on translocation success. However, these can be difficult to assess because of the limited replication, small sample sizes, and perturbations caused by weather events.
2 METHODS2.1 Captive breedingIn 2015, 52 RRR were collected from Running River and transported to the University of Canberra. Broodstock were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on DNA from fin clips and compared with wild fish that had been collected and preserved in liquid nitrogen in 1997 (18 years earlier), to ensure genetic purity. These fish were set up as 26 breeding pairs and used as broodstock for Deception Creek releases. In February 2016 additional wild fish were collected, with 32 fish genotyped and added as broodstock for Puzzle Creek releases. Fish were spawned in 17 groups of two males and two females. Some breeding groups had extra individuals added such that half the breeding groups consisted of five, six, or seven individuals. From these 26 pairs the target was to produce 110 offspring from each breeding group to ensure that each group made an equal contribution to the next generation. A target of 260 offspring was set for the 17 breeding groups. Approximately 6,900 fish were produced at the University of Canberra, 2,700 in the first round of breeding for Deception Creek and 4,200 in the second round of breeding for Puzzle Creek. Eggs were collected on synthetic wool mops placed into breeding tanks. After 2 days of spawning, the mops were transferred to small fish tanks (40 × 20 × 20 cm) and the juvenile fish were raised for approximately 2 months before being transferred to larger tanks (91 × 35 × 45 cm). Breeding and rearing tanks had painted sides and bottom and a sponge filter. Larvae were started on a diet of live vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti), and as they grew larger moved onto a diet of juvenile brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) over the course of about a week, together with commercial flake food.
Once large enough for transport, the fish were air-freighted to James Cook University (JCU) Townsville and distributed evenly into 10 outdoor rearing ponds (108 cm in diameter and 36 cm deep, 330 L) to grow out. At JCU, the fish were fed with commercially available flake food three times a day and a mixture of frozen brine shrimp and blood worms (Chironomidae) once a day. All rearing ponds contained several large river stones and plastic mesh 50 × 100 cm with holes of 2.5 cm in diameter, which was contorted into different shapes and added to provide cover. This was to encourage natural behaviours such as using cover to escape threats, establishing and holding territories, and foraging, which have previously been found to result in improved survival rates (Brown, Davidson & Laland, 2003; Roberts et al., 2014). Although there were differences in the shape and size of the rocks, all the ponds were arranged in a similar pattern.
2.2 Predator trainingRelease sites in Deception Creek were known to contain a potential predator, the spangled perch. To test the impact of predator training, half of the rearing ponds were exposed to an adult spangled perch of approximately 15 cm in length placed in a 25 × 25 cm ‘mesh box’ made from plastic 2.5-cm mesh within the outdoor pond. RRR were able to swim freely in and out of the mesh box. In addition to providing the predator, a cutaneous alarm cue was also provided, which is often released when the skin of a fish is damaged and can be used in associative learning (Brown, 2003b; Brown & Chivers, 2007; Abudayah & Mathis, 2016). To obtain this alarm cue one RRR was euthanized (with an overdose of clove oil) per week of training, crushed up, mixed with water, and sieved to remove larger fragments. This solution was then frozen in an ice-cube tray and one cube was added at the same time as the spangled perch in the hope that juvenile RRR would associate the olfactory cue of dead or injured conspecifics with the stimulus of a spangled perch. The spangled perch was left in the rearing pond for 15 min per day for 7 days immediately before the fish were released into the wild.
2.3 Release sitesDeception Creek, which flows into Running River just below the lowermost gorge, and Puzzle Creek, which flows into Running River just above the uppermost gorge, were identified as the best potential translocation sites (Figure 1). Both creeks contained barriers to the upstream dispersal of rainbowfish (Figure 1) and already had resident fish fauna, meaning that the potential impacts on invertebrates and frogs of introducing a new fish species was minimal. Throughout most of the year Deception Creek consists of disconnected pools without flow, whereas Puzzle Creek flows for most of the year but with reduced/disconnected pools during periods of low rainfall. Purple spotted gudgeon was found in both creeks, whereas spangled perch was found throughout Deception Creek and in reaches below the release sites in Puzzle Creek. Although both species have the potential to prey upon small fishes, spangled perch grows to a much larger size than purple spotted gudgeon and are more active hunters (Pusey, Kennard & Arthington, 2004). Therefore, as the predation pressure on small fishes in Deception Creek was likely to be higher than that in Puzzle Creek, releases into Deception Creek were used to assess the effect of predator training on translocation success.
In an attempt to isolate the effects of predator training, the release sites within Deception Creek were paired based on similarities between habitat variables, with one site randomly selected to receive trained fish and with the other site receiving untrained fish. Puzzle Creek release sites were also assessed, but owing to the lower number of accessible pools, habitat assessments were only used to identify suitable release sites. The habitat variables examined were pool length, average pool width, substrate composition, average depth, deepest point, and riparian cover. Pool length was measured from the uppermost water edge to the farthest downstream water edge. Average pool width was calculated by taking three measurements at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the total length of the pool using a tape measure. A transect comprising five sample points was taken along each width measurement at 0% (+25 cm), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (−25 cm) of the channel width. At each sample point, depth, substrate composition, macrophyte cover, and leaf litter were measured. Macrophyte cover, substrate, and leaf litter were all considered independent of one another. Macrophyte cover was defined as all emergent and submerged vegetation within the quadrat. Riparian cover was defined as the percentage of the bank covered by vegetation. Riparian cover was estimated by eye to the nearest 5%, whereas depth was measured using a metal ruler. All other variables were measured using a 50 × 50 cm quadrat.
Release pools were paired based on similar size, riparian cover, and substrate, in that order, with one pool randomly assigned to trained or untrained fish. As there were limits to the number of fish that could be produced, the 2,500 that were bred were divided into groups of 250 for release. This number was chosen to balance the number of release sites against the number of fish in each release.
2.4 Release and monitoringTen releases of 250 fish were performed across 10 release sites in Deception Creek between 2 November 2016 and 13 January 2017. Releases were made in groups of 250 to provide five replicates of each treatment (trained and untrained), as grow-out facilities consisted of 10 ponds. At release, the fish were approximately 3 cm in total length, on average, but varied from approximately 2 to 5 cm. Deception Creek releases occurred once every week or so; however, there was no assigned order for which releases happened when, owing to logistical constraints regarding predator avoidance training. Fish were transported from rearing ponds at JCU to their release sites in 20-L plastic buckets. Buckets were filled to one-third full and water was dosed with sea salt at 2.6 g L−1 and API Stress Coat® (Mars Fishcare, Inc., Chalfont, PA, USA), dosed at 0.8 ml L−1. Fish were delivered to their release site on the same day as collection from the rearing ponds in all but one case, which was hampered by heavy rainfall. In this instance, fish were held in buckets for 2 days with a daily water change, before delivery to their release site. Fish were held instream at the release site overnight in a holding net with dimensions of 1 × 1 × 1 m made from shade cloth and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. This allowed the fish to acclimatize to water conditions without any predation pressure. The following day the fish were released into the pool by gently up-ending the holding net.
After release, snorkel surveys were used to estimate the abundance of spangled perch and RRR in each pool. Snorkel surveys were chosen as the survey method needed to be non-destructive and non-intrusive. A small pilot study was conducted early on, comparing the detection rates among snorkel surveys, bait traps, and baited remote underwater video; however, the latter two methods did not detect a single RRR (K. Moy, unpublished data). Owing to logistical constraints, surveys occurred somewhat opportunistically. However, at least one survey was undertaken in the first week following release and this was often followed by other surveys up to 56 days after release. Forty-one surveys across five untrained and two trained release sites were made between 2 November 2016 and 5 January 2017. A large rainfall event (over 200 ml across 4 days at the nearest rainfall gauge) occurred in early January 2017, which caused flooding and restored flow to the channel, reconnecting the release pools before the predator training experiment in Deception Creek could be completed. This prevented any survey data being collected for the final three releases, which were all of trained fish. Snorkel surveys consisted of three passes: along the left bank, then the right bank, and with a final pass down the centre of the pool. The researcher kept a steady pace to prevent any double counting of fish, and on a waterproof notepad recorded a tally of the total number seen as well as the maximum seen at any one time, with a separate count for larvae. Spangled perch were also recorded in this way to estimate predator density. Follow-up surveys were undertaken for all sites in Deception Creek in May and October 2017.
After the first field season, the extent of fish occurrence throughout each drainage was mapped by walking along the creek, upstream and downstream from the uppermost and lowermost pools, respectively, and stopping at each pool encountered for 5 min to observe the presence or absence of rainbowfish. If no rainbowfish were observed within 5 min, the researcher moved to a different region of the pool and continued to observe for a further 5 min. If no rainbowfish were observed, the next pool downstream or upstream was also checked. This was repeated until three pools in a row were found without rainbowfish. This was carried out for Deception Creek in May and October 2017 and in April 2018. An attempt was made to map the extent of RRR in Deception Creek after the large rainfall event in early January 2017, following the same protocol above, but was hampered by low visibility owing to the increased turbidity.
Four releases, each consisting of 375 untrained fish, were made into four sites across Puzzle Creek in May 2017 in the same manner as those made into Deception Creek. Although the fish released into Puzzle Creek were the same size as those released into Deception Creek, only 1,500 of the originally intended 4,000 fish were released because of attrition in the rearing ponds. Owing to funding and weather constraints on fieldwork, no monitoring was undertaken in the weeks immediately after release for the Puzzle Creek releases. The planned monitoring of Puzzle Creek in October 2017 was prevented by a large rainfall event, but a survey of all release sites following the same protocol described above took place in May 2018. Distribution mapping for Puzzle Creek took place in May 2018 following the same protocol used for Deception Creek. Research was conducted under the University of Canberra Animal Ethics Committee approval CEAE 16-03.
2.5 AnalysisTwo-sample Student’s t-tests were used to test for differences in abundance in Deception Creek following release for trained versus untrained fish sites, paired by habitat variables, whereas an independent-samples Student’s t-test was used to look for differences in density between releases made before and after flooding. For observations not made in the month immediately after release, measures of abundance from the surveys were converted into measures of density by dividing the abundance by the length of the pool. Two-sample Student’s t-tests were used to determine differences in density between trained and untrained release sites within Deception Creek from data collected during May and October (approximately 6 and 8 months from release).
3 RESULTS3.1 CrowdfundingA total of AU$26,465 was raised from donations made by individuals (AU$4,435), companies (AU$1,150), and aquarium clubs (AU$20,880), with donations received from Australia, USA, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany. The largest donation was AU$10,000 from the Aquarium Society of Victoria. Most donations from aquarium clubs were solicited through personal contacts. Without these funds the project would have been impossible and RRR would be close to extinction. Crowdfunding covered all of the DNA sequencing costs, fish food, and live fish shipping, which cost approximately AU$12,000 in total. The bulk of the remaining funds were used over subsequent years to continue monitoring the wild and translocated populations, including further genetic monitoring.
3.2 HabitatIn October 2016, release sites in Deception Creek varied between 100 and 280 m in length and between 8 and 14 m in width. The average depth varied between 42 and 113 cm, whereas the deepest points ranged from 1.65 to 3.00 m. Riparian cover ranged from 60% to 99%. Substrate was dominated by sand (45%–95%), followed by boulder (0%–26%), bedrock (0%–24%), and cobble (0%–17%). On average, aquatic plants (macrophytes and charophytes) covered approximately 40% of the substrate, whereas leaf litter covered approximately 25% of the substrate. Release sites within Puzzle Creek were between 150 and 265 m in length and between 9.9 and 22.4 m in width, with the average depth ranging between 84 and 125 cm, and with the deepest points ranging from 1.70 to 2.75 m. Riparian cover varied between 95% and 80%, whereas the average substrate was dominated by sand (40%–60%), followed by bedrock (3%–43%), cobble (7%–32%), and boulder (2%–7%). On average, aquatic macrophytes and charophytes covered 20% of the substrate, whereas leaf litter covered 20% of the substrate.
3.3 Predator effectsThere was no significant difference in abundance or density of adult fish between trained and untrained release sites at any point after release (Table 1). Of the seven releases in Deception Creek before flooding, fish failed to become established at only one site following the release of untrained fish. This site was surveyed five times from 2–31 days after release without a single RRR observed, and was similar to other sites in every way. At the remaining sites the abundance of released fish appeared to decline continuously over the 56-day monitoring period for both treatments at sites where samples were collected for more than 2 weeks following release (Figure 2). However, linear regression analysis did not provide statistical support for this decline (t = 0.27, P = 0.788), although this could have been the result of the low detection power caused by small sample sizes and variation in detectability. Increasing numbers of detected fish at some sites over the first few days after release (Figure 2) were probably the result of fish becoming more familiar with their new environment.
TABLE 1. Statistical output comparing trained and untrained releases of fish. A Welch’s t-test (W) compared the total observed abundance at 2–3 weeks from release, whereas a paired Student’s t-test (P) compared the density of adults at 6 and 11 months from release. The standard error (SE) was calculated from 11 abundance observations between two sites that all fell within 4 days of one another, converted to a percentage and then applied to all samples.
t-testTrained ± SE)Untrained ± SETPdfAdults
2–3 weeksW85.7 ± 18.8538.25 ± 8.42−1.600.2601.85
6 monthsP1.3 ± 0.301.86 ± 0.41−2.140.1004
11 monthsP2.0 ± 0.451.58 ± 0.35−0.650.5544
Juveniles
6 monthsP0.2 ± 0.040.36 ± 0.07−1.220.2914
11 monthsP1.3 ± 0.281.06 ± 0.21−0.670.5424
All rainbowfish
6 monthsP1.5 ± 0.442.22 ± 0.49−2.880.0454
11 monthsP3.1 ± 0.622.97 ± 0.590.110.9204
FIGURE 2
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Abundance of released Running River rainbowfish over time during the first field season in Deception Creek for trained and untrained fish. Different markers represent different release sites. Note, the number of released fish cannot increase, as fish were only released once into each site.Regression analysis found no significant link between predator density and RRR abundance or density for any survey season (Table 2). This was the case even when the analysis was broken up into different size classes for both RRR and spangled perch. Although these results were not statistically significant, there was a positive correlation between adult RRR density and the density of all spangled perch (Appendix S1).
TABLE 2. Statistical output from linear regression analysis testing predator density as a predictor of rainbowfish abundance in the first month, and density at 6 and 11 months after release.
TPRdf2–3 weeks0.5270.621−0.1375
6 months−0.0140.989−0.1258
11 months1.5450.1610.1338Fry of RRR were detected within the first field season at four sites (two trained and two untrained) 30–40 days after release. In May 2017, both juveniles and adults that were too small to have been the released fish were detected at all sites. When the total density of RRR – including fry and juveniles – was compared, untrained release sites had significantly higher densities than trained release sites at 6 months after release, but at no other time (Table 1). No significant difference in RRR density was found between releases that took place before or after the flooding that occurred between the May (t = −1.91, P = 0.09) and October (t = 0.557, P = 0.59) surveys.
Unfortunately, only one survey of Puzzle Creek was made after release, as all other attempts were prevented by heavy rain and flooding. Flooding occurred between the release and the survey, and as a result the data from the Puzzle Creek survey were not analysed.
Anecdotal observations in Deception Creek made in the hours and days immediately after release suggest that there may have been some behavioural differences between trained and untrained fish. In both pre-flood releases, the trained fish shoaled together close to the point of release and found a shallow, sandy area out of the reach of larger spangled perch and remained there for around 6 days before dispersing more widely. In contrast, untrained fish were often observed swimming near the surface in open water and swimming towards the spangled perch, which were trying to eat them, before eventually finding shallow areas in which to hide.
3.4 DispersalWhen flooding occurred in Deception Creek the RRR moved between release sites, invalidating any comparisons between treatment pools. Ten days after flooding in Deception Creek, one individual RRR was recorded in an ephemeral gully stream 660 m upstream from Deception Creek and approximately 24 m higher in elevation than the nearest release site. The movements of fish from their uppermost and lowermost release sites in both systems are summarized in Table 3. The population in Deception Creek spread upstream and downstream much faster than the fish in Puzzle Creek (Table 3). In 1 year, RRR from Puzzle Creek dispersed a total of 460 m upstream, 200 m less than the distance covered by a fish from Deception Creek in 10 days. In Deception Creek there was a large increase in the distance spread downstream between October 2017 and April 2018 (Table 3). The maximum distance of spread downstream in Deception Creek in April 2018 could not be determined because of time constraints and limited access to that portion of the creek.
TABLE 3. Upstream and downstream movements of Running River rainbowfish from their release sites in Deception and Puzzle creeks over time.
Time since releaseDistance (elevation)
UpstreamDownstreamDeception Creek May 20176 months1.9 km (31 m)1.3 km (46 m)
Deception Creek October 201711 months2.4 km (39 m)2.7 km (62 m)
Deception Creek April 201817 months2.5 km (41 m)>6.3 km (>171 m)
Puzzle Creek May 201812 months0.46 km (9 m)1.33 km (30 m)4 DISCUSSION4.1 SummaryThis study documents efforts to conserve a Critically Endangered species threatened by the establishment of an alien species. This was achieved by translocating captive-bred offspring to two unoccupied creeks isolated by large waterfalls. The conservation actions to save the RRR were an outstanding success, given that they persist in the wild adjacent to their native range, and the research and monitoring accompanying the translocation releases aims to draw lessons on techniques and habitat selection for similar future projects. Additionally, it provides insights into the rate that rainbowfish may spread through a system.
4.2 Predator trainingAlthough the small sample sizes in this experiment meant that only major differences could be detected, the data presented here do not support the hypothesis that predator training (exposure to predators prior to release) or predation pressure influenced the introduction success in RRR. Although the only unsuccessful release was of untrained fish, all other releases of untrained fish were successful, suggesting that predator-naive fish are still capable of becoming established in the right circumstances. As rainbowfish are known to use social learning (Brown & Warburton, 1999b), and as experienced fish from other releases were observed at post-flood release sites, it is likely that post-flood releases were less affected by predation encounters than pre-flood releases. Introductions into Puzzle Creek were made during a high-flow event and yet still established a sustaining population, so it is likely that the post-flood releases in Deception Creek survived to reproduction. Few released fish, if any, were present at release sites 6 months later, as most fish observed were smaller than the individuals released, and thus it was likely that most of the fish observed were spawned in the wild. Therefore, owing to the high fecundity of rainbowfishes (Milton & Arthington, 1984; Pusey et al., 2001), differences in rainbowfish density would not be expected at 6 or 11 months after the releases. As the rainfall, flow regime, habitat, vegetation, and resident fish biota of Puzzle Creek were different from that of Deception Creek, and Puzzle Creek was only surveyed once, the conclusions that can be drawn from this translocation are limited. It can, however, be said that predation and competition with purple spotted gudgeon and flooding during introduction did not prevent RRR from becoming established.
Although unquantified, the anecdotal observations made in the hours and days immediately after the Deception Creek releases followed the findings of Brown & Warburton (1999a), where naive rainbowfish were less able to evade danger than experienced ones. One reason that predation may not have had a significant impact is that neither spangled perch nor purple spotted gudgeon are primarily piscivorous (Pusey, Kennard & Arthington, 2004). The presence of a more specialized piscivore, such as the mouth almighty (Glossamia aprion), might have produced a different outcome. The mouth almighty has been implicated in the extirpation of the Lake Eacham rainbowfish (M. eachamensis) from Lake Eacham (Barlow, Hogan & Rodger, 1987), and it is not unreasonable that a similarly proficient piscivore could have adverse impacts on an introduction of small-bodied fish if they did not possess the ability to recognize or escape predators (Brown & Warburton, 1997).
4.3 Translocation successThe RRR releases were an uncommon success for Australian freshwater fish conservation translocations, which could be explained by several factors that were likely to be working in unison. First, eggs were observed within the overnight instream holding pen at some sites before the fish were released the following morning. The use of well-conditioned, sexually mature fish under conditions favourable for spawning allows them to do so on the first day, which has obvious benefits when trying to establish a new population. Second, the fish were given a soft release (with a gradual transition from captivity to nature) to allow them to adjust to the water parameters of the receiving site and recover from handling or transport stress. It has been known for some time that handling and transport not only causes stress and in turn reduced survival rates in fishes, but that the effects can linger for some time afterwards (Hattingh, Le Roux Fourie & van Vuren, 1975; Iversen, Finstad & Nilssen, 1998). However, the approach is not commonly used in fish releases and may therefore be one area in which future fish releases could improve. This soft-release approach had the added effect of allowing fish to reproduce in a protected area for a short time.
4.4 DispersalAlthough there is a paucity of information regarding the movements of Australian small-bodied freshwater fishes, studies on ephemeral waterholes (Kerezsy et al., 2013) and genetics (Unmack, Allen & Johnson, 2013) suggest that some of these species are capable of dispersing great distances. The study of dispersal in small-bodied fishes has often been hampered by their size and the consequent limitations in employing individually tagged fish (Allan et al., 2018). However, these releases in a stream of low turbidity, where snorkelling could be used as a monitoring method, provided a unique opportunity to understand the rate at which rainbowfishes may spread throughout a previously unoccupied waterway. Puzzle Creek flows more frequently than Deception Creek, suggesting that expansion throughout Puzzle Creek could occur much faster. Although fewer fish were stocked into Puzzle Creek, the fecundity of the species should have counteracted any effect that this may have had on dispersal, meaning it was reasonable to assume that RRR would spread through Puzzle Creek at a similar if not faster rate. Contrary to what might have been expected, the RRR dispersed throughout Deception Creek faster than Puzzle Creek.
One possible explanation is that although the same number of fish per pool were released into Puzzle Creek, these pools were much larger and better connected than those in Deception Creek, resulting in lower densities of adult fish. This may have been exacerbated by flooding at the time of release, which may have encouraged dispersal. Some locations that fish dispersed to will not provide long-term habitat during dry periods, and it is almost certain that many fish died after dispersal in Deception Creek, as many individuals were observed occupying more temporary habitats (e.g. the individuals observed within the ephemeral gully). In Deception Creek, however, opportunities to disperse were less frequent and were initially limited, restricting released fish to their release sites where they increased in population size, thereby increasing the success of subsequent dispersal. The site fidelity of translocated individuals is consistently lower than that of wild individuals across most faunal groups (Clarke & Schedvin, 1997; Tuberville et al., 2005), including fish (Ebner & Thiem, 2009). Immediate dispersal from the point of release may increase the likelihood of translocation failure, as individuals may disperse to suboptimal habitats, encounter predators in unfamiliar environments, become so thinly distributed that Allee effects increase, and so forth. In some instances, ‘penning’, whereby translocated organisms are kept in pens at the release site for several days or weeks before being allowed to roam free, has been an effective method of increasing site fidelity and the overall success of establishment (Tuberville et al., 2005). It is possible that during periods of low flow, disconnected pools acted in a similar fashion, forcing fish to develop some site fidelity with their new habitat and allowing them to increase in number, thereby increasing the number of fish that dispersed when it became possible to do so.
4.5 Lessons learnedTranslocations are becoming an increasingly important conservation tool the world over, especially for small-bodied fishes. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of Australia; however, the issues faced here are likely to be relevant globally. Despite its importance in formulating effective conservation translocation plans, there are few studies incorporating robust follow-up monitoring on Australian native fish releases (Lintermans, 2013b) or survival in the weeks immediately after release. A recent review of threatened species monitoring in Australia found significant deficiencies for all vertebrate faunal groups (Scheele et al., 2019), as well as for freshwater fishes specifically (Lintermans & Robinson, 2018). In the present study, monitoring showed that the failed release had failed within 2 days of the release. External factors and small sample sizes that are typical of conservation translocations make it difficult to assess adequately the effect of predator training on post-release survival. Our anecdotal observations of different behaviours immediately after release suggest that this would be a fruitful area for further investigation (Berger-Tal, Blumstein & Swaisgood, 2020). Given the length of time required to examine long-term survival, we recommend that future studies focus on behavioural deficiencies occurring in the immediate period after release. Owing to its low cost and support from laboratory-based experiments (Vilhunen, 2006; Hutchison et al., 2012), we recommend the continued implementation of predator training in release programmes.
Anecdotal observations from successful releases indicated that the captive-reared fish introduced to Deception Creek gradually decreased in abundance over time. Natural processes such as predation and finding suitable resources, combined with the behavioural deficiencies of captive-reared fish, made such declines likely. However, upon release the fish were able to reproduce during periods of low flow and elevated temperatures, which are ideal spawning conditions for the other rainbowfish species in northern Queensland (Pusey et al., 2001), allowing the population to grow quickly and overcome initial declines. This suggests that the time of year that a release takes place may play an important role in determining whether or not it is successful. Owing to constraints on funding and time, it was not possible to obtain detailed information on the initial population growth for fish in Puzzle Creek in the first months after release. In contrast to Deception Creek, fish were released into Puzzle Creek at a time when conditions were not ideal for reproduction (e.g. with cooler temperatures, going into winter), and yet this still resulted in the successful establishment of a new population, highlighting that ideal conditions are not always necessary for establishment, at least in rainbowfishes.
Successful conservation introductions of Australian small-bodied freshwater fishes often take place in areas with no potential predators or competitors present, often to avoid non-native species that could prevent them from becoming established (Ayres, Nicol & Raadik, 2012; Chilcott et al., 2013). One of the main reasons for this is that predation or competition from alien species is often seen as a major cause of the decline of a species (Cadwallader, 1996; Lintermans, 2000; Morgan et al., 2003), and therefore conservation introductions are unlikely to succeed in locations where these alien predators or competitors are still present. Although negative interactions with alien species are the leading cause of decline in animal species globally (Clavero & García-Berthou, 2005; Bellard, Cassey & Blackburn, 2016; Allek et al., 2018), conservation introductions of RRR have shown that a complete lack of other species is not required. Studies on captive-reared fish have shown a rapid loss of behavioural traits, such as a loss of predator recognition (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003) and a reduced competitive ability (Rhodes & Quinn, 1998), suggesting that the recovery or adequate conservation of a species will be detrimentally affected if the species is maintained away from all predators and competitors. We would suggest that when conservation introductions are required, and predation is not an overwhelming threat (e.g. when suitable shelter from predators is available), effort should be made to include a mix of predator-free and predator/competitor-present release sites or a staged release similar to that described by Robinson & Ward (2011).
Conservation translocations for RRR contrast with those of larger-bodied, long-lived species. Unlike releases for larger species (Minckley, 1995; Harig, Fausch & Young, 2000; Ebner, Johnston & Lintermans, 2009; Lintermans, 2013c), it was possible to determine whether or not these releases were successful over a much shorter time period, much like other small-bodied fish translocations (Minckley, 1995). This can probably be explained by two factors: first, the RRR were released into habitats free of the cause of decline (introgression/hybridization); and second, like most small-bodied species RRR reach maturity at a much younger age (e.g. 1 year in rainbowfish; Milton & Arthington, 1984), compared with large-bodied species (e.g. 3–4 years in the Macquarie perch, Macquaria australasica; Appleford, Anderson & Gooley, 1998). This means that released fish can reproduce in a relatively short period of time, so even if released fish exhibit behavioural deficiencies that inhibit long-term survival, wild-spawned fish free of these deficiencies will rapidly be present (Alvarez & Nicieza, 2003). However, it is also worth noting that a shorter lifespan poses an extra risk. Although it has already been noted that the conservation benefits of captive maintenance for a species may be limited (Philippart, 1995; Snyder et al., 1996; Araki, Cooper & Blouin, 2007; Attard et al., 2016), the short lifespans and generation times of most small-bodied species mean that the adverse effects of captive maintenance will take effect more quickly, and that stochastic events such as a reproductive failure can extinguish annual species rapidly.
This research has established two factors important for the continued management and conservation of small-bodied fish species: (i) that they may easily establish new populations when the dominant threat is removed and suitable habitat is available; and (ii) that conservation translocations for small-bodied fish species can be carried out on a moderately sized budget of AU$10,000–20,000. Most small-bodied species are less likely to be intentionally translocated outside their natural range, compared with large-bodied species (Rahel, 2004; Hunt & Jones, 2017), and are more likely to enter a new area through other pathways such as bait-bucket translocations and stocking contamination (Ludwig & Leitch, 1996; Lintermans, 2004; Rahel, 2004). Given the number of widespread species complexes of small-bodied species in Australia (Page, Sharma & Hughes, 2004; Hammer et al., 2007; Raadik, 2014; Hammer et al., 2019a), the chance of an accidental translocation resulting in establishment, hybridization, and subsequent introgression is quite high. However, the ease with which populations may be established is also beneficial for the establishment of refuge populations used for conservation, assuming suitable refuge habitat is available.
Rainbowfish species with broad distributions (e.g. the eastern rainbowfish and the western rainbowfish) possess many traits that allow them to establish new populations quickly, and as a result the number of rainbowfish species threatened by translocation is likely to increase in the future. Many small-bodied species in Australia are likely to face the same challenges. To date, Australia can claim that it has experienced very few freshwater fish extinctions, with the limited examples being of undescribed taxa (Unmack, 2001; Faulks, Gilligan & Beheregaray, 2010), but this is unlikely to remain the case in the future unless appropriate management measures are taken. To prevent future declines and extinctions, careful management and continued robust monitoring will be required. The establishment of conservation populations for small-bodied species should be more easily achieved, as they are easier to breed or translocate and have early maturity, but this effort requires a small but important investment of funds towards the conservation of smaller native fish.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe have been fortunate to draw on a wide variety of support to help make this project possible. First, none of this would have been possible without the incredible generosity from rainbowfish people around the world; the support from everyone for the crowdfunding portion of the project has been amazing. The non-profit Australian Wildlife Conservancy provided extensive access, accommodation, and assistance, which was essential; thanks specifically to Tim and Bree White, Eridani Mulder, and John Kanowski. In the race to save this fish from extinction, Diversity Arrays Technology, based at the University of Canberra, have provided all the genetic data on their fast track to provide information as quickly as possible. The project has benefited greatly from our research team examining broader rainbowfish systematic research: Keith Martin (who was the initial cause of all this, with his incessant poking around in nooks and crannies for interesting rainbowfishes), Mark Adams, and Gerry Allen. Many others provided valuable contributions. From the University of Canberra: Michael Jones, Rod Yeo, Arthur Georges, and Bernd Gruber. From James Cook University: Damien Burrows. From Flinders University: ‘Yuma’ Sandoval-Castillo. From Queensland Fisheries: Steven Brooks. Open access publishing facilitated by University of Canberra, as part of the Wiley - University of Canberra agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
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Rineloricaria cachivera • A New Species of rheophilic Armored Catfish of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Vaupés River, Amazonas Basin, Colombia
Rineloricaria cachivera
Urbano-Bonilla, Londoño-Burbano & Carvalho, 2023
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15500
Abstract
A new rheophilic species of the genus Rineloricaria is described for the Amazon basin in Colombia. Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. differs from its congeners by having anterior to the first predorsal plate, an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; the presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of the dorsal portion of the head, without bands or spots on the head; a long snout that occupies more than half the head length (HL), between 58.0% and 66.3% HL; a naked portion on the cleithral area from the border of lower lip reaching the origin of pectoral fin; and by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin. The new species is morphologically similar to Rineloricaria daraha; however, it can be distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). An identification key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia is provided. The new species is herein categorized as Least Concern, following the IUCN criteria.
Keywords: endemism, Loricariinae, river, rapids, species, diversity, taxonomy
Paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp.
(a) Unpreserved specimen, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón. (b-c) MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés at Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
Habitat of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp.
(a) Tapira-Llerao sacred rock, (b) Raudal the Tapira-Llerao (Holotype) upstream of the Matapi indigenous community, (c) Laguna Arcoiris “small lagoon isolated from the raudal La Mojarra (paratype) upstream from the indigenous community of Matapi, (d) Raudal in the indigenous community of Trubón (paratype), and (e, f) petroglyphs in the cachiveras of the Vaupés River “Sacred sites” upstream of the Matapí indigenous community.
Rineloricaria cachivera new species
Etymology: The specific name cachivera refers to a flow of water that runs violently between the rocks. In the cosmology of the indigenous peoples of the Vaupés, the waters of its rivers are inhabited by various supernatural creatures that must be venerated, consulted, and appeased in the rituals of the shamans; these creatures live and guard mainly the cachiveras of the rivers where humans are more fragile and face the greatest danger (Schultes & Raffauf, 2004) (e.g., Figure 4e,f). The species was named in memory of Javier Alejandro Maldonado-Ocampo “Nano,” who collected the new species in the cachivera of “Trubón” and “La Mojarra”; in the latter, on March 2, 2019, Nano stayed forever swimming in peace and happy with the rheophilic fish of the cachiveras of the Vaupés River.
Alexander Urbano-Bonilla, Alejandro Londoño-Burbano and Tiago P. Carvalho. 2023. A New Species of rheophilic Armored Catfish of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Vaupés River, Amazonas Basin, Colombia. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15500
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Rineloricaria cachivera
Urbano-Bonilla, Londoño-Burbano & Carvalho, 2023
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15500
Abstract
A new rheophilic species of the genus Rineloricaria is described for the Amazon basin in Colombia. Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. differs from its congeners by having anterior to the first predorsal plate, an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; the presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of the dorsal portion of the head, without bands or spots on the head; a long snout that occupies more than half the head length (HL), between 58.0% and 66.3% HL; a naked portion on the cleithral area from the border of lower lip reaching the origin of pectoral fin; and by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin. The new species is morphologically similar to Rineloricaria daraha; however, it can be distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). An identification key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia is provided. The new species is herein categorized as Least Concern, following the IUCN criteria.
Keywords: endemism, Loricariinae, river, rapids, species, diversity, taxonomy
Paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp.
(a) Unpreserved specimen, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón. (b-c) MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés at Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
Habitat of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp.
(a) Tapira-Llerao sacred rock, (b) Raudal the Tapira-Llerao (Holotype) upstream of the Matapi indigenous community, (c) Laguna Arcoiris “small lagoon isolated from the raudal La Mojarra (paratype) upstream from the indigenous community of Matapi, (d) Raudal in the indigenous community of Trubón (paratype), and (e, f) petroglyphs in the cachiveras of the Vaupés River “Sacred sites” upstream of the Matapí indigenous community.
Rineloricaria cachivera new species
Etymology: The specific name cachivera refers to a flow of water that runs violently between the rocks. In the cosmology of the indigenous peoples of the Vaupés, the waters of its rivers are inhabited by various supernatural creatures that must be venerated, consulted, and appeased in the rituals of the shamans; these creatures live and guard mainly the cachiveras of the rivers where humans are more fragile and face the greatest danger (Schultes & Raffauf, 2004) (e.g., Figure 4e,f). The species was named in memory of Javier Alejandro Maldonado-Ocampo “Nano,” who collected the new species in the cachivera of “Trubón” and “La Mojarra”; in the latter, on March 2, 2019, Nano stayed forever swimming in peace and happy with the rheophilic fish of the cachiveras of the Vaupés River.
Alexander Urbano-Bonilla, Alejandro Londoño-Burbano and Tiago P. Carvalho. 2023. A New Species of rheophilic Armored Catfish of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Vaupés River, Amazonas Basin, Colombia. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15500
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Opistognathus ctenion (Perciformes, Opistognathidae): a new jawfish from southern Japan
Kyoji Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Motomura, Gento ShinoharaAbstractOpistognathus ctenion sp. nov. (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) is described on the basis of three specimens (17.3–30.6 mm in standard length) collected from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m. Although most similar to Opistognathus triops, recently described from Tonga and Vanuatu, the new species differs in mandibular pore arrangement, dorsal- and caudal-fin coloration, fewer gill rakers, and lacks blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region and both jaws.
Key wordsActinopterygii, dredge, new species, Osumi Islands, Ryukyu Islands, taxonomy
IntroductionOpistognathus Cuvier, 1816 is the most speciose genus of jawfishes (Perciformes: Opistognathidae), being distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions, except for the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea (Smith-Vaniz 2023); most species of Opistognathus occur in the Indo-West Pacific. A recent review of the genus by Smith-Vaniz (2023) recognized 60 valid species, 18 being new, and additional new species of Opistognathus were predicted. To date, valid species of Opistognathus total 91 overall (Smith-Vaniz 2023).
Examination of specimens in the Kagoshima University Museum, Japan (KAUM) and the National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan (NSMT) revealed an unidentified species of Opistognathus, collected in 35–57 m depth off the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan. In common with the majority of species of Opistognathus, the number of known examples of the present species is small, due to difficulties in collecting, attributed to their small body size and cryptic habitat [for details see Smith-Vaniz (2023)]. Notwithstanding, the species is clearly distinct, having a unique combination of meristic characters and fresh coloration, and is here formally described as a new to science.
Material and methodsMorphological observationCounts and measurements followed Smith-Vaniz (2023). Standard length (SL) was measured to the nearest 0.1 mm. Other measurements were made to the nearest 0.01 mm using needle-point calipers under a dissecting microscope (ZEISS Stemi DV4). Counts of vertebrae and fin rays, plus dorsal- and anal-fin pterygiophores, were examined from radiographs. Further osteological characters were investigated by computed tomography (CT) scanning using inspeXio SMX-225CR FPD HR Plus (Shimadzu, Kyoto) at 100 kV and 120 μA at a resolution of 18 μm, and three-dimensional reconstruction images produced by the rendering software VGSTUDIO MAX ver. 3.3 (Volume Graphics, Nagoya).
Preparation of figuresPhotographs of preserved specimens were taken with a Nikon D850 camera using an internal focus bracketing function; sets of multifocal images were then collated into a composite image, using Adobe Photoshop. The distribution map was prepared using GMT ver. 5.3.1, with data from GSHHG (Wessel and Smith 1996). The names and grouping of islands in southern Japan (belonging to Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures) follow Motomura and Matsunuma (2022: fig. 5.2).
Comparative dataMorphological characters of comparative species of Opistognathus are cited from Smith-Vaniz (2023).
Results and discussion Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov.https://zoobank.org/66D79DFB-6CAA-4E18-A766-B2F117333C13
Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Table 1 New English name: Japanese Whitespotted Jawfish New standard Japanese name: Shiratama-agoamadaiType materialHolotype. KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL, off Mage-shima Island, Osumi Islands, Kagoshima, Japan, 35 m depth, dredge, 29 Sept. 2022, K. Kubota. Paratypes. KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL, collected with holotype; NSMT-P 130174, 17.3 mm SL, southwest of Nagannu Island, Kerama Islands, southern Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Japan (26°14′33"N, 127°31′19"E–26°14′30"N, 127°31′24"E), 53–57 m depth, dredge operated by R/V Toyoshio-maru (Hiroshima University), 19 May 2017, G. Shinohara.
DiagnosisA species of Opistognathus distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anterior dorsal-fin spines very stout and straight, and their distal ends not transversely forked; anal-fin rays II, 17; gill rakers 6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions usually included 2 and 6–7 pores, respectively; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; body reddish-brown with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches; cheek and opercle with five or six whitish blotches; snout, suborbital region, and both jaws without blotches or stripes; spinous dorsal fin with ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines; dorsal-fin soft-rayed portion with two reddish-orange stripes; pectoral-fin base with one or two whitish blotches; caudal fin uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
DescriptionGeneral appearance of type specimens as in Figs 1, 2 and 3. Lateral line system and osteological features of the holotype are given in Figs 4 and 5, respectively. Lateral line system and scale descriptions based on KAUM–I. 174226, 174227 (not available for NSMT-P 130174 due to poor specimen condition). Counts and measurements of type specimens are given in Table 1.
Table 1.
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CSV
XLSXCounts and measurements of Opistognathus ctenion.
HolotypeParatypeParatype
KAUM–I. 174226KAUM–I. 174227NSMT-P 130174
Standard length (mm; SL)30.626.217.3
Counts
Dorsal-fin raysXI, 16XI, 18XI, 18
Anal-fin raysII, 17II, 17II, 17
Total pectoral-fin rays19 (left) / 19 (right)19 / 1919 / –
Pelvic-fin raysI, 5I, 5I, 5
Procurrent caudal-fin rays5 + 55 + 5–
Branched caudal-fin rays12––
Segmented caudal-fin rays8 + 8 = 168 + 8 = 168 + 8 = 16
Longitudinal scale rowsc. 40–50c. 40–50–
Vertebrae10 + 22 = 3210 + 22 = 3210 + 22 = 32
Gill rakers7 + 13 / 7 + 14 = 20 / 216 + 14 / 6 + 14 = 20 / 20– / 7 + 14 = 21
Measurements (% SL)
Pre-dorsal-fin length32.332.535.1
Pre-anal-fin length63.359.765.1
Dorsal-fin base length62.963.559.8
Anal-fin base length34.337.034.2
Pelvic-fin length22.621.121.7
Caudal-fin length20.923.222.2
Body depth15.316.010.3
Caudal-peduncle depth7.98.06.5
Head length32.331.934.3
Postorbital length19.820.519.1
Upper-jaw length17.417.217.4
Postorbital-jaw length6.85.54.3
Orbit diameter10.010.511.2
As % of head length
Postorbital length61.364.255.6
Upper-jaw length53.953.850.8
Postorbital-jaw length21.217.312.5
Orbit diameter30.932.832.7– indicates no data due to poor condition.
Figure 1. Holotype of Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL, off Mage-shima island, Osumi Islands, Kagoshima, Japan) A fresh and B preserved specimens photographed by KAUM and K. Fujiwara, respectively C X-ray image, photographed by K. Fujiwara.
Figure 2. Fresh coloration of two paratypes (A, C KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL B, D KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL) of Opistognathus ctenion, photographed by KAUM A, B lateral views C, D dorsal views.
Figure 3. Small paratype of Opistognathus ctenion (NSMT-P 130174, 17.3 mm SL) A fresh and B preserved specimens, photographed by G. Shinohara and K. Fujiwara, respectively.
Figure 4. Head of holotype of Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL), showing cephalic sensory pores (left column cyanine blue stain; right column solid yellow). Photographed by K. Fujiwara.
Figure 5. Three-dimensional reconstruction of head and anterior body in Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL), based on CT scanning. Photographed by G. Shinohara and K. Fujiwara. Abbreviations: ACh, anterior ceratohyal; Ana, anguloarticular; Bh, basihyal; Br, branchiostegal rays; Bsph, basisphenoid; Cl, cleithrum; Cor, coracoid; De, dentary; DHh, dorsal hypohyal; DPcl, dorsal postcleithrum; Ect, ectopterygoid; Ent, entopterygoid; Epoc, epiotic; Exoc, exoccipital; Fr, frontal; Hy, hyomandibular; Ih, interhyal, IO1 to IO5, 1st to 5th infraorbitals, respectively; Iop, interopercle; LE, lateral ethmoid; Met, metapterygoid; Mx, maxilla; Na, nasal; Op, opercle; Pa, parietal; Pal, palatine; PecR, pectoral radial; Pmx, premaxilla; Pop, preopercle; Psph, parasphenoid; Pt, posttemporal; Pte, pterotic; Q, quadrate; Ra, retroarticular; Sc, scapula; Scl, supracleithrum; Smx, supramaxilla; Soc, supraoccipital; Sop, subopercle; Sph, sphenotic; Ste, supratemporal; Sym, symplectic; Ur, urohyal; V1, 1st vertebral centrum; Vo, vomer; and VPcl, ventral postcleithrum. Asterisks indicate poorly resolved features.
Head and body. Body elongate, compressed anteriorly, progressively more compressed posteriorly. Anus situated just before anal-fin origin. Head cylindrical, its profile rounded. Eyes somewhat large, located dorsolaterally. Anterior nostril a short membranous tube with a tiny tentacle on posterior rim, when depressed not reaching posterior nostril; situated about mid-way between posterior nostril and dorsal margin of upper lip. Posterior nostril opening elliptical. Mouth terminal, obliquely inclined anterodorsally, forming angle of c. 20° with body axis. Anterior tip of upper jaw slightly before vertical through lower-jaw tip. Posterior margins of preopercle and opercle indistinct, covered with skin and generally rounded with slightly elongated flap on upper part, respectively. Gill opening wide, its uppermost point slightly below horizontal through dorsal margin of orbit in lateral view.
Lateral line system. Cephalic sensory pores moderately developed, covering most of head except for lower part of cheek and area adjacent to dorsal-fin origin. Mandibular pore positions 1 and 2 each with a single similarly-sized pore; position 3 with a single pore (largest size of mandibular pores); positions 4 and 5 with 1 (only left side of KAUM–I. 174227) or 2 and 6 or 7 pores, respectively. Lateral-line pores moderate, mostly in single series above and below embedded lateral-line tubes. Lateral line ending below 4th (KAUM–I. 174226) or 6th (KAUM–I. 174226) soft rays of dorsal-fin rays.
Scales. Scales mostly missing, scaled area and scale counts estimated from scale pockets. Lateral surface of body and belly scaled, except above and slightly below lateral line, area anterior to vertical below 4th (KAUM–I. 174227) or 5th (KAUM–I. 174226) dorsal-fin spine, pectoral-fin base, and chest. Head region and bases of vertical fins completely naked.
Fins. Dorsal fin moderately low, its profile relatively uniform except for anterior part and slightly notched junction of spinous and segmented rays; 1st dorsal-fin spine distinctly short, its base located between uppermost point of gill opening and posteriormost tip of flap on opercle; all dorsal rays branched distally. Anal fin of similar height to dorsal fin, its origin vertically level with base of 1st (KAUM–I. 174226) or 2nd (KAUM–I. 174227, NSMT-P 130174) dorsal-fin soft ray; last anal-fin ray close to caudal-fin base and vertically level with last dorsal-fin ray; all fin rays branched distally. Pelvic-fin origin anterior to vertical through dorsal-fin origin; first ray of pelvic fin robust, not tightly bound to second ray; membrane between first and second rays incised distally; second ray longest, innermost 3 rays branched. Pectoral-fin base below 2nd and 3rd dorsal-fin spine bases. Caudal fin rounded posteriorly.
Osteological features. Nasal short, tube-like. Vomer rhombic, with two tiny conical teeth anteriorly. Lateral ethmoid somewhat broad, articulating with 1st infraorbital and palatine ventrally. Palatine robust anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, without teeth. Infraorbitals relatively slender, comprising 5 elements, including dermosphenotic; 1st infraorbital longest, 3rd with suborbital shelf, 5th (= dermosphenotic) firmly attached to sphenotic. Basisphenoid crescentic. Frontal tapering anteriorly, 6 large dorsal openings for sensory canal from anteriormost tip to lateral aspect. Left and right parietals separated by supraoccipital. Anterior and posterior tips of supraoccipital strongly pointed. Sphenotic not expanded. Supratemporals associated with parietal and pterotic.
Premaxilla with a single row of conical teeth, except for posterior end. Maxilla long, posteriorly broadly expanded with slightly rounded corners. Supramaxilla small, on upper posterior end of maxilla. Dentary with a single row of conical teeth; 5 large ventral openings (including on posterior tip) from mandibular sensory canal. Anguloarticular large, its anterior projection fitting into dentary notch; coronoid process strongly pointed, directed anterodorsally. Retroarticular small, on ventroposterior corner of anguloarticular. Hyomandibular broadly attached to sphenotic and pterotic. Ectopterygoid and symplectic slender. Entopterygoid forming a large shelf. Metapterygoid and quadrate present but poorly resolved, Opercle with 2 strong and 1 weak ridge. Preopercle with 5 large openings from preopercular sensory canal. Subopercle small, its anterior tip pointed. Interopercle triangular, size similar to subopercle. Six long recurved branchiostegal rays.
Posttemporal L-shaped, forked, dorsal limb articulating with epiotic, an opening on posterior corner. Supracleithrum rod-like. Cleithrum with a large dorsal blade, receiving supracleithrum. Dorsal postcleithrum rectangular, articulating with cleithrum and scapula. Ventral postcleithrum long, narrow. Scapula widely separated from coracoid. Pectoral-fin radials comprising 4 elements, lowermost distinctly largest. Supraneural bone absent. Anterior dorsal- and anal fin interdigitation patterns //1/1+1/1/ and //1+1/1/1/1/, respectively.
ColorationFresh coloration of holotype and KAUM–I. 174227. Head ground color reddish-brown dorsally, reddish-white ventrally. Iris generally reddish-brown, except for whitish area ventrally, with four faint dark red lines radiating from pupil. Two faint dark-red oblique lines, extending from just behind eye to middle of nape and upper part of cheek, respectively. Five or six whitish blotches on cheek and opercle. Floor of mouth entirely white No blotches or stripes on snout, suborbital region, and both jaws. Body reddish-brown, with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches of size distinctly smaller than blotches on head region; upper one or two rows and anterior part of lower two rows of blotches somewhat indistinct. Two whitish blotches on pectoral-fin base, lower blotch distinctly the larger. Dorsal- and anal-fin bases edged with dark reddish-brown, anterior edge of former extending slightly below lateral line (sometimes interrupted by body ground color). Spinous dorsal fin greenish- or yellowish-brown; an ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines, 4–6 white spots forming a longitudinal row just behind ocellus. Soft-rayed part of dorsal fin and anal fin hyaline or faint reddish-brown, with two and one reddish-orange stripes, respectively; upper stripe of former through distal edge, remaining stripes at c. 1/3 height of both fins. Pelvic-fin rays whitish and membrane hyaline with melanophores. Pectoral and caudal fins uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
Fresh coloration of NSMT-P 130174. Generally similar to other type specimens, with the following differences. Head and body yellow. Whitish blotches on body more distinct. A whitish blotch on pectoral-fin base. Vertical fins faintly yellow (details of pigmentation patterns not visible), an ocellus on spinous dorsal fin. Pelvic fins white.
Color in alcohol. Head and body generally blackish-gray. Ventral part of head and belly white. Whitish blotches on cheek, opercle, and pectoral-fin base (in fresh condition) faded, traces of blotches on body represented by non-pigmented areas. Spinous dorsal fin generally blackish-gray, an ocellus apparent (with hyaline white edge), but longitudinal row of white spots faded. Soft-rayed part of dorsal and anal fins hyaline, reddish-orange stripes (in fresh condition) retained as blackish-gray stripes. Pelvic-fin rays white, membrane hyaline with melanophores. Pectoral and caudal fins uniformly translucent white.
Distribution and habitatCurrently known only from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m (Fig. 6). The Ryukyu specimen (NSMT-P 130174) was collected from a sandy gravel bottom.
Figure 6. Distributional records of Opistognathus ctenion.
EtymologyThe specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek diminutive κτενίον, meaning “a small comb”. It refers to the low gill raker numbers in the new species, one of the lowest recorded for Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus (see below).
ComparisonsOpistognathus ctenion keys out to couplet 25 in Smith-Vaniz’s (2023) key to species of Opistognathus (including all valid species known from the Indo-West Pacific to date). The new species is most similar to the allopatric Opistognathus triops Smith-Vaniz, 2023 in having the following characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anal-fin rays II, 17; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; and spinous dorsal fin with an ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines. However, O. ctenion differs distinctly from O. triops in having fewer gill rakers (6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21 in O. ctenion vs 8 or 9 + 16–18 = 24–27 in O. triops), usually 2 and 6 or 7 pores included in the 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions, respectively (vs 1 and 2–4 pores, respectively), two reddish-orange stripes on the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin (vs three broken brown stripes), a uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow caudal fin (vs hyaline with three brown bars), and no blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region, and both jaws (vs 4 or 5 brown lines radiating from orbit). In addition, O. ctenion apparently occupies a slightly deeper water habitat than O. triops (currently known from 35–57 m depth vs 12–32 m depth).
The total of 20 or 21 gill rakers in O. ctenion is one of the lowest among the Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus, with only two species sharing similar counts [viz., Opistognathus albomaculatus Smith-Vaniz, 2023 with 19–22 gill rakers; and Opistognathus reticulatus (McKay, 1969) with 21–23; see Smith-Vaniz (2023: table 12)]. Although O. ctenion is unlikely to be misidentified as O. reticulatus due to significant differences in body color, it is somewhat similar to O. albomaculatus in sharing whitish blotches on the body. However, the former can be easily distinguished from O. albomaculatus by the ocellus on the spinous dorsal fin (vs a striped pattern in O. albomaculatus). Dorsal- and anal-fin ray, and caudal vertebral numbers, as well as vomerine teeth condition, are also useful for distinguishing between the two species (viz., XI, 16–18 and II, 17, respectively in O. ctenion vs X, 19–21 and II, 18–20 in O. albomaculatus; 22 vs 23–25; and two teeth present vs teeth absent).
AcknowledgmentsWe are especially grateful to K. Kubota (Kagoshima University), S. Ohtsuka and Y. Kondo (Hiroshima University), Captain K. Nakaguchi and the crew of the R/V Toyoshio-maru for their assistance in collecting the specimens of the new species; S. Nomura, T. Kutsuna and Y. Shigeta (NSMT) for their efforts on proper maintenance of micro-CT scanner and software in Research Wing, Tsukuba District; G. S. Hardy (Ngunguru, New Zealand) for reading the manuscript and providing help with English; W. Smith-Vaniz (Florida Museum of Natural History) for reading the manuscript and providing valuable comments.
Additional informationConflict of interestThe authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Ethical statementNo ethical statement was reported.
FundingThis study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for JSPS Fellows to KF (PD: 22J01404); JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 20H03311 and 21H03651, the JSPS Core-to-Core CREPSUM JPJSCCB20200009, and the “Establishment of Glocal Research and Education Network in the Amami Islands” project of Kagoshima University adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan to HM; and the Integrated Research Program “Geological, Biological, and Anthropological Histories in Relation to the Kuroshio Current” of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba (2016–2021) and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP21K01009 to GS.
Author contributionsK.F. was responsible for the study design, generation and analysis of the data, and wrote the original draft manuscript. H.M. and G.S. were responsible for field work, generation and analysis of data, and review and editing of the manuscript. All authors read the manuscript and approved the final version.
Author ORCIDsKyoji Fujiwara https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7577-8333
Hiroyuki Motomura https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7448-2482
Gento Shinohara https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8071-9239
Data availabilityAll of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.
References
Kyoji Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Motomura, Gento ShinoharaAbstractOpistognathus ctenion sp. nov. (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) is described on the basis of three specimens (17.3–30.6 mm in standard length) collected from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m. Although most similar to Opistognathus triops, recently described from Tonga and Vanuatu, the new species differs in mandibular pore arrangement, dorsal- and caudal-fin coloration, fewer gill rakers, and lacks blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region and both jaws.
Key wordsActinopterygii, dredge, new species, Osumi Islands, Ryukyu Islands, taxonomy
IntroductionOpistognathus Cuvier, 1816 is the most speciose genus of jawfishes (Perciformes: Opistognathidae), being distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions, except for the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea (Smith-Vaniz 2023); most species of Opistognathus occur in the Indo-West Pacific. A recent review of the genus by Smith-Vaniz (2023) recognized 60 valid species, 18 being new, and additional new species of Opistognathus were predicted. To date, valid species of Opistognathus total 91 overall (Smith-Vaniz 2023).
Examination of specimens in the Kagoshima University Museum, Japan (KAUM) and the National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan (NSMT) revealed an unidentified species of Opistognathus, collected in 35–57 m depth off the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan. In common with the majority of species of Opistognathus, the number of known examples of the present species is small, due to difficulties in collecting, attributed to their small body size and cryptic habitat [for details see Smith-Vaniz (2023)]. Notwithstanding, the species is clearly distinct, having a unique combination of meristic characters and fresh coloration, and is here formally described as a new to science.
Material and methodsMorphological observationCounts and measurements followed Smith-Vaniz (2023). Standard length (SL) was measured to the nearest 0.1 mm. Other measurements were made to the nearest 0.01 mm using needle-point calipers under a dissecting microscope (ZEISS Stemi DV4). Counts of vertebrae and fin rays, plus dorsal- and anal-fin pterygiophores, were examined from radiographs. Further osteological characters were investigated by computed tomography (CT) scanning using inspeXio SMX-225CR FPD HR Plus (Shimadzu, Kyoto) at 100 kV and 120 μA at a resolution of 18 μm, and three-dimensional reconstruction images produced by the rendering software VGSTUDIO MAX ver. 3.3 (Volume Graphics, Nagoya).
Preparation of figuresPhotographs of preserved specimens were taken with a Nikon D850 camera using an internal focus bracketing function; sets of multifocal images were then collated into a composite image, using Adobe Photoshop. The distribution map was prepared using GMT ver. 5.3.1, with data from GSHHG (Wessel and Smith 1996). The names and grouping of islands in southern Japan (belonging to Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures) follow Motomura and Matsunuma (2022: fig. 5.2).
Comparative dataMorphological characters of comparative species of Opistognathus are cited from Smith-Vaniz (2023).
Results and discussion Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov.https://zoobank.org/66D79DFB-6CAA-4E18-A766-B2F117333C13
Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Table 1 New English name: Japanese Whitespotted Jawfish New standard Japanese name: Shiratama-agoamadaiType materialHolotype. KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL, off Mage-shima Island, Osumi Islands, Kagoshima, Japan, 35 m depth, dredge, 29 Sept. 2022, K. Kubota. Paratypes. KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL, collected with holotype; NSMT-P 130174, 17.3 mm SL, southwest of Nagannu Island, Kerama Islands, southern Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Japan (26°14′33"N, 127°31′19"E–26°14′30"N, 127°31′24"E), 53–57 m depth, dredge operated by R/V Toyoshio-maru (Hiroshima University), 19 May 2017, G. Shinohara.
DiagnosisA species of Opistognathus distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anterior dorsal-fin spines very stout and straight, and their distal ends not transversely forked; anal-fin rays II, 17; gill rakers 6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions usually included 2 and 6–7 pores, respectively; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; body reddish-brown with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches; cheek and opercle with five or six whitish blotches; snout, suborbital region, and both jaws without blotches or stripes; spinous dorsal fin with ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines; dorsal-fin soft-rayed portion with two reddish-orange stripes; pectoral-fin base with one or two whitish blotches; caudal fin uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
DescriptionGeneral appearance of type specimens as in Figs 1, 2 and 3. Lateral line system and osteological features of the holotype are given in Figs 4 and 5, respectively. Lateral line system and scale descriptions based on KAUM–I. 174226, 174227 (not available for NSMT-P 130174 due to poor specimen condition). Counts and measurements of type specimens are given in Table 1.
Table 1.
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XLSXCounts and measurements of Opistognathus ctenion.
HolotypeParatypeParatype
KAUM–I. 174226KAUM–I. 174227NSMT-P 130174
Standard length (mm; SL)30.626.217.3
Counts
Dorsal-fin raysXI, 16XI, 18XI, 18
Anal-fin raysII, 17II, 17II, 17
Total pectoral-fin rays19 (left) / 19 (right)19 / 1919 / –
Pelvic-fin raysI, 5I, 5I, 5
Procurrent caudal-fin rays5 + 55 + 5–
Branched caudal-fin rays12––
Segmented caudal-fin rays8 + 8 = 168 + 8 = 168 + 8 = 16
Longitudinal scale rowsc. 40–50c. 40–50–
Vertebrae10 + 22 = 3210 + 22 = 3210 + 22 = 32
Gill rakers7 + 13 / 7 + 14 = 20 / 216 + 14 / 6 + 14 = 20 / 20– / 7 + 14 = 21
Measurements (% SL)
Pre-dorsal-fin length32.332.535.1
Pre-anal-fin length63.359.765.1
Dorsal-fin base length62.963.559.8
Anal-fin base length34.337.034.2
Pelvic-fin length22.621.121.7
Caudal-fin length20.923.222.2
Body depth15.316.010.3
Caudal-peduncle depth7.98.06.5
Head length32.331.934.3
Postorbital length19.820.519.1
Upper-jaw length17.417.217.4
Postorbital-jaw length6.85.54.3
Orbit diameter10.010.511.2
As % of head length
Postorbital length61.364.255.6
Upper-jaw length53.953.850.8
Postorbital-jaw length21.217.312.5
Orbit diameter30.932.832.7– indicates no data due to poor condition.
Figure 1. Holotype of Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL, off Mage-shima island, Osumi Islands, Kagoshima, Japan) A fresh and B preserved specimens photographed by KAUM and K. Fujiwara, respectively C X-ray image, photographed by K. Fujiwara.
Figure 2. Fresh coloration of two paratypes (A, C KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL B, D KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL) of Opistognathus ctenion, photographed by KAUM A, B lateral views C, D dorsal views.
Figure 3. Small paratype of Opistognathus ctenion (NSMT-P 130174, 17.3 mm SL) A fresh and B preserved specimens, photographed by G. Shinohara and K. Fujiwara, respectively.
Figure 4. Head of holotype of Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL), showing cephalic sensory pores (left column cyanine blue stain; right column solid yellow). Photographed by K. Fujiwara.
Figure 5. Three-dimensional reconstruction of head and anterior body in Opistognathus ctenion (KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL), based on CT scanning. Photographed by G. Shinohara and K. Fujiwara. Abbreviations: ACh, anterior ceratohyal; Ana, anguloarticular; Bh, basihyal; Br, branchiostegal rays; Bsph, basisphenoid; Cl, cleithrum; Cor, coracoid; De, dentary; DHh, dorsal hypohyal; DPcl, dorsal postcleithrum; Ect, ectopterygoid; Ent, entopterygoid; Epoc, epiotic; Exoc, exoccipital; Fr, frontal; Hy, hyomandibular; Ih, interhyal, IO1 to IO5, 1st to 5th infraorbitals, respectively; Iop, interopercle; LE, lateral ethmoid; Met, metapterygoid; Mx, maxilla; Na, nasal; Op, opercle; Pa, parietal; Pal, palatine; PecR, pectoral radial; Pmx, premaxilla; Pop, preopercle; Psph, parasphenoid; Pt, posttemporal; Pte, pterotic; Q, quadrate; Ra, retroarticular; Sc, scapula; Scl, supracleithrum; Smx, supramaxilla; Soc, supraoccipital; Sop, subopercle; Sph, sphenotic; Ste, supratemporal; Sym, symplectic; Ur, urohyal; V1, 1st vertebral centrum; Vo, vomer; and VPcl, ventral postcleithrum. Asterisks indicate poorly resolved features.
Head and body. Body elongate, compressed anteriorly, progressively more compressed posteriorly. Anus situated just before anal-fin origin. Head cylindrical, its profile rounded. Eyes somewhat large, located dorsolaterally. Anterior nostril a short membranous tube with a tiny tentacle on posterior rim, when depressed not reaching posterior nostril; situated about mid-way between posterior nostril and dorsal margin of upper lip. Posterior nostril opening elliptical. Mouth terminal, obliquely inclined anterodorsally, forming angle of c. 20° with body axis. Anterior tip of upper jaw slightly before vertical through lower-jaw tip. Posterior margins of preopercle and opercle indistinct, covered with skin and generally rounded with slightly elongated flap on upper part, respectively. Gill opening wide, its uppermost point slightly below horizontal through dorsal margin of orbit in lateral view.
Lateral line system. Cephalic sensory pores moderately developed, covering most of head except for lower part of cheek and area adjacent to dorsal-fin origin. Mandibular pore positions 1 and 2 each with a single similarly-sized pore; position 3 with a single pore (largest size of mandibular pores); positions 4 and 5 with 1 (only left side of KAUM–I. 174227) or 2 and 6 or 7 pores, respectively. Lateral-line pores moderate, mostly in single series above and below embedded lateral-line tubes. Lateral line ending below 4th (KAUM–I. 174226) or 6th (KAUM–I. 174226) soft rays of dorsal-fin rays.
Scales. Scales mostly missing, scaled area and scale counts estimated from scale pockets. Lateral surface of body and belly scaled, except above and slightly below lateral line, area anterior to vertical below 4th (KAUM–I. 174227) or 5th (KAUM–I. 174226) dorsal-fin spine, pectoral-fin base, and chest. Head region and bases of vertical fins completely naked.
Fins. Dorsal fin moderately low, its profile relatively uniform except for anterior part and slightly notched junction of spinous and segmented rays; 1st dorsal-fin spine distinctly short, its base located between uppermost point of gill opening and posteriormost tip of flap on opercle; all dorsal rays branched distally. Anal fin of similar height to dorsal fin, its origin vertically level with base of 1st (KAUM–I. 174226) or 2nd (KAUM–I. 174227, NSMT-P 130174) dorsal-fin soft ray; last anal-fin ray close to caudal-fin base and vertically level with last dorsal-fin ray; all fin rays branched distally. Pelvic-fin origin anterior to vertical through dorsal-fin origin; first ray of pelvic fin robust, not tightly bound to second ray; membrane between first and second rays incised distally; second ray longest, innermost 3 rays branched. Pectoral-fin base below 2nd and 3rd dorsal-fin spine bases. Caudal fin rounded posteriorly.
Osteological features. Nasal short, tube-like. Vomer rhombic, with two tiny conical teeth anteriorly. Lateral ethmoid somewhat broad, articulating with 1st infraorbital and palatine ventrally. Palatine robust anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, without teeth. Infraorbitals relatively slender, comprising 5 elements, including dermosphenotic; 1st infraorbital longest, 3rd with suborbital shelf, 5th (= dermosphenotic) firmly attached to sphenotic. Basisphenoid crescentic. Frontal tapering anteriorly, 6 large dorsal openings for sensory canal from anteriormost tip to lateral aspect. Left and right parietals separated by supraoccipital. Anterior and posterior tips of supraoccipital strongly pointed. Sphenotic not expanded. Supratemporals associated with parietal and pterotic.
Premaxilla with a single row of conical teeth, except for posterior end. Maxilla long, posteriorly broadly expanded with slightly rounded corners. Supramaxilla small, on upper posterior end of maxilla. Dentary with a single row of conical teeth; 5 large ventral openings (including on posterior tip) from mandibular sensory canal. Anguloarticular large, its anterior projection fitting into dentary notch; coronoid process strongly pointed, directed anterodorsally. Retroarticular small, on ventroposterior corner of anguloarticular. Hyomandibular broadly attached to sphenotic and pterotic. Ectopterygoid and symplectic slender. Entopterygoid forming a large shelf. Metapterygoid and quadrate present but poorly resolved, Opercle with 2 strong and 1 weak ridge. Preopercle with 5 large openings from preopercular sensory canal. Subopercle small, its anterior tip pointed. Interopercle triangular, size similar to subopercle. Six long recurved branchiostegal rays.
Posttemporal L-shaped, forked, dorsal limb articulating with epiotic, an opening on posterior corner. Supracleithrum rod-like. Cleithrum with a large dorsal blade, receiving supracleithrum. Dorsal postcleithrum rectangular, articulating with cleithrum and scapula. Ventral postcleithrum long, narrow. Scapula widely separated from coracoid. Pectoral-fin radials comprising 4 elements, lowermost distinctly largest. Supraneural bone absent. Anterior dorsal- and anal fin interdigitation patterns //1/1+1/1/ and //1+1/1/1/1/, respectively.
ColorationFresh coloration of holotype and KAUM–I. 174227. Head ground color reddish-brown dorsally, reddish-white ventrally. Iris generally reddish-brown, except for whitish area ventrally, with four faint dark red lines radiating from pupil. Two faint dark-red oblique lines, extending from just behind eye to middle of nape and upper part of cheek, respectively. Five or six whitish blotches on cheek and opercle. Floor of mouth entirely white No blotches or stripes on snout, suborbital region, and both jaws. Body reddish-brown, with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches of size distinctly smaller than blotches on head region; upper one or two rows and anterior part of lower two rows of blotches somewhat indistinct. Two whitish blotches on pectoral-fin base, lower blotch distinctly the larger. Dorsal- and anal-fin bases edged with dark reddish-brown, anterior edge of former extending slightly below lateral line (sometimes interrupted by body ground color). Spinous dorsal fin greenish- or yellowish-brown; an ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines, 4–6 white spots forming a longitudinal row just behind ocellus. Soft-rayed part of dorsal fin and anal fin hyaline or faint reddish-brown, with two and one reddish-orange stripes, respectively; upper stripe of former through distal edge, remaining stripes at c. 1/3 height of both fins. Pelvic-fin rays whitish and membrane hyaline with melanophores. Pectoral and caudal fins uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
Fresh coloration of NSMT-P 130174. Generally similar to other type specimens, with the following differences. Head and body yellow. Whitish blotches on body more distinct. A whitish blotch on pectoral-fin base. Vertical fins faintly yellow (details of pigmentation patterns not visible), an ocellus on spinous dorsal fin. Pelvic fins white.
Color in alcohol. Head and body generally blackish-gray. Ventral part of head and belly white. Whitish blotches on cheek, opercle, and pectoral-fin base (in fresh condition) faded, traces of blotches on body represented by non-pigmented areas. Spinous dorsal fin generally blackish-gray, an ocellus apparent (with hyaline white edge), but longitudinal row of white spots faded. Soft-rayed part of dorsal and anal fins hyaline, reddish-orange stripes (in fresh condition) retained as blackish-gray stripes. Pelvic-fin rays white, membrane hyaline with melanophores. Pectoral and caudal fins uniformly translucent white.
Distribution and habitatCurrently known only from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m (Fig. 6). The Ryukyu specimen (NSMT-P 130174) was collected from a sandy gravel bottom.
Figure 6. Distributional records of Opistognathus ctenion.
EtymologyThe specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek diminutive κτενίον, meaning “a small comb”. It refers to the low gill raker numbers in the new species, one of the lowest recorded for Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus (see below).
ComparisonsOpistognathus ctenion keys out to couplet 25 in Smith-Vaniz’s (2023) key to species of Opistognathus (including all valid species known from the Indo-West Pacific to date). The new species is most similar to the allopatric Opistognathus triops Smith-Vaniz, 2023 in having the following characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anal-fin rays II, 17; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; and spinous dorsal fin with an ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines. However, O. ctenion differs distinctly from O. triops in having fewer gill rakers (6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21 in O. ctenion vs 8 or 9 + 16–18 = 24–27 in O. triops), usually 2 and 6 or 7 pores included in the 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions, respectively (vs 1 and 2–4 pores, respectively), two reddish-orange stripes on the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin (vs three broken brown stripes), a uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow caudal fin (vs hyaline with three brown bars), and no blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region, and both jaws (vs 4 or 5 brown lines radiating from orbit). In addition, O. ctenion apparently occupies a slightly deeper water habitat than O. triops (currently known from 35–57 m depth vs 12–32 m depth).
The total of 20 or 21 gill rakers in O. ctenion is one of the lowest among the Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus, with only two species sharing similar counts [viz., Opistognathus albomaculatus Smith-Vaniz, 2023 with 19–22 gill rakers; and Opistognathus reticulatus (McKay, 1969) with 21–23; see Smith-Vaniz (2023: table 12)]. Although O. ctenion is unlikely to be misidentified as O. reticulatus due to significant differences in body color, it is somewhat similar to O. albomaculatus in sharing whitish blotches on the body. However, the former can be easily distinguished from O. albomaculatus by the ocellus on the spinous dorsal fin (vs a striped pattern in O. albomaculatus). Dorsal- and anal-fin ray, and caudal vertebral numbers, as well as vomerine teeth condition, are also useful for distinguishing between the two species (viz., XI, 16–18 and II, 17, respectively in O. ctenion vs X, 19–21 and II, 18–20 in O. albomaculatus; 22 vs 23–25; and two teeth present vs teeth absent).
AcknowledgmentsWe are especially grateful to K. Kubota (Kagoshima University), S. Ohtsuka and Y. Kondo (Hiroshima University), Captain K. Nakaguchi and the crew of the R/V Toyoshio-maru for their assistance in collecting the specimens of the new species; S. Nomura, T. Kutsuna and Y. Shigeta (NSMT) for their efforts on proper maintenance of micro-CT scanner and software in Research Wing, Tsukuba District; G. S. Hardy (Ngunguru, New Zealand) for reading the manuscript and providing help with English; W. Smith-Vaniz (Florida Museum of Natural History) for reading the manuscript and providing valuable comments.
Additional informationConflict of interestThe authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Ethical statementNo ethical statement was reported.
FundingThis study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for JSPS Fellows to KF (PD: 22J01404); JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 20H03311 and 21H03651, the JSPS Core-to-Core CREPSUM JPJSCCB20200009, and the “Establishment of Glocal Research and Education Network in the Amami Islands” project of Kagoshima University adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan to HM; and the Integrated Research Program “Geological, Biological, and Anthropological Histories in Relation to the Kuroshio Current” of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba (2016–2021) and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP21K01009 to GS.
Author contributionsK.F. was responsible for the study design, generation and analysis of the data, and wrote the original draft manuscript. H.M. and G.S. were responsible for field work, generation and analysis of data, and review and editing of the manuscript. All authors read the manuscript and approved the final version.
Author ORCIDsKyoji Fujiwara https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7577-8333
Hiroyuki Motomura https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7448-2482
Gento Shinohara https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8071-9239
Data availabilityAll of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.
References
- Cuvier G (1816) Le Règne Animal distribué d’après son organisation pour servir de base à l’histoire naturelle des animaux et d’introduction à l’anatomie comparée. Les reptiles, Les poissons, Les mollusques et Les annélides. 1st edn. Vol. 2. Chez Deterville, Paris, [xviii +] 532 pp. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1848835#page/7/mode/1up
- McKay RJ (1969) The genus Tandya in Western Australia, with a description of a new opisthognathid fish, Tandya reticulata sp. nov. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 52: 1–2. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/173687#page/1/mode/1up
- Motomura H, Matsunuma M (2022) Fish diversity along the Kuroshio Current. In: Kai Y, Motomura H, Matsuura K (Eds) Fish diversity of Japan. Evolution, Zoogeography, and Conservation. Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd., Singapore, 63–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7427-3_5
- Smith-Vaniz WF (2023) Review of Indo-West Pacific jawfishes (Opistognathus: Opistognathidae), with descriptions of 18 new species. Zootaxa 5252(1): 1–180. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5252.1.1
- Wessel P, Smith WHF (1996) A global self-consistent, hierarchical, high-resolution shoreline database. Journal of Geophysical Research 101(B4): 8741–8743. https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB00104
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Varicus roatanensis
Varicus prometheus
Two new species of Varicus from Caribbean deep reefs, with comments on the related genus Pinnichthys (Teleostei, Gobiidae, Gobiosomatini, Nes subgroup)
Katlyn M. Fuentes, Carole C. Baldwin, D. Ross Robertson, Claudia C. Lardizábal, Luke TornabeneAbstractTropical deep reefs (~40–300 m) are diverse ecosystems that serve as habitats for diverse communities of reef-associated fishes. Deep-reef fish communities are taxonomically and ecologically distinct from those on shallow reefs, but like those on shallow reefs, they are home to a species-rich assemblage of small, cryptobenthic reef fishes, including many species from the family Gobiidae (gobies). Here we describe two new species of deep-reef gobies, Varicus prometheus sp. nov. and V. roatanensis sp. nov., that were collected using the submersible Idabel from rariphotic reefs off the island of Roatan (Honduras) in the Caribbean. The new species are the 11th and 12th species of the genus Varicus, and their placement in the genus is supported by morphological data and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Additionally, we also collected new specimens of the closely-related genus and species Pinnichthys aimoriensis during submersible collections off the islands of Bonaire and St. Eustatius (Netherland Antilles) and included them in this study to expand the current description of that species and document its range extension from Brazil into the Caribbean. Collectively, the two new species of Varicus and new records of P. aimoriensis add to our growing knowledge of cryptobenthic fish diversity on deep reefs of the Caribbean.
full paper at:- zookeys.pensoft.net/article/107551/
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Two new species of Varicus from Caribbean deep reefs, with comments on the related genus Pinnichthys (Teleostei, Gobiidae, Gobiosomatini, Nes subgroup)
Katlyn M. Fuentes, Carole C. Baldwin, D. Ross Robertson, Claudia C. Lardizábal, Luke TornabeneAbstractTropical deep reefs (~40–300 m) are diverse ecosystems that serve as habitats for diverse communities of reef-associated fishes. Deep-reef fish communities are taxonomically and ecologically distinct from those on shallow reefs, but like those on shallow reefs, they are home to a species-rich assemblage of small, cryptobenthic reef fishes, including many species from the family Gobiidae (gobies). Here we describe two new species of deep-reef gobies, Varicus prometheus sp. nov. and V. roatanensis sp. nov., that were collected using the submersible Idabel from rariphotic reefs off the island of Roatan (Honduras) in the Caribbean. The new species are the 11th and 12th species of the genus Varicus, and their placement in the genus is supported by morphological data and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Additionally, we also collected new specimens of the closely-related genus and species Pinnichthys aimoriensis during submersible collections off the islands of Bonaire and St. Eustatius (Netherland Antilles) and included them in this study to expand the current description of that species and document its range extension from Brazil into the Caribbean. Collectively, the two new species of Varicus and new records of P. aimoriensis add to our growing knowledge of cryptobenthic fish diversity on deep reefs of the Caribbean.
full paper at:- zookeys.pensoft.net/article/107551/
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A new species of rheophilic armored catfish of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Vaupés River, Amazonas basin, Colombia
Alexander Urbano-Bonilla, Alejandro Londoño-Burbano, Tiago P. Carvalho
First published: 10 July 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15500
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SHAREAbstractA new rheophilic species of the genus Rineloricaria is described for the Amazon basin in Colombia. Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. differs from its congeners by having anterior to the first predorsal plate, an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; the presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of the dorsal portion of the head, without bands or spots on the head; a long snout that occupies more than half the head length (HL), between 58.0% and 66.3% HL; a naked portion on the cleithral area from the border of lower lip reaching the origin of pectoral fin; and by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin. The new species is morphologically similar to Rineloricaria daraha; however, it can be distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). An identification key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia is provided. The new species is herein categorized as Least Concern, following the IUCN criteria.
1 INTRODUCTIONThe armored catfish Rineloricaria Bleeker, 1862, has 71 valid species, being the richest genus in the family Loricariidae (Fricke et al., 2023). The genus is diagnosed by a combination of characteristics such as the presence of postorbital notch; lower lip with short round papillae; premaxilla with 7 to 15 teeth on each ramus; dentary teeth strong, deeply bicuspidate, and larger than premaxillary; colouration of the dorsal region with dark-brown bars or blotches; abdomen with a conspicuous polygonal pre-anal plate, usually bordered by three other large trapezoidal plates (Fichberg & Chamon, 2008) and some features of sexual dimorphism, which are traits not always present in the individuals available for examination (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018). Progress has been made in the taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships between Rineloricaria species (Covain & Fisch-Muller, 2007), and it is now demonstrated to be a monophyletic group based on molecular data (Costa-Silva et al., 2015; Covain et al., 2016) with wide interspecies morphological variation (e.g., body color and shape, arrangement of abdominal plates, shape of head, and distribution of hypertrophied odontodes; Vera-Alcaraz et al., 2012).
The wide distribution of Rineloricaria in the main Neotropical basins and environments reflects the diversity and morphological adaptations of its species (van der Sleen & Albert, 2017; Vera-Alcaraz et al., 2012). Some species occur in small drainages of slow to moderate-flowing waters, associated with sand, vegetation, and organic matter; others are rheophilic inhabiting fast-flowing rivers associated with rocks (Costa-Silva et al., 2021; Lima et al., 2005; Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018; Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008; Rodriguez & Reis, 2008). Rheophilic environments have driven the evolution of armored catfish lineages in the family Loricariidae (Lujan & Conway, 2015); the rheophilic species of Rineloricaria exhibit consistent ecomorphological patterns and that is evidenced in the shape of the body, mouth, and buccal papillae (Bressman et al., 2020).
In Colombia, 11 species are present in different hydrographic basins: Pacific and Caribbean: Rineloricaria jubata (Boulenger 1902); Pacific: Rineloricaria sneiderni (Fowler 1944); Caribbean Rineloricaria rupestris (Schultz 1944) and Magdalena-Cauca and Caribbean: Rineloricaria magdalenae (Steindachner 1879); Orinoco: Rineloricaria eigenmanni (Pellegrin 1908) and Rineloricaria formosa Isbrücker & Nijssen 1979; Amazonas: Rineloricaria castroi Isbrücker & Nijssen 1984, Rineloricaria daraha Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008, Rineloricaria phoxocephala (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889), Rineloricaria lanceolata (Günther 1868) and Rineloricaria jurupari Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018 (DoNascimiento et al., 2021). The diversity of species in Colombia may have been underestimated due to a lack of data and sampling, especially in the Amazon basin (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Bigorne, et al., 2020a). Of the main rivers that drain to the Amazon (e.g., in Colombia: Caquetá, Putumayo, Apaporis, and Vaupés), the Vaupés is located in a Miocene Andean tectonic upheaval known as the Vaupés Arch (10 Ma), which acts as a semi-permeable barrier for the dispersal of fish (Winemiler & Willis, 2011) dividing the Amazon and Orinoco basins (Mora et al., 2010). Located on its border with Brazil, this river has numerous rocky rapids (locally known as “Cachiveras,” or “Raudales”) along its course that serve as a habitat and act as hydrogeographic barriers for fish. In the exploration of these environments, a new species of the genus Rineloricaria was identified, and it is described herein. Additionally, an updated identification key for species present at the Colombian Amazon is provided.
2 MATERIALS AND METHODSFish collection follows animal care guidelines provided by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (2013) -https://www.asih.org/resources. The biological material of MPUJ collected in this expedition in the río Vaupés went through a process of amnesty by the Instituto de Investigación Alexander von Humboldt under Colombian law “article 6 of law 1955 of 2019.” Fishes were captured using hand-nets or hand-captured by active snorkeling dives in polls or rapids of the Vaupés River. Specimens were photographed in life following the scientific documentation protocols of Photafish (Garcia-Melo et al., 2019). The holotype was also photographed in the laboratory following similar protocols. When the collected specimens were euthanized, doses of 0.3 mL/0.25 L of clove oil were added (Syzygium aromaticum; Lucena et al., 2013) before fixation. Fishes were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and later preserved in 70% ethanol for storage. Counts and measurements were made on the left side of specimens when possible, using digital calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Measurement, plate series count, and nomenclature followed Vera-Alcaraz et al. (2012). The terms “main cusp” and “lateral cusp” follow Muller and Weber (1992). Institutional acronyms follow Sabaj (2020). Characteristics used to diagnose the new species from species that are not included in the item “Additional specimens examined” were analysed and compared using original and subsequent descriptions of each species. In the description, counts are followed by their frequency in parentheses, and an asterisk (*) indicates the count of the holotype. Conservation Assessment Tool-GeoCAT was used to assess the geographic range of the taxon in two approaches: (i) extent of occurrence (EOO) and (ii) area of occupancy (AOO). Both metrics are part of the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN Subcommittee on Standards and Petitions, 2022). This study adjusted the grid to 1 km2, following the criteria of Bachman et al. (2011) for aquatic ecosystems.
3 RESULTS3.1 R. cachivera new speciesurn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7E3CCD7A-6118-4D3C-ADD1-F89A06ADF735.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA5DEFCE-5666-46DD-9D3E-1F6E8E138668.
(Figures 1 and 2; and Table 1).
FIGURE 1
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Holotype of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp., MPUJ 14451, 122.8 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés upstream Cachivera Tapira-llerao, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
FIGURE 2
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Paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (a) Unpreserved specimen, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón. (b-c) MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés at Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
TABLE 1. Morphometric data of holotype (H) and paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (n = 4 including the holotype).
HolotypeMinimumMaximumMeanS.D.Standard length122.877.2122.8107.2-
Percentage of standard length
Head length24.721.925.124.11.48
Predorsal length37.137.137.837.40.33
Postdorsal length62.262.265.463.91.30
Prepectoral length22.421.322.421.80.48
Postpectoral length82.180.284.382.31.66
Prepelvic length36.036.036.736.30.28
Postpelvic length65.565.466.765.80.61
Pre-anal length50.950.051.450.90.62
Postanal length50.347.250.349.21.41
Unbranched dorsal-fin ray19.417.020.919.41.67
Unbranched pectoral-fin ray17.717.820.619.01.18
Unbranched pelvic-fin ray18.318.319.318.90.42
Unbranched anal-fin ray17.717.720.619.41.26
Thoracic length16.715.818.016.70.92
Abdominal length17.016.217.817.10.71
Cleithral width19.619.620.619.90.47
Depth at dorsal-fin origin13.311.314.412.61.45
Width at anal-fin origin14.713.115.014.20.89
Caudal peduncle depth1.51.41.71.50.11
Caudal peduncle width2.72.73.23.00.24
Percentage of head length
Snout length58.058.066.360.43.96
Eye diameter10.210.213.011.21.22
Maximum orbital diameter14.513.218.315.22.19
Interorbital width25.023.329.025.42.47
Internarial width9.69.615.411.82.73
Head depth44.836.251.543.26.54
Head width76.473.593.581.58.82
Free maxillary barbel5.65.38.36.61.42
Ventrorostral length9.98.310.59.60.94
Lower lip length22.420.123.721.81.57
3.3 ParatypesMPUJ 14375, 114.5, mm LS. Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón, 1° 12′ 8.38″ N, 70° 2′ 20.67″ W, 176 m a.s.l., coll, J. A. Maldonado-Ocampo et al., February 22, 2019. MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm LS, Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés, Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, 1° 4′ 48.30″ 14495, 77.2 mm LS Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés at Comunidad de Matapí, 1° 4′ 49.16″ N, 69° 21′ 50.44″ W, 119 m a.s.l., coll, J. A. Maldonado-Ocampo et al., March 2, 2019.
3.4 DiagnosisThe new species differs from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a transverse dorsal band that is not well defined and is curved, similar to that band observed on anterior border of snout, anterior to the first predorsal plate (vs. transversal band absent; when present, first dorsal transversal band well defined, straight, not curved); presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of dorsal portion of head, without bands or spots on head (vs. absence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of dorsal portion of head, without bands or spots on head); a long snout that occupies more than half the HL, between 58.0% and 66.3% HL (vs. short snout, occupying half or less than half of HL, usually less than 56% HL; except in R. daraha, R. lanceolata, R. malabarbai Rodriguez & Reis, 2008, Rineloricaria microlepidogaster [Regan 1904], and Rineloricaria osvaldoi Fichberg & Chamon, 2008); and naked portion on the cleithral region from border of lower lip reaching origin of pectoral fin (vs. naked portion of cleithral region not reaching origin of pectoral fin, beyond pectoral-fin origin, or portion totally covered by plates). Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is further distinguished by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (vs. four series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin in R. aurata (Knaack 2002), Rineloricaria beni (Pearson 1924), Rineloricaria cadeae (Hensel 1868), R. castroi, Rineloricaria catamarcensis (Berg 1895), Rineloricaria cubatonis (Steindachner 1907), Rineloricaria felipponei (Fowler 1943), Rineloricaria henselli (Steindachner 1907), R. jurupari, R. lanceolata, Rineloricaria langei Ingenito, Ghazzi, Duboc & Abilhoa 2008, Rineloricaria lima (Kner 1853), Rineloricaria longicauda Reis 1983, Rineloricaria magdalenae, Rineloricaria microlepidota (Steindachner 1907), Rineloricaria misionera Rodriguez & Miquelarena, 2005, Rineloricaria nigricauda (Regan 1904), Rineloricaria pareiacantha Mirande & Koerber 2015, Rineloricaria parva (Boulenger 1895), Rineloricaria quadrensis Reis 1983, Rineloricaria sanga Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria setepovos Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria sneiderni, Rineloricaria stellata Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria thrissoceps (Fowler 1943), Rineloricaria uracantha (Kner 1863), and Rineloricaria wolfei Fowler 1940). The new species is morphologically similar to R. daraha, a congener distributed in the río Negro basin (Brazil and Colombia); however, it can be easily distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long papillae).
3.5 DescriptionMorphometric data in Table 1. Largest specimen reaching 122.8 mm LS. Snout straight in lateral view, slightly raised on its tip. Dorsal profile straight to slightly convex from orbits to nuchal plate, and straight from dorsal origin to base of caudal-fin origin. Ventral profile of head straight; convex from anterior abdominal plates to anal-fin base, straight from that point to caudal-fin origin. Body and head wide, widening strongly at about origin of first infraorbital. Posterior portion of body with a noticeable narrowing at about half length of caudal peduncle. Five plates in infraorbital series, with sensory pores exposed ventrally. Snout tip with large oval naked area, but not extending laterally surpassing sensorial pore of first infraorbital. Poorly developed odontodes on head and trunk. Dorsum of head smooth, not presenting ridges on head and predorsal plates. Posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital triangular. Dorsal margin of orbit not raised; postorbital notch shallow, not well developed. Eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally. Lower lip large, almost reaching anterior limit of abdominal plates, with lower border covered by 10 to 12 fringes on margin of each lobe. Round papillae covering lower lip, increasing in size toward dentary ramii, a line of more developed papillae near line with maxillary barbel. Teeth bicuspid, long, main cusp greater and wider than lateral, dentary teeth larger than premaxillary teeth, main cusp about twice length of lateral cusp. Premaxilla with 6(3*) or 8(1) teeth; dentary with 5(1*), 6(1), 7(1), 8(1) teeth. Five lateral plate series. Median lateral plates 27(2), or 28(2*). Lateral line complete. Lateral abdominal plates 9(2), 10(1), or 11(1*). Central abdominal plates well developed, slightly smaller anteriorly, having about 4–5 rows irregularly distributed. Abdominal plates covering entire abdomen, without naked areas. Posterior abdominal plates surrounding a well-defined pre-anal area, with three plates surrounding anus, one anterior and two lateral. Anterior margin of anterior abdominal plates slightly rounded or concave on its central portion. Dorsal fin I,7(4), dorsal-fin spinelet present, locking mechanism not functional; tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching fourth or fifth plate posterior to dorsal-fin base; tip of depressed last branched ray reaching third or fourth plate; distal margin falcate with unbranched and first branched rays longer than remaining, dorsal-fin base occupying 4(4) plates; pectoral fin I,6(4); tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching and slightly surpassing dorsal-fin origin; distal margin truncate. Pelvic fin i,5 (4), depressed unbranched ray slightly surpassing anal-fin origin. Anal fin i,5(4), with tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching sixth plate posterior to its base, depressed last branched ray reaching third or fourth plate posterior to its base; anal-fin base with three plates; distal margin truncate. Caudal fin emarginate, i,10,i (3) and i,9,i(2*); dorsal principal ray extended as long filament, filament about 2−4 times length of lower unbranched one (Figure 2a).
3.6 ColourationOverall ground colouration yellowish, presenting dark-brown portions, especially on dorsal surface (Figure 1). Dorsal surface of body mostly yellowish contrasting with darker saddle-like pigmentation areas, ventral portion of body lighter. Dorsal body with five wide saddle-like dark marks; first one at base of dorsal fin, second starting just posterior to end of adnate last branched dorsal-fin ray and three marks between adnate end of anal fin and caudal peduncle. Lighter areas between dark saddles presenting dark scattered spots. Posterior region of parieto-supraoccipital darker with an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; ventral surface of head light yellowish with dark spots on cheek plates and snout area. Dark-brown irregular spots covering the lateral margin of abdomen, the remaining portion with yellow ground colouration (Figures 1 and 2). All fins with a dark band occupying almost their entire surfaces. Colouration in life similar as in preserved specimens except for brighter yellowish ground colouration (Figure 2).
3.7 Sexual dimorphismIn adult males, the first ray (unbranched) of pelvic fins has an extension equal in width to the rest of the ray; it is filament-shaped but very thick (Figure 2a; this individual was lost in the expedition accident and the photograph).
3.8 Distribution, habitat, and physicochemistry of waterRineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is known from four localities in the middle Vaupés River, downstream from the municipality of Mitú in Colombia (Figures 3 and 4a–d). With dark waters, little transparency (Secci disk values: x˙116 ± 11.31 S.D. and x˙122.50 ± 10.61 S.D.), and deep zones in the area of the rapids (up to 18.6 m). The mean values with standard deviation (mean ± S.D.) of the temperature (28.15 ± 0.21°C–29.65 ± 0.21°C), dissolved oxygen in the water (7.63 mg/L ± 0.25) and the surface (6.41 mg/L ± 0.01) are variable. In subaquatic dives with a diving mask, the specimens were collected by hand. In these rheophilic environments that are characterized by having aquatic plants (Podostemaceae) attached to the rocks, some fish were observed in low abundance (Leporinus fasciatus [Bloch, 1794], Characidium declivirostre Steindachner, 1915, Ancistrus patronus de Souza, Taphorn & Armbruster, 2019, and Hemiancistrus sp.), living in sympatry with R. Cachivera n. sp.
FIGURE 3
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Geographic distribution of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. in the middle río Vaupés. Black star refers to the type locality, and white circles are the paratypes. The green line highlights the Amazon basin, and the red symbols on the detailed map refer to the rapids on the río Vaupés.
FIGURE 4
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Habitat of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (a) Tapira-Llerao sacred rock, (b) Raudal the Tapira-Llerao (Holotype) upstream of the Matapi indigenous community, (c) Laguna Arcoiris “small lagoon isolated from the raudal La Mojarra (paratype) upstream from the indigenous community of Matapi, (d) Raudal in the indigenous community of Trubón (paratype), and (e, f) petroglyphs in the cachiveras of the Vaupés River “Sacred sites” upstream of the Matapí indigenous community.3.9 Conservation assessmentRineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is currently known from four localities in the middle river Vaupes basin, and despite the small known distribution area (i.e., EOO: 51.752 km2/AOO: 4.000 km2), no significant threats to the species were detected. For this reason, R. cachivera can be preliminarily categorized as Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN categories and criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
3.10 EtymologyThe specific name cachivera refers to a flow of water that runs violently between the rocks. In the cosmology of the indigenous peoples of the Vaupés, the waters of its rivers are inhabited by various supernatural creatures that must be venerated, consulted, and appeased in the rituals of the shamans; these creatures live and guard mainly the cachiveras of the rivers where humans are more fragile and face the greatest danger (Schultes & Raffauf, 2004) (e.g., Figure 4e,f). The species was named in memory of Javier Alejandro Maldonado-Ocampo “Nano,” who collected the new species in the cachivera of “Trubón” and “La Mojarra”; in the latter, on March 2, 2019, Nano stayed forever swimming in peace and happy with the rheophilic fish of the cachiveras of the Vaupés River.
3.11 Key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia1 Abdomen covered by brown dark spots; presence of dorsolateral stripes on both sides of the head.………2.
1' Abdomen without blotches and/or spots; absence of dorsolateral stripes on both sides of the head.………3.
2 Four or five premaxillary teeth; anterior abdominal plates the same size and equally numerous as central abdominal plates; anterior dorsal portion of body dark without transverse bands; two or three dark-brown narrow transverse bars restricted to the caudal peduncle.………R. jurupari (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018).
2' Five to eight premaxillary teeth; anterior abdominal plates smaller and more numerous than central abdominal plates; anterior dorsal portion of body with transverse band; five or six dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region.………R. lanceolata (Günther, 1868).
3 Shallow posterior orbital notch; all fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal) without a color pattern of “dark and light,” with spot occupying almost entire fin; pre-anal plate, with three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is the same size than those at either side; five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (Figure 5b) ………4.
FIGURE 5
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Series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin: (D) dorsal; (M-D) mid-dorsal; (M) median; (M-V) mid-ventral and (V) ventral; (LAP) lateral abdominal plates.3' Conspicuous posterior orbital notch; all fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal) with a color pattern of “dark and light” vertical stripes; pre-anal plate, with three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is much smaller than those at either side; four series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (Figure 5a) ………R. castroi (Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1984).
4 Six branched pectoral fin rays and lower lip surface button-like papillae.………5.
4' Seven branched pectoral fin rays and lower lip surface long finger papillae.………R. daraha (Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008).
5 Five dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region; eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally and shallow postorbital notch; pre-anal plate with three plates surrounding the anus, one anterior and two lateral.………R. cachivera n. sp.
5' Six dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region; eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally and conspicuous orbital notch; pre-anal plate, preceded by three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is much smaller than those at either side.………R. phoxocephala (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889).
4 DISCUSSIONRineloricaria has not been the subject of a complete taxonomic study (neither taxonomy alpha, nor integrative taxonomy) that could offer a delimitation between valid species, and offer updated diagnostic characters for each of the species. The only phylogenetic analysis using morphological evidence, including a significant number of valid species, is the unpublished study by Fichberg (2008); even though the author found the genus as a monophyletic assemblage, the delimitation of the species remains a problem. On the contrary, Costa-Silva et al. (2015) published a work aiming at delimiting species of the genus using molecular evidence, through the COI marker. The authors found that using different species delimitation methods, different outcomes regarding the number of species were found (i.e., lineages). This result reflects what has been happening to the taxonomy of the genus, in that descriptions of new species are published often, and it appears that there is a hidden diversity of the genus, in diverse environments, far from being discovered, fully known, or understood. Finally, Covain et al. (2016) published the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis, through molecular evidence, regarding the genus, including representatives from its entire distribution, from the trans-Andean regions to the southeast of South America, Shields, and the Amazonian region. The authors in fact divided the genus into different groups, mostly finding a component of geographic distribution for the monophyletic assemblages present within Rineloricaria. As a result, they maintained the genus as a single monophyletic unit, did not split it into different genera, and moreover synonymized several genera to Rineloricaria (i.e., Fonchiiichthys Isbrücker & Michels, 2001; Hemiloricaria Bleeker, 1862; Ixinandria Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979; and Lelliela Isbrücker, 2001), showing how complex the level of diversity is within the genus at the phylogenetic level. The study by Covain et al. (2016) is an excellent contribution to the delimitation of the different clades found within Rineloricaria for morphological characterization. Thus, the use of molecular evidence could be the first step toward an understanding of the diversity of Rineloricaria, and the number of valid species, which is increasing, could be at least delimited at the molecular level to allow a more approachable morphological work (Costa-Silva et al., 2015).
Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is a clear case of the diversity of environments in which species of the genus can be found. The Vaupés River in its headwaters (i.e., Itilla and Unilla rivers) is borne in outcrops of the Craton and crosses very old rocks of the Precambrian age (Botero & Serrano, 2019). Its dark-colored waters (black-brown), acidic, with a large number of humic acids, and poor in dissolved inorganic substances, explain the low levels of nutrients (Cabalzar & Lima, 2005). The substrate is mainly sand (with beaches in the low water period) and rock (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2022); the latter, in rocky outcrops that give way to innumerable cachiveras that serve as habitat and act as a natural barrier for fish dispersal (Lima et al., 2005). Few species belonging to Rineloricaria are found in environments with such characteristics, and one example is R. daraha, present in the Negro River basin in localities both in Brazil and Colombia. These species are not sympatric; however, they are similar morphologically and can be differentiated by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven), dark spots along the dorsal portion of the body (vs. dark spots restricted to the head), and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). There is also an important similarity between both species, and that is related to their rheophilic nature and the environments in which they are found. Both appear to be adapted to turbulent waters and are capable of supporting strong currents, which contain grazeable aquatic plants, algae, and invertebrates found in the holes between and on the surface of waterfall rocks (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016) as resources for the species. These characteristics seem to be reflected in the morphology of both species, mainly regarding head morphology. Both species have an elongated head, with a long snout, and slender bodies, especially when compared to some congeners with stockier bodies (e.g., R. misionera, R. osvaldoi Fichberg & Chamon, 2008, R. rodriguezae Costa-Silva, Oliveira & Silva 2021, Rineloricaria steinbachi [Regan 1906], Rineloricaria zawadzkii Costa-Silva, Silva & Oliveira 2022, and most southeastern and southern distributed species of the genus).
In rheophilic environments, in addition to the morphology of the head and body, loricariids develop wide mouths and thick lips with well-developed papillae that increase friction and prevent drag by the water current (Gradwell, 1971; Ono, 1980). In the lips, collagen is supposed to work to reinforce the oral suction cups and reduce slippage; furthermore, its content correlates with the substrate and the flow of water; species that live on rocky substrates and torrential water current species have larger lips, with high collagen content (Bressman et al., 2020). The Andes mountain range with its water network having innumerable rapids promoted the evolution of oral characteristics (wide mouths and thick lips with well-developed papillae) that can be observed in other genera of loricariids with restricted distribution: Andeancistrus Lujan, Meza-Vargas & Barriga Salazar 2015, Cordylancistrus Isbrücker 1980, Chaetostoma Tschudi 1846, Dolichancistrus Isbrücker 1980, Fonchiiloricaria Rodriguez, Ortega & Covain 2011, and Transancistrus Lujan, Meza-Vargas & Barriga Salazar 2015. In the genus Rineloricaria the size of the mouth, papillae, and distribution range may vary significantly (Fricke et al., 2022; van der Sleen & Albert, 2017). This is evident in some cis- and trans-Andean species, where head shape, mouth size (length/width), maxillary barbels, labial papillae, and fringes on its edge are varied and may reflect adaptations to their environment (Figure 6a–i). The species that inhabit either the rocky rapids of the Paraná sedimentary basin (Costa-Silva et al., 2021) or in drainages of the Guiana Shield in the rapids of the Vaupés-Negro River (Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008), including R. cachivera n. sp., R. jurupari and R. daraha, have wide and high mouths, with thick lips and well-developed papillae that may explain their rheophilic nature (Figure 6a–c), compared to species with a smaller mouth, and which have greater environmental plasticity and distribution (Figure 6d–f,i). Rapids, in addition to promoting endemism and morphological specialization of fish, limit gene flow (Lima et al., 2005; Lujan & Conway, 2015; Torrente-Vilara et al., 2011). The species adapted to these environments have restricted distributions (Bressman et al., 2020) such as R. jurupari that lives in the headwaters of the Vaupes, that is, in the Itilla and Unilla rivers (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018). In the middle part, R. cachivera n. sp. seems to be exclusive to the rapids of the Vaupés River, and from its type locality we recorded it to occur ~138 km upstream in the same type of environments (Figure 3). Another endemic species is R. daraha; although with a greater distribution in the basin (>700 km), it has only been recorded in rheophilic environments, that is, in the Cachiveras-Cachoeiras of the Vaupés River in Brazil and Colombia (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016; Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008). In the Amazon basin, areas of endemism have been identified (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Darwall, et al., 2020b) as basic units of analysis in historical biogeography (Morrone, 2014) and useful in conservation biology (Löwenberg-Neto & de Carvalho, 2004). The Vaupés-Negro basin, in addition to being diverse in fish, exhibits a high degree of endemism (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Darwall, et al., 2020b); consequently, identifying new species (e.g., R. jurupari and R. cachivera n. sp.) or ecosystems (e.g., Raudales-Cachiveras-Cachoeiras) as “possible” conservation targets has proven to be an effective tool for the implementation of comprehensive conservation strategies in the Amazon Colombian (Portocarrero-Aya & Cowx, 2016).
FIGURE 6
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Shape of the head, size of the mouth (length/width), maxillary barbels, labial papillae, and fringes on its edge in some Rineloricaria species. Amazon basin: (a) Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp., 114.5 mm standard length (LS) (paratype: MPUJ 14375); (b) Rineloricaria jurupari, 87.2 mm LS (holotype: MPUJ12520); (c) Rineloricaria daraha, 170 mm LS (CZUT-IC 3621); (d) Rineloricaria castroi, 109 mm LS (MPUJ 14147); Orinoco basin: (e) Rineloricaria eigenmanni, 91.7 mm LS (MPUJ 13281); (f) Rineloricaria formosa, 127.4 mm LS (MPUJ 3249); (g) Rineloricaria sp., “Orinoco,” 89.1 mm LS (MPUJ 2908); (h) Pacific and Caribbean basins: Rineloricaria jubata, 78.2 mm LS (MPUJ 11151); (i) Magdalena-Cauca and Caribbean basin: Rineloricaria magdalenae, 94.5 mm LS (MPUJ 7940). The line = 10 mm.The known diversity of Rineloricaria is growing fast, and with 71 valid species, this diversity is likely to increase. Currently, there are 11 valid species reported for Colombia, with 5 species present in the Colombian Amazon: R. castroi, R. daraha, R. phoxocephala, R. lanceolata, and R. jurupari (DoNascimiento et al., 2022), R. cachivera n. sp. being the sixth valid species recorded for the region. Of those species, one was recently recorded for Colombia (R. daraha by Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016), and another was recently described (R. jurupari, by Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018), summing up the species described here, that is three species recorded in less than 10 years for the same basin (i.e., Vaupés River). Furthermore, R. lanceolata is a species currently recognized as widespread along the Amazonas River basin (including the upper, middle, and lower portions of the basin, in localities of Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru); however, from this wide distribution, a cryptic component could be present in the species. It is important to address such issues within the species as it is likely to result in several cryptic, undescribed species, and to delimit R. lanceolata to a more restricted distribution, with a better delimitation of the species (both morphological and molecular), and to understand and better describe the already great richness of Rineloricaria. This single example shows how complex the genus can be (the most diverse within Loricariinae) and adds a new component to tackle when studying its species, and the possibility of the presence of cryptic species, not only in R. lanceolata, but also for other species considered as widespread.
The description of R. cachivera n. sp. as the fourth species distributed in the Vaupés River reveals the underestimation of the diversity of Rineloricaria, which is already high as mentioned earlier. A revisionary study of the genus, delimiting the poorly characterized type species of the genus, R. lima, examination of type series and topotypic material of all valid species, and inclusion of both morphological and molecular evidence, is needed.
5 SPECIMENS EXAMINEDAll the material was examined in Londoño-Burbano and Urbano-Bonilla (2018).
6 ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED6.1 Rineloricaria darahaCZUT-IC 3620, Vaupés, Mpio. Yavarate, Río Papuri, comunidad de Piracuara, 0° 4′ 0″ N, 69° 33′ 28″ W; CZUT-IC 3621, Colombia, Vaupés, Mpio. Yavarate, Río Papuri, comunidad de Piracuara, 0° 4′ 11″ N, 69° 28′ 16″ W; CZUT-IC 4954, Colombia, Vaupés, Mitú, Isla Roca, 1° 11′ 29″ N, 70° 17′ 19″ W.
6.2 Rineloricaria eigenmanniMPUJ, 3281, 6, Colombia, Vichada, Puerto Carreño, Isla Santa helena, Río Orinoco, 5° 59′ 42″ N, 67° 25′ 34″ W, 17/04/2007. Col. González J.
6.3 Rineloricaria formosaZSM 25821, paratypes, 2alc, Venezuela, Orinoco River basin, Atabapo River near San Fernando 4° 03′ 0.00″ N, 67° 42′ 0.00″ W, 05/02/1973. Col: H.J. Köpcke & M. Jeschke. MPUJ 3249, 2, Colombia, Vichada, Puerto Carreño, Brazuelo Río Bita, directo al Orinoco, 6° 10′ 46″ N, 67° 38′ 0.15″ W, 10/10/2007. Col. González J.
6.4 Rineloricaria jubataBMNH 1902.5.27.45, lectotype of Loricaria jubata, Ecuador, Durango. BMNH 1901.3.29.74–76, paralectotypes, 3alc, same data as lectotype. MPUJ 11152, 1, Colombia, Valle del Cauca, Buenaventura, Corregimiento de Sabaletas, confluencia del rio Sabaletas con Río Anchicaya, 3° 44′ 23.1″ N, 76° 58′ 0.00″ W, 12/10/2014. Jorge E. García-Melo.
6.5 Rineloricaria lanceolataBMNH 1867.6.13.79, holotype of Loricaria lanceolata, Peru, Xeberos. MZUSP 81422, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81379, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Onça stream, Onça Igarapé community, 0° 13′ 52″ N, 69° 51′ 4,9″ W; MZUSP 81439, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Caruru community, corridor above Caruru waterfall, 0° 16′ 29″ N, 69° 54′ 54″ W.
6.6 Rineloricaria magdalenaeNMW 45080, lectotype of Loricaria magdalenae, Colombia, Magdalena River basin; NMW 45800, paralectotypes, 6alc, same data as lectotype. MPUJ 7940, 3, Colombia, Antioquia, El Bagre, Quebrada El Guamo, 7° 54′ 48″ N, 74° 46′ 440″ W, 31/05/2015. Col. Jhon E. Zamudio.
Rineloricaria sp. “Orinoco”
MPUJ 2908, 3, Colombia, Meta, San Martin, Caño Camoa, 3° 39′ 47″ N, 76° 36′ 33″ W, 26/08/2017. Col. Saúl Prada-Pedreros.
6.7 Rineloricaria sp.MZUSP 64690, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, 0° 15′ 41″ N, 69° 57′ 23″ W; MZUSP 66145, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, tributary of Tiquié River, near São Pedro community (opposite margin), 0° 15′ 41″ N, 69° 57′ 23″ W; MZUSP 81159, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, between Caruru and Boca de Sal communities, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 54′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81240, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near former São Pedro community; MZUSP 81345, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, Umari Norte stream, from Caruru to Cachoeira da Abelha waterfall, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81417, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81501, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 4″ N, 69° 58′ 21″ W; MZUSP 85099, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, lower portion of Supiã stream, below Comprida waterfall, 0° 15′ N, 70° 01′ W; ZSM 27058, 4alc, Brazil, Pará, Guamá River near Ourem, Atlantic slope, 10/1988. Col: R. Stawikowski & U. Schliewen.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONSInitial study design, specimen collection, and processing (A.U.B.). All authors participated equally in collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in the preparation of the manuscript.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWe want to thank the support of several people from the communities of the region: William González-Torres and Arturo Hernández (Trubón community, Cubeo ethnic group), Emilio Marquez and Anderson Marquez (Villa Fátima community, Guanano ethnic group); Adelmo Santa Cruz (Nana community, Guanano ethnic group); Jaider Ramírez-Samaniego (Macucú community, Desano ethnic group), Julio V. Vélez and Silvio Vélez (Matapi community, Desano ethnic group). To Alejandro Campuzano (Fundación Conservando), Luis F. Jaramillo-Hurtado (SINCHI), and Mariana A. Moscoso (Ictiología y Cultura) for their technical support. Sandra Bibiana Correa (Mississippi State University) for her technical support and for providing data on the physicochemical aspects of water. A.U.-B. thanks the Catalog of the Fishes of Colombia, grant BID-CA2020-030-USE by GBIF, for allowing visits to some museums in the country and especially thanks curators or administrators for their unconditional support: Carlos A. García-Alzate (UARC-IC), Francisco A. Villa-Navarro (CZUT), Lauren Raz, Henry Agudelo-Zamora (ICN-MHN), Saúl Prada-Pedreros (MPUJ), Fernando Sarmiento Parra, and Julieth Stella Cárdenas Hincapié (MLS). A.L.-B. thanks James Maclaine (BMNH), Anja Palandačić (NMW), Ulrich Schliewen, Robin Böhmer, and Patricia Schulze (ZSM) for hospitality and assistance during visits to collections under their care, and Marcelo R. Britto (MNRJ) for technical and logistic support at MNRJ, where the manuscript was partially completed. Thanks to Omar Melo for help with the photographs of the holotype; Camila Castellanos, for the photo of R. daraha (Figure 6c); and Jorge García-Melo for taking photographs of live specimens in the field. Please visit the visual catalog of Colombian fish “https://cavfish.unibague.edu.co/”. Financial support was given by Pontificia Universidad Javeriana with the “Carta Encíclica Laudato Si” grant in the project entitled “Ictiología y Cultura: Aproximación biológica y cultural a los datos obtenidos en la expedición en las cachiveras del río Vaupés” (#20112). A.L.-B. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from FAPERJ Pós-Doutorado Nota 10 (05/2019 - E-
26/202.356/2019).
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Alexander Urbano-Bonilla, Alejandro Londoño-Burbano, Tiago P. Carvalho
First published: 10 July 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15500
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SHAREAbstractA new rheophilic species of the genus Rineloricaria is described for the Amazon basin in Colombia. Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. differs from its congeners by having anterior to the first predorsal plate, an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; the presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of the dorsal portion of the head, without bands or spots on the head; a long snout that occupies more than half the head length (HL), between 58.0% and 66.3% HL; a naked portion on the cleithral area from the border of lower lip reaching the origin of pectoral fin; and by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin. The new species is morphologically similar to Rineloricaria daraha; however, it can be distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). An identification key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia is provided. The new species is herein categorized as Least Concern, following the IUCN criteria.
1 INTRODUCTIONThe armored catfish Rineloricaria Bleeker, 1862, has 71 valid species, being the richest genus in the family Loricariidae (Fricke et al., 2023). The genus is diagnosed by a combination of characteristics such as the presence of postorbital notch; lower lip with short round papillae; premaxilla with 7 to 15 teeth on each ramus; dentary teeth strong, deeply bicuspidate, and larger than premaxillary; colouration of the dorsal region with dark-brown bars or blotches; abdomen with a conspicuous polygonal pre-anal plate, usually bordered by three other large trapezoidal plates (Fichberg & Chamon, 2008) and some features of sexual dimorphism, which are traits not always present in the individuals available for examination (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018). Progress has been made in the taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships between Rineloricaria species (Covain & Fisch-Muller, 2007), and it is now demonstrated to be a monophyletic group based on molecular data (Costa-Silva et al., 2015; Covain et al., 2016) with wide interspecies morphological variation (e.g., body color and shape, arrangement of abdominal plates, shape of head, and distribution of hypertrophied odontodes; Vera-Alcaraz et al., 2012).
The wide distribution of Rineloricaria in the main Neotropical basins and environments reflects the diversity and morphological adaptations of its species (van der Sleen & Albert, 2017; Vera-Alcaraz et al., 2012). Some species occur in small drainages of slow to moderate-flowing waters, associated with sand, vegetation, and organic matter; others are rheophilic inhabiting fast-flowing rivers associated with rocks (Costa-Silva et al., 2021; Lima et al., 2005; Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018; Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008; Rodriguez & Reis, 2008). Rheophilic environments have driven the evolution of armored catfish lineages in the family Loricariidae (Lujan & Conway, 2015); the rheophilic species of Rineloricaria exhibit consistent ecomorphological patterns and that is evidenced in the shape of the body, mouth, and buccal papillae (Bressman et al., 2020).
In Colombia, 11 species are present in different hydrographic basins: Pacific and Caribbean: Rineloricaria jubata (Boulenger 1902); Pacific: Rineloricaria sneiderni (Fowler 1944); Caribbean Rineloricaria rupestris (Schultz 1944) and Magdalena-Cauca and Caribbean: Rineloricaria magdalenae (Steindachner 1879); Orinoco: Rineloricaria eigenmanni (Pellegrin 1908) and Rineloricaria formosa Isbrücker & Nijssen 1979; Amazonas: Rineloricaria castroi Isbrücker & Nijssen 1984, Rineloricaria daraha Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008, Rineloricaria phoxocephala (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889), Rineloricaria lanceolata (Günther 1868) and Rineloricaria jurupari Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018 (DoNascimiento et al., 2021). The diversity of species in Colombia may have been underestimated due to a lack of data and sampling, especially in the Amazon basin (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Bigorne, et al., 2020a). Of the main rivers that drain to the Amazon (e.g., in Colombia: Caquetá, Putumayo, Apaporis, and Vaupés), the Vaupés is located in a Miocene Andean tectonic upheaval known as the Vaupés Arch (10 Ma), which acts as a semi-permeable barrier for the dispersal of fish (Winemiler & Willis, 2011) dividing the Amazon and Orinoco basins (Mora et al., 2010). Located on its border with Brazil, this river has numerous rocky rapids (locally known as “Cachiveras,” or “Raudales”) along its course that serve as a habitat and act as hydrogeographic barriers for fish. In the exploration of these environments, a new species of the genus Rineloricaria was identified, and it is described herein. Additionally, an updated identification key for species present at the Colombian Amazon is provided.
2 MATERIALS AND METHODSFish collection follows animal care guidelines provided by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (2013) -https://www.asih.org/resources. The biological material of MPUJ collected in this expedition in the río Vaupés went through a process of amnesty by the Instituto de Investigación Alexander von Humboldt under Colombian law “article 6 of law 1955 of 2019.” Fishes were captured using hand-nets or hand-captured by active snorkeling dives in polls or rapids of the Vaupés River. Specimens were photographed in life following the scientific documentation protocols of Photafish (Garcia-Melo et al., 2019). The holotype was also photographed in the laboratory following similar protocols. When the collected specimens were euthanized, doses of 0.3 mL/0.25 L of clove oil were added (Syzygium aromaticum; Lucena et al., 2013) before fixation. Fishes were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and later preserved in 70% ethanol for storage. Counts and measurements were made on the left side of specimens when possible, using digital calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Measurement, plate series count, and nomenclature followed Vera-Alcaraz et al. (2012). The terms “main cusp” and “lateral cusp” follow Muller and Weber (1992). Institutional acronyms follow Sabaj (2020). Characteristics used to diagnose the new species from species that are not included in the item “Additional specimens examined” were analysed and compared using original and subsequent descriptions of each species. In the description, counts are followed by their frequency in parentheses, and an asterisk (*) indicates the count of the holotype. Conservation Assessment Tool-GeoCAT was used to assess the geographic range of the taxon in two approaches: (i) extent of occurrence (EOO) and (ii) area of occupancy (AOO). Both metrics are part of the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN Subcommittee on Standards and Petitions, 2022). This study adjusted the grid to 1 km2, following the criteria of Bachman et al. (2011) for aquatic ecosystems.
3 RESULTS3.1 R. cachivera new speciesurn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7E3CCD7A-6118-4D3C-ADD1-F89A06ADF735.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA5DEFCE-5666-46DD-9D3E-1F6E8E138668.
(Figures 1 and 2; and Table 1).
FIGURE 1
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Holotype of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp., MPUJ 14451, 122.8 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés upstream Cachivera Tapira-llerao, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
FIGURE 2
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Paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (a) Unpreserved specimen, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón. (b-c) MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm standard length (LS), río Vaupés at Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, Mitú, Vaupés, Colombia.
TABLE 1. Morphometric data of holotype (H) and paratypes of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (n = 4 including the holotype).
HolotypeMinimumMaximumMeanS.D.Standard length122.877.2122.8107.2-
Percentage of standard length
Head length24.721.925.124.11.48
Predorsal length37.137.137.837.40.33
Postdorsal length62.262.265.463.91.30
Prepectoral length22.421.322.421.80.48
Postpectoral length82.180.284.382.31.66
Prepelvic length36.036.036.736.30.28
Postpelvic length65.565.466.765.80.61
Pre-anal length50.950.051.450.90.62
Postanal length50.347.250.349.21.41
Unbranched dorsal-fin ray19.417.020.919.41.67
Unbranched pectoral-fin ray17.717.820.619.01.18
Unbranched pelvic-fin ray18.318.319.318.90.42
Unbranched anal-fin ray17.717.720.619.41.26
Thoracic length16.715.818.016.70.92
Abdominal length17.016.217.817.10.71
Cleithral width19.619.620.619.90.47
Depth at dorsal-fin origin13.311.314.412.61.45
Width at anal-fin origin14.713.115.014.20.89
Caudal peduncle depth1.51.41.71.50.11
Caudal peduncle width2.72.73.23.00.24
Percentage of head length
Snout length58.058.066.360.43.96
Eye diameter10.210.213.011.21.22
Maximum orbital diameter14.513.218.315.22.19
Interorbital width25.023.329.025.42.47
Internarial width9.69.615.411.82.73
Head depth44.836.251.543.26.54
Head width76.473.593.581.58.82
Free maxillary barbel5.65.38.36.61.42
Ventrorostral length9.98.310.59.60.94
Lower lip length22.420.123.721.81.57
- Abbreviation: S.D., standard deviation.
3.3 ParatypesMPUJ 14375, 114.5, mm LS. Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés at Resguardo Trubón, 1° 12′ 8.38″ N, 70° 2′ 20.67″ W, 176 m a.s.l., coll, J. A. Maldonado-Ocampo et al., February 22, 2019. MPUJ 14481, 114.4 mm LS, Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés, Laguna Arcoiris small rocky bottom isolated lagoon from the river, Comunidad de Matapí, 1° 4′ 48.30″ 14495, 77.2 mm LS Colombia, Vaupés Department, Mitú municipality, Negro River drainage, río Vaupés at Comunidad de Matapí, 1° 4′ 49.16″ N, 69° 21′ 50.44″ W, 119 m a.s.l., coll, J. A. Maldonado-Ocampo et al., March 2, 2019.
3.4 DiagnosisThe new species differs from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a transverse dorsal band that is not well defined and is curved, similar to that band observed on anterior border of snout, anterior to the first predorsal plate (vs. transversal band absent; when present, first dorsal transversal band well defined, straight, not curved); presence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of dorsal portion of head, without bands or spots on head (vs. absence of dark, diffuse blotches, present as unified dark colouration along most of dorsal portion of head, without bands or spots on head); a long snout that occupies more than half the HL, between 58.0% and 66.3% HL (vs. short snout, occupying half or less than half of HL, usually less than 56% HL; except in R. daraha, R. lanceolata, R. malabarbai Rodriguez & Reis, 2008, Rineloricaria microlepidogaster [Regan 1904], and Rineloricaria osvaldoi Fichberg & Chamon, 2008); and naked portion on the cleithral region from border of lower lip reaching origin of pectoral fin (vs. naked portion of cleithral region not reaching origin of pectoral fin, beyond pectoral-fin origin, or portion totally covered by plates). Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is further distinguished by having five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (vs. four series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin in R. aurata (Knaack 2002), Rineloricaria beni (Pearson 1924), Rineloricaria cadeae (Hensel 1868), R. castroi, Rineloricaria catamarcensis (Berg 1895), Rineloricaria cubatonis (Steindachner 1907), Rineloricaria felipponei (Fowler 1943), Rineloricaria henselli (Steindachner 1907), R. jurupari, R. lanceolata, Rineloricaria langei Ingenito, Ghazzi, Duboc & Abilhoa 2008, Rineloricaria lima (Kner 1853), Rineloricaria longicauda Reis 1983, Rineloricaria magdalenae, Rineloricaria microlepidota (Steindachner 1907), Rineloricaria misionera Rodriguez & Miquelarena, 2005, Rineloricaria nigricauda (Regan 1904), Rineloricaria pareiacantha Mirande & Koerber 2015, Rineloricaria parva (Boulenger 1895), Rineloricaria quadrensis Reis 1983, Rineloricaria sanga Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria setepovos Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria sneiderni, Rineloricaria stellata Ghazzi 2008, Rineloricaria thrissoceps (Fowler 1943), Rineloricaria uracantha (Kner 1863), and Rineloricaria wolfei Fowler 1940). The new species is morphologically similar to R. daraha, a congener distributed in the río Negro basin (Brazil and Colombia); however, it can be easily distinguished by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven) and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long papillae).
3.5 DescriptionMorphometric data in Table 1. Largest specimen reaching 122.8 mm LS. Snout straight in lateral view, slightly raised on its tip. Dorsal profile straight to slightly convex from orbits to nuchal plate, and straight from dorsal origin to base of caudal-fin origin. Ventral profile of head straight; convex from anterior abdominal plates to anal-fin base, straight from that point to caudal-fin origin. Body and head wide, widening strongly at about origin of first infraorbital. Posterior portion of body with a noticeable narrowing at about half length of caudal peduncle. Five plates in infraorbital series, with sensory pores exposed ventrally. Snout tip with large oval naked area, but not extending laterally surpassing sensorial pore of first infraorbital. Poorly developed odontodes on head and trunk. Dorsum of head smooth, not presenting ridges on head and predorsal plates. Posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital triangular. Dorsal margin of orbit not raised; postorbital notch shallow, not well developed. Eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally. Lower lip large, almost reaching anterior limit of abdominal plates, with lower border covered by 10 to 12 fringes on margin of each lobe. Round papillae covering lower lip, increasing in size toward dentary ramii, a line of more developed papillae near line with maxillary barbel. Teeth bicuspid, long, main cusp greater and wider than lateral, dentary teeth larger than premaxillary teeth, main cusp about twice length of lateral cusp. Premaxilla with 6(3*) or 8(1) teeth; dentary with 5(1*), 6(1), 7(1), 8(1) teeth. Five lateral plate series. Median lateral plates 27(2), or 28(2*). Lateral line complete. Lateral abdominal plates 9(2), 10(1), or 11(1*). Central abdominal plates well developed, slightly smaller anteriorly, having about 4–5 rows irregularly distributed. Abdominal plates covering entire abdomen, without naked areas. Posterior abdominal plates surrounding a well-defined pre-anal area, with three plates surrounding anus, one anterior and two lateral. Anterior margin of anterior abdominal plates slightly rounded or concave on its central portion. Dorsal fin I,7(4), dorsal-fin spinelet present, locking mechanism not functional; tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching fourth or fifth plate posterior to dorsal-fin base; tip of depressed last branched ray reaching third or fourth plate; distal margin falcate with unbranched and first branched rays longer than remaining, dorsal-fin base occupying 4(4) plates; pectoral fin I,6(4); tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching and slightly surpassing dorsal-fin origin; distal margin truncate. Pelvic fin i,5 (4), depressed unbranched ray slightly surpassing anal-fin origin. Anal fin i,5(4), with tip of depressed unbranched ray reaching sixth plate posterior to its base, depressed last branched ray reaching third or fourth plate posterior to its base; anal-fin base with three plates; distal margin truncate. Caudal fin emarginate, i,10,i (3) and i,9,i(2*); dorsal principal ray extended as long filament, filament about 2−4 times length of lower unbranched one (Figure 2a).
3.6 ColourationOverall ground colouration yellowish, presenting dark-brown portions, especially on dorsal surface (Figure 1). Dorsal surface of body mostly yellowish contrasting with darker saddle-like pigmentation areas, ventral portion of body lighter. Dorsal body with five wide saddle-like dark marks; first one at base of dorsal fin, second starting just posterior to end of adnate last branched dorsal-fin ray and three marks between adnate end of anal fin and caudal peduncle. Lighter areas between dark saddles presenting dark scattered spots. Posterior region of parieto-supraoccipital darker with an inconspicuous saddle-like mark; ventral surface of head light yellowish with dark spots on cheek plates and snout area. Dark-brown irregular spots covering the lateral margin of abdomen, the remaining portion with yellow ground colouration (Figures 1 and 2). All fins with a dark band occupying almost their entire surfaces. Colouration in life similar as in preserved specimens except for brighter yellowish ground colouration (Figure 2).
3.7 Sexual dimorphismIn adult males, the first ray (unbranched) of pelvic fins has an extension equal in width to the rest of the ray; it is filament-shaped but very thick (Figure 2a; this individual was lost in the expedition accident and the photograph).
3.8 Distribution, habitat, and physicochemistry of waterRineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is known from four localities in the middle Vaupés River, downstream from the municipality of Mitú in Colombia (Figures 3 and 4a–d). With dark waters, little transparency (Secci disk values: x˙116 ± 11.31 S.D. and x˙122.50 ± 10.61 S.D.), and deep zones in the area of the rapids (up to 18.6 m). The mean values with standard deviation (mean ± S.D.) of the temperature (28.15 ± 0.21°C–29.65 ± 0.21°C), dissolved oxygen in the water (7.63 mg/L ± 0.25) and the surface (6.41 mg/L ± 0.01) are variable. In subaquatic dives with a diving mask, the specimens were collected by hand. In these rheophilic environments that are characterized by having aquatic plants (Podostemaceae) attached to the rocks, some fish were observed in low abundance (Leporinus fasciatus [Bloch, 1794], Characidium declivirostre Steindachner, 1915, Ancistrus patronus de Souza, Taphorn & Armbruster, 2019, and Hemiancistrus sp.), living in sympatry with R. Cachivera n. sp.
FIGURE 3
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Geographic distribution of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. in the middle río Vaupés. Black star refers to the type locality, and white circles are the paratypes. The green line highlights the Amazon basin, and the red symbols on the detailed map refer to the rapids on the río Vaupés.
FIGURE 4
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Habitat of Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. (a) Tapira-Llerao sacred rock, (b) Raudal the Tapira-Llerao (Holotype) upstream of the Matapi indigenous community, (c) Laguna Arcoiris “small lagoon isolated from the raudal La Mojarra (paratype) upstream from the indigenous community of Matapi, (d) Raudal in the indigenous community of Trubón (paratype), and (e, f) petroglyphs in the cachiveras of the Vaupés River “Sacred sites” upstream of the Matapí indigenous community.3.9 Conservation assessmentRineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is currently known from four localities in the middle river Vaupes basin, and despite the small known distribution area (i.e., EOO: 51.752 km2/AOO: 4.000 km2), no significant threats to the species were detected. For this reason, R. cachivera can be preliminarily categorized as Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN categories and criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
3.10 EtymologyThe specific name cachivera refers to a flow of water that runs violently between the rocks. In the cosmology of the indigenous peoples of the Vaupés, the waters of its rivers are inhabited by various supernatural creatures that must be venerated, consulted, and appeased in the rituals of the shamans; these creatures live and guard mainly the cachiveras of the rivers where humans are more fragile and face the greatest danger (Schultes & Raffauf, 2004) (e.g., Figure 4e,f). The species was named in memory of Javier Alejandro Maldonado-Ocampo “Nano,” who collected the new species in the cachivera of “Trubón” and “La Mojarra”; in the latter, on March 2, 2019, Nano stayed forever swimming in peace and happy with the rheophilic fish of the cachiveras of the Vaupés River.
3.11 Key to the Rineloricaria species of the Amazon River basin in Colombia1 Abdomen covered by brown dark spots; presence of dorsolateral stripes on both sides of the head.………2.
1' Abdomen without blotches and/or spots; absence of dorsolateral stripes on both sides of the head.………3.
2 Four or five premaxillary teeth; anterior abdominal plates the same size and equally numerous as central abdominal plates; anterior dorsal portion of body dark without transverse bands; two or three dark-brown narrow transverse bars restricted to the caudal peduncle.………R. jurupari (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018).
2' Five to eight premaxillary teeth; anterior abdominal plates smaller and more numerous than central abdominal plates; anterior dorsal portion of body with transverse band; five or six dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region.………R. lanceolata (Günther, 1868).
3 Shallow posterior orbital notch; all fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal) without a color pattern of “dark and light,” with spot occupying almost entire fin; pre-anal plate, with three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is the same size than those at either side; five series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (Figure 5b) ………4.
FIGURE 5
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Series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin: (D) dorsal; (M-D) mid-dorsal; (M) median; (M-V) mid-ventral and (V) ventral; (LAP) lateral abdominal plates.3' Conspicuous posterior orbital notch; all fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal) with a color pattern of “dark and light” vertical stripes; pre-anal plate, with three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is much smaller than those at either side; four series of lateral plates in longitudinal rows below the dorsal fin (Figure 5a) ………R. castroi (Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1984).
4 Six branched pectoral fin rays and lower lip surface button-like papillae.………5.
4' Seven branched pectoral fin rays and lower lip surface long finger papillae.………R. daraha (Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008).
5 Five dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region; eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally and shallow postorbital notch; pre-anal plate with three plates surrounding the anus, one anterior and two lateral.………R. cachivera n. sp.
5' Six dark-brown broad transverse bars on caudal peduncle and predorsal region; eye large, round to slightly oval horizontally and conspicuous orbital notch; pre-anal plate, preceded by three polygonal scutes, of which the median one is much smaller than those at either side.………R. phoxocephala (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889).
4 DISCUSSIONRineloricaria has not been the subject of a complete taxonomic study (neither taxonomy alpha, nor integrative taxonomy) that could offer a delimitation between valid species, and offer updated diagnostic characters for each of the species. The only phylogenetic analysis using morphological evidence, including a significant number of valid species, is the unpublished study by Fichberg (2008); even though the author found the genus as a monophyletic assemblage, the delimitation of the species remains a problem. On the contrary, Costa-Silva et al. (2015) published a work aiming at delimiting species of the genus using molecular evidence, through the COI marker. The authors found that using different species delimitation methods, different outcomes regarding the number of species were found (i.e., lineages). This result reflects what has been happening to the taxonomy of the genus, in that descriptions of new species are published often, and it appears that there is a hidden diversity of the genus, in diverse environments, far from being discovered, fully known, or understood. Finally, Covain et al. (2016) published the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis, through molecular evidence, regarding the genus, including representatives from its entire distribution, from the trans-Andean regions to the southeast of South America, Shields, and the Amazonian region. The authors in fact divided the genus into different groups, mostly finding a component of geographic distribution for the monophyletic assemblages present within Rineloricaria. As a result, they maintained the genus as a single monophyletic unit, did not split it into different genera, and moreover synonymized several genera to Rineloricaria (i.e., Fonchiiichthys Isbrücker & Michels, 2001; Hemiloricaria Bleeker, 1862; Ixinandria Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979; and Lelliela Isbrücker, 2001), showing how complex the level of diversity is within the genus at the phylogenetic level. The study by Covain et al. (2016) is an excellent contribution to the delimitation of the different clades found within Rineloricaria for morphological characterization. Thus, the use of molecular evidence could be the first step toward an understanding of the diversity of Rineloricaria, and the number of valid species, which is increasing, could be at least delimited at the molecular level to allow a more approachable morphological work (Costa-Silva et al., 2015).
Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp. is a clear case of the diversity of environments in which species of the genus can be found. The Vaupés River in its headwaters (i.e., Itilla and Unilla rivers) is borne in outcrops of the Craton and crosses very old rocks of the Precambrian age (Botero & Serrano, 2019). Its dark-colored waters (black-brown), acidic, with a large number of humic acids, and poor in dissolved inorganic substances, explain the low levels of nutrients (Cabalzar & Lima, 2005). The substrate is mainly sand (with beaches in the low water period) and rock (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2022); the latter, in rocky outcrops that give way to innumerable cachiveras that serve as habitat and act as a natural barrier for fish dispersal (Lima et al., 2005). Few species belonging to Rineloricaria are found in environments with such characteristics, and one example is R. daraha, present in the Negro River basin in localities both in Brazil and Colombia. These species are not sympatric; however, they are similar morphologically and can be differentiated by the presence of six branched pectoral fin rays (vs. seven), dark spots along the dorsal portion of the body (vs. dark spots restricted to the head), and the lower lip surface with short thick papillae (vs. long finger papillae). There is also an important similarity between both species, and that is related to their rheophilic nature and the environments in which they are found. Both appear to be adapted to turbulent waters and are capable of supporting strong currents, which contain grazeable aquatic plants, algae, and invertebrates found in the holes between and on the surface of waterfall rocks (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016) as resources for the species. These characteristics seem to be reflected in the morphology of both species, mainly regarding head morphology. Both species have an elongated head, with a long snout, and slender bodies, especially when compared to some congeners with stockier bodies (e.g., R. misionera, R. osvaldoi Fichberg & Chamon, 2008, R. rodriguezae Costa-Silva, Oliveira & Silva 2021, Rineloricaria steinbachi [Regan 1906], Rineloricaria zawadzkii Costa-Silva, Silva & Oliveira 2022, and most southeastern and southern distributed species of the genus).
In rheophilic environments, in addition to the morphology of the head and body, loricariids develop wide mouths and thick lips with well-developed papillae that increase friction and prevent drag by the water current (Gradwell, 1971; Ono, 1980). In the lips, collagen is supposed to work to reinforce the oral suction cups and reduce slippage; furthermore, its content correlates with the substrate and the flow of water; species that live on rocky substrates and torrential water current species have larger lips, with high collagen content (Bressman et al., 2020). The Andes mountain range with its water network having innumerable rapids promoted the evolution of oral characteristics (wide mouths and thick lips with well-developed papillae) that can be observed in other genera of loricariids with restricted distribution: Andeancistrus Lujan, Meza-Vargas & Barriga Salazar 2015, Cordylancistrus Isbrücker 1980, Chaetostoma Tschudi 1846, Dolichancistrus Isbrücker 1980, Fonchiiloricaria Rodriguez, Ortega & Covain 2011, and Transancistrus Lujan, Meza-Vargas & Barriga Salazar 2015. In the genus Rineloricaria the size of the mouth, papillae, and distribution range may vary significantly (Fricke et al., 2022; van der Sleen & Albert, 2017). This is evident in some cis- and trans-Andean species, where head shape, mouth size (length/width), maxillary barbels, labial papillae, and fringes on its edge are varied and may reflect adaptations to their environment (Figure 6a–i). The species that inhabit either the rocky rapids of the Paraná sedimentary basin (Costa-Silva et al., 2021) or in drainages of the Guiana Shield in the rapids of the Vaupés-Negro River (Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008), including R. cachivera n. sp., R. jurupari and R. daraha, have wide and high mouths, with thick lips and well-developed papillae that may explain their rheophilic nature (Figure 6a–c), compared to species with a smaller mouth, and which have greater environmental plasticity and distribution (Figure 6d–f,i). Rapids, in addition to promoting endemism and morphological specialization of fish, limit gene flow (Lima et al., 2005; Lujan & Conway, 2015; Torrente-Vilara et al., 2011). The species adapted to these environments have restricted distributions (Bressman et al., 2020) such as R. jurupari that lives in the headwaters of the Vaupes, that is, in the Itilla and Unilla rivers (Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018). In the middle part, R. cachivera n. sp. seems to be exclusive to the rapids of the Vaupés River, and from its type locality we recorded it to occur ~138 km upstream in the same type of environments (Figure 3). Another endemic species is R. daraha; although with a greater distribution in the basin (>700 km), it has only been recorded in rheophilic environments, that is, in the Cachiveras-Cachoeiras of the Vaupés River in Brazil and Colombia (Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016; Rapp Py-Daniel & Fichberg, 2008). In the Amazon basin, areas of endemism have been identified (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Darwall, et al., 2020b) as basic units of analysis in historical biogeography (Morrone, 2014) and useful in conservation biology (Löwenberg-Neto & de Carvalho, 2004). The Vaupés-Negro basin, in addition to being diverse in fish, exhibits a high degree of endemism (Jézéquel, Tedesco, Darwall, et al., 2020b); consequently, identifying new species (e.g., R. jurupari and R. cachivera n. sp.) or ecosystems (e.g., Raudales-Cachiveras-Cachoeiras) as “possible” conservation targets has proven to be an effective tool for the implementation of comprehensive conservation strategies in the Amazon Colombian (Portocarrero-Aya & Cowx, 2016).
FIGURE 6
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Shape of the head, size of the mouth (length/width), maxillary barbels, labial papillae, and fringes on its edge in some Rineloricaria species. Amazon basin: (a) Rineloricaria cachivera n. sp., 114.5 mm standard length (LS) (paratype: MPUJ 14375); (b) Rineloricaria jurupari, 87.2 mm LS (holotype: MPUJ12520); (c) Rineloricaria daraha, 170 mm LS (CZUT-IC 3621); (d) Rineloricaria castroi, 109 mm LS (MPUJ 14147); Orinoco basin: (e) Rineloricaria eigenmanni, 91.7 mm LS (MPUJ 13281); (f) Rineloricaria formosa, 127.4 mm LS (MPUJ 3249); (g) Rineloricaria sp., “Orinoco,” 89.1 mm LS (MPUJ 2908); (h) Pacific and Caribbean basins: Rineloricaria jubata, 78.2 mm LS (MPUJ 11151); (i) Magdalena-Cauca and Caribbean basin: Rineloricaria magdalenae, 94.5 mm LS (MPUJ 7940). The line = 10 mm.The known diversity of Rineloricaria is growing fast, and with 71 valid species, this diversity is likely to increase. Currently, there are 11 valid species reported for Colombia, with 5 species present in the Colombian Amazon: R. castroi, R. daraha, R. phoxocephala, R. lanceolata, and R. jurupari (DoNascimiento et al., 2022), R. cachivera n. sp. being the sixth valid species recorded for the region. Of those species, one was recently recorded for Colombia (R. daraha by Bogotá-Gregory et al., 2016), and another was recently described (R. jurupari, by Londoño-Burbano & Urbano-Bonilla, 2018), summing up the species described here, that is three species recorded in less than 10 years for the same basin (i.e., Vaupés River). Furthermore, R. lanceolata is a species currently recognized as widespread along the Amazonas River basin (including the upper, middle, and lower portions of the basin, in localities of Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru); however, from this wide distribution, a cryptic component could be present in the species. It is important to address such issues within the species as it is likely to result in several cryptic, undescribed species, and to delimit R. lanceolata to a more restricted distribution, with a better delimitation of the species (both morphological and molecular), and to understand and better describe the already great richness of Rineloricaria. This single example shows how complex the genus can be (the most diverse within Loricariinae) and adds a new component to tackle when studying its species, and the possibility of the presence of cryptic species, not only in R. lanceolata, but also for other species considered as widespread.
The description of R. cachivera n. sp. as the fourth species distributed in the Vaupés River reveals the underestimation of the diversity of Rineloricaria, which is already high as mentioned earlier. A revisionary study of the genus, delimiting the poorly characterized type species of the genus, R. lima, examination of type series and topotypic material of all valid species, and inclusion of both morphological and molecular evidence, is needed.
5 SPECIMENS EXAMINEDAll the material was examined in Londoño-Burbano and Urbano-Bonilla (2018).
6 ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED6.1 Rineloricaria darahaCZUT-IC 3620, Vaupés, Mpio. Yavarate, Río Papuri, comunidad de Piracuara, 0° 4′ 0″ N, 69° 33′ 28″ W; CZUT-IC 3621, Colombia, Vaupés, Mpio. Yavarate, Río Papuri, comunidad de Piracuara, 0° 4′ 11″ N, 69° 28′ 16″ W; CZUT-IC 4954, Colombia, Vaupés, Mitú, Isla Roca, 1° 11′ 29″ N, 70° 17′ 19″ W.
6.2 Rineloricaria eigenmanniMPUJ, 3281, 6, Colombia, Vichada, Puerto Carreño, Isla Santa helena, Río Orinoco, 5° 59′ 42″ N, 67° 25′ 34″ W, 17/04/2007. Col. González J.
6.3 Rineloricaria formosaZSM 25821, paratypes, 2alc, Venezuela, Orinoco River basin, Atabapo River near San Fernando 4° 03′ 0.00″ N, 67° 42′ 0.00″ W, 05/02/1973. Col: H.J. Köpcke & M. Jeschke. MPUJ 3249, 2, Colombia, Vichada, Puerto Carreño, Brazuelo Río Bita, directo al Orinoco, 6° 10′ 46″ N, 67° 38′ 0.15″ W, 10/10/2007. Col. González J.
6.4 Rineloricaria jubataBMNH 1902.5.27.45, lectotype of Loricaria jubata, Ecuador, Durango. BMNH 1901.3.29.74–76, paralectotypes, 3alc, same data as lectotype. MPUJ 11152, 1, Colombia, Valle del Cauca, Buenaventura, Corregimiento de Sabaletas, confluencia del rio Sabaletas con Río Anchicaya, 3° 44′ 23.1″ N, 76° 58′ 0.00″ W, 12/10/2014. Jorge E. García-Melo.
6.5 Rineloricaria lanceolataBMNH 1867.6.13.79, holotype of Loricaria lanceolata, Peru, Xeberos. MZUSP 81422, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81379, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Onça stream, Onça Igarapé community, 0° 13′ 52″ N, 69° 51′ 4,9″ W; MZUSP 81439, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Caruru community, corridor above Caruru waterfall, 0° 16′ 29″ N, 69° 54′ 54″ W.
6.6 Rineloricaria magdalenaeNMW 45080, lectotype of Loricaria magdalenae, Colombia, Magdalena River basin; NMW 45800, paralectotypes, 6alc, same data as lectotype. MPUJ 7940, 3, Colombia, Antioquia, El Bagre, Quebrada El Guamo, 7° 54′ 48″ N, 74° 46′ 440″ W, 31/05/2015. Col. Jhon E. Zamudio.
Rineloricaria sp. “Orinoco”
MPUJ 2908, 3, Colombia, Meta, San Martin, Caño Camoa, 3° 39′ 47″ N, 76° 36′ 33″ W, 26/08/2017. Col. Saúl Prada-Pedreros.
6.7 Rineloricaria sp.MZUSP 64690, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, 0° 15′ 41″ N, 69° 57′ 23″ W; MZUSP 66145, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, tributary of Tiquié River, near São Pedro community (opposite margin), 0° 15′ 41″ N, 69° 57′ 23″ W; MZUSP 81159, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, between Caruru and Boca de Sal communities, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 54′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81240, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near former São Pedro community; MZUSP 81345, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, Umari Norte stream, from Caruru to Cachoeira da Abelha waterfall, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81417, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, Açaí stream, near São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 0″ N, 69° 58′ 0″ W; MZUSP 81501, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, São Pedro community, 0° 16′ 4″ N, 69° 58′ 21″ W; MZUSP 85099, Brazil, Amazonas, Negro River basin, Tiquié River, lower portion of Supiã stream, below Comprida waterfall, 0° 15′ N, 70° 01′ W; ZSM 27058, 4alc, Brazil, Pará, Guamá River near Ourem, Atlantic slope, 10/1988. Col: R. Stawikowski & U. Schliewen.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONSInitial study design, specimen collection, and processing (A.U.B.). All authors participated equally in collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in the preparation of the manuscript.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWe want to thank the support of several people from the communities of the region: William González-Torres and Arturo Hernández (Trubón community, Cubeo ethnic group), Emilio Marquez and Anderson Marquez (Villa Fátima community, Guanano ethnic group); Adelmo Santa Cruz (Nana community, Guanano ethnic group); Jaider Ramírez-Samaniego (Macucú community, Desano ethnic group), Julio V. Vélez and Silvio Vélez (Matapi community, Desano ethnic group). To Alejandro Campuzano (Fundación Conservando), Luis F. Jaramillo-Hurtado (SINCHI), and Mariana A. Moscoso (Ictiología y Cultura) for their technical support. Sandra Bibiana Correa (Mississippi State University) for her technical support and for providing data on the physicochemical aspects of water. A.U.-B. thanks the Catalog of the Fishes of Colombia, grant BID-CA2020-030-USE by GBIF, for allowing visits to some museums in the country and especially thanks curators or administrators for their unconditional support: Carlos A. García-Alzate (UARC-IC), Francisco A. Villa-Navarro (CZUT), Lauren Raz, Henry Agudelo-Zamora (ICN-MHN), Saúl Prada-Pedreros (MPUJ), Fernando Sarmiento Parra, and Julieth Stella Cárdenas Hincapié (MLS). A.L.-B. thanks James Maclaine (BMNH), Anja Palandačić (NMW), Ulrich Schliewen, Robin Böhmer, and Patricia Schulze (ZSM) for hospitality and assistance during visits to collections under their care, and Marcelo R. Britto (MNRJ) for technical and logistic support at MNRJ, where the manuscript was partially completed. Thanks to Omar Melo for help with the photographs of the holotype; Camila Castellanos, for the photo of R. daraha (Figure 6c); and Jorge García-Melo for taking photographs of live specimens in the field. Please visit the visual catalog of Colombian fish “https://cavfish.unibague.edu.co/”. Financial support was given by Pontificia Universidad Javeriana with the “Carta Encíclica Laudato Si” grant in the project entitled “Ictiología y Cultura: Aproximación biológica y cultural a los datos obtenidos en la expedición en las cachiveras del río Vaupés” (#20112). A.L.-B. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from FAPERJ Pós-Doutorado Nota 10 (05/2019 - E-
26/202.356/2019).
==========================
Oreonectes damingshanensis • A New Species of Stream Fish (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae) from Guangxi, Southwest China
Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou,
in Yu, Luo, Lan, Zhou, Deng, Xiao et Zhou. 2023.
Damingshan Mountains Loach | 大明山岭鳅 || DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1180.104645
Abstract
In this work, a new species of the genus Oreonectes is described, named Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov., collected from the Damingshan Mountains of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Phylogenetic trees constructed based on the mitochondrial Cyt b showed that the new species represents an independent evolutionary lineage, with uncorrected genetic distances (p-distance) from congeners ranging from 6.1% to 8.9%. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from five other species of the genus by a combination of characters. The discovery of this new species raises the number of known species of Oreonectes from five to six. Our study suggests that O. platycephalus may be a complex containing multiple species and that previously recorded areas need to be further delimited and reevaluated.
Key words: Morphology, new species, Oreonectes platycephalus complex, phylogeny, taxonomy
Live paratype of Oreonectes damingshanensis sp. nov.
Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov.
Oreonectes platycephalus (Günther, 1868): Wang 2022 (Guangxi, China); Luo et al. 2023 (Damingshan Mountains, Shanglin County, Guangxi, China).
Diagnosis: Oreonectes damingshanensis sp. nov. is assigned to the genus Oreonectes based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and the following characteristics, which are diagnostic for this genus: (1) anterior and posterior nostrils narrowly separated; (2) lips smooth, with furrows; (3) barbel-like elongation of anterior nostrils longer than depth of nostril tube; and (4) caudal fin rounded, dorsal fin with 6 or 7 branched rays (Du et al. 2023).
Etymology: The species epithet damingshanensis refers to the type locality, located within the Damingshan Mountains, Guangxi, China. The suggested English name is the Damingshan Mountains loach, and the Chinese name is Dà Míng Shān Lıˇng Qiū (大明山岭鳅).
Jing Yu, Tao Luo, Chang-Ting Lan, Jia-Jun Zhou, Huai-Qing Deng, Ning Xiao and Jiang Zhou. 2023. Oreonectes damingshanensis (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae), A New Species of Stream Fish from Guangxi, Southwest China. ZooKeys. 1180: 81-104. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1180.104645
==========================
Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou,
in Yu, Luo, Lan, Zhou, Deng, Xiao et Zhou. 2023.
Damingshan Mountains Loach | 大明山岭鳅 || DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1180.104645
Abstract
In this work, a new species of the genus Oreonectes is described, named Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov., collected from the Damingshan Mountains of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Phylogenetic trees constructed based on the mitochondrial Cyt b showed that the new species represents an independent evolutionary lineage, with uncorrected genetic distances (p-distance) from congeners ranging from 6.1% to 8.9%. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from five other species of the genus by a combination of characters. The discovery of this new species raises the number of known species of Oreonectes from five to six. Our study suggests that O. platycephalus may be a complex containing multiple species and that previously recorded areas need to be further delimited and reevaluated.
Key words: Morphology, new species, Oreonectes platycephalus complex, phylogeny, taxonomy
Live paratype of Oreonectes damingshanensis sp. nov.
Oreonectes damingshanensis Yu, Luo, Lan, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov.
Oreonectes platycephalus (Günther, 1868): Wang 2022 (Guangxi, China); Luo et al. 2023 (Damingshan Mountains, Shanglin County, Guangxi, China).
Diagnosis: Oreonectes damingshanensis sp. nov. is assigned to the genus Oreonectes based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and the following characteristics, which are diagnostic for this genus: (1) anterior and posterior nostrils narrowly separated; (2) lips smooth, with furrows; (3) barbel-like elongation of anterior nostrils longer than depth of nostril tube; and (4) caudal fin rounded, dorsal fin with 6 or 7 branched rays (Du et al. 2023).
Etymology: The species epithet damingshanensis refers to the type locality, located within the Damingshan Mountains, Guangxi, China. The suggested English name is the Damingshan Mountains loach, and the Chinese name is Dà Míng Shān Lıˇng Qiū (大明山岭鳅).
Jing Yu, Tao Luo, Chang-Ting Lan, Jia-Jun Zhou, Huai-Qing Deng, Ning Xiao and Jiang Zhou. 2023. Oreonectes damingshanensis (Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae), A New Species of Stream Fish from Guangxi, Southwest China. ZooKeys. 1180: 81-104. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1180.104645
==========================
Paracheilinus amanda • Review of Australian Species of Paracheilinus Fourmanoir (Teleostei: Labridae), with Description of A New Species from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea
(A1-A2) Paracheilinus amanda, new species;
(B) P. carpenteri, (C) P. flavianalis,
(D) P. mccoskeri, (E) P. rubricaudalis.
in Tea & Walsh. 2023.
DOI: 10.1643/i2023019
twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Photographs by H. H. Tan (A1); T. Yamazumi (A2); T. Cameron (B); V. Chalias (C); T. Kawamoto (D); and N. DeLoach (E).
Abstract
Australian species of the cirrhilabrin labrid genus Paracheilinus are reviewed. Four species of Paracheilinus are reported from Australian waters: P. amanda, new species, from Flora, Holmes, and Osprey Reefs, Coral Sea, off northeast Queensland, and Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef; P. filamentosus from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef; P. flavianalis from Evans and Flinders Shoals, Timor Sea, off northeast Darwin, Northern Territory, and Ashmore, Scott, Seringapatam, and Hibernia Reefs in the north-western shelf of Western Australia; and P. nursalim from Flinders Shoal, Timor Sea, off northern Darwin, Northern Territory. Paracheilinus amanda, new species, has previously been confused for P. rubricaudalis from Melanesia, but molecular analysis of mitochondrial COI recovers both species as reciprocally monophyletic lineages, differing from each other by 1–1.2% in genetic distance. They further differ in aspects of live coloration of terminal phase (TP) males. Both species are allopatric and do not overlap in distribution. The new species is described on the basis of six specimens: the holotype and two paratypes from Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef, one paratype from Flora Reef, Coral Sea, and from two paratypes collected off Hula in southern Papua New Guinea, along the north-western margin of the Coral Sea. The discovery of P. nursalim in Australia represents a new and significant range extension from previous locality records of West Papua and Ambon Bay. Paracheilinus is rediagnosed, and keys, diagnoses, photographs, and Australian distribution records are presented for all species herein.
Paracheilinus amanda, new species, aquarium specimen from Harrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef. Specimen not retained. Photograph by K. Endoh.
A selection of Paracheilinus in life.
(A1) Paracheilinus amanda, new species, ZRC 64175, male paratype, 47.6 mm SL, off Hula, southern Papua New Guinea, Coral Sea; (A2) P. amanda, new species, underwater photograph from Osprey Reef, Coral Sea;
(B) P. carpenteri, underwater photograph from Mabini, Batangas, Philippines. Note the darkened posterior dorsal- and caudal-fin bases and the presence of a second stripe behind the pectoral fin; (C) P. flavianalis, underwater photograph from Bali, Indonesia;
(D) P. mccoskeri, underwater photograph from Khao Lak, Thailand; (E) P. rubricaudalis, underwater photograph from Mborokua, Solomon Islands. Note the reduced markings on caudal fin.
Photographs by H. H. Tan (A1); T. Yamazumi (A2); T. Cameron (B); V. Chalias (C); T. Kawamoto (D); and N. DeLoach (E).
Paracheilinus filamentosus, images of live and preserved specimens.
(A) Male in resting colors, underwater photograph from Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; (B) flashing male in nuptial colors, underwater photograph from Nggatokae, western Solomon Islands; (C) flashing male in nuptial colors, underwater photograph from the Solomon Islands; (D) AMS I.17479-001, 51.7 mm SL, male paratype, Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Note purple spines and rays in preservation; (E) harem comprising one TP male (middle) and several females and immature males, underwater photograph from Lovukol, central Solomon Islands.
Photographs by M. Rosenstein (A–C, E) and Y. K. Tea (D).
Select individuals of Paracheilinus flavianalis demonstrating variability in the number of dorsal-fin filaments, coloration of anal fin, and spot band pattern on the anal fin.
(A) Underwater photograph from Triton Bay, Indonesia; (B) underwater photograph from Wakatobi, Sulawesi, Indonesia; (C–D) underwater photographs from Bali, Indonesia.
Photographs by R. Smith (A); J. Castellano (B); W. Osborn (C); and R. H. Kuiter (D).
Yi-Kai Tea and Fenton Walsh. 2023. Review of Australian Species of Paracheilinus Fourmanoir (Teleostei: Labridae), with Description of A New Species from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(3); 397-415. DOI: 10.1643/i2023019
twitter.com/FishGuyKai/status/1702273836182602205
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1702346910223204656
==========================
(A1-A2) Paracheilinus amanda, new species;
(B) P. carpenteri, (C) P. flavianalis,
(D) P. mccoskeri, (E) P. rubricaudalis.
in Tea & Walsh. 2023.
DOI: 10.1643/i2023019
twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Photographs by H. H. Tan (A1); T. Yamazumi (A2); T. Cameron (B); V. Chalias (C); T. Kawamoto (D); and N. DeLoach (E).
Abstract
Australian species of the cirrhilabrin labrid genus Paracheilinus are reviewed. Four species of Paracheilinus are reported from Australian waters: P. amanda, new species, from Flora, Holmes, and Osprey Reefs, Coral Sea, off northeast Queensland, and Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef; P. filamentosus from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef; P. flavianalis from Evans and Flinders Shoals, Timor Sea, off northeast Darwin, Northern Territory, and Ashmore, Scott, Seringapatam, and Hibernia Reefs in the north-western shelf of Western Australia; and P. nursalim from Flinders Shoal, Timor Sea, off northern Darwin, Northern Territory. Paracheilinus amanda, new species, has previously been confused for P. rubricaudalis from Melanesia, but molecular analysis of mitochondrial COI recovers both species as reciprocally monophyletic lineages, differing from each other by 1–1.2% in genetic distance. They further differ in aspects of live coloration of terminal phase (TP) males. Both species are allopatric and do not overlap in distribution. The new species is described on the basis of six specimens: the holotype and two paratypes from Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef, one paratype from Flora Reef, Coral Sea, and from two paratypes collected off Hula in southern Papua New Guinea, along the north-western margin of the Coral Sea. The discovery of P. nursalim in Australia represents a new and significant range extension from previous locality records of West Papua and Ambon Bay. Paracheilinus is rediagnosed, and keys, diagnoses, photographs, and Australian distribution records are presented for all species herein.
Paracheilinus amanda, new species, aquarium specimen from Harrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef. Specimen not retained. Photograph by K. Endoh.
A selection of Paracheilinus in life.
(A1) Paracheilinus amanda, new species, ZRC 64175, male paratype, 47.6 mm SL, off Hula, southern Papua New Guinea, Coral Sea; (A2) P. amanda, new species, underwater photograph from Osprey Reef, Coral Sea;
(B) P. carpenteri, underwater photograph from Mabini, Batangas, Philippines. Note the darkened posterior dorsal- and caudal-fin bases and the presence of a second stripe behind the pectoral fin; (C) P. flavianalis, underwater photograph from Bali, Indonesia;
(D) P. mccoskeri, underwater photograph from Khao Lak, Thailand; (E) P. rubricaudalis, underwater photograph from Mborokua, Solomon Islands. Note the reduced markings on caudal fin.
Photographs by H. H. Tan (A1); T. Yamazumi (A2); T. Cameron (B); V. Chalias (C); T. Kawamoto (D); and N. DeLoach (E).
Paracheilinus filamentosus, images of live and preserved specimens.
(A) Male in resting colors, underwater photograph from Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; (B) flashing male in nuptial colors, underwater photograph from Nggatokae, western Solomon Islands; (C) flashing male in nuptial colors, underwater photograph from the Solomon Islands; (D) AMS I.17479-001, 51.7 mm SL, male paratype, Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Note purple spines and rays in preservation; (E) harem comprising one TP male (middle) and several females and immature males, underwater photograph from Lovukol, central Solomon Islands.
Photographs by M. Rosenstein (A–C, E) and Y. K. Tea (D).
Select individuals of Paracheilinus flavianalis demonstrating variability in the number of dorsal-fin filaments, coloration of anal fin, and spot band pattern on the anal fin.
(A) Underwater photograph from Triton Bay, Indonesia; (B) underwater photograph from Wakatobi, Sulawesi, Indonesia; (C–D) underwater photographs from Bali, Indonesia.
Photographs by R. Smith (A); J. Castellano (B); W. Osborn (C); and R. H. Kuiter (D).
Yi-Kai Tea and Fenton Walsh. 2023. Review of Australian Species of Paracheilinus Fourmanoir (Teleostei: Labridae), with Description of A New Species from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(3); 397-415. DOI: 10.1643/i2023019
twitter.com/FishGuyKai/status/1702273836182602205
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1702346910223204656
==========================
Opistognathus ctenion • A New Jawfish (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) from southern Japan
Opistognathus ctenion
Fujiwara, Motomura & Shinohara, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1179.109813
Abstract
Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov. (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) is described on the basis of three specimens (17.3–30.6 mm in standard length) collected from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m. Although most similar to Opistognathus triops, recently described from Tonga and Vanuatu, the new species differs in mandibular pore arrangement, dorsal- and caudal-fin coloration, fewer gill rakers, and lacks blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region and both jaws.
Key words: Actinopterygii, dredge, new species, Osumi Islands, Ryukyu Islands, taxonomy
Opistognathus ctenion Fresh coloration of two paratypes
A, C KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL; B, D KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL
A, B lateral views; C, D dorsal views.
photographed by KAUM
Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov.
New English name: Japanese White spotted Jawfish
New standard Japanese name: Shiratama-agoamadai
Diagnosis: A species of Opistognathus distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anterior dorsal-fin spines very stout and straight, and their distal ends not transversely forked; anal-fin rays II, 17; gill rakers 6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions usually included 2 and 6–7 pores, respectively; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; body reddish-brown with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches; cheek and opercle with five or six whitish blotches; snout, suborbital region, and both jaws without blotches or stripes; spinous dorsal fin with ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines; dorsal-fin soft-rayed portion with two reddish-orange stripes; pectoral-fin base with one or two whitish blotches; caudal fin uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek diminutive κτενίον, meaning “a small comb”. It refers to the low gill raker numbers in the new species, one of the lowest recorded for Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus (see below).
Distributional records of Opistognathus ctenion.
Kyoji Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Motomura and Gento Shinohara. 2023. Opistognathus ctenion (Perciformes, Opistognathidae): A New Jawfish from southern Japan. ZooKeys. 1179: 353-364. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1179.109813
==========================
Opistognathus ctenion
Fujiwara, Motomura & Shinohara, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1179.109813
Abstract
Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov. (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) is described on the basis of three specimens (17.3–30.6 mm in standard length) collected from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35–57 m. Although most similar to Opistognathus triops, recently described from Tonga and Vanuatu, the new species differs in mandibular pore arrangement, dorsal- and caudal-fin coloration, fewer gill rakers, and lacks blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region and both jaws.
Key words: Actinopterygii, dredge, new species, Osumi Islands, Ryukyu Islands, taxonomy
Opistognathus ctenion Fresh coloration of two paratypes
A, C KAUM–I. 174226, 30.6 mm SL; B, D KAUM–I. 174227, 26.2 mm SL
A, B lateral views; C, D dorsal views.
photographed by KAUM
Opistognathus ctenion sp. nov.
New English name: Japanese White spotted Jawfish
New standard Japanese name: Shiratama-agoamadai
Diagnosis: A species of Opistognathus distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; dorsal-fin rays XI, 16–18; anterior dorsal-fin spines very stout and straight, and their distal ends not transversely forked; anal-fin rays II, 17; gill rakers 6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40–50; lateral line terminating below 4th–6th soft ray of dorsal fin; 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions usually included 2 and 6–7 pores, respectively; body scales absent anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; body reddish-brown with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8–10 whitish blotches; cheek and opercle with five or six whitish blotches; snout, suborbital region, and both jaws without blotches or stripes; spinous dorsal fin with ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines; dorsal-fin soft-rayed portion with two reddish-orange stripes; pectoral-fin base with one or two whitish blotches; caudal fin uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow.
Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek diminutive κτενίον, meaning “a small comb”. It refers to the low gill raker numbers in the new species, one of the lowest recorded for Indo-Pacific species of Opistognathus (see below).
Distributional records of Opistognathus ctenion.
Kyoji Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Motomura and Gento Shinohara. 2023. Opistognathus ctenion (Perciformes, Opistognathidae): A New Jawfish from southern Japan. ZooKeys. 1179: 353-364. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1179.109813
==========================
Generic reassignment of Centropristis fuscula Poey, 1861 (Teleostei: Serranidae), with re-description of the species and comments on its geographical range and sexual system
full papaer at:- www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5346.1.3
==========================
- ALFREDO CARVALHO-FILHO+
- CAROLE C. BALDWIN+
- LUCIANO G. FISCHER+
- D. ROSS ROBERTSON+
- ATHILA BERTONCINI+
- LUCAS CANES GARCIA+
- JODIR PEREIRA DA SILVA+
- CLAUDIO L. S. SAMPAIO+
full papaer at:- www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5346.1.3
==========================
New species of Farlowella (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Tapajós basin, Pará, BrazilManuela Dopazo1 , Wolmar B. Wosiacki2 and Marcelo R. Britto1
PDF: EN XML: EN | Cite this article
Abstract
A new species of stick-catfish Farlowella is described from streams of the lower rio Tapajós drainage, in Pará State, northern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by a naked gular region (vs. gular region with plates) and from most congeners by the presence of five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). The new species shows variation in the series of abdominal plates and a discussion on the variation of abdominal plates within Farlowella is made and comments on synapomorphic characters in Farlowellini.
Keywords: Amazon, Armored catfish, Biodiversity,Loricariinae,Taxonomy.
Introduction
The genus Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al. (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
Full paper @ ni.bio.br/v21n1/
==========================
PDF: EN XML: EN | Cite this article
Abstract
A new species of stick-catfish Farlowella is described from streams of the lower rio Tapajós drainage, in Pará State, northern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by a naked gular region (vs. gular region with plates) and from most congeners by the presence of five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). The new species shows variation in the series of abdominal plates and a discussion on the variation of abdominal plates within Farlowella is made and comments on synapomorphic characters in Farlowellini.
Keywords: Amazon, Armored catfish, Biodiversity,Loricariinae,Taxonomy.
Introduction
The genus Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al. (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
Full paper @ ni.bio.br/v21n1/
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Iniistius bakunawa • A New Species of Razor Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Philippines and Western Australia
Iniistius bakunawa
Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola, 2023
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71
Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse || twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Abstract.
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, is described on the basis of nine specimens consisting of the holotype and six paratypes collected from fish markets in the islands of Panay, Cebu, Bohol, and Jolo in the Philippines, and two paratypes from the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. The new species is distinctive in having a pale yellowish to jade green body with a large concentric black and white ellipsoid ocellus on the posteriormost edge of its dorsal fin. Aside from live colouration details, the new species is readily diagnosed from congeners in having the following combination of characters: 7 horizontal rows of scales on cheek; gill rakers 4–6 + 8–11 = 12–17; gill rakers short, bearing teeth; and tubed lateral line scales 23–26. Assignment of the new species to the genus Iniistius is accompanied with a brief discussion of the currently inadequate diagnosis of the genus from Xyrichtys.
Key words. coral reefs, fish markets, Labridae, Novaculini, taxonomy, systematics
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, KAUM-I. 80684, paratype, 172.0 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines. Freshly dead specimen showing colouration in life
Photograph by H. Motomura
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, A–C, freshly dead specimens showing colouration in life; and D–F, X-rays.
A, USNM 435404, paratype, 162.4 mm SL, Cebu Island, Philippines; B, USNM 437745, paratype, 155.1 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines; C, USNM 437747, paratype, 158.8 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines;
D, CSIRO H 1488-1, paratype, 129.8 mm SL, off northwest Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia; E, CSIRO H 1506-1, paratype, 144.5 mm SL, off northern Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia; F, KAUM-I. 80684, paratype, 172.0 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines.
Photographs by J.T. Williams. X-rays provided by K. Parkinson.
Iniistius bakunawa, new species
Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse
Iniistius sp. (Fukui, 2017): 184 (colour photograph of specimen from Panay Island, Philippines [reproduced here in Fig. 1A; KAUM-I. 80684]).
Diagnosis. A species of Iniistius distinct from all congeners based on the following combination of characters and live colouration details: 7 horizontal rows of scales on cheek; gill rakers 4–6 + 8–11 = 12–17; gill rakers short, bearing teeth; pored lateral line scales 19–20 + 4–6 = 23–26; 2 scales dorsoanteriorly on opercle; body yellowish to jade green; posteriormost dorsal fin with a large black centred white ellipsoid ocellus.
Etymology. The specific epithet is given after Bakunawa, a serpentine or draconic figure in Visayan mythology believed to be responsible for causing an eclipse by devouring the moon. The common name is given after the black centred white ellipsoidal ocellus on the posterior dorsal fin. The name bakunawa is treated as a noun in apposition.
Species of Iniistius are known by a variety of common names, including razor wrasse, cleaver wrasse, and razorfish. The first two names are sometimes used for other novaculin species in the genera Novaculops and Xyrichtys, whereas razorfish is sometimes used for Centriscus and Aeoliscus (Sygnathiformes; Centriscidae; also known as shrimpfish). To maintain consistent terminology with other members of the Novaculini and to avoid confusion with the Centriscidae, we recommend razor wrasse as the preferred common name when referring to species in the genus Iniistius.
Kent Elson S. Sorgon, Yi-Kai Tea, Jasmin C. Meren and Cleto L. Nañola Jr. 2023. Iniistius bakunawa, A New Species of Razor Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Philippines and Western Australia. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71; 511–519.
twitter.com/FishGuyKai/status/1698616150752727488
==========================
Iniistius bakunawa
Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola, 2023
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71
Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse || twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Abstract.
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, is described on the basis of nine specimens consisting of the holotype and six paratypes collected from fish markets in the islands of Panay, Cebu, Bohol, and Jolo in the Philippines, and two paratypes from the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. The new species is distinctive in having a pale yellowish to jade green body with a large concentric black and white ellipsoid ocellus on the posteriormost edge of its dorsal fin. Aside from live colouration details, the new species is readily diagnosed from congeners in having the following combination of characters: 7 horizontal rows of scales on cheek; gill rakers 4–6 + 8–11 = 12–17; gill rakers short, bearing teeth; and tubed lateral line scales 23–26. Assignment of the new species to the genus Iniistius is accompanied with a brief discussion of the currently inadequate diagnosis of the genus from Xyrichtys.
Key words. coral reefs, fish markets, Labridae, Novaculini, taxonomy, systematics
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, KAUM-I. 80684, paratype, 172.0 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines. Freshly dead specimen showing colouration in life
Photograph by H. Motomura
Iniistius bakunawa, new species, A–C, freshly dead specimens showing colouration in life; and D–F, X-rays.
A, USNM 435404, paratype, 162.4 mm SL, Cebu Island, Philippines; B, USNM 437745, paratype, 155.1 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines; C, USNM 437747, paratype, 158.8 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines;
D, CSIRO H 1488-1, paratype, 129.8 mm SL, off northwest Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia; E, CSIRO H 1506-1, paratype, 144.5 mm SL, off northern Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia; F, KAUM-I. 80684, paratype, 172.0 mm SL, Panay Island, Philippines.
Photographs by J.T. Williams. X-rays provided by K. Parkinson.
Iniistius bakunawa, new species
Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse
Iniistius sp. (Fukui, 2017): 184 (colour photograph of specimen from Panay Island, Philippines [reproduced here in Fig. 1A; KAUM-I. 80684]).
Diagnosis. A species of Iniistius distinct from all congeners based on the following combination of characters and live colouration details: 7 horizontal rows of scales on cheek; gill rakers 4–6 + 8–11 = 12–17; gill rakers short, bearing teeth; pored lateral line scales 19–20 + 4–6 = 23–26; 2 scales dorsoanteriorly on opercle; body yellowish to jade green; posteriormost dorsal fin with a large black centred white ellipsoid ocellus.
Etymology. The specific epithet is given after Bakunawa, a serpentine or draconic figure in Visayan mythology believed to be responsible for causing an eclipse by devouring the moon. The common name is given after the black centred white ellipsoidal ocellus on the posterior dorsal fin. The name bakunawa is treated as a noun in apposition.
Species of Iniistius are known by a variety of common names, including razor wrasse, cleaver wrasse, and razorfish. The first two names are sometimes used for other novaculin species in the genera Novaculops and Xyrichtys, whereas razorfish is sometimes used for Centriscus and Aeoliscus (Sygnathiformes; Centriscidae; also known as shrimpfish). To maintain consistent terminology with other members of the Novaculini and to avoid confusion with the Centriscidae, we recommend razor wrasse as the preferred common name when referring to species in the genus Iniistius.
Kent Elson S. Sorgon, Yi-Kai Tea, Jasmin C. Meren and Cleto L. Nañola Jr. 2023. Iniistius bakunawa, A New Species of Razor Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Philippines and Western Australia. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71; 511–519.
twitter.com/FishGuyKai/status/1698616150752727488
==========================
Callogobius williamsi, a new species of goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Marquesas Islands, with notes on the status of all nominal Callogobius speciesPISCESGOBIIFORMESFRENCH POLYNESIATYPE SPECIMENSTAXONOMYSYSTEMATICSAbstractCallogobius williamsi new species is described from the 32.9 mm SL holotype and 29 paratypes (6.9–32.5 mm SL) from the Marquesas Islands, South Pacific Ocean. Callogobius williamsi is distinguished from all other known Callogobius species by the following combination of characters: scales mostly cycloid, ctenoid scales, if present, restricted to the mid-lateral caudal peduncle, 23–26 (mode 25) scales in lateral series, preopercular papillae row (Row 20) absent, and the interorbital canal with pores B′, D, and F′ present. Callogobius williamsi belongs to a group of 23 nominal species (the hasseltii group) that are hypothesized to be monophyletic based on the shared presence of narrow and closely spaced dorsal processes of the cleithrum and an elongate caudal fin (greater than head length in specimens over 20 mm SL). Following the species description is a discussion of the status of all nominal species of Callogobius including a table that provides provisional status for all species correctly assigned to the genus.
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Betta andrei • A New Species of Black Water Fighting Fish (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) from Singkep Island, Riau Islands, Indonesia
Betta andrei
Tan, 2023
a, B. waseri, d, B. spilotogena and j, B. andrei.
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71
Abstract
A new species of Betta from the B. waseri group is described based on a single specimen from Singkep Island. It appears to be closely allied to B. spilotogena. Betta andrei, new species, differs from B. spilotogena in having a different throat pattern, comprised of a black lower jaw, continuous with a large pitcher-like pattern on throat, ending with a protruding segment on buccal membrane (vs. isolated teardrop shaped black mark on throat); opercle uniform brown with dark brown spots along posterior margin; faint black transverse bars on the dorsal- and caudal-fin interradial membranes; absence of a dark distal border on anal fin.
Keywords. Betta, new species, Indonesia, peat swamp, biodiversity
Betta andrei, ZRC 64279, 50.7 mm SL:
topmost – live fish; second from top – freshly preserved fish with white background; third from top – freshly preserved fish with black background; bottom – radiograph.
Composite of head region of Betta andrei (ZRC 64279, 50.7 mm SL),
showing oblique (top) and ventral (bottom) views.
Betta andrei, new species
Diagnosis. Betta andrei can be distinguished from other members of the B. waseri group in having the following combination of characters: black lower jaw, continuous with large black pitcher-shaped mark on throat, ending with a protrusion on buccal membrane (see Figs. 2–3); opercle uniform brown with dark brown mottling along posterior margin, operculum without lower distal margin black; faint black transverse bars on the dorsal and caudal fin interradial membranes; absence of a dark distal border on anal fin.
Etymology. This species is named for Andre Chandra, an intrepid fish collector and enthusiast, who rendered much assistance to the author in procuring specimens and information; fishy discussions and good meals. A noun in the genitive.
Stream in which the holotype of Betta andrei was collected (Photograph: Andre Chandra).
Schematic diagrams of throat pattern of the Betta waseri group in chronological order of discovery: a, B. waseri, b, B. hipposideros, c, B. tomi, d, B. spilotogena, e, B. chloropharynx, f, B. renata, g, B. pi, h, B. pardalotos, i, B. omega, and j, Betta andrei.
Tan Heok Hui. 2023. A New Species of Black Water Fighting Fish from Singkep Island (Teleostei: Osphronemidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71: 491–495.
==========================
Betta andrei
Tan, 2023
a, B. waseri, d, B. spilotogena and j, B. andrei.
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71
Abstract
A new species of Betta from the B. waseri group is described based on a single specimen from Singkep Island. It appears to be closely allied to B. spilotogena. Betta andrei, new species, differs from B. spilotogena in having a different throat pattern, comprised of a black lower jaw, continuous with a large pitcher-like pattern on throat, ending with a protruding segment on buccal membrane (vs. isolated teardrop shaped black mark on throat); opercle uniform brown with dark brown spots along posterior margin; faint black transverse bars on the dorsal- and caudal-fin interradial membranes; absence of a dark distal border on anal fin.
Keywords. Betta, new species, Indonesia, peat swamp, biodiversity
Betta andrei, ZRC 64279, 50.7 mm SL:
topmost – live fish; second from top – freshly preserved fish with white background; third from top – freshly preserved fish with black background; bottom – radiograph.
Composite of head region of Betta andrei (ZRC 64279, 50.7 mm SL),
showing oblique (top) and ventral (bottom) views.
Betta andrei, new species
Diagnosis. Betta andrei can be distinguished from other members of the B. waseri group in having the following combination of characters: black lower jaw, continuous with large black pitcher-shaped mark on throat, ending with a protrusion on buccal membrane (see Figs. 2–3); opercle uniform brown with dark brown mottling along posterior margin, operculum without lower distal margin black; faint black transverse bars on the dorsal and caudal fin interradial membranes; absence of a dark distal border on anal fin.
Etymology. This species is named for Andre Chandra, an intrepid fish collector and enthusiast, who rendered much assistance to the author in procuring specimens and information; fishy discussions and good meals. A noun in the genitive.
Stream in which the holotype of Betta andrei was collected (Photograph: Andre Chandra).
Schematic diagrams of throat pattern of the Betta waseri group in chronological order of discovery: a, B. waseri, b, B. hipposideros, c, B. tomi, d, B. spilotogena, e, B. chloropharynx, f, B. renata, g, B. pi, h, B. pardalotos, i, B. omega, and j, Betta andrei.
Tan Heok Hui. 2023. A New Species of Black Water Fighting Fish from Singkep Island (Teleostei: Osphronemidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71: 491–495.
==========================
Rhyacoglanis beninei • Description and Phylogenetic Position of A New Species of Rhyacoglanis (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the Jamanxim River Basin
Rhyacoglanis beninei
Crispim-Rodrigues, Silva, Shibatta, Kuranaka & Oliveira, 2023
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0051
Abstract
In this study, a new species of Rhyacoglanis is described from the Jamanxim River basin, Tapajós River basin. The new species differs from congeners based on the combination of the following diagnostic characters: two oblique dark bands formed by an agglomerate of melanophores on the predorsal region; dorsal confluence between the dark subdorsal and subadipose bands in large juveniles and adults; ventral confluence between the dark subadipose and caudal peduncle bands; body without conspicuous dark brown spots; complete dark band on caudal peduncle; body with three dark bands; a thin dark caudal-fin band; pectoral-fin spine with anterior serrae distributed along the entire margin; the posterior tip of the post-cleithral process reaching vertical through the base of the dorsal-fin spine; and hypural 5 free of hypural 3 and 4 and pointed caudal-fin lobes. Additionally, our molecular phylogenetic results using ultraconserved elements (UCEs) corroborate the new species as Rhyacoglanis and sister to an undescribed species of Rhyacoglanis from the Xingu River basin. Moreover, as pointed out in previous studies, we confirm Cruciglanis as a sister group to Pseudopimelodus plus Rhyacoglanis.
Keywords: Amazon basin; Bumblebee catfishes; Phylogenomic; South America region; Pseudopimelodinae
Rhyacoglanis beninei, holotype, MZUSP 127014, 59.1 mm SL, from córrego Jussara, an affluent of Jamanxim River, Tapajós River basin. Scale bar = 10 mm.
A. Habitat of Rhyacoglanis beninei in córrego Jussara;
B. A rock where specimens of R. beninei were associated;
C. Paratype of R. beninei just after capture.
Photos: Gabriel S. Costa e Silva.
Rhyacoglanis beninei, new species
Diagnosis. Rhyacoglanis beninei can be diagnosed from all congeners by two oblique dorsal dark brown bars on the predorsal region (Fig. 2) (vs. absent). Additionally, R. beninei is distinguished from some congeners by having a dorsal confluence between the dark subdorsal and subadipose bands in large juveniles and adults (> 28 mm SL) (vs. lack dorsal confluence in R. paranensis, R. annulatus, R. varii, and R. rapppydanielae); ventral confluence between the dark subadipose and caudal peduncle bands (vs. lack ventral confluence in R. annulatus, R. epiblepsis, R. paranensis, R. seminiger, and R. rapppydanielae); body without conspicuous dark brown spots (vs. conspicuous dark brown spots in R. epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae); complete dark band on caudal peduncle (vs. caudal peduncle-band with a unpigmented central region in R. annulatus); body with three dark bands (vs. two dark bands in R. seminiger); a thin dark caudal-fin bands (vs. large caudal-fin bands in R. paranensis and R. epiblepsis); pectoral-fin spine with anterior serrae distributed along the entire margin (restricted to the proximal half in R. pulcher and R. seminiger); posterior tip of the post-cleithral process reaching vertical through the base of the dorsal-fin spine (vs. not reaching in R. epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae); hypural 5 free of hypural 3 and 4 (vs. hypurals 4 and 5 fused in R. rapppydanielae); pointed caudal-fin lobes (vs. rounded lobes in R. epiblepsis).
Etymology. Rhyacoglanis beninei is named in honor of Ricardo Cardoso Benine, Professor at Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, in recognition of his dedication and remarkable contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical freshwater fishes.
Pigmentation of oblique dark bars in the predorsal region of Rhyacoglanis beninei.
A. MZUEL 23049, 29.6 mm SL; B. LBP 32145, 32.9 mm SL; C. LBP 32145, 37.3 mm SL; D. MZUEL 23049, 42.6 mm SL; E. LBP 32145, 50.2 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Variation pattern of dark body bands in Rhyacoglanis beninei.
A. MZUEL 23049, 42.6 mm SL; B. LBP 32145, 29.8 mm SL; C. LBP 32163, 27.0 mm SL; D. LBP 32163, 42.9 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Jefferson Luan Crispim-Rodrigues, Gabriel de Souza da Costa e Silva, Oscar Akio Shibatta, Mariana Kuranaka and Claudio Oliveira. 2023. Description and Phylogenetic Position of A New Species of Rhyacoglanis (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the Jamanxim River Basin. Neotrop. ichthyol. 21(3); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0051
========================================
Rhyacoglanis beninei
Crispim-Rodrigues, Silva, Shibatta, Kuranaka & Oliveira, 2023
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0051
Abstract
In this study, a new species of Rhyacoglanis is described from the Jamanxim River basin, Tapajós River basin. The new species differs from congeners based on the combination of the following diagnostic characters: two oblique dark bands formed by an agglomerate of melanophores on the predorsal region; dorsal confluence between the dark subdorsal and subadipose bands in large juveniles and adults; ventral confluence between the dark subadipose and caudal peduncle bands; body without conspicuous dark brown spots; complete dark band on caudal peduncle; body with three dark bands; a thin dark caudal-fin band; pectoral-fin spine with anterior serrae distributed along the entire margin; the posterior tip of the post-cleithral process reaching vertical through the base of the dorsal-fin spine; and hypural 5 free of hypural 3 and 4 and pointed caudal-fin lobes. Additionally, our molecular phylogenetic results using ultraconserved elements (UCEs) corroborate the new species as Rhyacoglanis and sister to an undescribed species of Rhyacoglanis from the Xingu River basin. Moreover, as pointed out in previous studies, we confirm Cruciglanis as a sister group to Pseudopimelodus plus Rhyacoglanis.
Keywords: Amazon basin; Bumblebee catfishes; Phylogenomic; South America region; Pseudopimelodinae
Rhyacoglanis beninei, holotype, MZUSP 127014, 59.1 mm SL, from córrego Jussara, an affluent of Jamanxim River, Tapajós River basin. Scale bar = 10 mm.
A. Habitat of Rhyacoglanis beninei in córrego Jussara;
B. A rock where specimens of R. beninei were associated;
C. Paratype of R. beninei just after capture.
Photos: Gabriel S. Costa e Silva.
Rhyacoglanis beninei, new species
Diagnosis. Rhyacoglanis beninei can be diagnosed from all congeners by two oblique dorsal dark brown bars on the predorsal region (Fig. 2) (vs. absent). Additionally, R. beninei is distinguished from some congeners by having a dorsal confluence between the dark subdorsal and subadipose bands in large juveniles and adults (> 28 mm SL) (vs. lack dorsal confluence in R. paranensis, R. annulatus, R. varii, and R. rapppydanielae); ventral confluence between the dark subadipose and caudal peduncle bands (vs. lack ventral confluence in R. annulatus, R. epiblepsis, R. paranensis, R. seminiger, and R. rapppydanielae); body without conspicuous dark brown spots (vs. conspicuous dark brown spots in R. epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae); complete dark band on caudal peduncle (vs. caudal peduncle-band with a unpigmented central region in R. annulatus); body with three dark bands (vs. two dark bands in R. seminiger); a thin dark caudal-fin bands (vs. large caudal-fin bands in R. paranensis and R. epiblepsis); pectoral-fin spine with anterior serrae distributed along the entire margin (restricted to the proximal half in R. pulcher and R. seminiger); posterior tip of the post-cleithral process reaching vertical through the base of the dorsal-fin spine (vs. not reaching in R. epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae); hypural 5 free of hypural 3 and 4 (vs. hypurals 4 and 5 fused in R. rapppydanielae); pointed caudal-fin lobes (vs. rounded lobes in R. epiblepsis).
Etymology. Rhyacoglanis beninei is named in honor of Ricardo Cardoso Benine, Professor at Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, in recognition of his dedication and remarkable contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical freshwater fishes.
Pigmentation of oblique dark bars in the predorsal region of Rhyacoglanis beninei.
A. MZUEL 23049, 29.6 mm SL; B. LBP 32145, 32.9 mm SL; C. LBP 32145, 37.3 mm SL; D. MZUEL 23049, 42.6 mm SL; E. LBP 32145, 50.2 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Variation pattern of dark body bands in Rhyacoglanis beninei.
A. MZUEL 23049, 42.6 mm SL; B. LBP 32145, 29.8 mm SL; C. LBP 32163, 27.0 mm SL; D. LBP 32163, 42.9 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.
Jefferson Luan Crispim-Rodrigues, Gabriel de Souza da Costa e Silva, Oscar Akio Shibatta, Mariana Kuranaka and Claudio Oliveira. 2023. Description and Phylogenetic Position of A New Species of Rhyacoglanis (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the Jamanxim River Basin. Neotrop. ichthyol. 21(3); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0051
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Trophic ecology of the African riverine elephant fishes (Mormyridae)Gina Maria Sommer, Samuel Didier Njom, Adrian Indermaur, Arnold Roger Bitja Nyom, Petra Horká, Jaroslav Kukla, Zuzana Musilova
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.07.543841
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [what does this mean?].
00000030AbstractMultiple species of the elephant fishes (Mormyridae) commonly coexist in sympatry in most African tropical rivers and lakes. In this study, we investigated the trophic ecology and potential trophic niche partitioning of eleven mormyrid fish species from the Sanaga River system (Cameroon) using the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen of muscles and of trophic prey samples. Albeit mormyrids mainly feed on invertebrates, we found differences in isotope signals and the trophic niche partitioning in the studied species. We further show that species with elongated snout tend to show higher carbon and nitrogen isotope signals, suggesting a potential role of snout shape in their trophic preferences. Furthermore, we found significant differences in isotopic signatures within the Mormyrus genus, highlighting ecological niche diversification among three closely related species. We also report on different isotopic signals between seasons of the year in four species, possibly caused by species migration and/or anthropogenic agricultural activities. Overall, our research presents robust evidence of the trophic niche partitioning within the entire mormyrid species community, shedding light on the enigmatic evolutionary history of these fascinating African fishes.
Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
Copyright
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.
==========================
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.07.543841
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [what does this mean?].
00000030AbstractMultiple species of the elephant fishes (Mormyridae) commonly coexist in sympatry in most African tropical rivers and lakes. In this study, we investigated the trophic ecology and potential trophic niche partitioning of eleven mormyrid fish species from the Sanaga River system (Cameroon) using the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen of muscles and of trophic prey samples. Albeit mormyrids mainly feed on invertebrates, we found differences in isotope signals and the trophic niche partitioning in the studied species. We further show that species with elongated snout tend to show higher carbon and nitrogen isotope signals, suggesting a potential role of snout shape in their trophic preferences. Furthermore, we found significant differences in isotopic signatures within the Mormyrus genus, highlighting ecological niche diversification among three closely related species. We also report on different isotopic signals between seasons of the year in four species, possibly caused by species migration and/or anthropogenic agricultural activities. Overall, our research presents robust evidence of the trophic niche partitioning within the entire mormyrid species community, shedding light on the enigmatic evolutionary history of these fascinating African fishes.
Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
Copyright
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.
==========================
Moenkhausia guaruba • A New Species of Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) from rio Braço Norte, rio Tapajós Basin, with Comments on the Fish Endemism of Serra do Cachimbo Plateau
Moenkhausia guaruba
de Lima, Vita, Dutra, Ohara & Pastana, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5330.4.6
Researchgate.net/publication/373171540
facebook.com/MuriloPastana
Abstract
A new species of Moenkhausia is described from the rio Braço Norte, a tributary of Rio Teles Pires draining the Serra do Cachimbo, rio Tapajós basin, Pará, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed from all congeners, except M. moisae and M. pirauba, by having a high number of scales in the longitudinal series (43–46 vs. 23–41 in other Moenkhausia species). It can also be distinguished from the aforementioned species based on the combination of the following characters: a single humeral blotch, 21–25 branched anal-fin rays, and a round and symmetrical caudal blotch not continuous anteriorly with the dark midlateral stripe. The new tetra herein described represents an additional, possibly endemic, taxon from the headwaters draining from Serra do Cachimbo, in the Brazilian Shield.
Keywords: Pisces, Amazon Basin, Neotropical fishes, taxonomy, Moenkhausia moisae, Moenkhausia pirauba
Live specimen of Moenkhausia guaruba, MZUSP 119389, paratype, SL uncertain,
Brazil, Pará, Novo Progresso, rio Braço Norte, rio Tapajós basin.
Moenkhausia guaruba, new species
Diagnosis. Moenkhausia guaruba is distinguished from its congeners, except Moenkhausia moisae Géry, Planquette & Le Bail 1995 and Moenkhausia pirauba Zanata, Birindelli & Moreira 2010 by having a higher numberof scales in the longitudinal series (43–46 vs. 23–41 in other Moenkhausia species). The new species differs fromM. moisae by having fewer branched anal-fin rays (21–25, modal 23 vs. 25–29, modal 27 in M. moisae; Fig. 2),a complete and regularly arranged series of predorsal scales (vs. irregular arranged of scales at predorsal region),and by having a single, vertically elongated and relatively wide humeral blotch (vs. two humeral blotches in M.moisae; see Discussion for further details). Moenkhausia guaruba differs from M. pirauba by having a conspicuous,rounded, and symmetrical dark blotch located at the posterior limit of the caudal peduncle and base of caudal-fin rays (vs. caudal blotch horizontally elongated, asymmetrical, continuous anteriorly with midlateral stripe andextending posteriorly to margins of four or five middle caudal-fin rays in M. pirauba), and a thin longitudinal lineformed by dark pigmentation running along horizontal septum of body (vs. dark longitudinal line wide, forming anelongated blotch at caudal peduncle in M. pirauba).
Etymology. The specific name guaruba refers to the Brazilian popular name for Guaruba guarouba Gmelin1788, also known as the Golden Parakeet, a medium-sized golden-yellow Neotropical parrot native to the Brazilian Amazon domain. The name alludes to the intense yellow present on all fins of the new species. A noun inapposition.
Type locality of Moenkhausia guaruba at upper rio Braço Norte at Serra do Cachimbo, tributary of rio Teles Pires, rio Tapajós basin, Pará State, Brazil:
(a) waterfall upstream, substrate composed mainly by rocks; (b) sandy beach downstream to the waterfall.
Arthur de Lima, George Vita, Guilherme M. Dutra, William M. Ohara and Murilo N. L. Pastana. 2023. A New Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) from rio Braço Norte, rio Tapajós Basin, with Comments on the Fish Endemism of Serra do Cachimbo Plateau. Zootaxa. 5330(4); 586-596. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5330.4.6
Researchgate.net/publication/373171540_A_new_Moenkhausia_from_rio_Braco_Norte_rio_Tapajos_basin
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==========================
Moenkhausia guaruba
de Lima, Vita, Dutra, Ohara & Pastana, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5330.4.6
Researchgate.net/publication/373171540
facebook.com/MuriloPastana
Abstract
A new species of Moenkhausia is described from the rio Braço Norte, a tributary of Rio Teles Pires draining the Serra do Cachimbo, rio Tapajós basin, Pará, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed from all congeners, except M. moisae and M. pirauba, by having a high number of scales in the longitudinal series (43–46 vs. 23–41 in other Moenkhausia species). It can also be distinguished from the aforementioned species based on the combination of the following characters: a single humeral blotch, 21–25 branched anal-fin rays, and a round and symmetrical caudal blotch not continuous anteriorly with the dark midlateral stripe. The new tetra herein described represents an additional, possibly endemic, taxon from the headwaters draining from Serra do Cachimbo, in the Brazilian Shield.
Keywords: Pisces, Amazon Basin, Neotropical fishes, taxonomy, Moenkhausia moisae, Moenkhausia pirauba
Live specimen of Moenkhausia guaruba, MZUSP 119389, paratype, SL uncertain,
Brazil, Pará, Novo Progresso, rio Braço Norte, rio Tapajós basin.
Moenkhausia guaruba, new species
Diagnosis. Moenkhausia guaruba is distinguished from its congeners, except Moenkhausia moisae Géry, Planquette & Le Bail 1995 and Moenkhausia pirauba Zanata, Birindelli & Moreira 2010 by having a higher numberof scales in the longitudinal series (43–46 vs. 23–41 in other Moenkhausia species). The new species differs fromM. moisae by having fewer branched anal-fin rays (21–25, modal 23 vs. 25–29, modal 27 in M. moisae; Fig. 2),a complete and regularly arranged series of predorsal scales (vs. irregular arranged of scales at predorsal region),and by having a single, vertically elongated and relatively wide humeral blotch (vs. two humeral blotches in M.moisae; see Discussion for further details). Moenkhausia guaruba differs from M. pirauba by having a conspicuous,rounded, and symmetrical dark blotch located at the posterior limit of the caudal peduncle and base of caudal-fin rays (vs. caudal blotch horizontally elongated, asymmetrical, continuous anteriorly with midlateral stripe andextending posteriorly to margins of four or five middle caudal-fin rays in M. pirauba), and a thin longitudinal lineformed by dark pigmentation running along horizontal septum of body (vs. dark longitudinal line wide, forming anelongated blotch at caudal peduncle in M. pirauba).
Etymology. The specific name guaruba refers to the Brazilian popular name for Guaruba guarouba Gmelin1788, also known as the Golden Parakeet, a medium-sized golden-yellow Neotropical parrot native to the Brazilian Amazon domain. The name alludes to the intense yellow present on all fins of the new species. A noun inapposition.
Type locality of Moenkhausia guaruba at upper rio Braço Norte at Serra do Cachimbo, tributary of rio Teles Pires, rio Tapajós basin, Pará State, Brazil:
(a) waterfall upstream, substrate composed mainly by rocks; (b) sandy beach downstream to the waterfall.
Arthur de Lima, George Vita, Guilherme M. Dutra, William M. Ohara and Murilo N. L. Pastana. 2023. A New Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) from rio Braço Norte, rio Tapajós Basin, with Comments on the Fish Endemism of Serra do Cachimbo Plateau. Zootaxa. 5330(4); 586-596. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5330.4.6
Researchgate.net/publication/373171540_A_new_Moenkhausia_from_rio_Braco_Norte_rio_Tapajos_basin
facebook.com/MuriloPastana/posts/6876825412348215
==========================
Ophiocara gigas & O. macrostoma • The Genus Ophiocara (Gobiiformes: Butidae) in Japan, with Descriptions of Two New Species
Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837)
Ophiocara gigas
Ophiocara macrostoma
Kobayashi & Sato, 2023
DOI: 10.1007/s10228-023-00919-z
twitter.com/agoblind
Abstract
A taxonomic review of the genus Ophiocara Gill 1863 in Japan resulted in a revised diagnosis for Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1837) and descriptions of two new species, Ophiocara gigas and Ophiocara macrostoma, from the Ryukyu Archipelago. The three species are genetically isolated based on the mitochondrial COI region, being distinguished from each other and other congeners by differing combinations of opercular scale morphology, upper jaw length, caudal fin length, and coloration: Ophiocara ophicephalus is characterized by having ctenoid scales on the operculum and distinct silver or white spots on the head, body, and dorsal and caudal fins, and in juveniles the absence of bright markings on the lower part of the caudal fin base; O. gigas by two broad beige bands on the body, black spots scattered on the trunk, and in juveniles the presence of three bright markings on the caudal fin base; and O. macrostoma by a uniformly dark caudal fin, elongated upper jaw in adults (16.0–17.5% of standard length), and in juveniles the presence of two narrow bright bands on the body and three bright markings on the caudal fin base. One of two distinct color patterns, previously thought to represent intraspecific dimorphism of O. ophicephalus, is now considered characteristic of the new species O. gigas. The three species also exhibited distinct habitats, salinity preference, and maximum body length.
Keywords: Ophiocara gigas, Ophiocara macrostoma, Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Mangrove
Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1837)
(English name: Spangled Gudgeon;
standard Japanese name: Hoshi-madara-haze)
Distribution. Ophiocara ophicephalus is distributed within the Indo-Pacific region, reliable records including Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago: Yakushima, Tanegashima, Okinawa, Kume, Miyako, Irabu, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands), Taiwan, the Philippines (Guimaras, Nabunot, Cebu, and Basilan islands), Palau, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia (Borneo and Tioman islands), Indonesia (Java, Bali, Ceram, and Sulawesi islands), Australia (northern Australia and Lizard Island), the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.
Ophiocara gigas sp. nov.
(New English name: Giant Mud-gudgeon;
new standard Japanese name: Kumo-madara-haze)
Etymology. The specific name “gigas” refers to the adult maximum size in this species, being greater than those of congeners.
Distribution. Ophiocara gigas is distributed in the Indo-Pacific region, reliable records being known from Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago: Amami-oshima, Okinawa, Zamami, Kume, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands), the Philippines (Luzon Island), Palau, Micronesia, Indonesia (Peling Island off eastern Sulawesi, and Western Papua), the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. This species might be recorded from Papua New Guinea (New Ireland) (see discussion).
Ophiocara macrostoma sp. nov.
(New English name: Dark-fin Gudgeon;
new standard Japanese name: Yami-madara-haze)
Etymology. The specific name “macrostoma” refers to the large mouth and relatively long jaw in this species.
Distribution. Ophiocara macrostoma is currently known only from Yakushima, Tanegashima, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.
Hirozumi Kobayashi and Mao Sato. 2023. The Genus Ophiocara (Teleostei: Butidae) in Japan, with Descriptions of Two New Species. Ichthyological Research. DOI: 10.1007/s10228-023-00919-z
twitter.com/agoblind/status/1690217286463037440
==========================
Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837)
Ophiocara gigas
Ophiocara macrostoma
Kobayashi & Sato, 2023
DOI: 10.1007/s10228-023-00919-z
twitter.com/agoblind
Abstract
A taxonomic review of the genus Ophiocara Gill 1863 in Japan resulted in a revised diagnosis for Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1837) and descriptions of two new species, Ophiocara gigas and Ophiocara macrostoma, from the Ryukyu Archipelago. The three species are genetically isolated based on the mitochondrial COI region, being distinguished from each other and other congeners by differing combinations of opercular scale morphology, upper jaw length, caudal fin length, and coloration: Ophiocara ophicephalus is characterized by having ctenoid scales on the operculum and distinct silver or white spots on the head, body, and dorsal and caudal fins, and in juveniles the absence of bright markings on the lower part of the caudal fin base; O. gigas by two broad beige bands on the body, black spots scattered on the trunk, and in juveniles the presence of three bright markings on the caudal fin base; and O. macrostoma by a uniformly dark caudal fin, elongated upper jaw in adults (16.0–17.5% of standard length), and in juveniles the presence of two narrow bright bands on the body and three bright markings on the caudal fin base. One of two distinct color patterns, previously thought to represent intraspecific dimorphism of O. ophicephalus, is now considered characteristic of the new species O. gigas. The three species also exhibited distinct habitats, salinity preference, and maximum body length.
Keywords: Ophiocara gigas, Ophiocara macrostoma, Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Mangrove
Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1837)
(English name: Spangled Gudgeon;
standard Japanese name: Hoshi-madara-haze)
Distribution. Ophiocara ophicephalus is distributed within the Indo-Pacific region, reliable records including Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago: Yakushima, Tanegashima, Okinawa, Kume, Miyako, Irabu, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands), Taiwan, the Philippines (Guimaras, Nabunot, Cebu, and Basilan islands), Palau, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia (Borneo and Tioman islands), Indonesia (Java, Bali, Ceram, and Sulawesi islands), Australia (northern Australia and Lizard Island), the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.
Ophiocara gigas sp. nov.
(New English name: Giant Mud-gudgeon;
new standard Japanese name: Kumo-madara-haze)
Etymology. The specific name “gigas” refers to the adult maximum size in this species, being greater than those of congeners.
Distribution. Ophiocara gigas is distributed in the Indo-Pacific region, reliable records being known from Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago: Amami-oshima, Okinawa, Zamami, Kume, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands), the Philippines (Luzon Island), Palau, Micronesia, Indonesia (Peling Island off eastern Sulawesi, and Western Papua), the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. This species might be recorded from Papua New Guinea (New Ireland) (see discussion).
Ophiocara macrostoma sp. nov.
(New English name: Dark-fin Gudgeon;
new standard Japanese name: Yami-madara-haze)
Etymology. The specific name “macrostoma” refers to the large mouth and relatively long jaw in this species.
Distribution. Ophiocara macrostoma is currently known only from Yakushima, Tanegashima, Ishigaki, Iriomote, and Yonaguni islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.
Hirozumi Kobayashi and Mao Sato. 2023. The Genus Ophiocara (Teleostei: Butidae) in Japan, with Descriptions of Two New Species. Ichthyological Research. DOI: 10.1007/s10228-023-00919-z
twitter.com/agoblind/status/1690217286463037440
==========================
Description of a new species of Schizodon (Characiformes: Anostomidae) from the upper rio Tapajós basin, Brazil PISCESSYSTEMATICSTAXONOMYANOSTOMOIDEASCHIZODON FASCIATUSSCHIZODON TRIVITTATUS AbstractA new species of Schizodon with five dark transverse blotches on the body and a large black blotch at the end of the caudal peduncle is described from the rio Arinos, upper rio Tapajós basin, in the Brazilian Amazon. The new species shares a color pattern composed by transverse brown bars and a caudal fin blotch with Schizodon fasciatus and S. trivittatus but possess twelve rows of scales around the caudal peduncle, a unique character among the species of genus.
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New species of Monomitopus (Ophidiidae) from Hawaiʻi, with the description of a larval coiling behaviorPISCESBLACKWATERCOIIANNIELLO’S COILINTEGRATIVE TAXONOMYMONOMITOPUS AGASSIZIIAbstractIn 1985, Carter and Cohen noted that there are several yet-to-be described species of Monomitopus (Ophidiidae), including one from Hawaiʻi. Recently, blackwater divers collected a larval fish off Kona, Hawaiʻi, similar to the previously described larvae of M. kumae, but DNA sequence data from the larva does not match any of the six previously sequenced species within the genus. Within the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Collection, we find a single unidentified adult specimen of Monomitopus collected North of Maui, Hawaiʻi in 1972 whose fin-ray and vertebral/myomere counts overlap those of the larval specimen. We describe this new Hawaiian species of Monomitopus based on larval and adult characters. Additionally, blackwater photographs of several species of Monomitopus show the larvae coiled into a tight ball, a novel behavior to be observed in cusk-eels. We describe this behavior, highlighting the importance of blackwater photography in advancing our understanding of marine larval fish biology.
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Pliocene goodeid from MexicoA Pliocene goodeid fish of the Paleolake Amajac, Sanctórum, Hidalgo, Mexico
Carmen Caballero-Viñas, Jesús Alvarado-Ortega, and Kleyton Magno Cantalice Severiano
Article number: 26.2.a30
https://doi.org/10.26879/1259
Copyright Paleontological Society, August 2023
Author biographies
Plain-language and multi-lingual abstracts
PDF version
Submission: 16 December 2022. Acceptance: 24 July 2023.
ABSTRACTThe splitfin fossil species Paleocharacodon guzmanae gen. and sp. nov. is erected based on the osteological study of 14 fossil male and female specimens recovered in the Pliocene deposits of the Paleolake Amajac, in Sanctórum, Hidalgo, Mexico. This new cyprinodontiform fish exhibits the diagnostic features of the family Goodeidae and subfamily Goodeinae; like all the goodeids, its premaxilla has a straight distal end, and its premaxillary ascending process is small; and, like the goodeines, this new species was viviparous, its first anal fin ray is rudimentary, and the males show an andropodium. Although P. guzmanae displays numerous primitive features, it is not possible to place it in any of the goodeine tribes, which currently are vaguely defined by osteological features. This new species seems to be closely related to Characodon; both share a peculiar osteological character; the articular facet for the quadrate is a donut-like structure, in which the retroarticular forms the central region, and a couple of semicircular anguloarticular processes form the surrounding part. This species differs from other goodeids mainly in two features; it has a posttemporal bone with small anteroventral processes, and the openings of its supraorbital canal show the formula1-2a, 2b-3a, 3b-4a, 4b-5a, and 5b-7. The discovery of this extinct goodeid species in the great Pánuco-Salado Basin on the eastern slope of Mexican territory represents an unexpected historical element.
Full paper at:-palaeo-electronica.org/content/current-in-press-articles/3919-pliocene-goodeid-from-mexico
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New occurrences of the endangered Notholebias minimus (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) in coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: populations features and conservation
AUTHORSHIPSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS AbstractNotholebias minimus is an endangered annual killifish endemic to the coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study aimed to present new occurrences in the Atlantic Forest biome, provide unprecedented population features (body and egg size, fecundity, sexual ratio, and length-weight relationship – LWR), and compare changes in land use and coverage between 1985 and 2021 in biotopes located inside and outside protected areas. Three new occurrence localities were found in shallow temporary wetlands with acidic pH (6.4 ± 0.2) and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (2.0 ± 0.9 mg/L). Males and females total length ranged from 11.1 to 31 mm and 11 to 26 mm, respectively. Batch fecundity ranged from 18 to 40 oocytes (24.8 ± 8.8), corresponding to oocytes with sizes between 800–1,006 µm (905 ± 56). Males were significantly larger than females (W = 2193.5, p = 0.0067), but both sexes occurred in similar proportions (p = 0.472). LWR showed positive allometry (b = 3.18). Biotopes located within protected areas exhibited higher conservation. Our discoveries expand the knowledge about habitat and population features of N. minimus and reinforce the importance of establishing protected areas for the conservation of annual fish biotopes.
Keywords:
Annual fish; Atlantic Forest biome; Conservation units; Killifish; Threatened fauna
ResumoNotholebias minimus é um peixe anual ameaçado de extinção, endêmico das planícies costeiras do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Neste estudo, objetivamos apresentar novas ocorrências no bioma Mata Atlântica, fornecer características populacionais inéditas (tamanho do corpo e dos ovos, fecundidade, proporção sexual e relação peso-comprimento), e comparar mudanças no uso e cobertura do solo entre 1985 e 2021 em biótopos localizados dentro e fora de unidades de conservação. Registramos três novos locais em áreas úmidas temporárias rasas com pH ácido (6,4 ± 0,2) e baixas concentrações de oxigênio dissolvido (2,0 ± 0,9 mg/L). O comprimento total de machos e fêmeas variou de 11,1 a 31 mm e de 11 a 26 mm, respectivamente. A fecundidade do lote variou entre 18–40 oócitos (24,8 ± 8,8), correspondendo a diâmetros entre 800–1.006 µm (905 ± 56). Os machos foram significativamente maiores que as fêmeas (W = 2193,5; p = 0,0067), mas ocorreram em proporções similares (p = 0,472). A relação peso-comprimento detectou alometria positiva (b = 3,18). Biótopos localizados dentro de áreas protegidas exibiram maior preservação ambiental. Nossas descobertas ampliam o conhecimento sobre as características do habitat e da população de N. minimus e reforçam a importância do estabelecimento de áreas protegidas para a conservação dos biótopos dos peixes anuais.
Palavras-chave:
Bioma Mata Atlântica; Fauna ameaçada; Peixes anuais; Peixes das nuvens; Unidades de conservação
INTRODUCTIONRivulidae (Cyprinodontiformes) is the ninth most specious fish family in the world with about 473 valid species (Fricke et al., 2023), occurring between southern Florida and southeast of the province of Buenos Aires (Costa, 2011; Calviño et al., 2016; Loureiro et al., 2018). Brazil is home to the largest component of this rich fish family, with at least 314 species distributed across all national biomes. This high richness is proportional to the anthropic threats. Rivulidae is the family with the highest number of endangered species among all vertebrates that occur in Brazil (ICMBio, 2022). Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats to rivulids (Costa, 2009). Wetlands have been drastically destroyed, both in agricultural areas and in areas undergoing urbanization, through deforestation, drainage, and landfills (Abrantes et al., 2020; Castro, Polaz, 2020; Guedes t al., 2020; Drawert, 2022). Despite this, research, funding agencies, policy, and freshwater conservation have historically neglected wetlands and focused on larger water bodies and flagship species (Guedes et al., 2023).
Rivulidae is commonly subdivided into two major groups: annual/seasonal vs. non-annual/perennial, according to the presence or absence of resistant eggs capable of carrying out a complex process of embryonic diapause during the life cycle (Loureiro et al., 2018). Embryonic diapause allows species to live in hydrologically ephemeral habitats, such as temporary wetlands, where eggs are able to remain buried in dry substrate for months waiting for environmental triggers for hatching (Furness, 2016; Ishimatsu et al., 2018). This uniqueness makes annual species “invisible” during a considerable part of their life cycle, making it difficult to map species distribution areas.
The coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, located in south-eastern Brazil, are important hotspots of annual fish diversity (Costa, 2012). Among these endemic species, the genus NotholebiasCosta, 2008 stands out including four valid species: Notholebias minimus (Myers, 1942), N. cruzi (Costa, 1988), N. fractifasciatus (Costa, 1988), and N. vermiculatusCosta Amorim, 2013. All of these species are endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome and are threatened with extinction (ICMBio, 2018, 2022). There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the distribution, habitats, life history, and ecology of Notholebias species, as well as for most annual fish. These gaps are aggravated when considering the high number of endangered species, which should reflect a greater effort in and ex situ studies to support conservation strategies. To reduce these knowledge bottlenecks, this study has as main aims (i) to present new occurrence sites of N. minimus in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome, (ii) to provide unprecedented population features (individual size, fecundity and egg size, sex ratio, and length-weight ratio), and (iii) to compare anthropic impacts on land use and cover between 1985 and 2021 in temporary wetlands located inside and outside protected areas, which pose a threat to the conservation of this species.
MATERIAL AND METHODSSampling. Fish samplings were conducted between February and December 2022 at 23 sites distributed in five localities in the coastal drainages of Sepetiba Bay and Lagoon System of Jacarepaguá (municipalities of Seropédica and Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro; Tab. 1). Three localities were visited for the first time during this study: Brisas APA (Área Proteção Ambiental das Brisas), UFRRJ (Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro), and Chaperó (Chaperó solar power plant). Two other localities with previously known distribution of N. minimus were revisited: PMN Bosque da Barra (Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra) and REBIO Guaratiba (Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba). The climate is seasonal tropical, with rainy summers and dry winters (Aw climate, according to the Köppen – Geiger classification). Fish were collected with immersion nets (hand nets with an oval shape, 50 x 40 cm, 1 mm of panel mesh size). After capture, they were anesthetized with hydrochloride benzocaine (50 mg/l), euthanized and fixed in 10% formalin in situ. In the laboratory, the fish were measured (precision 0.01 cm), weighed (precision 0.001 g), and after 48 h, preserved in 70% ethanol. Biometric analyses were conducted on the same day as the capture to avoid biases associated with specimen fixation/preservation. In order to reduce the impacts of sampling on fish populations, approximately 75% of specimens were returned alive to the pools after being counted (abundance). Fish were identified and sexed according to Costa ( 1988, 2008, 2009). Vouchers were deposited in the Ichthyological Collection of the Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (LEP–UFRRJ 2588–2593) and are available for online consultation via Global Biodiversity Information Facility – GBIF ( Araújo et al., 2023 ). Additional records were obtained from the bibliography (Costa, Amorim, 2013; Costa, 2016) and online fish collections database search at Sistema de Informação sobre a Biodiversidade Brasileira – SiBBr (www.sibbr.gov.br), SpeciesLink (www.splink.org.br), and GBIF (www.gbif.org).
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TABLE 1 |
Localities, number, and date (month/year) of samplings conducted in attempts to capture Notholebias minimus in coastal drainages of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Brisas APA = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas; PNM Bosque da Barra = Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra; REBIO Guaratiba = Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba; UFRRJ = Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro.
To assess fecundity, ovaries from spawning females (N = 5) were removed from the visceral cavity, weighted, and kept in Gilson’s solution until a complete detachment of oocytes from epithelial and ovarian walls. Eggs were counted and measured (diameter, in μm) in a microscope LEICA TL5000 Ergo. Microanatomy of the zona pellucida was examined under scanning electron microscopy Hitachi TM1000. The bath fecundity (BF), i.e., the number of eggs produced in a single spawning batch, was established from the counting of vitellogenic oocytes (Rizzo, Bazzoli, 2020). The relative fecundity (RF) was determined by the number of vitellogenic oocytes per body size unit (1 cm).
Physical and chemical water characteristics such as temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), redox potential (mV), pH, electrical conductivity (μS/cm), and turbidity (FTU) were measured using a multiprobe model Hanna HI9829. Depth (cm) was measured using centimeter rulers and a digital probe (SpeedTech SM-5) at the center of the temporary wetland (equidistant from opposite shores). Each environmental variable (physical, chemical, and depth) had the average value calculated from three replicates. The measurements were taken at two sites belonging to the same sampling locality (Chaperó, codes 11–12; Tab. 2) during the dry (June) and rainy season (December) of 2022. Therefore, the environmental data presented here may not fully express the range of variability among different occurrence habitats of the species; however, they certainly provide useful evidence of the environmental characteristics to which annual fish are exposed.
Land use and cover. To assess changes in the landscape in the fish occurrence areas, buffers were established with a radius of 250 m from the centroids of the water body where fish were caught, totaling an analyzed area of ~ 0.1963 km2. In these areas, land use and cover matrices for the years 1985 and 2021 were acquired through the Mapbiomas project (v. 7.0, https://mapbiomas.org). The classification was based on annual mosaics of Landsat satellite images, and the image classification process was carried out automatically through the use of decision tree algorithms of the Random Forest type (Souza et al., 2020). The classification was carried out pixel by pixel, the minimum mapped unit was equivalent to 900 m2 (30 x 30 m). A customized Spatial Reference System (SRS) was used to calculate the areas based on the Albers Projection, with parameters provided by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). The different classes of land use and cover were grouped into two categories: natural (e.g., Forest formation, Wetlands) and anthropic (e.g., Urban Infrastructure, Pasture and Agriculture), and the rate (%) of progression or regression of anthropic cover (between 1985 and 2021) was compared between areas with different territorial policies (protected vs. unprotected areas). We included in our analyses 11 out of the 13 records (6 protected/conservation units; 5 unprotected areas) presented in Tab. 2. In two instances (codes: 10 and 13; 11 and 12; Tab. 2), the distance between the sites was less than 500 m, and to avoid buffer overlap and spatial redundancy in our analyses, we considered only one location. To address potential temporal biases of protected areas created after 1985, we observed if there were conspicuous changes in land use and cover between 1985 and the year of establishment of the protected area. We noticed that the land use and land cover matrices were similar between our lower limit (1985) and the date of creation of the conservation units. Therefore, we conducted our analyses by maintaining a standardized temporal scope of comparison of 36 years (1985–2021) for all 11 locations. All geoprocessing analyses, such as creating buffers, reprojections, transforming raster’s into polygons, calculating areas of land use and cover classes, overlays, and layer sampling were performed using QGIS software v. 3.10 A Coruña (QGIS Development Team, 2022).
Statistical analyses. A Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test was performed to compare the differences in the total body length (TL) between males and females. A possible bias in the population sex ratio was assessed by comparing the expected rate of 1:1, and tested with a chi-square test (χ2), with a 95% of the significance level. The length-weight (W = a × TLb) relationships (LWR) based on measurements of 43 individuals (males + females) was estimated by linear regression on the transformed equation: log (W) = log (a) + b log (TL) (Le Cren, 1951), where W is the body weight (g), TL is the total length (cm), a is the y-intercept, and b is the slope (Froese, 2006). All statistical analyses were conducted in an R environment (R Development Core Team, 2022).
RESULTSThree new localities of occurrence of Notholebias minimus were discovered in coastal plains draining into the Sepetiba Bay, State of the Rio de Janeiro (Tab. 2; Fig. 1). Two of the new records occurred in the Seropédica Municipality: (i) inside the campus of the UFRRJ (22°46’38.4”S 43°41’03.4”W; Tab. 2, cod. 8 and 9); and (ii) on land scheduled to receive the installation of the Chaperó solar power plant (22°48’31.0”S 43°45’51.0”W; Tab. 2, codes 11–12). The third new record occurred in the Rio de Janeiro Municipality, in the Brisas APA (22°59’29.5”S 43°39’06.8”W; Tab. 2, codes 10 and 13). In these localities, a total of 156 individuals of N. minimus (70 males, 84 females, and two juveniles with undefined sex; Fig. 2) were sampled. Two localities with the previously known distribution of the species were also revisited (code 3, REBIO de Guaratiba; code 13, PNM Bosque da Barra), however, the species was not recaptured there. Among the 23 sites inspected during the study period (Tab. 1), N. minimus was recorded in only six sites (Tab. 2). Other localities shown in Tab. 2 and Fig. 1, and not mentioned here, were not inspected.
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TABLE 2 |
Records of Notholebias minimus in different areas (AP – protected/conservation units; UN – unprotected) in coastal drainages in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Year of establishment of the protect area also indicated. APA Tabebuias = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Tabebuias; Brisas APA = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas; FLONA Mário Xavier = Floresta Nacional Mário Xavier; PNM Bosque da Barra = Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra; REBIO Guaratiba = Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba. ZUEC-PIS, Coleção de Peixes do Museu de Zoologia of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas; MNRJ, Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro; UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Instituto de Biologia; LEP-UFRRJ, Coleção Ictioló gica do Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. *New records presented in this study.
FIGURE 1 |
Map of occurrences of Notholebias minimus in coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Black triangles indicate the new records in this study. Black dots, records from previous studies (e.g., Costa, Amorim, 2013; Costa, 2016). Occurrence references (codes) are available in Tab. 2.
FIGURE 2 |
Males of Notholebias minimus captured in (A) Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas, Rio de Janeiro Municipality, and (B) in the campus of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ (Seropédica Municipality). Scale bar = 4 mm.
Notholebias minimus was recorded in temporary pools typical of annual killifishes, including unshaded (Fig. 3A–B) and shaded swamps in the interior/edges of small forest fragments. Floating macrophytes were present only in unshaded swamps (Fig. 3A). For the Chaperó locality, depth (cm) varied between the dry (average ± s.d., 33 ± 19 cm) and wet (85 ± 21 cm) seasons, with swamps reaching up to 105 cm in depth (Tab. 3). Physical and chemical water characteristics indicate a pH with an acidity tendency (minimum-maximum, 6.25–6.76) and low oxygen concentrations (1.1–3.8 mg/ L; Tab. 3). Other non-annual fish species occurred in sympatry with N. minimus, such as Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770) in the Brisas APA; Phalloceros anisophallos Lucinda, 2008, Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus Ellis, 1911, and Deuterodon hastatus (Myers, 1928) in the Seropédica Municipality (Chaperó and UFRRJ localities).
FIGURE 3 |
Temporary wetlands in the Guandu River Hydrographic Region (coastal drainages of the Sepetiba Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with new occurrences of Notholebias minimus. A–B. Swamps of open vegetation in Chaperó locality, C–D. Swamps in forest fragments in the campus of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ, and in the Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas, respectively.
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TABLE 3 |
Physical and chemical water characteristics in the temporary wetlands associated with captures of Notholebias minimus in the Chaperó locality (codes 11-12; Tab. 2), during the dry (June) and wet (December) seasons of 2022. Minimum– maximum (mean ± standard deviation).
The chi-square test did not show significant differences in the sex ratio (1.1 female: 1 male), with both sexes being captured in similar proportions (χ2 = 0.516, p = 0.472). The body size ranged from 11.1 to 31 mm (mean ± s.d., 19.1 ± 3.9 mm TL) and 11 to 26 mm (17.5 ± 3.0 mm TL), for males and females respectively. The mean body size of males was significantly larger than females (W = 2193.5, p = 0.0067). The length-weight relationship (LWR) with sexes pooled was determined by the following equation fitted to a potential curve: Wt = 0.0099 × TL 3.18 (N = 43; Fig. 4). This equation corresponds to the logarithmic form, ln W = 4.61 + 3.18 × ln L (R2= 0.92). Notholebias minimus exhibits positive allometric growth with an exponent parameter (b) equal to 3.18 (2.89–3.46; 95% confidence interval). The total number of oocytes present in the gonads (regardless of the stage of development) of females ranged from 35 to 63 (mean 50 ± 12.3 s.d). The bath fecundity (only vitellogenic oocytes) ranged from 18 to 40 (24.8 ± 8.8), corresponding to oocytes diameter ranging from 800 to 1,006 µm (905 ± 56 µm). Relative fecundity (eggs per body size unit – 1 cm) ranged from 8.1 to 16.6 (10.9 ± 3.3). Oocytes in advanced stages of development have mushroom-like projections and polygonal grooves in the zona pellucida (Fig. 5).
Seven different classes of land use and cover were mapped in adjacent areas (radius 250 m) of N. minimus occurrences (Fig. 6). The main impacts in the species occurrence areas were mosaic of land use (28.2%; areas of agricultural use where it was not possible to distinguish between pasture and agriculture), pasture (21.7%), urban area (4.8%) and other non-vegetated areas (3.2%; areas of non-permeable surfaces such as infrastructure or mining). The locations within conservation units exhibited greater relative coverage of natural matrices (total 48%; wooded sandbank vegetation 18.9%, forest formation 14.7%, and wetlands 14.2%) compared to unprotected sites (total 29.4%; wooded sandbank vegetation 0.26%, forest formation 11.7%, and wetlands 17.2%). Protected and unprotected areas also showed opposite temporal trends (1985–2021) of changes in the landscape, while unprotected areas showed an expansion of 4% of anthropic matrices, in protected areas there was a restoration of 7.3% of natural matrices (Fig. 6).
FIGURE 4 |
Length-weight relationship of Notholebias minimus (N = 43).
FIGURE 5 |
Unfertilized eggs of Notholebias minimus, evidencing mushroom-like projections and polygonal grooves in the zona pellucida. Scale bar = 100 µm.
FIGURE 6 |
Land use and cover (%) in 11 different localities (Protected/Conservation Units vs. Unprotected) and periods (1985–2021) at areas (buffer 250 m) of occurrence of Notholebias minimus.
DISCUSSIONNotholebias minimus has a remarkably wide geographic distribution compared with other species of the genus Notholebias. Records of this species include the basins of the rivers Guandu, Guarda, Portinho, and drainages of the Lagoon System of Jacarepaguá (Costa, 1988; Costa, Amorim, 2013). This contrasts with the other species of the genus, which have lesser wide distribution and are restricted to the surroundings of the type localities (Costa, 1988; Costa, Amorim, 2013; ICMBio, 2018). There are alternative historical scenarios for the modern distribution patterns of Rivulidae (e.g., Garcia et al., 2012; Costa et al., 2017; Loureiro et al., 2018), and at smaller spatial scales, there is evidence that some species could be dispersed by rearrangements of river drainages, large floods or even endozoochory (Costa, 2013; Silva et al., 2019). Therefore, the explanation for the current distribution of Notholebias species is not trivial and deserves further specific studies, as they may encompass unique phylogeographic patterns.
The new biotopes were located inside shaded forest fragments and in swamps of open vegetation exposed to the sun, typical of Notholebias spp., which may still include sandy coastal areas covered by bush, grass and open woodland vegetation located up to 100 m from the sea (Costa, 1988). The water in temporary pools at Chaperó locality showed an acidity tendency and low oxygen concentrations, typical environmental conditions of temporary wetlands (Bidwell, 2013,). Overall, annual killifish have evolved to withstand significant daily and seasonal environmental changes, including variations in temperature, oxygen concentration, salinity, pH, and water availability, that approach the limits of vertebrate survival (Podrabsky et al., 2016; Polačik, Podbrabsky, 2016; Ishimatsuet al., 2018). The co-occurrence between N. minimus and other non-annual species (T. trichopterus, P. anisophallos, H. bifasciatus, D. hastatus) indicates a periodic connection of the temporary wetlands with adjacent perennial water bodies. Sympatry between Notholebias and other annual and non-annual species is common (Costa, 1988; ICMBio, 2018) and indicates that these species are able to complete their life cycle and maintain viable populations even under periodic competition or predation.
Notholebias minimus showed a positive allometric growth (b = 3.18), with comparatively more gain in weight than in length (Froese, 2006). However, no previous references were found for the LWR of N. minimus and other species of Notholebias, what prevents comparisons of our results with other studies. Males of N. minimus are larger than females, corroborating the pattern of sexual dimorphism commonly observed in other species of Rivulidae (e.g., Arenzon et al., 2001; Lanés et al., 2012; Guedes et al., 2020). Preparation for reproduction can cause oxidative stress and affect maternal self-maintenance (Godoy et al., 2020) and consequently the somatic growth of females. Differences in body size mediate the coexistence of annual fish in temporary pools by mitigating intra and interspecific competition (Arenzon et al., 2001; Volcan et al., 2019). Therefore, intraspecific differences observed in body size between males and females may be associated with different reproductive energy costs, in addition to playing an important role in population coexistence.
A reduced batch fecundity (24.8 ± 8.8 eggs) was found for N. minimus, as well as for other annual species such as Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Regan, 1912) (19 ± 26 eggs; Gonçalves et al., 2011), Austrolebias nigrofasciatus Costa & Cheffe, 2001 (21.5 ± 12 eggs; Volcan et al., 2011), and Leptopanchax opalescens (Myers, 1942) (27 ± 7.0 eggs; Guedes et al., 2023). However, the eggs are relatively large (maximum 1.006 μm) when weighted by the spatial limitations imposed by the coelomic cavity in this species of reduced body size (< 4 cm). According to the optimal egg size theory, populations evolve a particular egg size that balances the tradeoff between egg size and fecundity to maximize reproductive yield (Smith, Fretwell, 1974). Therefore, larger eggs come at a cost of reducing the number of eggs, which is in accordance with the findings of this study. Annual species have smaller eggs when compared to non-annual species of the family Rivulidae (Guedes et al., 2023). This may be associated with the extreme tolerance of embryos to hypoxia due to the process of embryonic diapause, which culminates in developmental arrest, metabolic depression, and G1 cell cycle arrest (Podrabsky et al., 2016). For species without embryonic diapause, the optimal investment in offspring size increases as environmental quality decreases (Rollinson, Hutchings, 2013; Riesch et al., 2014; Santi et al., 2021). The zona pellucida of mature eggs of N. minimus featured mushroom-like projections similar to other species in the genera Leptopanchax and Notholebias (Costa, Leal, 2009; Thompson et al., 2017). Wourms, Sheldon (1976) hypothesized that these projections are a chorionic respiratory system since there is a network of channels leading to hollow spikes that may function as egg-like aeropiles, similar to insect eggs. This may be an adaptation for annual fishes since a thick, hard, and consequently poorly oxygen-permeable zona pellucida may be necessary to prevent desiccation (Thompson et al., 2017).
Notholebias minimus is currently found in five conservation units in the State of Rio de Janeiro, including the unpublished record in the Brisas APA presented here. However, other species such as Notholebias vermiculatus and N. fractifasciatus do not occur in protected areas (ICMBio, 2018). Notholebias cruzi whose type locality is outside a conservation unit, had its biotopes destroyed due to urban expansion and has not been found since 2002, and may be extinct (Costa, 2012; Lira, 2021). Biotopes of N. minimus located inside conservation units show great natural cover and environmental restoration trends between 1985 and 2021. On the other hand, locations without any protection show greater coverage of anthropic matrices (pasture, urban area) and a loss of temporary wetlands between 1985 and 2021. These results show the important role played by protected areas in the conservation of biotopes. However, even the protected areas showed high coverage (52%) of anthropic matrices, which may reflect the type of territorial policy, since part of these units are for sustainable use and consequently have fewer restrictions on land use (SNUC, 2000), and/or historical deforestation prior to 1985, since the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome is historically impacted (Joly et al., 2014; Egler et al., 2020).
The wide geographic distribution of N. minimus, combined with records in conservation units, places this species in a more favorable conservation position when compared to other species of the genus Notholebias. Our findings reveal that biotopes located within protected areas show a trend of restoration between 1985–2021, with an advancement of natural matrices. Conversely, biotopes found in unprotected areas show an opposite trend, with an increase in anthropogenic impacts on land use and coverage. However, it is crucial to maintain continuous monitoring of the biotopes, both inside and outside protected areas, to ensure the successful preservation of these endangered fish. In conclusion, our findings expand the knowledge of the habitats and population structure of N. minimus, and reinforce the importance of establishing protected areas for the conservation and restoration of annual fish biotopes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis research was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq (Proc. #140512/2022–5; 305712/2020–9; 306792/2021–4), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio de Janeiro – FAPERJ (Proc. E–26/200.897/2021; E–26/202.483/2021), Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade – FUNBIO Conservando o Futuro, and Instituto HUMANIZE (Proc. # 028/2023). Special thanks to Yuri Borba for photographing the fish and habitat at Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas.
REFERENCES
AUTHORSHIPSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS AbstractNotholebias minimus is an endangered annual killifish endemic to the coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study aimed to present new occurrences in the Atlantic Forest biome, provide unprecedented population features (body and egg size, fecundity, sexual ratio, and length-weight relationship – LWR), and compare changes in land use and coverage between 1985 and 2021 in biotopes located inside and outside protected areas. Three new occurrence localities were found in shallow temporary wetlands with acidic pH (6.4 ± 0.2) and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (2.0 ± 0.9 mg/L). Males and females total length ranged from 11.1 to 31 mm and 11 to 26 mm, respectively. Batch fecundity ranged from 18 to 40 oocytes (24.8 ± 8.8), corresponding to oocytes with sizes between 800–1,006 µm (905 ± 56). Males were significantly larger than females (W = 2193.5, p = 0.0067), but both sexes occurred in similar proportions (p = 0.472). LWR showed positive allometry (b = 3.18). Biotopes located within protected areas exhibited higher conservation. Our discoveries expand the knowledge about habitat and population features of N. minimus and reinforce the importance of establishing protected areas for the conservation of annual fish biotopes.
Keywords:
Annual fish; Atlantic Forest biome; Conservation units; Killifish; Threatened fauna
ResumoNotholebias minimus é um peixe anual ameaçado de extinção, endêmico das planícies costeiras do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Neste estudo, objetivamos apresentar novas ocorrências no bioma Mata Atlântica, fornecer características populacionais inéditas (tamanho do corpo e dos ovos, fecundidade, proporção sexual e relação peso-comprimento), e comparar mudanças no uso e cobertura do solo entre 1985 e 2021 em biótopos localizados dentro e fora de unidades de conservação. Registramos três novos locais em áreas úmidas temporárias rasas com pH ácido (6,4 ± 0,2) e baixas concentrações de oxigênio dissolvido (2,0 ± 0,9 mg/L). O comprimento total de machos e fêmeas variou de 11,1 a 31 mm e de 11 a 26 mm, respectivamente. A fecundidade do lote variou entre 18–40 oócitos (24,8 ± 8,8), correspondendo a diâmetros entre 800–1.006 µm (905 ± 56). Os machos foram significativamente maiores que as fêmeas (W = 2193,5; p = 0,0067), mas ocorreram em proporções similares (p = 0,472). A relação peso-comprimento detectou alometria positiva (b = 3,18). Biótopos localizados dentro de áreas protegidas exibiram maior preservação ambiental. Nossas descobertas ampliam o conhecimento sobre as características do habitat e da população de N. minimus e reforçam a importância do estabelecimento de áreas protegidas para a conservação dos biótopos dos peixes anuais.
Palavras-chave:
Bioma Mata Atlântica; Fauna ameaçada; Peixes anuais; Peixes das nuvens; Unidades de conservação
INTRODUCTIONRivulidae (Cyprinodontiformes) is the ninth most specious fish family in the world with about 473 valid species (Fricke et al., 2023), occurring between southern Florida and southeast of the province of Buenos Aires (Costa, 2011; Calviño et al., 2016; Loureiro et al., 2018). Brazil is home to the largest component of this rich fish family, with at least 314 species distributed across all national biomes. This high richness is proportional to the anthropic threats. Rivulidae is the family with the highest number of endangered species among all vertebrates that occur in Brazil (ICMBio, 2022). Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats to rivulids (Costa, 2009). Wetlands have been drastically destroyed, both in agricultural areas and in areas undergoing urbanization, through deforestation, drainage, and landfills (Abrantes et al., 2020; Castro, Polaz, 2020; Guedes t al., 2020; Drawert, 2022). Despite this, research, funding agencies, policy, and freshwater conservation have historically neglected wetlands and focused on larger water bodies and flagship species (Guedes et al., 2023).
Rivulidae is commonly subdivided into two major groups: annual/seasonal vs. non-annual/perennial, according to the presence or absence of resistant eggs capable of carrying out a complex process of embryonic diapause during the life cycle (Loureiro et al., 2018). Embryonic diapause allows species to live in hydrologically ephemeral habitats, such as temporary wetlands, where eggs are able to remain buried in dry substrate for months waiting for environmental triggers for hatching (Furness, 2016; Ishimatsu et al., 2018). This uniqueness makes annual species “invisible” during a considerable part of their life cycle, making it difficult to map species distribution areas.
The coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, located in south-eastern Brazil, are important hotspots of annual fish diversity (Costa, 2012). Among these endemic species, the genus NotholebiasCosta, 2008 stands out including four valid species: Notholebias minimus (Myers, 1942), N. cruzi (Costa, 1988), N. fractifasciatus (Costa, 1988), and N. vermiculatusCosta Amorim, 2013. All of these species are endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome and are threatened with extinction (ICMBio, 2018, 2022). There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the distribution, habitats, life history, and ecology of Notholebias species, as well as for most annual fish. These gaps are aggravated when considering the high number of endangered species, which should reflect a greater effort in and ex situ studies to support conservation strategies. To reduce these knowledge bottlenecks, this study has as main aims (i) to present new occurrence sites of N. minimus in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome, (ii) to provide unprecedented population features (individual size, fecundity and egg size, sex ratio, and length-weight ratio), and (iii) to compare anthropic impacts on land use and cover between 1985 and 2021 in temporary wetlands located inside and outside protected areas, which pose a threat to the conservation of this species.
MATERIAL AND METHODSSampling. Fish samplings were conducted between February and December 2022 at 23 sites distributed in five localities in the coastal drainages of Sepetiba Bay and Lagoon System of Jacarepaguá (municipalities of Seropédica and Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro; Tab. 1). Three localities were visited for the first time during this study: Brisas APA (Área Proteção Ambiental das Brisas), UFRRJ (Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro), and Chaperó (Chaperó solar power plant). Two other localities with previously known distribution of N. minimus were revisited: PMN Bosque da Barra (Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra) and REBIO Guaratiba (Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba). The climate is seasonal tropical, with rainy summers and dry winters (Aw climate, according to the Köppen – Geiger classification). Fish were collected with immersion nets (hand nets with an oval shape, 50 x 40 cm, 1 mm of panel mesh size). After capture, they were anesthetized with hydrochloride benzocaine (50 mg/l), euthanized and fixed in 10% formalin in situ. In the laboratory, the fish were measured (precision 0.01 cm), weighed (precision 0.001 g), and after 48 h, preserved in 70% ethanol. Biometric analyses were conducted on the same day as the capture to avoid biases associated with specimen fixation/preservation. In order to reduce the impacts of sampling on fish populations, approximately 75% of specimens were returned alive to the pools after being counted (abundance). Fish were identified and sexed according to Costa ( 1988, 2008, 2009). Vouchers were deposited in the Ichthyological Collection of the Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (LEP–UFRRJ 2588–2593) and are available for online consultation via Global Biodiversity Information Facility – GBIF ( Araújo et al., 2023 ). Additional records were obtained from the bibliography (Costa, Amorim, 2013; Costa, 2016) and online fish collections database search at Sistema de Informação sobre a Biodiversidade Brasileira – SiBBr (www.sibbr.gov.br), SpeciesLink (www.splink.org.br), and GBIF (www.gbif.org).
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TABLE 1 |
Localities, number, and date (month/year) of samplings conducted in attempts to capture Notholebias minimus in coastal drainages of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Brisas APA = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas; PNM Bosque da Barra = Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra; REBIO Guaratiba = Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba; UFRRJ = Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro.
To assess fecundity, ovaries from spawning females (N = 5) were removed from the visceral cavity, weighted, and kept in Gilson’s solution until a complete detachment of oocytes from epithelial and ovarian walls. Eggs were counted and measured (diameter, in μm) in a microscope LEICA TL5000 Ergo. Microanatomy of the zona pellucida was examined under scanning electron microscopy Hitachi TM1000. The bath fecundity (BF), i.e., the number of eggs produced in a single spawning batch, was established from the counting of vitellogenic oocytes (Rizzo, Bazzoli, 2020). The relative fecundity (RF) was determined by the number of vitellogenic oocytes per body size unit (1 cm).
Physical and chemical water characteristics such as temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), redox potential (mV), pH, electrical conductivity (μS/cm), and turbidity (FTU) were measured using a multiprobe model Hanna HI9829. Depth (cm) was measured using centimeter rulers and a digital probe (SpeedTech SM-5) at the center of the temporary wetland (equidistant from opposite shores). Each environmental variable (physical, chemical, and depth) had the average value calculated from three replicates. The measurements were taken at two sites belonging to the same sampling locality (Chaperó, codes 11–12; Tab. 2) during the dry (June) and rainy season (December) of 2022. Therefore, the environmental data presented here may not fully express the range of variability among different occurrence habitats of the species; however, they certainly provide useful evidence of the environmental characteristics to which annual fish are exposed.
Land use and cover. To assess changes in the landscape in the fish occurrence areas, buffers were established with a radius of 250 m from the centroids of the water body where fish were caught, totaling an analyzed area of ~ 0.1963 km2. In these areas, land use and cover matrices for the years 1985 and 2021 were acquired through the Mapbiomas project (v. 7.0, https://mapbiomas.org). The classification was based on annual mosaics of Landsat satellite images, and the image classification process was carried out automatically through the use of decision tree algorithms of the Random Forest type (Souza et al., 2020). The classification was carried out pixel by pixel, the minimum mapped unit was equivalent to 900 m2 (30 x 30 m). A customized Spatial Reference System (SRS) was used to calculate the areas based on the Albers Projection, with parameters provided by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). The different classes of land use and cover were grouped into two categories: natural (e.g., Forest formation, Wetlands) and anthropic (e.g., Urban Infrastructure, Pasture and Agriculture), and the rate (%) of progression or regression of anthropic cover (between 1985 and 2021) was compared between areas with different territorial policies (protected vs. unprotected areas). We included in our analyses 11 out of the 13 records (6 protected/conservation units; 5 unprotected areas) presented in Tab. 2. In two instances (codes: 10 and 13; 11 and 12; Tab. 2), the distance between the sites was less than 500 m, and to avoid buffer overlap and spatial redundancy in our analyses, we considered only one location. To address potential temporal biases of protected areas created after 1985, we observed if there were conspicuous changes in land use and cover between 1985 and the year of establishment of the protected area. We noticed that the land use and land cover matrices were similar between our lower limit (1985) and the date of creation of the conservation units. Therefore, we conducted our analyses by maintaining a standardized temporal scope of comparison of 36 years (1985–2021) for all 11 locations. All geoprocessing analyses, such as creating buffers, reprojections, transforming raster’s into polygons, calculating areas of land use and cover classes, overlays, and layer sampling were performed using QGIS software v. 3.10 A Coruña (QGIS Development Team, 2022).
Statistical analyses. A Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test was performed to compare the differences in the total body length (TL) between males and females. A possible bias in the population sex ratio was assessed by comparing the expected rate of 1:1, and tested with a chi-square test (χ2), with a 95% of the significance level. The length-weight (W = a × TLb) relationships (LWR) based on measurements of 43 individuals (males + females) was estimated by linear regression on the transformed equation: log (W) = log (a) + b log (TL) (Le Cren, 1951), where W is the body weight (g), TL is the total length (cm), a is the y-intercept, and b is the slope (Froese, 2006). All statistical analyses were conducted in an R environment (R Development Core Team, 2022).
RESULTSThree new localities of occurrence of Notholebias minimus were discovered in coastal plains draining into the Sepetiba Bay, State of the Rio de Janeiro (Tab. 2; Fig. 1). Two of the new records occurred in the Seropédica Municipality: (i) inside the campus of the UFRRJ (22°46’38.4”S 43°41’03.4”W; Tab. 2, cod. 8 and 9); and (ii) on land scheduled to receive the installation of the Chaperó solar power plant (22°48’31.0”S 43°45’51.0”W; Tab. 2, codes 11–12). The third new record occurred in the Rio de Janeiro Municipality, in the Brisas APA (22°59’29.5”S 43°39’06.8”W; Tab. 2, codes 10 and 13). In these localities, a total of 156 individuals of N. minimus (70 males, 84 females, and two juveniles with undefined sex; Fig. 2) were sampled. Two localities with the previously known distribution of the species were also revisited (code 3, REBIO de Guaratiba; code 13, PNM Bosque da Barra), however, the species was not recaptured there. Among the 23 sites inspected during the study period (Tab. 1), N. minimus was recorded in only six sites (Tab. 2). Other localities shown in Tab. 2 and Fig. 1, and not mentioned here, were not inspected.
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TABLE 2 |
Records of Notholebias minimus in different areas (AP – protected/conservation units; UN – unprotected) in coastal drainages in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Year of establishment of the protect area also indicated. APA Tabebuias = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Tabebuias; Brisas APA = Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas; FLONA Mário Xavier = Floresta Nacional Mário Xavier; PNM Bosque da Barra = Parque Natural Municipal Bosque da Barra; REBIO Guaratiba = Reserva Biológica Estadual de Guaratiba. ZUEC-PIS, Coleção de Peixes do Museu de Zoologia of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas; MNRJ, Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro; UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Instituto de Biologia; LEP-UFRRJ, Coleção Ictioló gica do Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. *New records presented in this study.
FIGURE 1 |
Map of occurrences of Notholebias minimus in coastal plains of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Black triangles indicate the new records in this study. Black dots, records from previous studies (e.g., Costa, Amorim, 2013; Costa, 2016). Occurrence references (codes) are available in Tab. 2.
FIGURE 2 |
Males of Notholebias minimus captured in (A) Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas, Rio de Janeiro Municipality, and (B) in the campus of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ (Seropédica Municipality). Scale bar = 4 mm.
Notholebias minimus was recorded in temporary pools typical of annual killifishes, including unshaded (Fig. 3A–B) and shaded swamps in the interior/edges of small forest fragments. Floating macrophytes were present only in unshaded swamps (Fig. 3A). For the Chaperó locality, depth (cm) varied between the dry (average ± s.d., 33 ± 19 cm) and wet (85 ± 21 cm) seasons, with swamps reaching up to 105 cm in depth (Tab. 3). Physical and chemical water characteristics indicate a pH with an acidity tendency (minimum-maximum, 6.25–6.76) and low oxygen concentrations (1.1–3.8 mg/ L; Tab. 3). Other non-annual fish species occurred in sympatry with N. minimus, such as Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770) in the Brisas APA; Phalloceros anisophallos Lucinda, 2008, Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus Ellis, 1911, and Deuterodon hastatus (Myers, 1928) in the Seropédica Municipality (Chaperó and UFRRJ localities).
FIGURE 3 |
Temporary wetlands in the Guandu River Hydrographic Region (coastal drainages of the Sepetiba Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with new occurrences of Notholebias minimus. A–B. Swamps of open vegetation in Chaperó locality, C–D. Swamps in forest fragments in the campus of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ, and in the Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas, respectively.
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TABLE 3 |
Physical and chemical water characteristics in the temporary wetlands associated with captures of Notholebias minimus in the Chaperó locality (codes 11-12; Tab. 2), during the dry (June) and wet (December) seasons of 2022. Minimum– maximum (mean ± standard deviation).
The chi-square test did not show significant differences in the sex ratio (1.1 female: 1 male), with both sexes being captured in similar proportions (χ2 = 0.516, p = 0.472). The body size ranged from 11.1 to 31 mm (mean ± s.d., 19.1 ± 3.9 mm TL) and 11 to 26 mm (17.5 ± 3.0 mm TL), for males and females respectively. The mean body size of males was significantly larger than females (W = 2193.5, p = 0.0067). The length-weight relationship (LWR) with sexes pooled was determined by the following equation fitted to a potential curve: Wt = 0.0099 × TL 3.18 (N = 43; Fig. 4). This equation corresponds to the logarithmic form, ln W = 4.61 + 3.18 × ln L (R2= 0.92). Notholebias minimus exhibits positive allometric growth with an exponent parameter (b) equal to 3.18 (2.89–3.46; 95% confidence interval). The total number of oocytes present in the gonads (regardless of the stage of development) of females ranged from 35 to 63 (mean 50 ± 12.3 s.d). The bath fecundity (only vitellogenic oocytes) ranged from 18 to 40 (24.8 ± 8.8), corresponding to oocytes diameter ranging from 800 to 1,006 µm (905 ± 56 µm). Relative fecundity (eggs per body size unit – 1 cm) ranged from 8.1 to 16.6 (10.9 ± 3.3). Oocytes in advanced stages of development have mushroom-like projections and polygonal grooves in the zona pellucida (Fig. 5).
Seven different classes of land use and cover were mapped in adjacent areas (radius 250 m) of N. minimus occurrences (Fig. 6). The main impacts in the species occurrence areas were mosaic of land use (28.2%; areas of agricultural use where it was not possible to distinguish between pasture and agriculture), pasture (21.7%), urban area (4.8%) and other non-vegetated areas (3.2%; areas of non-permeable surfaces such as infrastructure or mining). The locations within conservation units exhibited greater relative coverage of natural matrices (total 48%; wooded sandbank vegetation 18.9%, forest formation 14.7%, and wetlands 14.2%) compared to unprotected sites (total 29.4%; wooded sandbank vegetation 0.26%, forest formation 11.7%, and wetlands 17.2%). Protected and unprotected areas also showed opposite temporal trends (1985–2021) of changes in the landscape, while unprotected areas showed an expansion of 4% of anthropic matrices, in protected areas there was a restoration of 7.3% of natural matrices (Fig. 6).
FIGURE 4 |
Length-weight relationship of Notholebias minimus (N = 43).
FIGURE 5 |
Unfertilized eggs of Notholebias minimus, evidencing mushroom-like projections and polygonal grooves in the zona pellucida. Scale bar = 100 µm.
FIGURE 6 |
Land use and cover (%) in 11 different localities (Protected/Conservation Units vs. Unprotected) and periods (1985–2021) at areas (buffer 250 m) of occurrence of Notholebias minimus.
DISCUSSIONNotholebias minimus has a remarkably wide geographic distribution compared with other species of the genus Notholebias. Records of this species include the basins of the rivers Guandu, Guarda, Portinho, and drainages of the Lagoon System of Jacarepaguá (Costa, 1988; Costa, Amorim, 2013). This contrasts with the other species of the genus, which have lesser wide distribution and are restricted to the surroundings of the type localities (Costa, 1988; Costa, Amorim, 2013; ICMBio, 2018). There are alternative historical scenarios for the modern distribution patterns of Rivulidae (e.g., Garcia et al., 2012; Costa et al., 2017; Loureiro et al., 2018), and at smaller spatial scales, there is evidence that some species could be dispersed by rearrangements of river drainages, large floods or even endozoochory (Costa, 2013; Silva et al., 2019). Therefore, the explanation for the current distribution of Notholebias species is not trivial and deserves further specific studies, as they may encompass unique phylogeographic patterns.
The new biotopes were located inside shaded forest fragments and in swamps of open vegetation exposed to the sun, typical of Notholebias spp., which may still include sandy coastal areas covered by bush, grass and open woodland vegetation located up to 100 m from the sea (Costa, 1988). The water in temporary pools at Chaperó locality showed an acidity tendency and low oxygen concentrations, typical environmental conditions of temporary wetlands (Bidwell, 2013,). Overall, annual killifish have evolved to withstand significant daily and seasonal environmental changes, including variations in temperature, oxygen concentration, salinity, pH, and water availability, that approach the limits of vertebrate survival (Podrabsky et al., 2016; Polačik, Podbrabsky, 2016; Ishimatsuet al., 2018). The co-occurrence between N. minimus and other non-annual species (T. trichopterus, P. anisophallos, H. bifasciatus, D. hastatus) indicates a periodic connection of the temporary wetlands with adjacent perennial water bodies. Sympatry between Notholebias and other annual and non-annual species is common (Costa, 1988; ICMBio, 2018) and indicates that these species are able to complete their life cycle and maintain viable populations even under periodic competition or predation.
Notholebias minimus showed a positive allometric growth (b = 3.18), with comparatively more gain in weight than in length (Froese, 2006). However, no previous references were found for the LWR of N. minimus and other species of Notholebias, what prevents comparisons of our results with other studies. Males of N. minimus are larger than females, corroborating the pattern of sexual dimorphism commonly observed in other species of Rivulidae (e.g., Arenzon et al., 2001; Lanés et al., 2012; Guedes et al., 2020). Preparation for reproduction can cause oxidative stress and affect maternal self-maintenance (Godoy et al., 2020) and consequently the somatic growth of females. Differences in body size mediate the coexistence of annual fish in temporary pools by mitigating intra and interspecific competition (Arenzon et al., 2001; Volcan et al., 2019). Therefore, intraspecific differences observed in body size between males and females may be associated with different reproductive energy costs, in addition to playing an important role in population coexistence.
A reduced batch fecundity (24.8 ± 8.8 eggs) was found for N. minimus, as well as for other annual species such as Cynopoecilus melanotaenia (Regan, 1912) (19 ± 26 eggs; Gonçalves et al., 2011), Austrolebias nigrofasciatus Costa & Cheffe, 2001 (21.5 ± 12 eggs; Volcan et al., 2011), and Leptopanchax opalescens (Myers, 1942) (27 ± 7.0 eggs; Guedes et al., 2023). However, the eggs are relatively large (maximum 1.006 μm) when weighted by the spatial limitations imposed by the coelomic cavity in this species of reduced body size (< 4 cm). According to the optimal egg size theory, populations evolve a particular egg size that balances the tradeoff between egg size and fecundity to maximize reproductive yield (Smith, Fretwell, 1974). Therefore, larger eggs come at a cost of reducing the number of eggs, which is in accordance with the findings of this study. Annual species have smaller eggs when compared to non-annual species of the family Rivulidae (Guedes et al., 2023). This may be associated with the extreme tolerance of embryos to hypoxia due to the process of embryonic diapause, which culminates in developmental arrest, metabolic depression, and G1 cell cycle arrest (Podrabsky et al., 2016). For species without embryonic diapause, the optimal investment in offspring size increases as environmental quality decreases (Rollinson, Hutchings, 2013; Riesch et al., 2014; Santi et al., 2021). The zona pellucida of mature eggs of N. minimus featured mushroom-like projections similar to other species in the genera Leptopanchax and Notholebias (Costa, Leal, 2009; Thompson et al., 2017). Wourms, Sheldon (1976) hypothesized that these projections are a chorionic respiratory system since there is a network of channels leading to hollow spikes that may function as egg-like aeropiles, similar to insect eggs. This may be an adaptation for annual fishes since a thick, hard, and consequently poorly oxygen-permeable zona pellucida may be necessary to prevent desiccation (Thompson et al., 2017).
Notholebias minimus is currently found in five conservation units in the State of Rio de Janeiro, including the unpublished record in the Brisas APA presented here. However, other species such as Notholebias vermiculatus and N. fractifasciatus do not occur in protected areas (ICMBio, 2018). Notholebias cruzi whose type locality is outside a conservation unit, had its biotopes destroyed due to urban expansion and has not been found since 2002, and may be extinct (Costa, 2012; Lira, 2021). Biotopes of N. minimus located inside conservation units show great natural cover and environmental restoration trends between 1985 and 2021. On the other hand, locations without any protection show greater coverage of anthropic matrices (pasture, urban area) and a loss of temporary wetlands between 1985 and 2021. These results show the important role played by protected areas in the conservation of biotopes. However, even the protected areas showed high coverage (52%) of anthropic matrices, which may reflect the type of territorial policy, since part of these units are for sustainable use and consequently have fewer restrictions on land use (SNUC, 2000), and/or historical deforestation prior to 1985, since the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome is historically impacted (Joly et al., 2014; Egler et al., 2020).
The wide geographic distribution of N. minimus, combined with records in conservation units, places this species in a more favorable conservation position when compared to other species of the genus Notholebias. Our findings reveal that biotopes located within protected areas show a trend of restoration between 1985–2021, with an advancement of natural matrices. Conversely, biotopes found in unprotected areas show an opposite trend, with an increase in anthropogenic impacts on land use and coverage. However, it is crucial to maintain continuous monitoring of the biotopes, both inside and outside protected areas, to ensure the successful preservation of these endangered fish. In conclusion, our findings expand the knowledge of the habitats and population structure of N. minimus, and reinforce the importance of establishing protected areas for the conservation and restoration of annual fish biotopes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis research was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq (Proc. #140512/2022–5; 305712/2020–9; 306792/2021–4), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio de Janeiro – FAPERJ (Proc. E–26/200.897/2021; E–26/202.483/2021), Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade – FUNBIO Conservando o Futuro, and Instituto HUMANIZE (Proc. # 028/2023). Special thanks to Yuri Borba for photographing the fish and habitat at Área de Proteção Ambiental das Brisas.
REFERENCES
Astyanax apiaka • A New Species of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) from the rio Apiacás, rio Teles Pires Basin, Mato Grosso, BrazilBrazil
Astyanax apiaka
Ferreira, Lima, Ribeiro, Flausino, Machado & Mirande, 2023
DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0153
Researchgate.net/publication/369917162
Abstract
A new species of Astyanax Baird & Girard, 1854 is described from the rio Apiacás, a tributary of the rio Teles Pires, rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The new taxon can be distinguished from all congeners, except those belonging to the Astyanax bimaculatus species group and to the Astyanax orthodus species group, by the presence of a horizontally elongated to rounded humeral blotch. The new taxon can be readily distinguished from all species belonging to the A. bimaculatus species group and to the A. orthodus species group by presenting a distinct morphology in premaxillary and dentary teeth with conspicuous diastema (a teeth gap) between them. We also present a hypothesis about the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon within Astyanax.
Key words: taxonomy, Stethaprioninae, Gymnocharacini, Astyanax apiaka, rio Tapajós basin, Neotropical region
Astyanax apiaka, uncatalogued specimen photographed alive during field work. Lateral view, left side.
Astyanax apiaka, sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific name honors the Apiaká, an indigenous group, which inhabits the region where the new species was collected, and also the eponymous river from where the species is endemic. A noun in apposition.
Rio Cabeça de Boi, a tributary of the rio Apiacás, rio Teles Pires basin, Brazil, type-locality of Astyanax apiaka.
Katiane M. Ferreira, Flávio C. T. Lima, Alexande C. Ribeiro, Nelson Flausino Jr., Francisco A. Machado and Juan Marcos Mirande. 2023. A New Species of Astyanax (Characiformes, Characidae) from the rio Apiacás, rio Teles Pires Basin, with a discussion on its phylogenetic position. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 101(2). DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0153
Researchgate.net/publication/369917162_A_new_species_of_Astyanax_from_the_rio_Apiacas_rio_Teles_Pires_basin
==========================
Astyanax apiaka
Ferreira, Lima, Ribeiro, Flausino, Machado & Mirande, 2023
DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0153
Researchgate.net/publication/369917162
Abstract
A new species of Astyanax Baird & Girard, 1854 is described from the rio Apiacás, a tributary of the rio Teles Pires, rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The new taxon can be distinguished from all congeners, except those belonging to the Astyanax bimaculatus species group and to the Astyanax orthodus species group, by the presence of a horizontally elongated to rounded humeral blotch. The new taxon can be readily distinguished from all species belonging to the A. bimaculatus species group and to the A. orthodus species group by presenting a distinct morphology in premaxillary and dentary teeth with conspicuous diastema (a teeth gap) between them. We also present a hypothesis about the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon within Astyanax.
Key words: taxonomy, Stethaprioninae, Gymnocharacini, Astyanax apiaka, rio Tapajós basin, Neotropical region
Astyanax apiaka, uncatalogued specimen photographed alive during field work. Lateral view, left side.
Astyanax apiaka, sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific name honors the Apiaká, an indigenous group, which inhabits the region where the new species was collected, and also the eponymous river from where the species is endemic. A noun in apposition.
Rio Cabeça de Boi, a tributary of the rio Apiacás, rio Teles Pires basin, Brazil, type-locality of Astyanax apiaka.
Katiane M. Ferreira, Flávio C. T. Lima, Alexande C. Ribeiro, Nelson Flausino Jr., Francisco A. Machado and Juan Marcos Mirande. 2023. A New Species of Astyanax (Characiformes, Characidae) from the rio Apiacás, rio Teles Pires Basin, with a discussion on its phylogenetic position. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 101(2). DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0153
Researchgate.net/publication/369917162_A_new_species_of_Astyanax_from_the_rio_Apiacas_rio_Teles_Pires_basin
==========================
Chiloglanis fortuitus
Chlioglanis frodobragginsi
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31 July 2023
Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa
Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle, Henry L. Bart Jr.
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Ichthyology & Herpetology, 111(3):376-389 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1643/i2022067
AbstractSuckermouth catfishes of the genus Chiloglanis are found throughout tropical Africa. Recent studies highlighted the diversity within this genus remains incompletely documented and nearly 20 new species have been described in the past ten years. Here we describe two new species of Chiloglanis from streams in the Upper Guinean Forest. Chiloglanis fortuitus, new species, is only known from one specimen collected in the St. John River drainage in Liberia and is readily distinguished from other species of Chiloglanis by the number of mandibular teeth and the length of the barbels associated with the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River was previously considered to be a disjunct population of C. micropogon. A combination of several characters diagnoses C. frodobagginsi, new species, from topotypic C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River basin) and from Central African populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages. The biogeographical implications of the recognition of C. frodobagginsi, new species, the likelihood of finding additional diversity in the streams of the Upper Guinean Forests, and the taxonomy of C. micropogon and C. batesii are also discussed.
There are currently 63 species of suckermouth catfishes in the genus Chiloglanis (Mochokidae) generally associated with flowing waters throughout tropical Africa (Fricke et al., 2022). Several species were described in recent years (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011; Schmidt et al., 2015, 2017; Schmidt and Barrientos, 2019; Kashindye et al., 2021) and many more taxa remain to be formally described (Morris et al., 2016; Chakona et al., 2018; Watson, 2020; Ward, 2021). Though superficially similar in morphology, these species have many informative diagnostic characters associated with their teeth, oral disc morphology, barbels, and spine and fin-ray lengths. Thus, many species originally considered to be widely distributed can clearly be separated into different species by carefully examining these characters.
This research on the Upper Guinean species of Chiloglanis started by looking at the morphological and molecular variation within the previously reported widespread species Chiloglanis occidentalis in streams of the Upper Guinean Forest. A molecular analysis revealed the presence of distinct lineages/species within C. occidentalis, many of which were endemic to individual river basins (Schmidt et al., 2016). These species broadly formed two groups: one group with generally shorter dorsal spines, pectoral spines, and maxillary barbels, and the other with longer dorsal and pectoral spines, and longer maxillary barbels. Within the region, endemic species belonging to both groups co-occur (sympatry) in several drainages in southeastern Guinea, seemingly using different microhabitats. The same study also showed that populations of another species, C. aff. micropogon, in the upper Niger River drainage in Guinea were genetically distinct from topotypic populations of C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River drainage) with 3.6% divergence in cytochrome b and 6.2% divergence in growth hormone intron 2 (Schmidt et al., 2016). In another paper on the diversity of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, when examining and selecting the type series for C. tweddlei, one specimen clearly stood out morphologically (Schmidt et al., 2017). This specimen superficially resembled members of the group with shorter spines and barbels, but it had more mandibular teeth than any other species of Chiloglanis in the region.
The present study aimed to examine the morphological variation among populations of C. micropogon and C. aff. micropogon to determine if the populations in the upper Niger River deserved specific recognition. Further, the unique specimen collected in the St. John River drainage was reexamined and the presence of other specimens of this unique morphotype in ichthyological collections investigated. The results of this study support the recognition of these two populations as distinct species of Chiloglanis which are described herein: C. frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River previously identified as C. aff. micropogon, and C. fortuitus, new species, from the St. John River drainage. We also discuss the variation within populations of C. micropogon in Central Africa and highlight areas where further collection efforts are needed.
MATERIALS AND METHODSSpecimens of Chiloglanis and other taxa were collected during several expeditions in Guinea and Liberia. Three of these expeditions occurred during 2003, and the most recent collections took place in 2012 (Liberia) and 2013 (Guinea; Fig. 1). Specimens from these expeditions are cataloged at several institutions with the bulk of the material residing in AMNH, AUM, CUMV, SAIAB, and TU (acronyms according to Sabaj, 2020). Comparative material from the Lualaba River (type locality of C. micropogon) and populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue River, Cross River, and Ndian River drainages were also included in the analysis. Measurements were taken to 0.1 mm with a digital caliper and a stereo microscope equipped with an ocular micrometer. Morphometric measurements and meristic counts follow Schmidt et al. (2017) modified from Skelton and White (1980) and Friel and Vigliotta (2011). The holotype of C. micropogon was examined during a previous study, but a full suite of measurements was not collected. Sex of type specimens was determined by external examination of genital papillae following Friel and Vigliotta (2011). Measurements collected from the unique specimen from the St. John River drainage were included with the measurements from the short-spine taxa obtained in a previous study (Schmidt et al., 2017). A principal component analysis (PCA) using the covariance matrix of log-transformed measurements and descriptive statistics was completed in MYSTAT (SYSTAT Software Inc.). Body shape variation within principal components strongly correlated to size for populations of C. micropogon (e.g., PC1) was assessed through reduced-major axis (RMA) regression lines in the SMATR package in R (Warton et al., 2006).
Fig. 1Localities of species of Chiloglanis discussed in this study. Rivers of the Upper Guinean Forests enlarged from outlined region in the inset map of West and Central Africa. River drainages outlined in white lines. White circles are localities where no Chiloglanis were collected. Locations of Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (black circles), holotype of C. frodobagginsi (black star), type locality of Chiloglanis fortuitus (black triangle), and comparative Chiloglanis micropogon and Chiloglanis cf. micropogon (black squares).
RESULTSMorphological comparisons of populations of Chiloglanis.--A PCA of 45 morphometric measurements of C. fortuitus, new species, and 113 specimens of short-spine taxa shows C. fortuitus, new species, as distinct from the other taxa in the region (Fig. 2). Premaxillary tooth length and the length of the maxillary, medial, and lateral mandibular barbels contribute to the variation observed in PC2. These barbels are longer in C. fortuitus, new species, than in the other short-spine taxa, although with just one specimen of C. fortuitus, new species, it isn't possible to investigate these characters further.
Fig. 2Plots of PC1 to PC2 (A) and PC2 to PC3 (B) from principal component analysis of 45 log-transformed measurements from 114 specimens of the short-spine taxa from the Upper Guinean Forests. Holotype of Chiloglanis fortuitus denoted by star.
The morphological comparison of C. frodobagginsi, new species, and C. micropogon included 35 measurements and eight meristics from 50 specimens. Measurements shown to be sexually dimorphic (e.g., fin lengths and length of postcleithral process) were not included in the analysis (Supplemental Table A; see Data Accessibility). Plots of principal components 1 and 2 clearly separate C. frodobagginsi, new species, from C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Fig. 3A). Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages are also distinct from topotypic C. micropogon and C. frodobagginsi, new species. Occipital shield width, mandibular tooth row width, maxillary barbel length, and distance between dorsal and adipose fins contribute to variation observed in PC2 (Supplemental Table B; see Data Accessibility). In plots of PC2 to PC3, populations of C. micropogon from the Lualaba River and C. frodobagginsi, new species, are still distinct (Fig. 3B). The populations in the Moa River are also largely distinct from Niger River C. frodobagginsi, new species (Fig. 3A, B). These two specimens are only 19.4 and 20.1 mm SL so additional specimens from this population are needed to better understand the variation observed.
Fig. 3Plots of PC1 to PC2 from principal component analysis of 35 log-transformed measurements from 47 specimens (A) and PC2 to PC3 (B). The holotype of Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is noted by the black star. Refer to Supplemental Table B (see Data Accessibility) for component loading values.
The first principal component was positively correlated with standard length (Pearson's correlation = 0.99). The RMA regression of PC1 to the log-transformed standard length (not shown) shows that the slopes of populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, C. micropogon, and C. frodobagginsi, new species, are equal (P = 0.14) and that there is no difference in the elevation (i.e., the y-intercept) for each group (P = 0.39). When examining just the population of C. micropogon and C. frodobagginsi, new species, there is a difference in the elevation between the two (P = 0.04). Examining individual measurements and counts does give a sense of how the allometric trajectory of some of these traits differ in C. frodobagginsi, new species, and C. micropogon (Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). The distance between the dorsal fin and adipose fin as a percentage of standard length has equal slopes (P = 0.164), but they have significantly different elevations (P = 0.0036; Fig. 4A). The number of premaxillary teeth plotted against log-transformed standard length for each species also clearly shows that these two species are distinct (Fig. 4B).
Fig. 4Reduced-major axis regression of distance from dorsal fin to adipose fin (as a percentage of standard length) on log-transformed standard length (A). Reduced-major axis regression of log-transformed total number of premaxillary teeth on log-transformed standard length (B). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (open circle), Chiloglanis frodobagginsi from the Moa River (filled circle), Chiloglanis micropogon (open square), and holotype of C. frodobagginsi (black star).
Chiloglanis fortuitus, Schmidt, Bragança, and Tweddle, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5DAB9826-ADEE-42B5-84A8-934D5CCF4511
Figure 5, Table 1
- Holotype.--SAIAB 202292, 35.0 mm SL, Liberia, St. John River drainage, Nimba County, Dayea River, above Yekepa, 7.579333°N, 8.516889°W, D. Tweddle, 30 March 2012. Diagnosis.--Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis, including all species in the Upper Guinean Forest, except C. disneyi, C. microps, C. niger, and C. orthodontus, in having 18 mandibular teeth in the functional row (vs. 6–15 teeth; Table 1). Chiloglanis fortuitus is easily distinguished from C. disneyi, C. microps, and C. niger in having longer mandibular barbels whereas these are absent or reduced in the latter species. Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a more robust oral disc and its length equal to its width versus length much shorter than width (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis fortuitus is further distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a longer dorsal spine (12.8 versus 4.1–7.8 % SL) and shorter maxillary barbels (7.2 versus 9.4–14.8 % SL).
- Description.--Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype summarized in Table 1. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views (Fig. 5) illustrate body shape, fin shape and placement, oral disc size and shape, and maxillary and mandibular barbel lengths.
- Moderate-sized Chiloglanis, maximum standard length observed 35.0 mm in one male specimen. Body dorsally depressed anteriorly and laterally compressed posteriorly. Pre-dorsal convex, sloping ventrally towards posterior nares, pre-orbital convex. Post-dorsal body sloping ventrally towards caudal fin. Post-anal profile concave, pre-anal profile horizontal. Small unculiferous tubercles present on body, concentrations of tubercles higher near head. Lateral line complete, arising at level of orbit and sloping ventrally to midlateral alongside of body towards caudal peduncle. Urogenital papillae presumed sexually dimorphic; males with elongated urogenital papilla.
- Head depressed. Gill membranes broadly united. Gill openings restricted, opening near pectoral-fin origin to horizontal level of orbit. Occipital-nuchal shield covered and visible through skin. Eye moderate in size, located post mid-head length, horizontal axis longest, without free margins. Anterior and posterior nares equidistant, positioned mid-snout. Naris with raised rims, posterior naris with elongated anterior flap.
- Mouth inferior, upper and lower lips united to form oral disc. Oral disc moderate in size, length equaling width and covered in papillae. Barbels in three pairs; maxillary barbel originating from posterolateral region of disc, unbranched, moderate in length, 7% of SL. Lateral and medial mandibular barbels moderate, incorporated into lower lip and positioned on both sides of midline cleft on posterior margin of oral disc. Lateral barbel 5% of SL, less than twice length of medial barbel. Primary maxillary teeth “S” shaped with exposed brown tips. 72 teeth in four scattered rows on ovoid tooth pads. Secondary premaxillary teeth scattered on posterior surface of premaxillae. Tertiary teeth small and needle-like, near midline of dorsal edge of tooth plate. Mandibular teeth in one to two rows, “S” shaped and grouped near midline. Functional (anterior) row with 18 brown-tipped teeth.
- Dorsal-fin origin just posterior to anterior third of body. Dorsal fin with small spinelet, spine, and four rays. Dorsal spine moderate to short in length, reaching 13% of SL. Adipose fin medium length, reaching 17% of SL; margin convex with small notch posteriorly. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes, lower lobe longer than upper lobe, count i, 7, 8, i. Anal-fin origin posterior to origin of adipose fin, margin convex, count iii, 6. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical between dorsal and adipose fins, margin convex, reaching beyond anal-fin origin, count i, 6. Pectoral fin with smooth spine, reaching 16% of SL, count I, 7. Postcleithral process in holotype short and pointed.
- Coloration.--Coloration of preserved specimen in Figure 5. In dorsal view, dark brown with mottled areas of medium brown. Lighter areas between nares and orbits, at origin of dorsal fin, at origin and terminus of adipose fin, and at caudal peduncle. In lateral view, specimen with yellow-buff color with overlying medium and dark brown blotches. Dark area more prevalent dorsal to midline, extending ventrally at origins of pelvic and anal fins. Dark brown melanophores scattered across body, more readily visible ventral to midline, prominent on sides of belly. Ventral surface yellow-buff colored with few melanophores scattered near pelvic and anal fins. Oral disc and barbels cream colored.
- Pectoral and dorsal spines pigmented distally, rays cream to translucent. Dorsal base of pectoral fin lightly marked by triangular area of dark brown melanophores, band of melanophores at mid-length. Dorsal fin with area of melanophores near base and mid-length. Anal fin with melanophores at base and mid-length. Pelvic fin cream with few melanophores at base and band at mid-length. Adipose fin cream to translucent with dark brown markings from region just posterior of origin to its posterior third. Caudal fin cream to translucent with dark brown areas near base, mid-length, and distal end on upper and lower lobes; lighter areas forming circular marking on upper and lower lobes.
- Etymology.--The specific epithet is “fortuitus,” referring to the fortuitous aspect of collecting this one specimen at the type locality. The collector, D. Tweddle, sampled fishes at 36 localities in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia and collected 69 specimens of Chiloglanis at ten of these localities. Additionally, the lot that contained C. fortuitus was one of the three lots borrowed by the lead author to aid with the description of C. tweddlei (Schmidt et al., 2017). The discovery and formal description of C. fortuitus is fortuitous in several aspects.
- Distribution.--Chiloglanis fortuitus is only known from the type locality in the Dayea River above Yekepa in Nimba County, Liberia (Supplemental Fig. B; see Data Accessibility). The site looked natural, yet it had been severely impacted many years earlier by the iron ore mine upstream. It was fast flowing, of uniform depth with a bottom of gravel with small rocks, with very little natural structure (e.g., woody debris and large boulders) likely due to previous mining activities. It is interesting that this species was not collected at the other ten localities in the region that contained C. tweddlei. As with other members of Chiloglanis that are found in streams in the Upper Guinea Forests, when two species co-occur within a drainage, they usually utilize different microhabitats (Schmidt et al., 2017). Additional collection efforts in the upper St. John River drainage in Guinea and Liberia may yield additional specimens and populations of C. fortuitus.
- Remarks.--Species descriptions based on a single specimen are not ideal though in this case it is warranted. This species is morphologically distinct from congeners in the region (Fig. 2), and the number of mandibular teeth and morphology of the oral disc and barbels, characters used in the taxonomy of species of Chiloglanis, clearly separate it from all other known species of Chiloglanis. In sampling fishes at 36 localities, the collector was only able to get one specimen of C. fortuitus. Another lot from the St. John River drainage, USNM 193949, collected in the 1950s, contained 17 specimens all of which were determined to be C. tweddlei. This species is seemingly rare within the drainage and we don't know when, or even if, additional specimens of C. fortuitus will be collected. Additionally, this area is under intense pressures from the mining industry and all species present face an uncertain future. Indeed, the type specimen was collected in a stream that had previously been disturbed by iron ore mining. Formally describing this species is an important step in recognizing and conserving the freshwater biodiversity in the Upper Guinean Forests.
- Chiloglanis fortuitus resembles species of Chiloglanis that are in the short-spine group referenced in Schmidt et al. (2016, 2017). The discovery of this new species within the St. John River suggests that additional species of Chiloglanis, and other taxa, remain to be discovered and described from the region. This is especially likely for rivers in the region (e.g., Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Mano) where collections of freshwater taxa are still lacking. While collecting this specimen was fortuitous, depositing the specimen and the others collected during an environmental impact assessment into natural history collections is what allowed this species to be discovered and described. Other new species have been collected and formerly described from similar surveys in the region (Pezold et al., 2016, 2020). We encourage practitioners in this field to continue the practice of depositing specimens collected during assessments in natural history collections so that the specimens will be available to researchers.
Table 1Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype of Chiloglanis fortuitus. Standard length expressed in mm. All other measurements expressed in percent SL.
Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, Schmidt, Friel, Bart, and Pezold, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:02157426-E35A-4ABB-BEF4-85047A68B5C8
Figure 6, Table 2
- Chiloglanis batesii.--Paugy and Roberts, 1992 (in part): 502–511; Paugy and Roberts, 2003 (in part): 197–207.
- Chiloglanis micropogon.--Daget, 1954 (in part): 307–308; Daget, 1959 (in part): 682–683; Daget, 1962 (in part): 115.
- Chiloglanis cf. micropogon.--Schmidt et al., 2016: 201–204.
- Chiloglanis sp. aff. micropogon.--Schmidt et al., 2017: 301–336.
- Holotype.--TU 203552, 24.1 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River, North of Faranah, on road N29, 10.28382°N, 10.76925°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 29 January 2013.
- Paratypes.--AMNH 263794, 4, 23.1–25.7 mm SL, AUM 59751, 8, CUMV 97679, 8, TU 203527, 4, 24.8–25.3 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Mafou River, on road N2 ∼80 km South of Faranah, 9.53072°N, 10.40199°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 28 January 2013; AUM 59554, 19, CUMV 97678, 18, TU 203348, 19, 20.6–24.1 mm SL, FLMNH 249106, 5, 20.0–24.6 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, below Tinkisso Dam, 10.72793°N, 11.16855°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 12 January 2013; CUMV 97680, 6, TU 204171, 4, 19.2–24.3 mm SL, collected with holotype; SAIAB 203746, 9, 19.9–23.3 mm SL, USNM 437542, 9, 22.1–38.1 mm SL, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at dam, 10.72°N 11.17°W, B. Samoura and others, 7 April 2003; TU 204157, 1, 20.4 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at dam, 10.72793°N 11.16855°W, F. Pezold and others, 18 January 2003.
- Non-type material examined.--AMNH 264623, 1, 26.3 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at Toumania, 10.57902°N, 10.47273°W, F. Pezold and others, 16 May 2003; CUMV 98653, 1, 19.4 mm SL, TU 204170, 1, 20.1 mm SL, Guinea, Moa River drainage, Masseni River, about 3 miles north of Konesseridou, 8.7204°N, 9.52436°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 26 January 2013; MRAC 2016.029.P.52-63, 12, 20.0–27.0 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at Bissikrima, 10.83°N, 10.92°W, B. Samoura and others, 8 April 2003; USNM 437545, 5, 22.2–23.5 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Niger River, north of Faranah, F. Pezold and others, 26 May 2003.
- Diagnosis.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, and most of the other described species (except C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. micropogon, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger) by the very reduced, or absent, mandibular barbels on the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi can be distinguished from C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger in having fewer mandibular teeth in one row (10–12 versus 16–20, 26–30, 26–28, 16–18, 28, and 16–20 respectively). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from C. batesii in having two prominent papillae on the roof of the oral cavity; versus the absence of papillae in C. batesii. This species is further distinguished from C. batesii in having shorter and more blunt mandibular teeth arranged in bunched rows; versus sharper, more elongate, and disordered mandibular teeth. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi also has a fleshy unpapillated ridge posterior to the mandibular teeth versus several large papillae in C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011).
- A unique combination of characters distinguishes C. frodobagginsi from the closely related C. micropogon and C. cf. micropogon from Central Africa. As compared to C. micropogon from the Lualaba River, C. frodobagginsi has a larger eye diameter (4.2–6.5 versus 4.7–5.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), longer maxillary barbels (3.8–7.2 versus 3.4–6.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 2.4–3.1 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a longer distance between dorsal fin and adipose fin (14.4–21.5 versus 14.9–18.8 % SL; Fig. 4A), and a shorter anal-fin base length (8.0–10.8 versus 9.7–12.7 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is further distinguished from C. micropogon in having fewer premaxillary teeth (36–70 versus 62–103) scattered in three rows versus four (Fig. 4B; Table 2). While the ranges of these measurements and counts overlap, these distinctions hold true when comparing similar sized species (Fig. 4; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Compared to Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins Chiloglanis frodobagginsi has a narrower occipital shield (3.0–4.0 versus 4.0–5.4 % SL), a shorter dorsal fin to adipose fin distance (14.5–21.5 versus 19.3–24.2), and a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 1.8–3.2 % SL).
- Description.--Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype and 21 paratypes summarized in Table 2. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views (Fig. 6) illustrate body shape, fin shape and placement, oral disc size and shape, and maxillary and mandibular barbel lengths.
- Small to moderate-sized Chiloglanis, maximum standard length 38.1 mm. Body dorsally depressed anteriorly and laterally compressed posteriorly. Pre-dorsal convex, sloping ventrally towards posterior nares, pre-orbital convex, sharply angling towards tip of snout pre-nares. Post-dorsal body sloping ventrally towards caudal fin. Post-anal profile shallowly concave, pre-anal profile horizontal to slightly convex. Small unculiferous tubercles present on body, concentrations of tubercles higher near head. Lateral line complete, arising at dorsal level of orbit and sloping ventrally to midlateral alongside of body towards caudal peduncle. Urogenital papillae sexually dimorphic; males with elongated urogenital papillae, females with reduced papillae, separated from anus by shallow invagination.
- Head depressed. Gill membranes broadly united. Gill openings restricted, opening near pectoral-fin origin to horizontal level of mid-orbit. Occipital-nuchal shield covered and visible through skin. Eye moderate in size, located post mid-head length, horizontal axis longest, without free margins. Anterior naris set farther apart than posterior naris, positioned mid-snout. Nares with raised rims, posterior naris with elongated anterior flap.
- Mouth inferior, upper and lower lips united to form oral disc. Oral disc moderate in size, slightly wider than long and covered in papillae. Maxillary barbel originating from posterolateral region of disc, unbranched, moderate in length, reaching 7% of SL. Lateral and medial mandibular barbels absent or very reduced. Two prominent papillae on roof of oral cavity. Primary maxillary teeth “S” shaped with exposed brown tips. 36–70 teeth in three scattered rows on ovoid tooth pads. Secondary premaxillary teeth scattered on posterior surface of premaxillae. Tertiary teeth small and needle-like, near midline of dorsal edge of toothplate. Mandibular teeth in one to two rows, curved and bunched near midline. Functional (anterior) row with 12 brown-tipped teeth. Distinct, slightly concave rectangular fleshy ridge posterior to mandibular teeth.
- Dorsal-fin origin just posterior to anterior third of body. Dorsal fin with small spinelet, spine, and five to six rays. Dorsal spine medium to short in length, reaching 13% of SL. Adipose fin medium length, reaching 19.6% of SL; margin convex. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes, lower lobe longer than upper lobe, count i, 7, 8, i, no sexual dimorphism observed in examined specimens. Anal-fin origin posterior to origin of adipose fin, margin convex, count iii, 5–7. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical between dorsal and adipose fin, margins convex, reaching beyond anal-fin origin, count i, 6. Pectoral fin with smooth spine, reaching 15.6% of SL, count I, 8–9. Postcleithral process shorter and bluntly pointed, no sexual dimorphism noted in specimens examined.
- Coloration.--Typical coloration of preserved specimens in Figure 6. In dorsal view, specimens medium brown with mottled areas of light brown. Lighter areas on tip of snout anterior to nares, at origin of dorsal fin, at origin and terminus of adipose fin, and on caudal peduncle. White or cream unculiferous tubercles scattered across body, more concentrated near head. In lateral view, specimens with yellow-buff color with overlying medium brown blotches. Dark area more prevalent dorsal to midline, but extending ventrally at origin of pelvic and anal fins. Dark brown melanophores scattered across body, more readily visible ventral to midline, absent on belly. Ventral surface yellow-buff colored with few melanophores scattered near anus and origin of anal fin. Oral disc and barbels cream colored.
- Pectoral and dorsal spines pigmented distally and rays cream to translucent. Dorsal base of pectoral fin lightly marked by triangular area of dark brown melanophores, band of melanophores at mid-length. Dorsal fin with area of melanophores near base and mid-length. Anal fin with melanophores at mid-length. Pelvic fin cream with few melanophores at base and band at mid-length. Adipose fin cream to translucent with dark brown markings at origin. Caudal fin cream to translucent with dark brown areas near base and at mid-length.
- Etymology.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is named after another diminutive traveler, Frodo Baggins, a fictional character well known from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. Roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) separate C. frodobagginsi in the upper Niger River drainage and C. micropogon, the sister species, found in the Congo River basin. Another seemingly closely related species, Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, is found in the southern Benue drainage and in several small coastal rivers about 3,000 km from the upper Niger River drainage (e.g., Cross and Ndian Rivers). It is unclear whether these species are descended from a more widespread species, or the result of dispersal from the Congo River basin into the Niger River drainage, via the Benue River, and then up to the headwaters of the Niger River. This was an incredible journey for such a small and seemingly non-vagile fish.
- Distribution.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi occurs in the upper Niger River drainage in Guinea and further downstream in the Niger River near Bamako (Fig. 1; Daget, 1959). This species was collected in several tributaries to the Niger River in Guinea and also collected in the upper reaches of the Moa River drainage (Masseni River), a coastal river drainage. Only two specimens were collected in the Moa River drainage and no tissues were retained. Given that most species of Chiloglanis in the region are restricted to individual river drainages and since the Moa River drainage is on the other (i.e., west) side of the Guinean Range from the Niger River drainage, this population may be a distinct species. For this reason, these specimens were not included in the type material for C. frodobagginsi. In the Tinkisso River, C. frodobagginsi was collected below the waterfall over small gravel in the middle of the channel. Chiloglanis waterloti is also found in the Tinkisso River, but this species is usually associated with woody debris or large rocks.
- Remarks.--The affinity between Chiloglanis frodobagginsi and C. micropogon was first reported in research on fishes in the upper Niger River drainage (Daget, 1954, 1959). The large distance between the populations in the upper Niger River and the Lualaba River (Congo River drainage) warranted further examinations of these specimens (Daget, 1959). Daget sent specimens from the upper Niger River to Max Poll for comparison to those that Poll described as C. micropogon from the Congo River drainage (Poll, 1952; Daget, 1959). Poll noted some variation between the different populations, but it wasn't enough to readily distinguish one from the other (Daget, 1959). Daget also noted their diminutive size and rarity relative to the co-occurring specimens of C. waterloti (Daget, 1954). Herein we noted another aspect of these specimens that wasn't directly noted: the apparent lack of an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe and an elongate and spatulate postcleithral process in males. An examination of the type specimen of C. micropogon and the sketch of the holotype clearly shows an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe (Poll, 1952, fig. 3, page 228). The larger specimens collected in recent expeditions were mostly females, and none of the males collected showed an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe. More specimens of C. frodobagginsi are needed to better understand if this species also displays those sexually dimorphic characteristics, or if the lack of sexual differentiation can be a useful trait in distinguishing both species. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is also genetically distinct from C. micropogon with a divergence observed of 3.6% in cytochrome b and 6.2% in Growth Hormone intron 2 (Schmidt et al., 2016).
- Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Cross, and Ndian Rivers have only been relatively recently collected (e.g., in the 1970s and 1980s) and were unknown to Daget and Poll at the time of their comparisons of upper Niger and Lualaba River specimens. In examining these specimens, they clearly concur with C. micropogon, but also differ in some respects (Fig. 3). Some specimens showed the sexual dimorphism attributed to C. micropogon (e.g., an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe and an elongated and spatulate postcleithral process), but most of the specimens examined did not have these traits. Many of these collections and subsequent identifications took place before many of the species in the region were described (Roberts, 1989) and cataloged under superficially similar species names C. niger and C. disneyi. Additional populations from the Benue and the smaller coastal drainages in Central Africa are needed to fully resolve the relationships within the C. micropogon complex.
Table 2Morphometric measurements and meristics for Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (n = 22; holotype and 21 paratypes) and topotypic Chiloglanis micropogon (n = 10). Standard length expressed in mm. All other measurements expressed in percent SL. Meristic data for holotype are identified by an asterisk (*).
DISCUSSIONThe two new species of Chiloglanis described herein provide further evidence that the Upper Guinean Forests support a wealth of biodiversity. Chiloglanis fortuitus was collected during an environmental assessment in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia. This one specimen was serendipitously borrowed when examining type material for the description of the co-occurring C. tweddlei. The presence of multiple species within these forested streams suggests many more species remain to be discovered and formally described. Many of the streams that originate on the western slope of the Guinean Range remain relatively unexplored. As anthropogenic pressures increase in the region, it is critical that these rivers are surveyed so that this biodiversity can be documented before it is lost (Lalèyè et al., 2021).
Chiloglanis micropogon was, until recently, considered a synonym of Chiloglanis batesii (Roberts, 1989; Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Roberts considered C. batesii to be one of the most widespread species of Chiloglanis occurring from the upper Niger River drainage to the Congo River basin, and throughout Central Africa (Roberts, 1989). Friel and Vigliotta (2011) recognized C. micropogon as a distinct taxon based on several different characters. Papillae on the roof of the oral cavity are present in C. micropogon but absent in C. batesii. These papillae are also present in the holotype of C. frodobagginsi (Fig. 6). There were also several oral disc characters mentioned (e.g., fleshy ridge posterior to mandibular teeth) that distinguished C. micropogon and C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis batesii was likely described from Nyong River drainage in southern Cameroon (Boulenger, 1904). Populations of Chiloglanis, reported as C. batesii or C. micropogon, from the Nyong River to the Niger River need to be examined in more detail to determine the distributions of these species. Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins appear to be distinct from topotypic C. micropogon, but additional specimens are needed from the region for confirmation (Fig. 3; Supplemental Table C; see Data Accessibility).
Understanding the diversity of Chiloglanis in the region is complicated by the presence of several species that are superficially similar to C. micropogon and C. batesii, especially smaller individuals. Chiloglanis niger also has reduced/absent mandibular barbels and around 12 mandibular teeth. The smaller individuals examined are very similar to C. micropogon, but are readily distinguished by the straight, robust mandibular teeth and smaller eye, relative to similar-sized C. micropogon. Small specimens of C. disneyi can also superficially resemble C. micropogon, but this species usually has many more mandibular teeth (16–20 versus 12) and has small mandibular barbels. Most of these species were described around the same time as several major collecting expeditions in the region (Teugels et al., 1992), and many of the specimens were deposited as Chiloglanis sp. or incorrectly placed into one of the newly described species. Sexual dimorphism in these species is also seemingly variable. One smaller male specimen of C. cf. micropogon from the Benue River clearly has an elongate and spatulate postcleithral process and elongated upper caudal-fin lobe. Another specimen, determined to be C. niger, has an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe but not an elongate postcleithral process. Another issue is the relative lack of material from the region. Many lots only contain one or a few specimens and some of those are damaged. It seems that many of these fishes are relatively rare (but may be locally abundant) and are often not sampled if electrofishers are not utilized. Examining the remaining cataloged material from this region should clarify some of these issues, but additional collecting in Cameroon and surrounding areas is also needed.
The biogeographical implications of the close relationship between the Upper Guinean Forest C. frodobagginsi and the Congolese C. micropogon are also quite interesting. A previous study (Schmidt et al., 2016) appears to offer the first molecular evidence of a recent connection between the fish fauna in the Congo River basin and the Niger River drainage. This past connection was hypothesized based on several presumptive shared taxa that occur within the Congo, Chad, and Niger River drainages (e.g., Campylomormyrus tamandua; Lévêque, 1997). Lévêque (1997) hypothesized that fishes from the Congo River first entered the Chad basin and then gained access to the Niger River drainage through the Gauthiot Falls in the upper Benue River. The presence of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue River drainage also supports the hypothesis that this river served as a dispersal corridor for fishes in the region. These fishes could have then spread throughout the Niger River drainage, and subsequent climatic changes may have restricted them to well-watered regions within the watershed. The headwater streams of the Niger River drainage in Guinea have likely served as refugia where forests, and more importantly water, have persisted during climatic fluctuations (Mayr and O'Hara, 1986). Other fishes that are thought to occur within the Congo and Niger drainages should be investigated to see if similar patterns exist.
The presence of C. frodobagginsi in the upper Moa River also provides further evidence for headwater capture in the region. The diversity within these forested streams that arise along the Guinean Range has likely been fueled by recurring headwater capture events in the region. This would allow for species to geodisperse (vicariance) into neighboring drainages and diversify. If enough time passes before another headwater capture event, or the headwater capture event is across the Guinean Range versus alongside of it, a second or third species can become established in the system. In the Moa River system, there are three species of Chiloglanis, and within the Loffa and St. John River drainages there are two species present (Schmidt et al., 2017). These mechanisms that have probably promoted diversification within Chiloglanis have likely also promoted diversification within the mountain catfishes (Amphilius) and African small barbs (Enteromius; Schmidt and Pezold, 2011; Schmidt, 2014; Schmidt et al., 2019). Similarly, it seems that the diversity in other co-occurring groups of fishes is also vastly underestimated and needs to be investigated further.
MATERIAL EXAMINEDChiloglanis micropogon: Democratic Republic of the Congo: Congo River drainage: CUMV 97580, 10 of 101, 18.6–22.0 mm SL, Lualaba River, at main portion of Wagenia Falls, 0.49413°N, 25.20701°E; MRAC 91479, holotype, 49 mm SL, Nzokwe River, affluent of Ulindi River, Territory Kabare, 2.92°S, 28.53°E, G. Marlier, 20 May 1949.
Chiloglanis cf. micropogon: Nigeria: Benue River drainage: USNM 338276, 2, 21.3–28.0 mm SL, Mayo Santo (Fulani) or River Shuntan, small stream inflow to main river near Gashaka Camp. This eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.3806°N, 11.4736°E. Cameroon: Cross River drainage: USNM 304265, 3, 22.4–26.3 mm SL, collecting points upper tributaries of Munaya, near Baro Village, northern Korup, Bake River below Nere Bifa Falls, 5.833°N, 9.1722°E; USNM 304331, 5, 22.3–36.3 mm SL, Akpa-Yafe System, streams and rivers of southwest Korup, Akpasang River at crossing point nearest end of ‘P’ (transect), 5.01°N, 8.75°E; Ndian River drainage: USNM 303409, 44, 25.7–27.4 mm SL, streams and rivers of southeast boundary of Korup, main Ndian River at bridge crossing into Korup, 4.9833°N, 8.85°E; USNM 303624, 1, 39.7 mm SL, streams and rivers of southeast boundary of Korup, Owaye River just north of Mana River, Korup ‘buffer zone A,’ 5.1°N, 8.9833°E.
Chiloglanis niger: Cameroon: Benue River drainage: USNM 280387, 1, 54.7 mm SL, Northwest Province, Fujua, fast flowing stream with rocky bottom, 6.28333°N, 10.28333°E (georeferenced); USNM 338335, 1, 38.9 mm SL, Mayo Dundere, the upper reaches of the Mayo Gashaka/Mayo Korngal. This eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.0306°N, 11.5667°E; USNM 338717, 1, 41.7 mm SL, Mayo Katan, at the crossing point with a dirt road. This stream eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.1639°N, 11.3917°E.
Chiloglanis tweddlei: Liberia: St. John River drainage: SAIAB 188313, 3, Nimba County, Kahn River upstream, 7.589167°N, 8.568611°W; SAIAB 188352, 1, Nimba County, Bold River, 7.50444°N, 8.58944°W; SAIAB 188448, 1, Nimba County, Yiti River, main road, 7.4875°N, 8.615278°W; SAIAB 188466, 3, Nimba County, Dehn River, at Lugbei, 7.608611°N, 8.622778°W; SAIAB 188551, 8, Nimba County, Yiti River, 7.516111°N, 8.704167°W; SAIAB 188582, 10, Nimba County, Yiti River upstream, 7.510278°N, 8.749167°W; SAIAB 188608, 1, Nimba County, Bee River, at Saniquellie, 7.369556°N, 8.697278°W; SAIAB 188639, 3, Nimba County, Tributary of Vellie River, 7.5755°N, 8.657722°W; USNM 193949, 17, Bong County, Gbarngy District, streams and tributary to St. John River.
DATA ACCESSIBILITYSupplemental material is available at https://www.ichthyologyandherpetology.org/i2022067. Unless an alternative copyright or statement noting that a figure is reprinted from a previous source is noted in a figure caption, the published images and illustrations in this article are licensed by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists for use if the use includes a citation to the original source (American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, the DOI of the Ichthyology & Herpetology article, and any individual image credits listed in the figure caption) in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY License. ZooBank publication urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: AA5998FE-9F91-46B2-AB49-B8EDE9B6E4DA.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSFunding for the 2003 expeditions was provided from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund administered by Conservation International, the HHMI/ULM Undergraduate Science Education Program, and by OISE 0080699 to FP. Funding for the 2013 expedition provided from the All Cypriniformes Species Inventory (ACSII, NSF DEB #1023403). We thank S. Diallo, B. Coulibaly (deceased), M. Diop, B. Samoura, B. Kaba, M. Camara, and members of the 2002–2003 ULM Guinea expeditions for assistance in the field. The 2013 expedition included J. W. Armbruster, H. L. Bart, S. Diallo, T. Diallo, J. P. Friel, M. M. Hayes, M. Magase, and M. Sou. Comparative material was generously provided by C. Dillman (CUMV) and D. Pitassy (USNM). J. Mann (TU) loaned and shipped the specimens of C. frodobagginsi to RCS so that this description could be completed, T. Vigliotta (AMNH) shared the images of the holotype of C. micropogon, and R. Robins (FLMNH) assisted in cataloging type material. Many thanks to the collections staff at SAIAB and USNM who provided PHNB and RCS with material while institutions had restricted access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sandra Raredon (USNM) photographed the type material of C. frodobagginsi and generously worked during restricted conditions due to the pandemic.
© 2023 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
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Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle, and Henry L. Bart Jr. "Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa," Ichthyology & Herpetology 111(3), 376-389, (31 July 2023). https://doi.org/10.1643/i2022067
Received: 18 August 2022; Accepted: 1 May 2023; Published: 31 July 2023
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31 July 2023Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa
Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle, Henry L. Bart Jr.
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Ichthyology & Herpetology, 111(3):376-389 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1643/i2022067
AbstractSuckermouth catfishes of the genus Chiloglanis are found throughout tropical Africa. Recent studies highlighted the diversity within this genus remains incompletely documented and nearly 20 new species have been described in the past ten years. Here we describe two new species of Chiloglanis from streams in the Upper Guinean Forest. Chiloglanis fortuitus, new species, is only known from one specimen collected in the St. John River drainage in Liberia and is readily distinguished from other species of Chiloglanis by the number of mandibular teeth and the length of the barbels associated with the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River was previously considered to be a disjunct population of C. micropogon. A combination of several characters diagnoses C. frodobagginsi, new species, from topotypic C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River basin) and from Central African populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages. The biogeographical implications of the recognition of C. frodobagginsi, new species, the likelihood of finding additional diversity in the streams of the Upper Guinean Forests, and the taxonomy of C. micropogon and C. batesii are also discussed.
There are currently 63 species of suckermouth catfishes in the genus Chiloglanis (Mochokidae) generally associated with flowing waters throughout tropical Africa (Fricke et al., 2022). Several species were described in recent years (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011; Schmidt et al., 2015, 2017; Schmidt and Barrientos, 2019; Kashindye et al., 2021) and many more taxa remain to be formally described (Morris et al., 2016; Chakona et al., 2018; Watson, 2020; Ward, 2021). Though superficially similar in morphology, these species have many informative diagnostic characters associated with their teeth, oral disc morphology, barbels, and spine and fin-ray lengths. Thus, many species originally considered to be widely distributed can clearly be separated into different species by carefully examining these characters.
This research on the Upper Guinean species of Chiloglanis started by looking at the morphological and molecular variation within the previously reported widespread species Chiloglanis occidentalis in streams of the Upper Guinean Forest. A molecular analysis revealed the presence of distinct lineages/species within C. occidentalis, many of which were endemic to individual river basins (Schmidt et al., 2016). These species broadly formed two groups: one group with generally shorter dorsal spines, pectoral spines, and maxillary barbels, and the other with longer dorsal and pectoral spines, and longer maxillary barbels. Within the region, endemic species belonging to both groups co-occur (sympatry) in several drainages in southeastern Guinea, seemingly using different microhabitats. The same study also showed that populations of another species, C. aff. micropogon, in the upper Niger River drainage in Guinea were genetically distinct from topotypic populations of C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River drainage) with 3.6% divergence in cytochrome b and 6.2% divergence in growth hormone intron 2 (Schmidt et al., 2016). In another paper on the diversity of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, when examining and selecting the type series for C. tweddlei, one specimen clearly stood out morphologically (Schmidt et al., 2017). This specimen superficially resembled members of the group with shorter spines and barbels, but it had more mandibular teeth than any other species of Chiloglanis in the region.
The present study aimed to examine the morphological variation among populations of C. micropogon and C. aff. micropogon to determine if the populations in the upper Niger River deserved specific recognition. Further, the unique specimen collected in the St. John River drainage was reexamined and the presence of other specimens of this unique morphotype in ichthyological collections investigated. The results of this study support the recognition of these two populations as distinct species of Chiloglanis which are described herein: C. frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River previously identified as C. aff. micropogon, and C. fortuitus, new species, from the St. John River drainage. We also discuss the variation within populations of C. micropogon in Central Africa and highlight areas where further collection efforts are needed.
MATERIALS AND METHODSSpecimens of Chiloglanis and other taxa were collected during several expeditions in Guinea and Liberia. Three of these expeditions occurred during 2003, and the most recent collections took place in 2012 (Liberia) and 2013 (Guinea; Fig. 1). Specimens from these expeditions are cataloged at several institutions with the bulk of the material residing in AMNH, AUM, CUMV, SAIAB, and TU (acronyms according to Sabaj, 2020). Comparative material from the Lualaba River (type locality of C. micropogon) and populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue River, Cross River, and Ndian River drainages were also included in the analysis. Measurements were taken to 0.1 mm with a digital caliper and a stereo microscope equipped with an ocular micrometer. Morphometric measurements and meristic counts follow Schmidt et al. (2017) modified from Skelton and White (1980) and Friel and Vigliotta (2011). The holotype of C. micropogon was examined during a previous study, but a full suite of measurements was not collected. Sex of type specimens was determined by external examination of genital papillae following Friel and Vigliotta (2011). Measurements collected from the unique specimen from the St. John River drainage were included with the measurements from the short-spine taxa obtained in a previous study (Schmidt et al., 2017). A principal component analysis (PCA) using the covariance matrix of log-transformed measurements and descriptive statistics was completed in MYSTAT (SYSTAT Software Inc.). Body shape variation within principal components strongly correlated to size for populations of C. micropogon (e.g., PC1) was assessed through reduced-major axis (RMA) regression lines in the SMATR package in R (Warton et al., 2006).
Fig. 1Localities of species of Chiloglanis discussed in this study. Rivers of the Upper Guinean Forests enlarged from outlined region in the inset map of West and Central Africa. River drainages outlined in white lines. White circles are localities where no Chiloglanis were collected. Locations of Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (black circles), holotype of C. frodobagginsi (black star), type locality of Chiloglanis fortuitus (black triangle), and comparative Chiloglanis micropogon and Chiloglanis cf. micropogon (black squares).
RESULTSMorphological comparisons of populations of Chiloglanis.--A PCA of 45 morphometric measurements of C. fortuitus, new species, and 113 specimens of short-spine taxa shows C. fortuitus, new species, as distinct from the other taxa in the region (Fig. 2). Premaxillary tooth length and the length of the maxillary, medial, and lateral mandibular barbels contribute to the variation observed in PC2. These barbels are longer in C. fortuitus, new species, than in the other short-spine taxa, although with just one specimen of C. fortuitus, new species, it isn't possible to investigate these characters further.
Fig. 2Plots of PC1 to PC2 (A) and PC2 to PC3 (B) from principal component analysis of 45 log-transformed measurements from 114 specimens of the short-spine taxa from the Upper Guinean Forests. Holotype of Chiloglanis fortuitus denoted by star.
The morphological comparison of C. frodobagginsi, new species, and C. micropogon included 35 measurements and eight meristics from 50 specimens. Measurements shown to be sexually dimorphic (e.g., fin lengths and length of postcleithral process) were not included in the analysis (Supplemental Table A; see Data Accessibility). Plots of principal components 1 and 2 clearly separate C. frodobagginsi, new species, from C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Fig. 3A). Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages are also distinct from topotypic C. micropogon and C. frodobagginsi, new species. Occipital shield width, mandibular tooth row width, maxillary barbel length, and distance between dorsal and adipose fins contribute to variation observed in PC2 (Supplemental Table B; see Data Accessibility). In plots of PC2 to PC3, populations of C. micropogon from the Lualaba River and C. frodobagginsi, new species, are still distinct (Fig. 3B). The populations in the Moa River are also largely distinct from Niger River C. frodobagginsi, new species (Fig. 3A, B). These two specimens are only 19.4 and 20.1 mm SL so additional specimens from this population are needed to better understand the variation observed.
Fig. 3Plots of PC1 to PC2 from principal component analysis of 35 log-transformed measurements from 47 specimens (A) and PC2 to PC3 (B). The holotype of Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is noted by the black star. Refer to Supplemental Table B (see Data Accessibility) for component loading values.
The first principal component was positively correlated with standard length (Pearson's correlation = 0.99). The RMA regression of PC1 to the log-transformed standard length (not shown) shows that the slopes of populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, C. micropogon, and C. frodobagginsi, new species, are equal (P = 0.14) and that there is no difference in the elevation (i.e., the y-intercept) for each group (P = 0.39). When examining just the population of C. micropogon and C. frodobagginsi, new species, there is a difference in the elevation between the two (P = 0.04). Examining individual measurements and counts does give a sense of how the allometric trajectory of some of these traits differ in C. frodobagginsi, new species, and C. micropogon (Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). The distance between the dorsal fin and adipose fin as a percentage of standard length has equal slopes (P = 0.164), but they have significantly different elevations (P = 0.0036; Fig. 4A). The number of premaxillary teeth plotted against log-transformed standard length for each species also clearly shows that these two species are distinct (Fig. 4B).
Fig. 4Reduced-major axis regression of distance from dorsal fin to adipose fin (as a percentage of standard length) on log-transformed standard length (A). Reduced-major axis regression of log-transformed total number of premaxillary teeth on log-transformed standard length (B). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (open circle), Chiloglanis frodobagginsi from the Moa River (filled circle), Chiloglanis micropogon (open square), and holotype of C. frodobagginsi (black star).
Chiloglanis fortuitus, Schmidt, Bragança, and Tweddle, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5DAB9826-ADEE-42B5-84A8-934D5CCF4511
Figure 5, Table 1
- Holotype.--SAIAB 202292, 35.0 mm SL, Liberia, St. John River drainage, Nimba County, Dayea River, above Yekepa, 7.579333°N, 8.516889°W, D. Tweddle, 30 March 2012. Diagnosis.--Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis, including all species in the Upper Guinean Forest, except C. disneyi, C. microps, C. niger, and C. orthodontus, in having 18 mandibular teeth in the functional row (vs. 6–15 teeth; Table 1). Chiloglanis fortuitus is easily distinguished from C. disneyi, C. microps, and C. niger in having longer mandibular barbels whereas these are absent or reduced in the latter species. Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a more robust oral disc and its length equal to its width versus length much shorter than width (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis fortuitus is further distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a longer dorsal spine (12.8 versus 4.1–7.8 % SL) and shorter maxillary barbels (7.2 versus 9.4–14.8 % SL).
- Description.--Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype summarized in Table 1. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views (Fig. 5) illustrate body shape, fin shape and placement, oral disc size and shape, and maxillary and mandibular barbel lengths.
- Moderate-sized Chiloglanis, maximum standard length observed 35.0 mm in one male specimen. Body dorsally depressed anteriorly and laterally compressed posteriorly. Pre-dorsal convex, sloping ventrally towards posterior nares, pre-orbital convex. Post-dorsal body sloping ventrally towards caudal fin. Post-anal profile concave, pre-anal profile horizontal. Small unculiferous tubercles present on body, concentrations of tubercles higher near head. Lateral line complete, arising at level of orbit and sloping ventrally to midlateral alongside of body towards caudal peduncle. Urogenital papillae presumed sexually dimorphic; males with elongated urogenital papilla.
- Head depressed. Gill membranes broadly united. Gill openings restricted, opening near pectoral-fin origin to horizontal level of orbit. Occipital-nuchal shield covered and visible through skin. Eye moderate in size, located post mid-head length, horizontal axis longest, without free margins. Anterior and posterior nares equidistant, positioned mid-snout. Naris with raised rims, posterior naris with elongated anterior flap.
- Mouth inferior, upper and lower lips united to form oral disc. Oral disc moderate in size, length equaling width and covered in papillae. Barbels in three pairs; maxillary barbel originating from posterolateral region of disc, unbranched, moderate in length, 7% of SL. Lateral and medial mandibular barbels moderate, incorporated into lower lip and positioned on both sides of midline cleft on posterior margin of oral disc. Lateral barbel 5% of SL, less than twice length of medial barbel. Primary maxillary teeth “S” shaped with exposed brown tips. 72 teeth in four scattered rows on ovoid tooth pads. Secondary premaxillary teeth scattered on posterior surface of premaxillae. Tertiary teeth small and needle-like, near midline of dorsal edge of tooth plate. Mandibular teeth in one to two rows, “S” shaped and grouped near midline. Functional (anterior) row with 18 brown-tipped teeth.
- Dorsal-fin origin just posterior to anterior third of body. Dorsal fin with small spinelet, spine, and four rays. Dorsal spine moderate to short in length, reaching 13% of SL. Adipose fin medium length, reaching 17% of SL; margin convex with small notch posteriorly. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes, lower lobe longer than upper lobe, count i, 7, 8, i. Anal-fin origin posterior to origin of adipose fin, margin convex, count iii, 6. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical between dorsal and adipose fins, margin convex, reaching beyond anal-fin origin, count i, 6. Pectoral fin with smooth spine, reaching 16% of SL, count I, 7. Postcleithral process in holotype short and pointed.
- Coloration.--Coloration of preserved specimen in Figure 5. In dorsal view, dark brown with mottled areas of medium brown. Lighter areas between nares and orbits, at origin of dorsal fin, at origin and terminus of adipose fin, and at caudal peduncle. In lateral view, specimen with yellow-buff color with overlying medium and dark brown blotches. Dark area more prevalent dorsal to midline, extending ventrally at origins of pelvic and anal fins. Dark brown melanophores scattered across body, more readily visible ventral to midline, prominent on sides of belly. Ventral surface yellow-buff colored with few melanophores scattered near pelvic and anal fins. Oral disc and barbels cream colored.
- Pectoral and dorsal spines pigmented distally, rays cream to translucent. Dorsal base of pectoral fin lightly marked by triangular area of dark brown melanophores, band of melanophores at mid-length. Dorsal fin with area of melanophores near base and mid-length. Anal fin with melanophores at base and mid-length. Pelvic fin cream with few melanophores at base and band at mid-length. Adipose fin cream to translucent with dark brown markings from region just posterior of origin to its posterior third. Caudal fin cream to translucent with dark brown areas near base, mid-length, and distal end on upper and lower lobes; lighter areas forming circular marking on upper and lower lobes.
- Etymology.--The specific epithet is “fortuitus,” referring to the fortuitous aspect of collecting this one specimen at the type locality. The collector, D. Tweddle, sampled fishes at 36 localities in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia and collected 69 specimens of Chiloglanis at ten of these localities. Additionally, the lot that contained C. fortuitus was one of the three lots borrowed by the lead author to aid with the description of C. tweddlei (Schmidt et al., 2017). The discovery and formal description of C. fortuitus is fortuitous in several aspects.
- Distribution.--Chiloglanis fortuitus is only known from the type locality in the Dayea River above Yekepa in Nimba County, Liberia (Supplemental Fig. B; see Data Accessibility). The site looked natural, yet it had been severely impacted many years earlier by the iron ore mine upstream. It was fast flowing, of uniform depth with a bottom of gravel with small rocks, with very little natural structure (e.g., woody debris and large boulders) likely due to previous mining activities. It is interesting that this species was not collected at the other ten localities in the region that contained C. tweddlei. As with other members of Chiloglanis that are found in streams in the Upper Guinea Forests, when two species co-occur within a drainage, they usually utilize different microhabitats (Schmidt et al., 2017). Additional collection efforts in the upper St. John River drainage in Guinea and Liberia may yield additional specimens and populations of C. fortuitus.
- Remarks.--Species descriptions based on a single specimen are not ideal though in this case it is warranted. This species is morphologically distinct from congeners in the region (Fig. 2), and the number of mandibular teeth and morphology of the oral disc and barbels, characters used in the taxonomy of species of Chiloglanis, clearly separate it from all other known species of Chiloglanis. In sampling fishes at 36 localities, the collector was only able to get one specimen of C. fortuitus. Another lot from the St. John River drainage, USNM 193949, collected in the 1950s, contained 17 specimens all of which were determined to be C. tweddlei. This species is seemingly rare within the drainage and we don't know when, or even if, additional specimens of C. fortuitus will be collected. Additionally, this area is under intense pressures from the mining industry and all species present face an uncertain future. Indeed, the type specimen was collected in a stream that had previously been disturbed by iron ore mining. Formally describing this species is an important step in recognizing and conserving the freshwater biodiversity in the Upper Guinean Forests.
- Chiloglanis fortuitus resembles species of Chiloglanis that are in the short-spine group referenced in Schmidt et al. (2016, 2017). The discovery of this new species within the St. John River suggests that additional species of Chiloglanis, and other taxa, remain to be discovered and described from the region. This is especially likely for rivers in the region (e.g., Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Mano) where collections of freshwater taxa are still lacking. While collecting this specimen was fortuitous, depositing the specimen and the others collected during an environmental impact assessment into natural history collections is what allowed this species to be discovered and described. Other new species have been collected and formerly described from similar surveys in the region (Pezold et al., 2016, 2020). We encourage practitioners in this field to continue the practice of depositing specimens collected during assessments in natural history collections so that the specimens will be available to researchers.
Table 1Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype of Chiloglanis fortuitus. Standard length expressed in mm. All other measurements expressed in percent SL.
Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, Schmidt, Friel, Bart, and Pezold, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:02157426-E35A-4ABB-BEF4-85047A68B5C8
Figure 6, Table 2
- Chiloglanis batesii.--Paugy and Roberts, 1992 (in part): 502–511; Paugy and Roberts, 2003 (in part): 197–207.
- Chiloglanis micropogon.--Daget, 1954 (in part): 307–308; Daget, 1959 (in part): 682–683; Daget, 1962 (in part): 115.
- Chiloglanis cf. micropogon.--Schmidt et al., 2016: 201–204.
- Chiloglanis sp. aff. micropogon.--Schmidt et al., 2017: 301–336.
- Holotype.--TU 203552, 24.1 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River, North of Faranah, on road N29, 10.28382°N, 10.76925°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 29 January 2013.
- Paratypes.--AMNH 263794, 4, 23.1–25.7 mm SL, AUM 59751, 8, CUMV 97679, 8, TU 203527, 4, 24.8–25.3 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Mafou River, on road N2 ∼80 km South of Faranah, 9.53072°N, 10.40199°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 28 January 2013; AUM 59554, 19, CUMV 97678, 18, TU 203348, 19, 20.6–24.1 mm SL, FLMNH 249106, 5, 20.0–24.6 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, below Tinkisso Dam, 10.72793°N, 11.16855°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 12 January 2013; CUMV 97680, 6, TU 204171, 4, 19.2–24.3 mm SL, collected with holotype; SAIAB 203746, 9, 19.9–23.3 mm SL, USNM 437542, 9, 22.1–38.1 mm SL, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at dam, 10.72°N 11.17°W, B. Samoura and others, 7 April 2003; TU 204157, 1, 20.4 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at dam, 10.72793°N 11.16855°W, F. Pezold and others, 18 January 2003.
- Non-type material examined.--AMNH 264623, 1, 26.3 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at Toumania, 10.57902°N, 10.47273°W, F. Pezold and others, 16 May 2003; CUMV 98653, 1, 19.4 mm SL, TU 204170, 1, 20.1 mm SL, Guinea, Moa River drainage, Masseni River, about 3 miles north of Konesseridou, 8.7204°N, 9.52436°W, 2013 Guinea expedition team, 26 January 2013; MRAC 2016.029.P.52-63, 12, 20.0–27.0 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Tinkisso River, at Bissikrima, 10.83°N, 10.92°W, B. Samoura and others, 8 April 2003; USNM 437545, 5, 22.2–23.5 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Niger River, north of Faranah, F. Pezold and others, 26 May 2003.
- Diagnosis.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, and most of the other described species (except C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. micropogon, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger) by the very reduced, or absent, mandibular barbels on the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi can be distinguished from C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger in having fewer mandibular teeth in one row (10–12 versus 16–20, 26–30, 26–28, 16–18, 28, and 16–20 respectively). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from C. batesii in having two prominent papillae on the roof of the oral cavity; versus the absence of papillae in C. batesii. This species is further distinguished from C. batesii in having shorter and more blunt mandibular teeth arranged in bunched rows; versus sharper, more elongate, and disordered mandibular teeth. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi also has a fleshy unpapillated ridge posterior to the mandibular teeth versus several large papillae in C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011).
- A unique combination of characters distinguishes C. frodobagginsi from the closely related C. micropogon and C. cf. micropogon from Central Africa. As compared to C. micropogon from the Lualaba River, C. frodobagginsi has a larger eye diameter (4.2–6.5 versus 4.7–5.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), longer maxillary barbels (3.8–7.2 versus 3.4–6.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 2.4–3.1 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a longer distance between dorsal fin and adipose fin (14.4–21.5 versus 14.9–18.8 % SL; Fig. 4A), and a shorter anal-fin base length (8.0–10.8 versus 9.7–12.7 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is further distinguished from C. micropogon in having fewer premaxillary teeth (36–70 versus 62–103) scattered in three rows versus four (Fig. 4B; Table 2). While the ranges of these measurements and counts overlap, these distinctions hold true when comparing similar sized species (Fig. 4; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Compared to Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins Chiloglanis frodobagginsi has a narrower occipital shield (3.0–4.0 versus 4.0–5.4 % SL), a shorter dorsal fin to adipose fin distance (14.5–21.5 versus 19.3–24.2), and a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 1.8–3.2 % SL).
- Description.--Morphometric measurements and meristics for holotype and 21 paratypes summarized in Table 2. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views (Fig. 6) illustrate body shape, fin shape and placement, oral disc size and shape, and maxillary and mandibular barbel lengths.
- Small to moderate-sized Chiloglanis, maximum standard length 38.1 mm. Body dorsally depressed anteriorly and laterally compressed posteriorly. Pre-dorsal convex, sloping ventrally towards posterior nares, pre-orbital convex, sharply angling towards tip of snout pre-nares. Post-dorsal body sloping ventrally towards caudal fin. Post-anal profile shallowly concave, pre-anal profile horizontal to slightly convex. Small unculiferous tubercles present on body, concentrations of tubercles higher near head. Lateral line complete, arising at dorsal level of orbit and sloping ventrally to midlateral alongside of body towards caudal peduncle. Urogenital papillae sexually dimorphic; males with elongated urogenital papillae, females with reduced papillae, separated from anus by shallow invagination.
- Head depressed. Gill membranes broadly united. Gill openings restricted, opening near pectoral-fin origin to horizontal level of mid-orbit. Occipital-nuchal shield covered and visible through skin. Eye moderate in size, located post mid-head length, horizontal axis longest, without free margins. Anterior naris set farther apart than posterior naris, positioned mid-snout. Nares with raised rims, posterior naris with elongated anterior flap.
- Mouth inferior, upper and lower lips united to form oral disc. Oral disc moderate in size, slightly wider than long and covered in papillae. Maxillary barbel originating from posterolateral region of disc, unbranched, moderate in length, reaching 7% of SL. Lateral and medial mandibular barbels absent or very reduced. Two prominent papillae on roof of oral cavity. Primary maxillary teeth “S” shaped with exposed brown tips. 36–70 teeth in three scattered rows on ovoid tooth pads. Secondary premaxillary teeth scattered on posterior surface of premaxillae. Tertiary teeth small and needle-like, near midline of dorsal edge of toothplate. Mandibular teeth in one to two rows, curved and bunched near midline. Functional (anterior) row with 12 brown-tipped teeth. Distinct, slightly concave rectangular fleshy ridge posterior to mandibular teeth.
- Dorsal-fin origin just posterior to anterior third of body. Dorsal fin with small spinelet, spine, and five to six rays. Dorsal spine medium to short in length, reaching 13% of SL. Adipose fin medium length, reaching 19.6% of SL; margin convex. Caudal fin forked with rounded lobes, lower lobe longer than upper lobe, count i, 7, 8, i, no sexual dimorphism observed in examined specimens. Anal-fin origin posterior to origin of adipose fin, margin convex, count iii, 5–7. Pelvic-fin origin at vertical between dorsal and adipose fin, margins convex, reaching beyond anal-fin origin, count i, 6. Pectoral fin with smooth spine, reaching 15.6% of SL, count I, 8–9. Postcleithral process shorter and bluntly pointed, no sexual dimorphism noted in specimens examined.
- Coloration.--Typical coloration of preserved specimens in Figure 6. In dorsal view, specimens medium brown with mottled areas of light brown. Lighter areas on tip of snout anterior to nares, at origin of dorsal fin, at origin and terminus of adipose fin, and on caudal peduncle. White or cream unculiferous tubercles scattered across body, more concentrated near head. In lateral view, specimens with yellow-buff color with overlying medium brown blotches. Dark area more prevalent dorsal to midline, but extending ventrally at origin of pelvic and anal fins. Dark brown melanophores scattered across body, more readily visible ventral to midline, absent on belly. Ventral surface yellow-buff colored with few melanophores scattered near anus and origin of anal fin. Oral disc and barbels cream colored.
- Pectoral and dorsal spines pigmented distally and rays cream to translucent. Dorsal base of pectoral fin lightly marked by triangular area of dark brown melanophores, band of melanophores at mid-length. Dorsal fin with area of melanophores near base and mid-length. Anal fin with melanophores at mid-length. Pelvic fin cream with few melanophores at base and band at mid-length. Adipose fin cream to translucent with dark brown markings at origin. Caudal fin cream to translucent with dark brown areas near base and at mid-length.
- Etymology.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is named after another diminutive traveler, Frodo Baggins, a fictional character well known from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. Roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) separate C. frodobagginsi in the upper Niger River drainage and C. micropogon, the sister species, found in the Congo River basin. Another seemingly closely related species, Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, is found in the southern Benue drainage and in several small coastal rivers about 3,000 km from the upper Niger River drainage (e.g., Cross and Ndian Rivers). It is unclear whether these species are descended from a more widespread species, or the result of dispersal from the Congo River basin into the Niger River drainage, via the Benue River, and then up to the headwaters of the Niger River. This was an incredible journey for such a small and seemingly non-vagile fish.
- Distribution.--Chiloglanis frodobagginsi occurs in the upper Niger River drainage in Guinea and further downstream in the Niger River near Bamako (Fig. 1; Daget, 1959). This species was collected in several tributaries to the Niger River in Guinea and also collected in the upper reaches of the Moa River drainage (Masseni River), a coastal river drainage. Only two specimens were collected in the Moa River drainage and no tissues were retained. Given that most species of Chiloglanis in the region are restricted to individual river drainages and since the Moa River drainage is on the other (i.e., west) side of the Guinean Range from the Niger River drainage, this population may be a distinct species. For this reason, these specimens were not included in the type material for C. frodobagginsi. In the Tinkisso River, C. frodobagginsi was collected below the waterfall over small gravel in the middle of the channel. Chiloglanis waterloti is also found in the Tinkisso River, but this species is usually associated with woody debris or large rocks.
- Remarks.--The affinity between Chiloglanis frodobagginsi and C. micropogon was first reported in research on fishes in the upper Niger River drainage (Daget, 1954, 1959). The large distance between the populations in the upper Niger River and the Lualaba River (Congo River drainage) warranted further examinations of these specimens (Daget, 1959). Daget sent specimens from the upper Niger River to Max Poll for comparison to those that Poll described as C. micropogon from the Congo River drainage (Poll, 1952; Daget, 1959). Poll noted some variation between the different populations, but it wasn't enough to readily distinguish one from the other (Daget, 1959). Daget also noted their diminutive size and rarity relative to the co-occurring specimens of C. waterloti (Daget, 1954). Herein we noted another aspect of these specimens that wasn't directly noted: the apparent lack of an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe and an elongate and spatulate postcleithral process in males. An examination of the type specimen of C. micropogon and the sketch of the holotype clearly shows an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe (Poll, 1952, fig. 3, page 228). The larger specimens collected in recent expeditions were mostly females, and none of the males collected showed an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe. More specimens of C. frodobagginsi are needed to better understand if this species also displays those sexually dimorphic characteristics, or if the lack of sexual differentiation can be a useful trait in distinguishing both species. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is also genetically distinct from C. micropogon with a divergence observed of 3.6% in cytochrome b and 6.2% in Growth Hormone intron 2 (Schmidt et al., 2016).
- Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Cross, and Ndian Rivers have only been relatively recently collected (e.g., in the 1970s and 1980s) and were unknown to Daget and Poll at the time of their comparisons of upper Niger and Lualaba River specimens. In examining these specimens, they clearly concur with C. micropogon, but also differ in some respects (Fig. 3). Some specimens showed the sexual dimorphism attributed to C. micropogon (e.g., an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe and an elongated and spatulate postcleithral process), but most of the specimens examined did not have these traits. Many of these collections and subsequent identifications took place before many of the species in the region were described (Roberts, 1989) and cataloged under superficially similar species names C. niger and C. disneyi. Additional populations from the Benue and the smaller coastal drainages in Central Africa are needed to fully resolve the relationships within the C. micropogon complex.
Table 2Morphometric measurements and meristics for Chiloglanis frodobagginsi (n = 22; holotype and 21 paratypes) and topotypic Chiloglanis micropogon (n = 10). Standard length expressed in mm. All other measurements expressed in percent SL. Meristic data for holotype are identified by an asterisk (*).
DISCUSSIONThe two new species of Chiloglanis described herein provide further evidence that the Upper Guinean Forests support a wealth of biodiversity. Chiloglanis fortuitus was collected during an environmental assessment in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia. This one specimen was serendipitously borrowed when examining type material for the description of the co-occurring C. tweddlei. The presence of multiple species within these forested streams suggests many more species remain to be discovered and formally described. Many of the streams that originate on the western slope of the Guinean Range remain relatively unexplored. As anthropogenic pressures increase in the region, it is critical that these rivers are surveyed so that this biodiversity can be documented before it is lost (Lalèyè et al., 2021).
Chiloglanis micropogon was, until recently, considered a synonym of Chiloglanis batesii (Roberts, 1989; Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Roberts considered C. batesii to be one of the most widespread species of Chiloglanis occurring from the upper Niger River drainage to the Congo River basin, and throughout Central Africa (Roberts, 1989). Friel and Vigliotta (2011) recognized C. micropogon as a distinct taxon based on several different characters. Papillae on the roof of the oral cavity are present in C. micropogon but absent in C. batesii. These papillae are also present in the holotype of C. frodobagginsi (Fig. 6). There were also several oral disc characters mentioned (e.g., fleshy ridge posterior to mandibular teeth) that distinguished C. micropogon and C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis batesii was likely described from Nyong River drainage in southern Cameroon (Boulenger, 1904). Populations of Chiloglanis, reported as C. batesii or C. micropogon, from the Nyong River to the Niger River need to be examined in more detail to determine the distributions of these species. Populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins appear to be distinct from topotypic C. micropogon, but additional specimens are needed from the region for confirmation (Fig. 3; Supplemental Table C; see Data Accessibility).
Understanding the diversity of Chiloglanis in the region is complicated by the presence of several species that are superficially similar to C. micropogon and C. batesii, especially smaller individuals. Chiloglanis niger also has reduced/absent mandibular barbels and around 12 mandibular teeth. The smaller individuals examined are very similar to C. micropogon, but are readily distinguished by the straight, robust mandibular teeth and smaller eye, relative to similar-sized C. micropogon. Small specimens of C. disneyi can also superficially resemble C. micropogon, but this species usually has many more mandibular teeth (16–20 versus 12) and has small mandibular barbels. Most of these species were described around the same time as several major collecting expeditions in the region (Teugels et al., 1992), and many of the specimens were deposited as Chiloglanis sp. or incorrectly placed into one of the newly described species. Sexual dimorphism in these species is also seemingly variable. One smaller male specimen of C. cf. micropogon from the Benue River clearly has an elongate and spatulate postcleithral process and elongated upper caudal-fin lobe. Another specimen, determined to be C. niger, has an elongated upper caudal-fin lobe but not an elongate postcleithral process. Another issue is the relative lack of material from the region. Many lots only contain one or a few specimens and some of those are damaged. It seems that many of these fishes are relatively rare (but may be locally abundant) and are often not sampled if electrofishers are not utilized. Examining the remaining cataloged material from this region should clarify some of these issues, but additional collecting in Cameroon and surrounding areas is also needed.
The biogeographical implications of the close relationship between the Upper Guinean Forest C. frodobagginsi and the Congolese C. micropogon are also quite interesting. A previous study (Schmidt et al., 2016) appears to offer the first molecular evidence of a recent connection between the fish fauna in the Congo River basin and the Niger River drainage. This past connection was hypothesized based on several presumptive shared taxa that occur within the Congo, Chad, and Niger River drainages (e.g., Campylomormyrus tamandua; Lévêque, 1997). Lévêque (1997) hypothesized that fishes from the Congo River first entered the Chad basin and then gained access to the Niger River drainage through the Gauthiot Falls in the upper Benue River. The presence of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue River drainage also supports the hypothesis that this river served as a dispersal corridor for fishes in the region. These fishes could have then spread throughout the Niger River drainage, and subsequent climatic changes may have restricted them to well-watered regions within the watershed. The headwater streams of the Niger River drainage in Guinea have likely served as refugia where forests, and more importantly water, have persisted during climatic fluctuations (Mayr and O'Hara, 1986). Other fishes that are thought to occur within the Congo and Niger drainages should be investigated to see if similar patterns exist.
The presence of C. frodobagginsi in the upper Moa River also provides further evidence for headwater capture in the region. The diversity within these forested streams that arise along the Guinean Range has likely been fueled by recurring headwater capture events in the region. This would allow for species to geodisperse (vicariance) into neighboring drainages and diversify. If enough time passes before another headwater capture event, or the headwater capture event is across the Guinean Range versus alongside of it, a second or third species can become established in the system. In the Moa River system, there are three species of Chiloglanis, and within the Loffa and St. John River drainages there are two species present (Schmidt et al., 2017). These mechanisms that have probably promoted diversification within Chiloglanis have likely also promoted diversification within the mountain catfishes (Amphilius) and African small barbs (Enteromius; Schmidt and Pezold, 2011; Schmidt, 2014; Schmidt et al., 2019). Similarly, it seems that the diversity in other co-occurring groups of fishes is also vastly underestimated and needs to be investigated further.
MATERIAL EXAMINEDChiloglanis micropogon: Democratic Republic of the Congo: Congo River drainage: CUMV 97580, 10 of 101, 18.6–22.0 mm SL, Lualaba River, at main portion of Wagenia Falls, 0.49413°N, 25.20701°E; MRAC 91479, holotype, 49 mm SL, Nzokwe River, affluent of Ulindi River, Territory Kabare, 2.92°S, 28.53°E, G. Marlier, 20 May 1949.
Chiloglanis cf. micropogon: Nigeria: Benue River drainage: USNM 338276, 2, 21.3–28.0 mm SL, Mayo Santo (Fulani) or River Shuntan, small stream inflow to main river near Gashaka Camp. This eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.3806°N, 11.4736°E. Cameroon: Cross River drainage: USNM 304265, 3, 22.4–26.3 mm SL, collecting points upper tributaries of Munaya, near Baro Village, northern Korup, Bake River below Nere Bifa Falls, 5.833°N, 9.1722°E; USNM 304331, 5, 22.3–36.3 mm SL, Akpa-Yafe System, streams and rivers of southwest Korup, Akpasang River at crossing point nearest end of ‘P’ (transect), 5.01°N, 8.75°E; Ndian River drainage: USNM 303409, 44, 25.7–27.4 mm SL, streams and rivers of southeast boundary of Korup, main Ndian River at bridge crossing into Korup, 4.9833°N, 8.85°E; USNM 303624, 1, 39.7 mm SL, streams and rivers of southeast boundary of Korup, Owaye River just north of Mana River, Korup ‘buffer zone A,’ 5.1°N, 8.9833°E.
Chiloglanis niger: Cameroon: Benue River drainage: USNM 280387, 1, 54.7 mm SL, Northwest Province, Fujua, fast flowing stream with rocky bottom, 6.28333°N, 10.28333°E (georeferenced); USNM 338335, 1, 38.9 mm SL, Mayo Dundere, the upper reaches of the Mayo Gashaka/Mayo Korngal. This eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.0306°N, 11.5667°E; USNM 338717, 1, 41.7 mm SL, Mayo Katan, at the crossing point with a dirt road. This stream eventually drains to the River Taraba which joins the River Benue, 7.1639°N, 11.3917°E.
Chiloglanis tweddlei: Liberia: St. John River drainage: SAIAB 188313, 3, Nimba County, Kahn River upstream, 7.589167°N, 8.568611°W; SAIAB 188352, 1, Nimba County, Bold River, 7.50444°N, 8.58944°W; SAIAB 188448, 1, Nimba County, Yiti River, main road, 7.4875°N, 8.615278°W; SAIAB 188466, 3, Nimba County, Dehn River, at Lugbei, 7.608611°N, 8.622778°W; SAIAB 188551, 8, Nimba County, Yiti River, 7.516111°N, 8.704167°W; SAIAB 188582, 10, Nimba County, Yiti River upstream, 7.510278°N, 8.749167°W; SAIAB 188608, 1, Nimba County, Bee River, at Saniquellie, 7.369556°N, 8.697278°W; SAIAB 188639, 3, Nimba County, Tributary of Vellie River, 7.5755°N, 8.657722°W; USNM 193949, 17, Bong County, Gbarngy District, streams and tributary to St. John River.
DATA ACCESSIBILITYSupplemental material is available at https://www.ichthyologyandherpetology.org/i2022067. Unless an alternative copyright or statement noting that a figure is reprinted from a previous source is noted in a figure caption, the published images and illustrations in this article are licensed by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists for use if the use includes a citation to the original source (American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, the DOI of the Ichthyology & Herpetology article, and any individual image credits listed in the figure caption) in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY License. ZooBank publication urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: AA5998FE-9F91-46B2-AB49-B8EDE9B6E4DA.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSFunding for the 2003 expeditions was provided from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund administered by Conservation International, the HHMI/ULM Undergraduate Science Education Program, and by OISE 0080699 to FP. Funding for the 2013 expedition provided from the All Cypriniformes Species Inventory (ACSII, NSF DEB #1023403). We thank S. Diallo, B. Coulibaly (deceased), M. Diop, B. Samoura, B. Kaba, M. Camara, and members of the 2002–2003 ULM Guinea expeditions for assistance in the field. The 2013 expedition included J. W. Armbruster, H. L. Bart, S. Diallo, T. Diallo, J. P. Friel, M. M. Hayes, M. Magase, and M. Sou. Comparative material was generously provided by C. Dillman (CUMV) and D. Pitassy (USNM). J. Mann (TU) loaned and shipped the specimens of C. frodobagginsi to RCS so that this description could be completed, T. Vigliotta (AMNH) shared the images of the holotype of C. micropogon, and R. Robins (FLMNH) assisted in cataloging type material. Many thanks to the collections staff at SAIAB and USNM who provided PHNB and RCS with material while institutions had restricted access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sandra Raredon (USNM) photographed the type material of C. frodobagginsi and generously worked during restricted conditions due to the pandemic.
© 2023 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
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Citation Download Citation
Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle, and Henry L. Bart Jr. "Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa," Ichthyology & Herpetology 111(3), 376-389, (31 July 2023). https://doi.org/10.1643/i2022067
Received: 18 August 2022; Accepted: 1 May 2023; Published: 31 July 2023
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5318.4.5
PAGE RANGE: 515-530
ABSTRACT VIEWS: 72
PDF DOWNLOADED: 0
A new species Lethrinops chilingali (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from a Lake Malawi satellite lake, believed to be extinct in the wild. ACARIAFRICAN CICHLIDHAPLOCHROMINELAKE CHILINGALIMORPHOLOGY AbstractA new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops chilingali is described from specimens collected from Lake Chilingali, near Nkhotakota, Malawi. It is assigned to the genus Lethrinops based on the form of the lower jaw dental arcade and by the absence of traits diagnostic of the phenotypically similar Ctenopharynx, Taeniolethrinops and Tramitichromis. It also lacks the enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores found in species of Alticorpus and Aulonocara. The presence of a broken horizontal stripe on the flanks of females and immature/non-territorial males of Lethrinops chilingali distinguishes them from all congeners, including Lethrinops lethrinus, in which the stripe is typically continuous. Lethrinops chilingali also has a relatively shorter snout, shorter lachrymal bone and less ventrally positioned mouth than Lethrinops lethrinus. It appears likely that Lethrinops chilingali is now extinct in the wild, as this narrow endemic species has not been positively recorded in the natural environment since 2009. Breeding populations remain in captivity.
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PAGE RANGE: 515-530
ABSTRACT VIEWS: 72
PDF DOWNLOADED: 0
A new species Lethrinops chilingali (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from a Lake Malawi satellite lake, believed to be extinct in the wild. ACARIAFRICAN CICHLIDHAPLOCHROMINELAKE CHILINGALIMORPHOLOGY AbstractA new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops chilingali is described from specimens collected from Lake Chilingali, near Nkhotakota, Malawi. It is assigned to the genus Lethrinops based on the form of the lower jaw dental arcade and by the absence of traits diagnostic of the phenotypically similar Ctenopharynx, Taeniolethrinops and Tramitichromis. It also lacks the enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores found in species of Alticorpus and Aulonocara. The presence of a broken horizontal stripe on the flanks of females and immature/non-territorial males of Lethrinops chilingali distinguishes them from all congeners, including Lethrinops lethrinus, in which the stripe is typically continuous. Lethrinops chilingali also has a relatively shorter snout, shorter lachrymal bone and less ventrally positioned mouth than Lethrinops lethrinus. It appears likely that Lethrinops chilingali is now extinct in the wild, as this narrow endemic species has not been positively recorded in the natural environment since 2009. Breeding populations remain in captivity.
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5315.6.5
A new species of cirri-bearing eel of the genus Cirrhimuraena (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the coastal Bay of Bengal, IndiaPISCESFISHNEW SPECIESODISHA FRINGED-LIP EELPALUR CANALAbstractA new species of cirri-bearing ophichthidae eel Cirrhimuraena odishaensis sp. nov. is described here, on the basis of two specimens collected from the Palur canal and Talasari fish landing centre in Odisha, India. The distinguishing characters of Cirrhimuraena odishaensis sp. nov. that separate it from its congeners include the presence of a single row of mandibular teeth, origin of the dorsal fin directly above the midpoint of pectoral fin, vertebral counts (pre-dorsal 10, pre-anal 46–47, and total 160–162), and number of cirri (13) on the upper jaw. Morphologically Cirrhimuraena odishaensis shows close affinity with Cirrhimuraena yuanding and Cirrhimuraena orientalis. The new species differs from C. yuanding by origin of dorsal fin, number of intermaxillary and maxillary teeth, and length of head. The new species differs from C. orientalis with relatively higher vertebrae.
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A new species of cirri-bearing eel of the genus Cirrhimuraena (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the coastal Bay of Bengal, IndiaPISCESFISHNEW SPECIESODISHA FRINGED-LIP EELPALUR CANALAbstractA new species of cirri-bearing ophichthidae eel Cirrhimuraena odishaensis sp. nov. is described here, on the basis of two specimens collected from the Palur canal and Talasari fish landing centre in Odisha, India. The distinguishing characters of Cirrhimuraena odishaensis sp. nov. that separate it from its congeners include the presence of a single row of mandibular teeth, origin of the dorsal fin directly above the midpoint of pectoral fin, vertebral counts (pre-dorsal 10, pre-anal 46–47, and total 160–162), and number of cirri (13) on the upper jaw. Morphologically Cirrhimuraena odishaensis shows close affinity with Cirrhimuraena yuanding and Cirrhimuraena orientalis. The new species differs from C. yuanding by origin of dorsal fin, number of intermaxillary and maxillary teeth, and length of head. The new species differs from C. orientalis with relatively higher vertebrae.
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Squatina leae • Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes: Squatinidae), with Description of A New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908
Squatina leae
Weigmann, Vaz, Akhilesh, Leeney & Naylor, 2023
DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Abstract
Sampling efforts on the Saya de Malha Bank (part of the Mascarene Plateau, western Indian Ocean) unveiled three unusual small juvenile angel shark specimens, that were a much paler color than the only known western Indian Ocean species, Squatina africana Regan, 1908. However, it took many years before further specimens, including adults of both sexes, and tissue samples were collected. The present manuscript contains a redescription of S. africana based on the holotype and additional material, as well as the formal description of the new species of Squatina. All specimens of the new species, hereafter referred to as Squatina leae sp. nov., were collected in the western Indian Ocean off southwestern India and on the Mascarene Plateau at depths of 100–500 m. The new species differs from S. africana in a number of characteristics including its coloration when fresh, smaller size at birth, size at maturity, and adult size, genetic composition, and distribution. Taxonomic characteristics include differences in the morphology of the pectoral skeleton and posterior nasal flap, denticle arrangement and morphology, vertebral counts, trunk width, pectoral–pelvic space, and clasper size. A key to the species of Squatina in the Indian Ocean is provided.
Keywords: Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii; angel sharks; systematics; taxonomy; diversity; morphology; PCA; mCT scans; genetics; NADH2; CO1
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, in (a) dorsolateral, (b) dorsal, and (c) ventral views in fresh condition.
Photographs kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI).
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, head in (a) dorsal and (b) ventral views, (c) clasper region in dorsal view, (d) anterior pectoral-fin margin in dorsofrontal view, (e) dorsal fins in dorsal view, and (f) caudal fin in dorsolateral view.
Photographs (a–d,f) kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI) show the holotype in fresh condition, photograph (e) shows the holotype in preserved condition.
Family Squatinidae Bonaparte, 1838
Genus Squatina Duméril, 1806
Squatina leae sp. nov.
English name: Lea’s angel shark
Spanish name: Angelote de Lea
German name: Leas Engelhai
Diagnosis. A small angel shark species (maximum size 870 mm TL) with the following characteristics: dorsal coloration conspicuously bright, beige to light grayish-brown, with many light yellowish flecks on trunk, and pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as countless densely set, minute dark spots, partially forming pseudocelli, all over the dorsal surface; no median row of scute-like denticles on trunk; anterior nasal flap with two lateral, elongate barbels and a medial rectangular barbel, all with ventral margins slightly fringed to almost smooth; concave between eyes; posterior nasal flap with an additional barblet; pectoral-pelvic space 10.0–14.9% TL; pectoral-fin apex angular; pelvic-fin free rear tips not reaching level of first dorsal-fin origin; tail moderately long, its length from cloaca 50.2–58.5% TL; pectoral fins moderately long, length 31.1–35.2% TL; dorsal fins not lobe-like; first dorsal-fin base somewhat longer than second dorsal-fin base; caudal fin of adults with angular apices; monospondylous centra 43–46; diplospondylous precaudal centra 55–58; total precaudal centra 100–104; total vertebral centra 130–136; and pectoral-fin skeleton with propterygium articulating with four radials.
Geographic distribution—The new species is currently known from the western Indian Ocean on the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India in 100–500 m depths (Figure 10).
Etymology--The name is dedicated to the memory of Lea-Marie Cordt, the late sister of the first author’s fiancée.
Squatina leae sp. nov., paratypes ZMH 26097, juvenile male, 298 mm TL fresh (in dorsal view) and ZMH 26098, juvenile male, 259 mm TL fresh (in ventral view) taken directly after catching.
The photograph was taken and kindly provided by Matthias F. W. Stehmann.
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Conclusions:
The recognition of a new species, Squatina leae sp. nov., with the redescription of S. africana, clarifies the taxonomic status and distribution of these two western Indian Ocean angel shark species. This is essential for improved data collection and research and for more effective conservation and management policy decisions. Accordingly, this information must be incorporated into future conservation and management plans of sharks in the western Indian Ocean. The current lack of conservation plans at all scales in this ocean area, as well as the need for more research, will likely jeopardize the populations of western Indian Ocean angel sharks in the future.
Simon Weigmann, Diego F. B. Vaz, K. V. Akhilesh, Ruth H. Leeney and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes, Squatinidae), with Description of a New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908. Biology. 12(7), 975. DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Simple Summary: Angel sharks (genus Squatina) are small- to medium-sized sharks with flattened bodies, that live on the seafloor. Until now, 23 valid species of angel sharks have been identified around the world, of which over half are thought to be facing a moderate to severe risk of extinction. Several juvenile angel sharks were collected by researchers working on the Mascarene Plateau, an elevated area of seabed in the Indian Ocean, in 1988 and 1989. They appeared different in coloration and in body shape and structure to a species known from East Africa and Madagascar, the African angel shark. Additional angel sharks were caught off the western coast of India in 2016 and in the central western Indian Ocean in 2017, including adult individuals. Information on body measurements and skeleton structure were collected, and genetic analyses were also conducted on these sharks and on museum specimens previously identified as African angel sharks. The results indicated that the specimens collected from the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India were a species that is new to science. It is genetically and morphologically distinct from the African angel shark; is smaller when born and when fully grown; and lives in a distinctly different area. The newly described species has been named Lea’s angel shark.
Squatina leae
Weigmann, Vaz, Akhilesh, Leeney & Naylor, 2023
DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Abstract
Sampling efforts on the Saya de Malha Bank (part of the Mascarene Plateau, western Indian Ocean) unveiled three unusual small juvenile angel shark specimens, that were a much paler color than the only known western Indian Ocean species, Squatina africana Regan, 1908. However, it took many years before further specimens, including adults of both sexes, and tissue samples were collected. The present manuscript contains a redescription of S. africana based on the holotype and additional material, as well as the formal description of the new species of Squatina. All specimens of the new species, hereafter referred to as Squatina leae sp. nov., were collected in the western Indian Ocean off southwestern India and on the Mascarene Plateau at depths of 100–500 m. The new species differs from S. africana in a number of characteristics including its coloration when fresh, smaller size at birth, size at maturity, and adult size, genetic composition, and distribution. Taxonomic characteristics include differences in the morphology of the pectoral skeleton and posterior nasal flap, denticle arrangement and morphology, vertebral counts, trunk width, pectoral–pelvic space, and clasper size. A key to the species of Squatina in the Indian Ocean is provided.
Keywords: Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii; angel sharks; systematics; taxonomy; diversity; morphology; PCA; mCT scans; genetics; NADH2; CO1
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, in (a) dorsolateral, (b) dorsal, and (c) ventral views in fresh condition.
Photographs kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI).
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, head in (a) dorsal and (b) ventral views, (c) clasper region in dorsal view, (d) anterior pectoral-fin margin in dorsofrontal view, (e) dorsal fins in dorsal view, and (f) caudal fin in dorsolateral view.
Photographs (a–d,f) kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI) show the holotype in fresh condition, photograph (e) shows the holotype in preserved condition.
Family Squatinidae Bonaparte, 1838
Genus Squatina Duméril, 1806
Squatina leae sp. nov.
English name: Lea’s angel shark
Spanish name: Angelote de Lea
German name: Leas Engelhai
Diagnosis. A small angel shark species (maximum size 870 mm TL) with the following characteristics: dorsal coloration conspicuously bright, beige to light grayish-brown, with many light yellowish flecks on trunk, and pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as countless densely set, minute dark spots, partially forming pseudocelli, all over the dorsal surface; no median row of scute-like denticles on trunk; anterior nasal flap with two lateral, elongate barbels and a medial rectangular barbel, all with ventral margins slightly fringed to almost smooth; concave between eyes; posterior nasal flap with an additional barblet; pectoral-pelvic space 10.0–14.9% TL; pectoral-fin apex angular; pelvic-fin free rear tips not reaching level of first dorsal-fin origin; tail moderately long, its length from cloaca 50.2–58.5% TL; pectoral fins moderately long, length 31.1–35.2% TL; dorsal fins not lobe-like; first dorsal-fin base somewhat longer than second dorsal-fin base; caudal fin of adults with angular apices; monospondylous centra 43–46; diplospondylous precaudal centra 55–58; total precaudal centra 100–104; total vertebral centra 130–136; and pectoral-fin skeleton with propterygium articulating with four radials.
Geographic distribution—The new species is currently known from the western Indian Ocean on the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India in 100–500 m depths (Figure 10).
Etymology--The name is dedicated to the memory of Lea-Marie Cordt, the late sister of the first author’s fiancée.
Squatina leae sp. nov., paratypes ZMH 26097, juvenile male, 298 mm TL fresh (in dorsal view) and ZMH 26098, juvenile male, 259 mm TL fresh (in ventral view) taken directly after catching.
The photograph was taken and kindly provided by Matthias F. W. Stehmann.
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Conclusions:
The recognition of a new species, Squatina leae sp. nov., with the redescription of S. africana, clarifies the taxonomic status and distribution of these two western Indian Ocean angel shark species. This is essential for improved data collection and research and for more effective conservation and management policy decisions. Accordingly, this information must be incorporated into future conservation and management plans of sharks in the western Indian Ocean. The current lack of conservation plans at all scales in this ocean area, as well as the need for more research, will likely jeopardize the populations of western Indian Ocean angel sharks in the future.
Simon Weigmann, Diego F. B. Vaz, K. V. Akhilesh, Ruth H. Leeney and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes, Squatinidae), with Description of a New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908. Biology. 12(7), 975. DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Simple Summary: Angel sharks (genus Squatina) are small- to medium-sized sharks with flattened bodies, that live on the seafloor. Until now, 23 valid species of angel sharks have been identified around the world, of which over half are thought to be facing a moderate to severe risk of extinction. Several juvenile angel sharks were collected by researchers working on the Mascarene Plateau, an elevated area of seabed in the Indian Ocean, in 1988 and 1989. They appeared different in coloration and in body shape and structure to a species known from East Africa and Madagascar, the African angel shark. Additional angel sharks were caught off the western coast of India in 2016 and in the central western Indian Ocean in 2017, including adult individuals. Information on body measurements and skeleton structure were collected, and genetic analyses were also conducted on these sharks and on museum specimens previously identified as African angel sharks. The results indicated that the specimens collected from the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India were a species that is new to science. It is genetically and morphologically distinct from the African angel shark; is smaller when born and when fully grown; and lives in a distinctly different area. The newly described species has been named Lea’s angel shark.
==========================
Squatina leae
Weigmann, Vaz, Akhilesh, Leeney & Naylor, 2023
DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Abstract
Sampling efforts on the Saya de Malha Bank (part of the Mascarene Plateau, western Indian Ocean) unveiled three unusual small juvenile angel shark specimens, that were a much paler color than the only known western Indian Ocean species, Squatina africana Regan, 1908. However, it took many years before further specimens, including adults of both sexes, and tissue samples were collected. The present manuscript contains a redescription of S. africana based on the holotype and additional material, as well as the formal description of the new species of Squatina. All specimens of the new species, hereafter referred to as Squatina leae sp. nov., were collected in the western Indian Ocean off southwestern India and on the Mascarene Plateau at depths of 100–500 m. The new species differs from S. africana in a number of characteristics including its coloration when fresh, smaller size at birth, size at maturity, and adult size, genetic composition, and distribution. Taxonomic characteristics include differences in the morphology of the pectoral skeleton and posterior nasal flap, denticle arrangement and morphology, vertebral counts, trunk width, pectoral–pelvic space, and clasper size. A key to the species of Squatina in the Indian Ocean is provided.
Keywords: Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii; angel sharks; systematics; taxonomy; diversity; morphology; PCA; mCT scans; genetics; NADH2; CO1
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, in (a) dorsolateral, (b) dorsal, and (c) ventral views in fresh condition.
Photographs kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI).
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, head in (a) dorsal and (b) ventral views, (c) clasper region in dorsal view, (d) anterior pectoral-fin margin in dorsofrontal view, (e) dorsal fins in dorsal view, and (f) caudal fin in dorsolateral view.
Photographs (a–d,f) kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI) show the holotype in fresh condition, photograph (e) shows the holotype in preserved condition.
Family Squatinidae Bonaparte, 1838
Genus Squatina Duméril, 1806
Squatina leae sp. nov.
English name: Lea’s angel shark
Spanish name: Angelote de Lea
German name: Leas Engelhai
Diagnosis. A small angel shark species (maximum size 870 mm TL) with the following characteristics: dorsal coloration conspicuously bright, beige to light grayish-brown, with many light yellowish flecks on trunk, and pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as countless densely set, minute dark spots, partially forming pseudocelli, all over the dorsal surface; no median row of scute-like denticles on trunk; anterior nasal flap with two lateral, elongate barbels and a medial rectangular barbel, all with ventral margins slightly fringed to almost smooth; concave between eyes; posterior nasal flap with an additional barblet; pectoral-pelvic space 10.0–14.9% TL; pectoral-fin apex angular; pelvic-fin free rear tips not reaching level of first dorsal-fin origin; tail moderately long, its length from cloaca 50.2–58.5% TL; pectoral fins moderately long, length 31.1–35.2% TL; dorsal fins not lobe-like; first dorsal-fin base somewhat longer than second dorsal-fin base; caudal fin of adults with angular apices; monospondylous centra 43–46; diplospondylous precaudal centra 55–58; total precaudal centra 100–104; total vertebral centra 130–136; and pectoral-fin skeleton with propterygium articulating with four radials.
Geographic distribution—The new species is currently known from the western Indian Ocean on the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India in 100–500 m depths (Figure 10).
Etymology--The name is dedicated to the memory of Lea-Marie Cordt, the late sister of the first author’s fiancée.
Squatina leae sp. nov., paratypes ZMH 26097, juvenile male, 298 mm TL fresh (in dorsal view) and ZMH 26098, juvenile male, 259 mm TL fresh (in ventral view) taken directly after catching.
The photograph was taken and kindly provided by Matthias F. W. Stehmann.
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Conclusions:
The recognition of a new species, Squatina leae sp. nov., with the redescription of S. africana, clarifies the taxonomic status and distribution of these two western Indian Ocean angel shark species. This is essential for improved data collection and research and for more effective conservation and management policy decisions. Accordingly, this information must be incorporated into future conservation and management plans of sharks in the western Indian Ocean. The current lack of conservation plans at all scales in this ocean area, as well as the need for more research, will likely jeopardize the populations of western Indian Ocean angel sharks in the future.
Simon Weigmann, Diego F. B. Vaz, K. V. Akhilesh, Ruth H. Leeney and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes, Squatinidae), with Description of a New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908. Biology. 12(7), 975. DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Simple Summary: Angel sharks (genus Squatina) are small- to medium-sized sharks with flattened bodies, that live on the seafloor. Until now, 23 valid species of angel sharks have been identified around the world, of which over half are thought to be facing a moderate to severe risk of extinction. Several juvenile angel sharks were collected by researchers working on the Mascarene Plateau, an elevated area of seabed in the Indian Ocean, in 1988 and 1989. They appeared different in coloration and in body shape and structure to a species known from East Africa and Madagascar, the African angel shark. Additional angel sharks were caught off the western coast of India in 2016 and in the central western Indian Ocean in 2017, including adult individuals. Information on body measurements and skeleton structure were collected, and genetic analyses were also conducted on these sharks and on museum specimens previously identified as African angel sharks. The results indicated that the specimens collected from the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India were a species that is new to science. It is genetically and morphologically distinct from the African angel shark; is smaller when born and when fully grown; and lives in a distinctly different area. The newly described species has been named Lea’s angel shark.
Squatina leae
Weigmann, Vaz, Akhilesh, Leeney & Naylor, 2023
DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Abstract
Sampling efforts on the Saya de Malha Bank (part of the Mascarene Plateau, western Indian Ocean) unveiled three unusual small juvenile angel shark specimens, that were a much paler color than the only known western Indian Ocean species, Squatina africana Regan, 1908. However, it took many years before further specimens, including adults of both sexes, and tissue samples were collected. The present manuscript contains a redescription of S. africana based on the holotype and additional material, as well as the formal description of the new species of Squatina. All specimens of the new species, hereafter referred to as Squatina leae sp. nov., were collected in the western Indian Ocean off southwestern India and on the Mascarene Plateau at depths of 100–500 m. The new species differs from S. africana in a number of characteristics including its coloration when fresh, smaller size at birth, size at maturity, and adult size, genetic composition, and distribution. Taxonomic characteristics include differences in the morphology of the pectoral skeleton and posterior nasal flap, denticle arrangement and morphology, vertebral counts, trunk width, pectoral–pelvic space, and clasper size. A key to the species of Squatina in the Indian Ocean is provided.
Keywords: Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii; angel sharks; systematics; taxonomy; diversity; morphology; PCA; mCT scans; genetics; NADH2; CO1
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, in (a) dorsolateral, (b) dorsal, and (c) ventral views in fresh condition.
Photographs kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI).
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Squatina leae sp. nov., holotype, CMFRI GA. 15.2.5.4, adult male, 671 mm TL, head in (a) dorsal and (b) ventral views, (c) clasper region in dorsal view, (d) anterior pectoral-fin margin in dorsofrontal view, (e) dorsal fins in dorsal view, and (f) caudal fin in dorsolateral view.
Photographs (a–d,f) kindly provided by P. U. Zacharia (ICAR-CMFRI) show the holotype in fresh condition, photograph (e) shows the holotype in preserved condition.
Family Squatinidae Bonaparte, 1838
Genus Squatina Duméril, 1806
Squatina leae sp. nov.
English name: Lea’s angel shark
Spanish name: Angelote de Lea
German name: Leas Engelhai
Diagnosis. A small angel shark species (maximum size 870 mm TL) with the following characteristics: dorsal coloration conspicuously bright, beige to light grayish-brown, with many light yellowish flecks on trunk, and pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as countless densely set, minute dark spots, partially forming pseudocelli, all over the dorsal surface; no median row of scute-like denticles on trunk; anterior nasal flap with two lateral, elongate barbels and a medial rectangular barbel, all with ventral margins slightly fringed to almost smooth; concave between eyes; posterior nasal flap with an additional barblet; pectoral-pelvic space 10.0–14.9% TL; pectoral-fin apex angular; pelvic-fin free rear tips not reaching level of first dorsal-fin origin; tail moderately long, its length from cloaca 50.2–58.5% TL; pectoral fins moderately long, length 31.1–35.2% TL; dorsal fins not lobe-like; first dorsal-fin base somewhat longer than second dorsal-fin base; caudal fin of adults with angular apices; monospondylous centra 43–46; diplospondylous precaudal centra 55–58; total precaudal centra 100–104; total vertebral centra 130–136; and pectoral-fin skeleton with propterygium articulating with four radials.
Geographic distribution—The new species is currently known from the western Indian Ocean on the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India in 100–500 m depths (Figure 10).
Etymology--The name is dedicated to the memory of Lea-Marie Cordt, the late sister of the first author’s fiancée.
Squatina leae sp. nov., paratypes ZMH 26097, juvenile male, 298 mm TL fresh (in dorsal view) and ZMH 26098, juvenile male, 259 mm TL fresh (in ventral view) taken directly after catching.
The photograph was taken and kindly provided by Matthias F. W. Stehmann.
Scale bar: 5 cm.
Conclusions:
The recognition of a new species, Squatina leae sp. nov., with the redescription of S. africana, clarifies the taxonomic status and distribution of these two western Indian Ocean angel shark species. This is essential for improved data collection and research and for more effective conservation and management policy decisions. Accordingly, this information must be incorporated into future conservation and management plans of sharks in the western Indian Ocean. The current lack of conservation plans at all scales in this ocean area, as well as the need for more research, will likely jeopardize the populations of western Indian Ocean angel sharks in the future.
Simon Weigmann, Diego F. B. Vaz, K. V. Akhilesh, Ruth H. Leeney and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes, Squatinidae), with Description of a New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908. Biology. 12(7), 975. DOI: 10.3390/biology12070975
Simple Summary: Angel sharks (genus Squatina) are small- to medium-sized sharks with flattened bodies, that live on the seafloor. Until now, 23 valid species of angel sharks have been identified around the world, of which over half are thought to be facing a moderate to severe risk of extinction. Several juvenile angel sharks were collected by researchers working on the Mascarene Plateau, an elevated area of seabed in the Indian Ocean, in 1988 and 1989. They appeared different in coloration and in body shape and structure to a species known from East Africa and Madagascar, the African angel shark. Additional angel sharks were caught off the western coast of India in 2016 and in the central western Indian Ocean in 2017, including adult individuals. Information on body measurements and skeleton structure were collected, and genetic analyses were also conducted on these sharks and on museum specimens previously identified as African angel sharks. The results indicated that the specimens collected from the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India were a species that is new to science. It is genetically and morphologically distinct from the African angel shark; is smaller when born and when fully grown; and lives in a distinctly different area. The newly described species has been named Lea’s angel shark.
==========================
Heterodontus marshallae • Species in Disguise: A New Species of Hornshark (Heterodontiformes: Heterodontidae) from Northern Australia
Heterodontus marshallae
White, Mollen, O’Neill, Yang & Naylor, 2023
Painted Hornshark || DOI: 10.3390/d15070849
twitter.com/WillWhiteSharks
Abstract
A new species of hornshark is described from northwestern Australia based on six whole specimens and a single egg case. Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. was previously considered to be conspecific with H. zebra from the Western Pacific. The new species differs from H. zebra in the sequence of its NADH2 gene, several morphological characters, egg case morphology and key coloration features. Despite the coloration being similar between H. marshallae n. sp. and H. zebra, i.e., pale background with 22 dark brown bands and saddles, they differ consistently in two key aspects. Firstly, the snout of H. marshallae n. sp. has a dark semicircular bar, usually bifurcated for most of its length vs. a pointed, triangular shaped dark marking in H. zebra. Secondly, H. zebra has a dark bar originating below the posterior gill slits and extending onto anterior pectoral fin, which is absent in H. marshallae n. sp. The Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. is endemic to northwestern Australia and occurs in deeper waters (125–229 m) than H. zebra (0–143 m).
Keywords: Heterodontus; taxonomy; species complex; egg case; morphology; genetics
Holotype of Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. (WAM P.35408-007, adolescent male, 541 mm TL), fresh: (a) dorsal view; (b) lateral view.
Lateral view of female paratypes of Heterodontus marshallae n. sp., fresh:
(a) WAM P.26193-010, juvenile, 355 mm TL;
(b) CSIRO H 6581-01, 580 mm TL (image flipped, right side of specimen shown).
Heterodontus marshallae n. sp.
Diagnosis: A small species of hornshark with the following combination of characters: colour pattern consisting of 22 dark bands and saddles; snout with a semicircular dark bar, usually bifurcated for most of its length; no dark bar below posterior gill slits extending onto anterior pectoral fin; anal fin well separated from caudal fin (anal-caudal space 11.0–13.5% TL); ventral lobe of caudal fin prominent (lower postventral margin 4.7–6.1% TL); dorsal spines long (exposed first dorsal spine length 3.9–4.5% TL); dorsal fins taller in juveniles than adults; symphyseal and anterior teeth pointed, lateral teeth molariform with a longitudinal keel; 20–22 tooth files in upper jaw, 17–19 in lower jaw; total vertebral centra 106–112, precaudal centra 70–76, monospondylous centra 33–37; egg case with narrow, curved, screw-like keels with 1.5 rotations from anterior to posterior margins.
Etymology:
The specific name is in honour of Dr. Lindsay Marshall (www.stickfigurefish.com.au (accessed 10 May 2023)), a scientific illustrator and elasmobranch scientist who expertly painted all the sharks and rays of the world for the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project.
The vernacular name proposed is painted hornshark, in allusion to not only the beautiful coloration of the species but also to its namesake, who has painted all the hornsharks in amazing detail.
Egg case of: (a) Heterodontus marshallae n. sp., preserved (paratype, NTM S.18275-001); (b) H. zebra, preserved (KAUM-I. 69456); (c) H. portusjacksoni, preserved (CSIRO H 8732-02).
William T. White, Frederik H. Mollen, Helen L. O’Neill, Lei Yang and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Species in Disguise: A New Species of Hornshark from Northern Australia (Heterodontiformes: Heterodontidae). Diversity. 15(7), 849. DOI: 10.3390/d15070849
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
twitter.com/WillWhiteSharks/status/1679337718546075650
==========================
Heterodontus marshallae
White, Mollen, O’Neill, Yang & Naylor, 2023
Painted Hornshark || DOI: 10.3390/d15070849
twitter.com/WillWhiteSharks
Abstract
A new species of hornshark is described from northwestern Australia based on six whole specimens and a single egg case. Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. was previously considered to be conspecific with H. zebra from the Western Pacific. The new species differs from H. zebra in the sequence of its NADH2 gene, several morphological characters, egg case morphology and key coloration features. Despite the coloration being similar between H. marshallae n. sp. and H. zebra, i.e., pale background with 22 dark brown bands and saddles, they differ consistently in two key aspects. Firstly, the snout of H. marshallae n. sp. has a dark semicircular bar, usually bifurcated for most of its length vs. a pointed, triangular shaped dark marking in H. zebra. Secondly, H. zebra has a dark bar originating below the posterior gill slits and extending onto anterior pectoral fin, which is absent in H. marshallae n. sp. The Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. is endemic to northwestern Australia and occurs in deeper waters (125–229 m) than H. zebra (0–143 m).
Keywords: Heterodontus; taxonomy; species complex; egg case; morphology; genetics
Holotype of Heterodontus marshallae n. sp. (WAM P.35408-007, adolescent male, 541 mm TL), fresh: (a) dorsal view; (b) lateral view.
Lateral view of female paratypes of Heterodontus marshallae n. sp., fresh:
(a) WAM P.26193-010, juvenile, 355 mm TL;
(b) CSIRO H 6581-01, 580 mm TL (image flipped, right side of specimen shown).
Heterodontus marshallae n. sp.
Diagnosis: A small species of hornshark with the following combination of characters: colour pattern consisting of 22 dark bands and saddles; snout with a semicircular dark bar, usually bifurcated for most of its length; no dark bar below posterior gill slits extending onto anterior pectoral fin; anal fin well separated from caudal fin (anal-caudal space 11.0–13.5% TL); ventral lobe of caudal fin prominent (lower postventral margin 4.7–6.1% TL); dorsal spines long (exposed first dorsal spine length 3.9–4.5% TL); dorsal fins taller in juveniles than adults; symphyseal and anterior teeth pointed, lateral teeth molariform with a longitudinal keel; 20–22 tooth files in upper jaw, 17–19 in lower jaw; total vertebral centra 106–112, precaudal centra 70–76, monospondylous centra 33–37; egg case with narrow, curved, screw-like keels with 1.5 rotations from anterior to posterior margins.
Etymology:
The specific name is in honour of Dr. Lindsay Marshall (www.stickfigurefish.com.au (accessed 10 May 2023)), a scientific illustrator and elasmobranch scientist who expertly painted all the sharks and rays of the world for the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project.
The vernacular name proposed is painted hornshark, in allusion to not only the beautiful coloration of the species but also to its namesake, who has painted all the hornsharks in amazing detail.
Egg case of: (a) Heterodontus marshallae n. sp., preserved (paratype, NTM S.18275-001); (b) H. zebra, preserved (KAUM-I. 69456); (c) H. portusjacksoni, preserved (CSIRO H 8732-02).
William T. White, Frederik H. Mollen, Helen L. O’Neill, Lei Yang and Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2023. Species in Disguise: A New Species of Hornshark from Northern Australia (Heterodontiformes: Heterodontidae). Diversity. 15(7), 849. DOI: 10.3390/d15070849
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Connectivity, Species Diversity and Conservation Biology of Chondrichthyes)
twitter.com/WillWhiteSharks/status/1679337718546075650
==========================
Cryptocoryne vinzelii (Araceae) • A New Species of Water Trumpet from Basilan Island, Philippines [Discovery through Citizen Science II]
Cryptocoryne vinzelii Naive,
in Naive, Duhaylungsod et Jacobsen, 2023.
taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/1938
facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice
twitter.com/orchidARCIIae
Abstract
A new Sulu Archipelago endemic species, Cryptocoryne vinzelii, is herein described and illustrated discovered by a citizen scientist in the island of Basilan. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, distribution and a provisional conservation status are presented. With the recent discovery of a new species, the biodiversity of the Philippines has expanded, revealing a total of 10 distinct Cryptocoryne taxa, of which nine are known to be endemic. This new finding underscores the country's remarkable ecological richness and highlights the importance of citizen science in preserving and studying its unique flora.
Keyword: Aroid, critically endangered, Cryptocoryne palawanensis, Cryptocoryne pygmaea, Sulu Archipelago, BARMM
Cryptocoryne vinzelii Naive
A. Spathe B. Spadix C. Detail of limb D. Infructescence.
Photos from A.B. Duhaylungsod & MAK Naive 137 prepared by: MAK Naive.
In situ photograph of Cryptocoryne vinzelii showing its habit.
Photo by: AB Duhaylungsod.
Cryotocoryne vinzelii Naive, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: This new species resembles Cryptocoryne palawanensis Bastmeijer, N.Jacobsen & Naive (Naive et al., 2022b) but differs significantly in having these following characters: smaller, broader, robust leaves; 4– 7 mm long peduncle; erect, wide opened, upright limb; and up to 40 male flowers
Etymology: Named after the son of the citizen scientist (2nd author) who discovered the species, Vinzel D. Duhaylungsod.
Mark Arcebal K. Naive, Alvin B. Duhaylungsod and Niels Jacobsen. 2023. Discovery through Citizen Science II: Cryptocoryne vinzelii (Araceae), A New Species of Water Trumpet from Basilan Island, Philippines. Taiwania. 68(3); 294-297. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2023.68.294
taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/1938
facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice/posts/3403827936505678
twitter.com/orchidARCIIae/status/1677959422650490881
==========================
Cryptocoryne vinzelii Naive,
in Naive, Duhaylungsod et Jacobsen, 2023.
taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/1938
facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice
twitter.com/orchidARCIIae
Abstract
A new Sulu Archipelago endemic species, Cryptocoryne vinzelii, is herein described and illustrated discovered by a citizen scientist in the island of Basilan. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, distribution and a provisional conservation status are presented. With the recent discovery of a new species, the biodiversity of the Philippines has expanded, revealing a total of 10 distinct Cryptocoryne taxa, of which nine are known to be endemic. This new finding underscores the country's remarkable ecological richness and highlights the importance of citizen science in preserving and studying its unique flora.
Keyword: Aroid, critically endangered, Cryptocoryne palawanensis, Cryptocoryne pygmaea, Sulu Archipelago, BARMM
Cryptocoryne vinzelii Naive
A. Spathe B. Spadix C. Detail of limb D. Infructescence.
Photos from A.B. Duhaylungsod & MAK Naive 137 prepared by: MAK Naive.
In situ photograph of Cryptocoryne vinzelii showing its habit.
Photo by: AB Duhaylungsod.
Cryotocoryne vinzelii Naive, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: This new species resembles Cryptocoryne palawanensis Bastmeijer, N.Jacobsen & Naive (Naive et al., 2022b) but differs significantly in having these following characters: smaller, broader, robust leaves; 4– 7 mm long peduncle; erect, wide opened, upright limb; and up to 40 male flowers
Etymology: Named after the son of the citizen scientist (2nd author) who discovered the species, Vinzel D. Duhaylungsod.
Mark Arcebal K. Naive, Alvin B. Duhaylungsod and Niels Jacobsen. 2023. Discovery through Citizen Science II: Cryptocoryne vinzelii (Araceae), A New Species of Water Trumpet from Basilan Island, Philippines. Taiwania. 68(3); 294-297. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2023.68.294
taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/1938
facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice/posts/3403827936505678
twitter.com/orchidARCIIae/status/1677959422650490881
==========================
New, Huge Cavefish Species, Neolissochilus pnar, Described
www.reef2rainforest.com/2023/07/06/new-huge-cavefish-species-neolissochilus-pnar-described/
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www.reef2rainforest.com/2023/07/06/new-huge-cavefish-species-neolissochilus-pnar-described/
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5315.1.6
Glyptothorax viridis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Manipur, IndiaPISCESGLYPTOTHORAX VIRIDISNEW SPECIESCHAKPI RIVERCHINDWIN DRAINAGEINDO-BURMARHEOPHILIC SISORIDAbstractGlyptothorax viridis, new species, is described from the Dujang, a hill stream tributary of the Chakpi River, Chindwin drainage in Manipur, India. It is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of plicae on paired fins; thoracic adhesive apparatus with a deep, cone-shaped median depression opening caudally; a slender pelvic fin reaching the anal fin, and tuberculated skin with three stripes on the body.
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Glyptothorax viridis, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Manipur, IndiaPISCESGLYPTOTHORAX VIRIDISNEW SPECIESCHAKPI RIVERCHINDWIN DRAINAGEINDO-BURMARHEOPHILIC SISORIDAbstractGlyptothorax viridis, new species, is described from the Dujang, a hill stream tributary of the Chakpi River, Chindwin drainage in Manipur, India. It is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of plicae on paired fins; thoracic adhesive apparatus with a deep, cone-shaped median depression opening caudally; a slender pelvic fin reaching the anal fin, and tuberculated skin with three stripes on the body.
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5315.1.2
Glyptothorax vatandousti, a new species of torrent catfish from the upper Karkheh drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae)PISCESBARCODINGFRESHWATER FISHTAXONOMYWESTERN ASIAAbstractGlyptothorax vatandousti, new species, from the upper Karkheh drainage, a tributary of the Iranian Tigris, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by having the flank with a fine, pale-brown mottled pattern overlaid by small and large, blackish or dark-brown blotches, deep caudal-peduncle (its depth 1.1–1.3 times in length), and without, or with a pale-brown triangle-shaped blotch in front of dorsal-fin origin.
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Glyptothorax vatandousti, a new species of torrent catfish from the upper Karkheh drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae)PISCESBARCODINGFRESHWATER FISHTAXONOMYWESTERN ASIAAbstractGlyptothorax vatandousti, new species, from the upper Karkheh drainage, a tributary of the Iranian Tigris, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by having the flank with a fine, pale-brown mottled pattern overlaid by small and large, blackish or dark-brown blotches, deep caudal-peduncle (its depth 1.1–1.3 times in length), and without, or with a pale-brown triangle-shaped blotch in front of dorsal-fin origin.
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A new species of Parauchenoglanis (Auchenoglanididae: Siluriformes) from the Upper Lualaba River (Upper Congo), with further evidence of hidden species diversity within the genusYonela Sithole, Tobias Musschoot, Charlotte E. T. Huyghe, Albert Chakona, Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven
First published: 11 April 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15309urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:762B314B-31FF-4715-A186-86A14BAD2A4B
Albert Chakona and Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven made an equal contribution to this work.
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SHAREAbstractParauchenoglanis zebratus sp. nov. is a new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba in the Upper Congo Basin. It is distinguished from all its congeners known from the Congo Basin and adjacent basins by the presence of (1) distinctive dark-brown or black vertical bars on the lateral side of the body, at least for specimens about ≥120 mm LS, (2) a broad and triangular humeral process embedded under the skin and (3) a well-serrated pectoral-fin spine. Genetic analysis based on mtDNA COI sequences confirmed the genetic distinctiveness (2.8%–13.6% K2P genetic divergence) of P. zebratus sp. nov. from congeners within the Congo and adjacent river basins. The study also revealed additional undocumented diversity within P. ngamensis, P. pantherinus, P. punctatus and P. balayi, indicating the need for further in-depth alpha-taxonomic attention to provide more accurate species delimitations for this genus. The discovery of yet another new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba, and this well outside the currently established protected areas, highlights the critical need for further assessments to accurately document the species diversity to guide freshwater conservation prioritisation and biodiversity management in this region.
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First published: 11 April 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15309urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:762B314B-31FF-4715-A186-86A14BAD2A4B
Albert Chakona and Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven made an equal contribution to this work.
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SHAREAbstractParauchenoglanis zebratus sp. nov. is a new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba in the Upper Congo Basin. It is distinguished from all its congeners known from the Congo Basin and adjacent basins by the presence of (1) distinctive dark-brown or black vertical bars on the lateral side of the body, at least for specimens about ≥120 mm LS, (2) a broad and triangular humeral process embedded under the skin and (3) a well-serrated pectoral-fin spine. Genetic analysis based on mtDNA COI sequences confirmed the genetic distinctiveness (2.8%–13.6% K2P genetic divergence) of P. zebratus sp. nov. from congeners within the Congo and adjacent river basins. The study also revealed additional undocumented diversity within P. ngamensis, P. pantherinus, P. punctatus and P. balayi, indicating the need for further in-depth alpha-taxonomic attention to provide more accurate species delimitations for this genus. The discovery of yet another new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba, and this well outside the currently established protected areas, highlights the critical need for further assessments to accurately document the species diversity to guide freshwater conservation prioritisation and biodiversity management in this region.
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Molecular species delimitation and description of a new species of Phenacogaster (Teleostei, Characidae) from the southern Amazon basin
Camila S. Souza, George M. T. Mattox, George Vita, Luz E. Ochoa, Bruno F. Melo, Claudio OliveiraAbstractPhenacogaster is the most species-rich genus of the subfamily Characinae with 23 valid species broadly distributed in riverine systems of South America. Despite the taxonomic diversity of the genus, little has been advanced about its molecular diversity. A recent molecular phylogeny indicated the presence of undescribed species within Phenacogaster that is formally described here. We sampled 73 specimens of Phenacogaster and sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in order to undertake species delimitation analyses and evaluate their intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. The results show the presence of 14 species, 13 of which are valid and one undescribed. The new species is known from the tributaries of the Xingu basin, the Rio das Mortes of the Araguaia basin, and the Rio Teles Pires of the Tapajós basin. It is distinguished by the incomplete lateral line, position of the humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum, and shape of the caudal-peduncle blotch. Meristic data and genetic differentiation relative to other Phenacogaster species represent strong evidence for the recognition of the new species and highlight the occurrence of an additional lineage of P. franciscoensis.
KeywordsBiodiversity, Characinae, mitochondrial DNA, Neotropical freshwater fishes, Phenacogasterini
IntroductionThe Neotropical fish subfamily Characinae encompasses small- to medium-sized tetras found across South America and in Panama and Costa Rica (Lucena and Menezes 2003; Mattox et al. 2018). Most members of this subfamily have the anterodorsal region of the body with a gibbosity (except for Acestrocephalus Eigenmann, 1910 and Phenacogaster Eigenmann, 1907) and diverse trophic strategies, including carnivory, omnivory, and lepidophagy (Géry 1977; Sazima 1984). The subfamily sensu Souza et al. (2022) currently comprises 85 valid species distributed among seven genera: Acanthocharax Eigenmann, 1912, Acestrocephalus, Charax Scopoli, 1777, Cynopotamus Valenciennes, 1850, Galeocharax Fowler, 1910, Phenacogaster, and Roeboides Günther, 1864. Phenacogaster stands out as the largest and most taxonomically complex genus within Characinae, with 23 species distributed across cis-Andean South American riverine habitats (Fricke et al. 2023). They are small fishes measuring up to 6 cm standard length (SL) and are often known as “lambaris”, “glass tetras”, “mojaritas”, and “yaya” (Lucena and Malabarba 2010).
Relative to other Characinae genera, Phenacogaster possesses two longitudinal series of elongate and imbricated scales producing a zigzag pattern in a flat preventral region, as well as the outer premaxillary tooth row divided into a medial and a lateral section separated by a diastema (Eigenmann 1917; Malabarba and Lucena 1995; Mattox and Toledo-Piza 2012). Lucena and Malabarba (2010) presented the most comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus with descriptions of nine species of Phenacogaster, nearly doubling the species diversity, and an identification key for the species, with the exception of the so-called Phenacogaster pectinata complex with P. pectinata (Cope, 1870), P. microstictus Eigenmann, 1909, P. beni Eigenmann, 1911 and P. suborbitalis (Ahl, 1936). Recently, three more species from the Brazilian Shield have been described: P. naevata Antonetti, Lucena & Lucena, 2018; P. eurytaenia Antonetti, Lucena & Lucena, 2018 from the Tocantins basin (Antonetti et al. 2018); and P. julliae Lucena & Lucena, 2019 from the Rio São Francisco (Lucena and Lucena 2019).
No study has been conducted to assess the interspecific genetic diversity of Phenacogaster, although species delimitation methods have been used for such purposes in other Characidae (Rossini et al. 2016; García-Melo et al. 2019; Brito et al. 2021; Malabarba et al. 2021; Mattox et al. 2023). A recent molecular phylogeny of Characinae revealed the presence of the two clades in Phenacogaster, the P. pectinata clade and the P. franciscoensis clade, as well as an undescribed species of Phenacogaster from the Xingu basin (Souza et al. 2022). To further investigate this question, we used mitochondrial data and species delimitation techniques to estimate intra- and interspecific genetic diversity within the genus. The results confirmed the presence of a new species in the upper Rio Xingu of the Amazonian Brazilian Shield, which is formally described in this paper.
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Camila S. Souza, George M. T. Mattox, George Vita, Luz E. Ochoa, Bruno F. Melo, Claudio OliveiraAbstractPhenacogaster is the most species-rich genus of the subfamily Characinae with 23 valid species broadly distributed in riverine systems of South America. Despite the taxonomic diversity of the genus, little has been advanced about its molecular diversity. A recent molecular phylogeny indicated the presence of undescribed species within Phenacogaster that is formally described here. We sampled 73 specimens of Phenacogaster and sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in order to undertake species delimitation analyses and evaluate their intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. The results show the presence of 14 species, 13 of which are valid and one undescribed. The new species is known from the tributaries of the Xingu basin, the Rio das Mortes of the Araguaia basin, and the Rio Teles Pires of the Tapajós basin. It is distinguished by the incomplete lateral line, position of the humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum, and shape of the caudal-peduncle blotch. Meristic data and genetic differentiation relative to other Phenacogaster species represent strong evidence for the recognition of the new species and highlight the occurrence of an additional lineage of P. franciscoensis.
KeywordsBiodiversity, Characinae, mitochondrial DNA, Neotropical freshwater fishes, Phenacogasterini
IntroductionThe Neotropical fish subfamily Characinae encompasses small- to medium-sized tetras found across South America and in Panama and Costa Rica (Lucena and Menezes 2003; Mattox et al. 2018). Most members of this subfamily have the anterodorsal region of the body with a gibbosity (except for Acestrocephalus Eigenmann, 1910 and Phenacogaster Eigenmann, 1907) and diverse trophic strategies, including carnivory, omnivory, and lepidophagy (Géry 1977; Sazima 1984). The subfamily sensu Souza et al. (2022) currently comprises 85 valid species distributed among seven genera: Acanthocharax Eigenmann, 1912, Acestrocephalus, Charax Scopoli, 1777, Cynopotamus Valenciennes, 1850, Galeocharax Fowler, 1910, Phenacogaster, and Roeboides Günther, 1864. Phenacogaster stands out as the largest and most taxonomically complex genus within Characinae, with 23 species distributed across cis-Andean South American riverine habitats (Fricke et al. 2023). They are small fishes measuring up to 6 cm standard length (SL) and are often known as “lambaris”, “glass tetras”, “mojaritas”, and “yaya” (Lucena and Malabarba 2010).
Relative to other Characinae genera, Phenacogaster possesses two longitudinal series of elongate and imbricated scales producing a zigzag pattern in a flat preventral region, as well as the outer premaxillary tooth row divided into a medial and a lateral section separated by a diastema (Eigenmann 1917; Malabarba and Lucena 1995; Mattox and Toledo-Piza 2012). Lucena and Malabarba (2010) presented the most comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus with descriptions of nine species of Phenacogaster, nearly doubling the species diversity, and an identification key for the species, with the exception of the so-called Phenacogaster pectinata complex with P. pectinata (Cope, 1870), P. microstictus Eigenmann, 1909, P. beni Eigenmann, 1911 and P. suborbitalis (Ahl, 1936). Recently, three more species from the Brazilian Shield have been described: P. naevata Antonetti, Lucena & Lucena, 2018; P. eurytaenia Antonetti, Lucena & Lucena, 2018 from the Tocantins basin (Antonetti et al. 2018); and P. julliae Lucena & Lucena, 2019 from the Rio São Francisco (Lucena and Lucena 2019).
No study has been conducted to assess the interspecific genetic diversity of Phenacogaster, although species delimitation methods have been used for such purposes in other Characidae (Rossini et al. 2016; García-Melo et al. 2019; Brito et al. 2021; Malabarba et al. 2021; Mattox et al. 2023). A recent molecular phylogeny of Characinae revealed the presence of the two clades in Phenacogaster, the P. pectinata clade and the P. franciscoensis clade, as well as an undescribed species of Phenacogaster from the Xingu basin (Souza et al. 2022). To further investigate this question, we used mitochondrial data and species delimitation techniques to estimate intra- and interspecific genetic diversity within the genus. The results confirmed the presence of a new species in the upper Rio Xingu of the Amazonian Brazilian Shield, which is formally described in this paper.
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5311.3.3
Species of Garra (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) in the Salween River basin with description of an enigmatic new species from the Ataran River drainage of Thailand and Myanmar PISCESACTINOPTERYGIITELEOSTPHYLOGENETICSZAMI RIVER
Garra panitvongi
Tangjitjaroen, Randall, Tongnunui, Boyd & Page, 2023
ปลาเลียหินหางแดง | Redtail Garra || DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.3
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Abstract
Garra panitvongi, new species, is described from the Ataran River drainage, Salween River basin, of southeastern Myanmar and western Thailand. It is the sixth species of Garra known from the Salween River basin and is readily distinguished from all congeners by the red-orange color of the body and caudal fin, and a pointed proboscis with a blue stripe on each side from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the proboscis and with the stripes forming a V-shape. Garra panitvongi is known in the aquarium trade as the Redtail Garra. Descriptive information is provided on poorly known species of Garra in the Salween River basin, and Garra nujiangensis is transferred to Ageneiogarra.
Key words: Actinopterygii, teleost, phylogenetics, Zami River
Garra panitvongi, THNHM-F021641, 67.8 mm SL, holotype;
Thailand: Zami River basin: Kanchanaburi Province: Kasat River, 5.5 km NE Ban Thi Rai Pa [village], ..., 4 February 2020.
Upper live, lower preserved.
(A) Type locality of Garra panitvongi and (B) G. panitvongi in Kasat River, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.
Photos in B by Nonn Panitvong.
Garra panitvongi, new species
Redtail Garra, ปลาเลียหินหางแดง
Diagnosis. Garra panitvongi is easily distinguished from all other species of Garra by the red-orange color of the caudal fin and posterior one-fourth of the body (Fig. 3), and a pointed proboscis with a blue stripe on each side from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the proboscis and with the stripes forming a V-shape (Fig. 4). It further differs from G. notata and G. salweenica, the only other species of Garra in the Salween River basin with a proboscis, by lacking conspicuous black spots at the base of the dorsal fin and large black spots or bands on the caudal fin. It further differs from G. salweenica in having fewer pectoral rays (14–15 vs.17–18).
Etymology. The specific name panitvongi, a noun in genitive case, is applied in recognition of the tremendous contributions made by Dr. Nonn Panitvong to our knowledge of fishes of Thailand, in particular through his book, “A Photographic Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Thailand” (Panitvong 2020). facebook.com/ThaiFishBook
Weerapongse Tangjitjaroen, Zachary S. Randall, Sampan Tongnunui, David A. Boyd and Lawrence M. Page. 2023. Species of Garra (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) in the Salween River Basin with Description of An Enigmatic New Species from the Ataran River Drainage of Thailand and Myanmar. Zootaxa. 5311(3); 375-392. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.3
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Species of Garra (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) in the Salween River basin with description of an enigmatic new species from the Ataran River drainage of Thailand and Myanmar PISCESACTINOPTERYGIITELEOSTPHYLOGENETICSZAMI RIVER
Garra panitvongi
Tangjitjaroen, Randall, Tongnunui, Boyd & Page, 2023
ปลาเลียหินหางแดง | Redtail Garra || DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.3
facebook.com/ThaiFishBook
Abstract
Garra panitvongi, new species, is described from the Ataran River drainage, Salween River basin, of southeastern Myanmar and western Thailand. It is the sixth species of Garra known from the Salween River basin and is readily distinguished from all congeners by the red-orange color of the body and caudal fin, and a pointed proboscis with a blue stripe on each side from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the proboscis and with the stripes forming a V-shape. Garra panitvongi is known in the aquarium trade as the Redtail Garra. Descriptive information is provided on poorly known species of Garra in the Salween River basin, and Garra nujiangensis is transferred to Ageneiogarra.
Key words: Actinopterygii, teleost, phylogenetics, Zami River
Garra panitvongi, THNHM-F021641, 67.8 mm SL, holotype;
Thailand: Zami River basin: Kanchanaburi Province: Kasat River, 5.5 km NE Ban Thi Rai Pa [village], ..., 4 February 2020.
Upper live, lower preserved.
(A) Type locality of Garra panitvongi and (B) G. panitvongi in Kasat River, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.
Photos in B by Nonn Panitvong.
Garra panitvongi, new species
Redtail Garra, ปลาเลียหินหางแดง
Diagnosis. Garra panitvongi is easily distinguished from all other species of Garra by the red-orange color of the caudal fin and posterior one-fourth of the body (Fig. 3), and a pointed proboscis with a blue stripe on each side from the anterior margin of the orbit to the tip of the proboscis and with the stripes forming a V-shape (Fig. 4). It further differs from G. notata and G. salweenica, the only other species of Garra in the Salween River basin with a proboscis, by lacking conspicuous black spots at the base of the dorsal fin and large black spots or bands on the caudal fin. It further differs from G. salweenica in having fewer pectoral rays (14–15 vs.17–18).
Etymology. The specific name panitvongi, a noun in genitive case, is applied in recognition of the tremendous contributions made by Dr. Nonn Panitvong to our knowledge of fishes of Thailand, in particular through his book, “A Photographic Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Thailand” (Panitvong 2020). facebook.com/ThaiFishBook
Weerapongse Tangjitjaroen, Zachary S. Randall, Sampan Tongnunui, David A. Boyd and Lawrence M. Page. 2023. Species of Garra (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) in the Salween River Basin with Description of An Enigmatic New Species from the Ataran River Drainage of Thailand and Myanmar. Zootaxa. 5311(3); 375-392. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.3
facebook.com/ThaiFishBook/posts/715195443950985
==========================
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5311.3.2
A revision of the gudgeon genus Hypseleotris (Gobiiformes: Gobioidei: Eleotridae) of northwest Australia, describing three new species and synonymizing the genus Kimberleyeleotris PISCESELEOTRIDAERANGE-RESTRICTEDFRESHWATERBIODIVERSITYTAXONOMYSYSTEMATICS AbstractSpecies within the northwest Australian clade of Hypseleotris (six species) and the genus Kimberleyeleotris (two species) are reviewed following the recording of new populations in the region and a molecular study of the group that identified three undescribed candidate species. Based on the analysis of extensive morphological and nuclear and mitochondrial molecular datasets, Kimberleyeleotris is here formally synonymised with Hypseleotris. Furthermore, three species from the Kimberley region, Western Australia, are described to science: Hypseleotris maranda sp. nov., Hypseleotris wunduwala sp. nov., and Hypseleotris garawudjirri sp. nov. The presence of, or number of scales across the head and body, the pattern of sensory papillae on the head, fin ray counts, dorsal and anal fin colouration (particularly in breeding males), and body depth, can be used to distinguish the members of the northwest Australia lineage. Furthermore, the newly described species were genetically separated from all northwest Australian congeners by K2P distances ranging from 7.8–11.3% based on the CO1 gene, and 7.7–16.3 % based on the entire mitochondrial genome. Two of the new species, H. maranda sp. nov. and H. wunduwala sp. nov., have extremely narrow ranges being found in single sub-catchments of the Roe and King Edward Rivers respectively. On the other hand, H. garawudjirri sp. nov. is moderately widespread, being found across the Charnley, Calder, and Sale rivers. While the conservation risk to H. maranda sp. nov. and H. wunduwala sp. nov. is inherently high due to their small range, there are currently no obvious local threatening processes to either of these species given their remote locations that are little impacted by human activities.
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A revision of the gudgeon genus Hypseleotris (Gobiiformes: Gobioidei: Eleotridae) of northwest Australia, describing three new species and synonymizing the genus Kimberleyeleotris PISCESELEOTRIDAERANGE-RESTRICTEDFRESHWATERBIODIVERSITYTAXONOMYSYSTEMATICS AbstractSpecies within the northwest Australian clade of Hypseleotris (six species) and the genus Kimberleyeleotris (two species) are reviewed following the recording of new populations in the region and a molecular study of the group that identified three undescribed candidate species. Based on the analysis of extensive morphological and nuclear and mitochondrial molecular datasets, Kimberleyeleotris is here formally synonymised with Hypseleotris. Furthermore, three species from the Kimberley region, Western Australia, are described to science: Hypseleotris maranda sp. nov., Hypseleotris wunduwala sp. nov., and Hypseleotris garawudjirri sp. nov. The presence of, or number of scales across the head and body, the pattern of sensory papillae on the head, fin ray counts, dorsal and anal fin colouration (particularly in breeding males), and body depth, can be used to distinguish the members of the northwest Australia lineage. Furthermore, the newly described species were genetically separated from all northwest Australian congeners by K2P distances ranging from 7.8–11.3% based on the CO1 gene, and 7.7–16.3 % based on the entire mitochondrial genome. Two of the new species, H. maranda sp. nov. and H. wunduwala sp. nov., have extremely narrow ranges being found in single sub-catchments of the Roe and King Edward Rivers respectively. On the other hand, H. garawudjirri sp. nov. is moderately widespread, being found across the Charnley, Calder, and Sale rivers. While the conservation risk to H. maranda sp. nov. and H. wunduwala sp. nov. is inherently high due to their small range, there are currently no obvious local threatening processes to either of these species given their remote locations that are little impacted by human activities.
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5311.1.4
Two new freshwater blennies from the Eastern Mediterranean basin (Teleostei: Blenniidae)PISCESCOI BARCODE REGIONCEYHAN DRAINAGESEYHAN DRAINAGEMOLECULAR DISTANCEAbstractTwo new species of Salariopsis are described from the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Salariopsis burcuae, new species, from the Bay of Antalya east to the Jordan, is characterised by having a short cirrus, usually not overlapping the 9th circum-orbital sensory pore, and many tiny black dots on the cheek not organised in rows or bands. The new species shows a 4.1% K2P sequence divergence on the cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcoding region from its closest relative, S. fluviatilis. Salariopsis renatorum, new species, from the upper Ceyhan drainage and a coastal stream in Arsuz, is distinguished by having an unbranched supraocular tentacle, black lateral line pores, a short snout, and no black dots on the upper part of the flank and on the cheek. It is also distinguished from its geographically closest congener, S. burcuae, by a molecular distance of 8.8% K2P in its COI barcode region.
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Two new freshwater blennies from the Eastern Mediterranean basin (Teleostei: Blenniidae)PISCESCOI BARCODE REGIONCEYHAN DRAINAGESEYHAN DRAINAGEMOLECULAR DISTANCEAbstractTwo new species of Salariopsis are described from the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Salariopsis burcuae, new species, from the Bay of Antalya east to the Jordan, is characterised by having a short cirrus, usually not overlapping the 9th circum-orbital sensory pore, and many tiny black dots on the cheek not organised in rows or bands. The new species shows a 4.1% K2P sequence divergence on the cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcoding region from its closest relative, S. fluviatilis. Salariopsis renatorum, new species, from the upper Ceyhan drainage and a coastal stream in Arsuz, is distinguished by having an unbranched supraocular tentacle, black lateral line pores, a short snout, and no black dots on the upper part of the flank and on the cheek. It is also distinguished from its geographically closest congener, S. burcuae, by a molecular distance of 8.8% K2P in its COI barcode region.
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Pseudolaguvia permaris • A New Catfish (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from the Eastern Ghats of India
Pseudolaguvia permaris
Vijayakrishnan, Praveenraj & Mishra, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.2.6
twitter.com/Meenkaran1
Abstract
Pseudolaguvia permaris, a new sisorid catfish is described from the Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: serrated anterior margin of dorsal-fin spine, thoracic adhesive apparatus not extending beyond base of last pectoral-fin ray, caudal peduncle depth 8.6–10.2% SL, body depth at anus 15.3–20.2% SL, adipose-fin base length 13.6–18.1% SL, dorsal to adipose distance 11.4–14.4% SL, length of pectoral-fin spine 19.3–28.0% SL, length of dorsal-fin spine 16.5–20.4% SL, head width 21.6–25.9% SL and indistinct, creamish bands on the body.
Keywords: Pisces, Siluriformes, Sisoroidea, Odisha, Mahanadi River, biogeography
Balaji Vijayakrishnan, Jayasimhan Praveenraj and Abhisek Mishra. 2023. Pseudolaguvia permaris, A New Catfish from the Eastern Ghats of India (Teleostei: Sisoridae). Zootaxa. 5297(2); 271-281. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.2.6
twitter.com/Meenkaran1/status/1669724664455626753
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Pseudolaguvia permaris
Vijayakrishnan, Praveenraj & Mishra, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.2.6
twitter.com/Meenkaran1
Abstract
Pseudolaguvia permaris, a new sisorid catfish is described from the Mahanadi River basin in Odisha, India. The new species can be distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: serrated anterior margin of dorsal-fin spine, thoracic adhesive apparatus not extending beyond base of last pectoral-fin ray, caudal peduncle depth 8.6–10.2% SL, body depth at anus 15.3–20.2% SL, adipose-fin base length 13.6–18.1% SL, dorsal to adipose distance 11.4–14.4% SL, length of pectoral-fin spine 19.3–28.0% SL, length of dorsal-fin spine 16.5–20.4% SL, head width 21.6–25.9% SL and indistinct, creamish bands on the body.
Keywords: Pisces, Siluriformes, Sisoroidea, Odisha, Mahanadi River, biogeography
Balaji Vijayakrishnan, Jayasimhan Praveenraj and Abhisek Mishra. 2023. Pseudolaguvia permaris, A New Catfish from the Eastern Ghats of India (Teleostei: Sisoridae). Zootaxa. 5297(2); 271-281. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.2.6
twitter.com/Meenkaran1/status/1669724664455626753
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Labeo mbimbii,
Description of Two New Labeo (Labeoninae; Cyprinidae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin
Tobit L.D. Liyandja, Melanie L.J. Stiassny
Author Affiliations +
American Museum Novitates, 2023(3999):1-22 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1206/3999.1
AbstractLabeo mbimbii, n. sp., and Labeo manasseeae, n. sp., two small-bodied Labeo species, are described from the lower and middle reaches of the Lulua River (Kasai ecoregion, Congo basin) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two new species are members of the L. forskalii species group and are genetically distinct from all other species of that clade. Morphologically they can be distinguished from central African L. forskalii group congeners except L. dhonti, L. lukulae, L. luluae, L. parvus, L. quadribarbis, and L. simpsoni in the possession of 29 or fewer (vs. 30 or more) vertebrae and from those congeners by a wider interpectoral, among other features.
The two new species are endemic to the Lulua River and, although overlapping in geographical range and most meristic and morphometric measures, are readily differentiated by differing numbers of fully developed supraneural bones, predorsal vertebrae, snout morphology, and additional osteological features. The description of these two species brings the total of Labeo species endemic to the Lulua basin to three. The third endemic species, L. luluae, was previously known only from the juvenile holotype, but numerous additional specimens have now been identified. The cooccurrence of 14 Labeo species in the Lulua River, three of which are endemic, highlights this system as a hotspot of Labeo diversity in the Congo basin and across the continent.
Citation Download Citation
Tobit L.D. Liyandja and Melanie L.J. Stiassny "Description of Two New Labeo (Labeoninae; Cyprinidae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin," American Museum Novitates 2023(3999), 1-22, (18 May 2023). https://doi.org/10.1206/3999.1
Published: 18 May 2023
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Tobit L.D. Liyandja, Melanie L.J. Stiassny
Author Affiliations +
American Museum Novitates, 2023(3999):1-22 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1206/3999.1
AbstractLabeo mbimbii, n. sp., and Labeo manasseeae, n. sp., two small-bodied Labeo species, are described from the lower and middle reaches of the Lulua River (Kasai ecoregion, Congo basin) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two new species are members of the L. forskalii species group and are genetically distinct from all other species of that clade. Morphologically they can be distinguished from central African L. forskalii group congeners except L. dhonti, L. lukulae, L. luluae, L. parvus, L. quadribarbis, and L. simpsoni in the possession of 29 or fewer (vs. 30 or more) vertebrae and from those congeners by a wider interpectoral, among other features.
The two new species are endemic to the Lulua River and, although overlapping in geographical range and most meristic and morphometric measures, are readily differentiated by differing numbers of fully developed supraneural bones, predorsal vertebrae, snout morphology, and additional osteological features. The description of these two species brings the total of Labeo species endemic to the Lulua basin to three. The third endemic species, L. luluae, was previously known only from the juvenile holotype, but numerous additional specimens have now been identified. The cooccurrence of 14 Labeo species in the Lulua River, three of which are endemic, highlights this system as a hotspot of Labeo diversity in the Congo basin and across the continent.
Citation Download Citation
Tobit L.D. Liyandja and Melanie L.J. Stiassny "Description of Two New Labeo (Labeoninae; Cyprinidae) Endemic to the Lulua River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kasai Ecoregion); a Hotspot of Fish Diversity in the Congo Basin," American Museum Novitates 2023(3999), 1-22, (18 May 2023). https://doi.org/10.1206/3999.1
Published: 18 May 2023
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- Original Paper
- Published: 09 June 2023
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A new Coelorinchus from the western Indian Ocean with comments on the C. tokiensis group of species (Teleostei: Gadiformes: Macrouridae) PISCESTAXONOMYMORPHOLOGYDEEP-SEA BENTHIC FISHINDO-PACIFIC AbstractA new species, Coelorinchus zinjianus sp. nov., is described from the western Indian Ocean off Madagascar. In many respects, the new species is similar to C. quadricristatus but differs from that species in details of scale spinulation, mouth coloration (pale vs. dark), size of external light organ, and some other proportions. Together with C. flabellispinis and C. trunovi, these species form the flabellispinis species group, which is restricted to the northern and western Indian Ocean and is similar in most respects to the West-Pacific tokiensis group, but differs in the size and shape of the terminal snout scute (long and pointed, diamond-shaped vs. small and blunt) and apparently attaining a smaller adult size (< 45–55 cm TL vs. > 80–90 cm TL, depending on the species).
mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5301.1.7
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Phenacogaster lucenae • Molecular Species Delimitation and Description of A New Species of Phenacogaster (Characiformes: Characidae) from the southern Amazon Basin
Phenacogaster lucenae
Souza, Mattox, Vita, Ochoa, Melo & Oliveira, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1164.102436
Abstract
Phenacogaster is the most species-rich genus of the subfamily Characinae with 23 valid species broadly distributed in riverine systems of South America. Despite the taxonomic diversity of the genus, little has been advanced about its molecular diversity. A recent molecular phylogeny indicated the presence of undescribed species within Phenacogaster that is formally described here. We sampled 73 specimens of Phenacogaster and sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in order to undertake species delimitation analyses and evaluate their intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. The results show the presence of 14 species, 13 of which are valid and one undescribed. The new species is known from the tributaries of the Xingu basin, the Rio das Mortes of the Araguaia basin, and the Rio Teles Pires of the Tapajós basin. It is distinguished by the incomplete lateral line, position of the humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum, and shape of the caudal-peduncle blotch. Meristic data and genetic differentiation relative to other Phenacogaster species represent strong evidence for the recognition of the new species and highlight the occurrence of an additional lineage of P. franciscoensis.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Characinae, mitochondrial DNA, Neotropical freshwater fishes, Phenacogasterini
Phenacogaster lucenae
A MZUSP 126754, holotype, 26.7 mm SL, Brazil, Pará, Novo Progresso, Xingu basin, stream affluent of Rio Curuá
B LBP 30738, paratype, 38.1 mm SL, Brazil, Mato Grosso, Primavera do Leste, Xingu basin, Rio Culuene, Córrego Xavante
C LBP 25217, paratype, 30.6 mm SL, Brazil, Pará, Altamira, Xingu basin, Rio Treze de Maio.
Phenacogaster lucenae sp. nov.
Phenacogaster sp. Xingu: Souza et al. 2022: 9, figs 3, 5
[molecular phylogeny; cited in figures also as Phenacogaster sp. Xingu].
Diagnosis: Phenacogaster lucenae is distinguished from all congeners except P. tegata (Eigenmann, 1911), P. carteri (Norman, 1934), P. napoatilis Lucena & Malabarba, 2010, and P. capitulata Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by having an incomplete lateral line (vs. complete lateral line). It differs from P. tegata by the presence of a round or slightly longitudinal oval humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum and distant from the vertical through dorsal-fin origin (vs. humeral blotch longitudinally elongated distant from pseudotympanum, closer to vertical through dorsal-fin origin). The new species differs from P. carteri by having a humeral blotch in males and females (vs. absence of humeral blotch in both sexes) and from P. napoatilis and P. capitulata by having a humeral blotch in both sexes (vs. absence of humeral blotch in males). In addition to the incomplete lateral line (vs. complete), P. lucenae differs from P. retropinna Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by the anal-fin origin at vertical through base of first or second dorsal-fin branched ray (vs. anal-fin origin located posteriorly to that point), and from P. ojitata Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by the round caudal peduncle blotch slightly reaching over the middle caudal-fin rays (vs. a diamond-shaped caudal peduncle blotch and further extending over the middle caudal-fin rays).
Etymology: Phenacogaster lucenae is named in honor of Dr. Zilda Margarete Seixas de Lucena, an eminent ichthyologist who has significantly contributed to our knowledge of Phenacogaster taxonomy. A noun in genitive case.
Camila S. Souza, George M. T. Mattox, George Vita, Luz E. Ochoa, Bruno F. Melo and Claudio Oliveira. 2023. Molecular Species Delimitation and Description of A New Species of Phenacogaster (Teleostei, Characidae) from the southern Amazon Basin. ZooKeys. 1164: 1-21. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1164.102436
==========================
Phenacogaster lucenae
Souza, Mattox, Vita, Ochoa, Melo & Oliveira, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1164.102436
Abstract
Phenacogaster is the most species-rich genus of the subfamily Characinae with 23 valid species broadly distributed in riverine systems of South America. Despite the taxonomic diversity of the genus, little has been advanced about its molecular diversity. A recent molecular phylogeny indicated the presence of undescribed species within Phenacogaster that is formally described here. We sampled 73 specimens of Phenacogaster and sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene in order to undertake species delimitation analyses and evaluate their intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. The results show the presence of 14 species, 13 of which are valid and one undescribed. The new species is known from the tributaries of the Xingu basin, the Rio das Mortes of the Araguaia basin, and the Rio Teles Pires of the Tapajós basin. It is distinguished by the incomplete lateral line, position of the humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum, and shape of the caudal-peduncle blotch. Meristic data and genetic differentiation relative to other Phenacogaster species represent strong evidence for the recognition of the new species and highlight the occurrence of an additional lineage of P. franciscoensis.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Characinae, mitochondrial DNA, Neotropical freshwater fishes, Phenacogasterini
Phenacogaster lucenae
A MZUSP 126754, holotype, 26.7 mm SL, Brazil, Pará, Novo Progresso, Xingu basin, stream affluent of Rio Curuá
B LBP 30738, paratype, 38.1 mm SL, Brazil, Mato Grosso, Primavera do Leste, Xingu basin, Rio Culuene, Córrego Xavante
C LBP 25217, paratype, 30.6 mm SL, Brazil, Pará, Altamira, Xingu basin, Rio Treze de Maio.
Phenacogaster lucenae sp. nov.
Phenacogaster sp. Xingu: Souza et al. 2022: 9, figs 3, 5
[molecular phylogeny; cited in figures also as Phenacogaster sp. Xingu].
Diagnosis: Phenacogaster lucenae is distinguished from all congeners except P. tegata (Eigenmann, 1911), P. carteri (Norman, 1934), P. napoatilis Lucena & Malabarba, 2010, and P. capitulata Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by having an incomplete lateral line (vs. complete lateral line). It differs from P. tegata by the presence of a round or slightly longitudinal oval humeral blotch near the pseudotympanum and distant from the vertical through dorsal-fin origin (vs. humeral blotch longitudinally elongated distant from pseudotympanum, closer to vertical through dorsal-fin origin). The new species differs from P. carteri by having a humeral blotch in males and females (vs. absence of humeral blotch in both sexes) and from P. napoatilis and P. capitulata by having a humeral blotch in both sexes (vs. absence of humeral blotch in males). In addition to the incomplete lateral line (vs. complete), P. lucenae differs from P. retropinna Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by the anal-fin origin at vertical through base of first or second dorsal-fin branched ray (vs. anal-fin origin located posteriorly to that point), and from P. ojitata Lucena & Malabarba, 2010 by the round caudal peduncle blotch slightly reaching over the middle caudal-fin rays (vs. a diamond-shaped caudal peduncle blotch and further extending over the middle caudal-fin rays).
Etymology: Phenacogaster lucenae is named in honor of Dr. Zilda Margarete Seixas de Lucena, an eminent ichthyologist who has significantly contributed to our knowledge of Phenacogaster taxonomy. A noun in genitive case.
Camila S. Souza, George M. T. Mattox, George Vita, Luz E. Ochoa, Bruno F. Melo and Claudio Oliveira. 2023. Molecular Species Delimitation and Description of A New Species of Phenacogaster (Teleostei, Characidae) from the southern Amazon Basin. ZooKeys. 1164: 1-21. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1164.102436
==========================
Kryptolebias genome of three species
IntroductionKryptolebias is a killifish genus (family Rivulidae) composed of seven currently valid species (Berbel-Filho et al. 2022), although the number of species in the genus is likely to change as some taxonomic debates are still ongoing (Berbel-Filho et al. 2022; Huber 2016). Phylogenetic analyses have indicated the presence of two distinct monophyletic clades within Kryptolebias, one of them composed of narrowly distributed freshwater species living in temporary streams and pools in South America: K. campelloi (Costa 1990) from North Brazil; K. sepia Vermeulen & Hrbek 2005 from Suriname; K. gracilis Costa 2007, and K. brasiliensis (Valenciennes 1821) from Southeast Brazil. The other clade is composed of three species living in mangrove forests along the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic basin, the ‘mangrove killifish clade’: K. marmoratus (Poey 1880), K. hermaphroditus sensu Costa 2011, and K. ocellatus (sensu Costa 2011) (Berbel-Filho et al. 2022; Costa, Lima, and Bartolette 2010; Murphy, Thomerson, and Collier 1999; Tatarenkov et al. 2009, 2017).
Kryptolebias is a remarkable genus in many aspects. For instance, K. marmoratus and K. hermaphroditus sensu Costa 2011 are the only two vertebrates known to be capable of self-fertilization (Berbel-Filho et al. 2022), whereas K. ocellatus (sensu Costa 2011) is a hermaphroditic but obligate outcrossing species (Berbel-Filho et al. 2020). This variation in mating systems makes Kryptolebias a unique vertebrate system for investigating the genomic, physiological, and behavioral changes involved in the transition from outcrossing to selfing. In addition, K. marmoratus, the most well-studied Kryptolebias species, is considered a highly amphibious fish (Turko, Rossi, and Wright 2021), with extreme physiological and behavioral adaptations to live out of water, in some cases for months (Taylor 1990). The amphibious nature of K. marmoratus is also likely to be valid for other Kryptolebias species, providing unique opportunities for studying the phenotypic and genomic changes involved in the transition from aquatic to terrestrial habitats.
To avoid long-term taxonomic confusion, we would like to provide some background on the taxonomic status of K. ocellatus (Sensu Costa 2011), whose genome was sequenced here. Due to morphological similarities and syntopy between species, the taxonomic status of the mangrove killifish clade has been historically confusing, particularly in Southeast Brazil. Briefly, Rivulus ocellatus was initially described by Hensel (1868) using a single specimen from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Later, Seegers (1984) suggested the existence of two syntopic species in Rio de Janeiro: the hermaphroditic R. ocellatus as in Hensel (1868), and a yet undescribed species composed of hermaphrodites and males, named R. caudomarginatus. After taxonomic revision of the family Rivulidae, Costa (2004) reclassified some previously known Rivulus species (Rivulus brasiliensis, R. campelloi, R. caudomarginatus, R. ocellatus, and R. marmoratus) into a new genus called Kryptolebias. After morphological evaluation of the K. ocellatus holotype by Costa (2011) argued that the species originally described by Hensel as K. ocellatus was in fact K. caudomarginatus (as in Seegers (1984)). Therefore, K. caudomarginatus has become a junior synonym for K. ocellatus. The other syntopic species composed of selfing hermaphrodites was then named as K. hermaphroditus (Costa 2011). However, discussions on the taxonomic nomenclature of these mangrove killifish species are still ongoing (Huber 2016). This taxonomic connudrum is likely to be fully resolved only when the genetic data of the formalin-fixed K. ocellatus holotype, initially described by Hensel (1868), is available. For the genome generated here, we used the currently valid taxonomic classification, with the selfing species occurring from the Caribbean to Southeast Brazil, named K. hermaphroditus sensu Costa 2011, and the androdioceous outcrossing from South and Southeast Brazil, K. ocellatus (sensu Costa 2011) (Berbel-Filho et al. 2020, 2022).
Here we provide whole genome sequencing data for the mangrove killifish K. ocellatus (sensu Costa 2011) (Fig. 1a), and two freshwater Kryptolebias species: K. brasiliensis and K. gracilis (Fig. 1b and c, respectively). Although Kryptolebias ocellatus has no current classification of its conservation status, K. brasiliensis and K. gracilis are categorized as endangered and critically endangered species, respectively, by the Brazilian list of threatened fish species (MMA 2022).
biodiversitygenomes.scholasticahq.com/article/77448-the-complete-genome-sequences-of-three-species-from-the-killifish-genus-kryptolebias-rivulidae-cyprinodontiformes
biodiversitygenomes.scholasticahq.com/article/77448-the-complete-genome-sequences-of-three-species-from-the-killifish-genus-kryptolebias-rivulidae-cyprinodontiformes
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Encheloclarias kelioides)
Fish species thought extinct discovered in small Singapore swamp, many miles from where it was last seen
- The last time the Keli bladefin catfish (Encheloclarias kelioides) was seen was 1993, approximately 300 km from the site of this discovery.
- The finding extends the range of the species considerably, and highlights the importance of small remnant forest fragments as harbours for biodiversity.
- The discovery confirms the species as currently the only freshwater fish species in Singapore listed globally as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
© National Parks Board
Until recently……the air-breathing catfish (Encheloclarias kelioides) had only ever been seen and recorded twice: once way back in 1934, and again in 1993. With much of the species’ eastern Peninsular Malaysia peat swamp habitats having been drained to make way for palm oil plantations, the catfish was listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) in 1996. But in August 2022, researchers were baffled when a specimen turned up in a trap set by students researching crabs in Singapore’s Nee Soon Swamp Forest. Incredibly, it was the elusive Encheloclarias kelioides, discovered for the first time many miles from where it had previously been recorded.
Dr Tan Heok Hui, a Singaporean ichthyologist based at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, was one of the researchers who confirmed the identity of this surprising discovery. He said, “Encheloclarias has never been recorded in Singapore, and Encheloclarias kelioides is a really rare species that has previously only been recorded from peat swamp habitat. Singapore doesn’t have real peat swamp – the specimen was found in more like a mature acid swamp forest – so the discovery is pretty remarkable. It has rewritten our knowledge of Encheloclarias. When it first made its way to me, I thought, you’ve got to be kidding, this has to be a practical joke!”.
The Encheloclarias kelioides individuals caught were accidental bycatch from traps that had been set by Tan Zhi Wan, Research Assistant at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Elysia Toh, Research Associate at Yale-NUS College as part of their research into semi- terrestrial crabs. Nobody was actively looking for Encheloclarias, and it was just pure luck that they recognised them as being different from any catfish known from that region. They had no permit to take the fish from the Nee Soon reserve, but before they returned the individuals to the water, they took photos to send to the experts.
© Tan Heok Hui
Dr Tan was one of the ichthyologists who received the photos……and he immediately recognised the images as being Encheloclarias. A month later, Dr Tan, Tan Zhi Wan and Elysia Toh visited the same area of the Nee Soon Swamp Forest where the individuals were previously found, set similar traps and left them overnight. When they checked the traps the next day, the fish was there. Dr Tan said, “It gave me the impression that we were really lucky”.
The discovery represents a range extension for the species, which was previously understood to be restricted to peat swamps in eastern Peninsular Malaysia and possibly central Sumatra (the specimen found there has not been confirmed as Encheloclarias kelioides) (Tan, Zhi Wan et al, 2023).
The Bebar drainage where the species was spotted……in 1993 is around 300 km from Nee Soon. So how did the species end up 300 km from where it was last seen three decades ago? Over many millennia, Tan said, “Southeast Asia experienced floodings and drying outs from rising and lowering of the sea level. The Gulf of Thailand actually once drained to one major river, and Singapore and part of Malaysia would have been part of that. They were once connected”.
Finding Encheloclarias kelioides in the Nee Soon Swamp Forest is significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, it proves that the species is not extinct. Secondly, this represents a range extension for the species of hundreds of kilometres. And thirdly, it helps confirm the Nee Soon Swamp Forest as an area of global conservation importance. While small, at approximately 5km 2 , it is the last remaining fragment of primary freshwater swamp forest in Singapore and is lush with biodiversity, harbouring more than half of the native freshwater fish species in Singapore, with some species being restricted only to this forest (Ho et al., 2016; Li et al., 2016; Tan et al., 2020). Furthermore, it is protected under Singapore law: with the public needing a permit to enter and no threat of development, it has become a secure refuge for wildlife.
Given that species of the genus Encheloclarias are acid-water specialists, this discovery highlights the significance of the Nee Soon Swamp Forest and the importance of conserving this habitat as a stronghold of uncommon and stenotopic freshwater fauna in Singapore (Ng & Lim, 1992; Cai et al., 2018; Clews et al., 2018;).
© Tan Zhi Wan
According to Dr. Tan……to ensure Encheloclarias kelioides is protected from extinction, Singapore needs to keep doing what it has been doing, i.e. keep Nee Soon swamp protected. And there should be, “Proper baseline surveys and monitoring programmes by local experts, proper and fair legislation, and enforcements if people break the laws”.
He conceded that conserving the Encheloclarias genus could be a bit more tricky: “When wetlands are protected, they are never protected for the freshwater inhabitants but for birds mostly, and enigmatic animals like orangutans. Seldom fishes, which is sad. To get funding to do these surveys is not easy, and most of the local conservationists are not really trained to recognise the fish. Also, I’ve been to protected areas where you can catch fish and eat them. You can’t catch a bird or a mammal but there are different standards with fish, which is often viewed as a cheap source of protein”.
In light of the new discovery, Dr Tan together with the rest of the team, including Associate Professor Darren Yeo of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Dr Cai Yixiong, Senior Manager at the National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board (NParks), Tan Zhi Wan and Elysia Toh recommend the species’ IUCN Red List assessment status to be revised to Critically Endangered and consider its national conservation status in Singapore to be Critically Endangered.
The discovery occurred a few months before……the planned release of an ‘The Strategic Framework to Accelerate Urgent Conservation Action for ASAP Freshwater Fishes in Southeast Asia’, a collaboration between the IUCN Species Survival Commission Asian Species Action Partnership, SHOAL, and Mandai Nature, that provides a strategic framework to accelerate urgent conservation action for the most threatened freshwater fish species in Asia. The Strategic Framework is due for release this spring.
The study on the discovery of several specimens of Encheloclarias kelioides in Nee Soon Swamp Forest was co-authored by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and NParks, which is the lead agency for greenery, biodiversity conservation, and wildlife and animal health, welfare and management in Singapore, and responsible for enhancing and managing the urban ecosystems there.
© Tan Heok Hui
In a statement…Mr Ryan Lee, Group Director, National Biodiversity Centre, NParks, said, “The presence of these specimens in Nee Soon Swamp Forest within the Central Catchment Nature Reserve suggests the importance of small forest fragments as habitats for biodiversity including cryptic species. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is one of four gazetted nature reserves in Singapore, which are legally protected areas of rich biodiversity that are representative sites of key indigenous ecosystems. Hence, there are restrictions on the activities that can be carried out in these areas, as well as access to certain sites, to safeguard the native flora and fauna.
“As such, minimal change to the existing freshwater swamp conditions are possible factors that could have allowed Encheloclarias kelioides to survive. It is reasonable to expect that more freshwater fish species may be discovered here in the future.
“NParks will continue to work with researchers to better understand the abundance and distribution range of Encheloclarias kelioides in Singapore, as well as the role these native catfish play in the freshwater ecosystem. This discovery highlights the significance of Nee Soon Swamp Forest as a stronghold of uncommon and specialised freshwater fauna in Singapore. As part of our efforts under the Nature Conservation Masterplan, NParks will continue to conserve Singapore’s key habitats, through the safeguarding and strengthening of Singapore’s core biodiversity areas, including our nature reserves. In addition, we will continue to conserve more native plant and animal species. These efforts will continue to allow our native biodiversity to thrive, allowing us to achieve our vision of becoming a City in Nature”.
The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum is currently celebrating its eighth birthday, and Encheloclarias had been displayed in the museum as part of the anniversary celebrations.
The species does not currently have a common name. Dr Tan suggested it could be called the Keli bladefin catfish: bladefin catfish is the common name for all Encheloclarias, and in Malay, Clarias catfish are known as Ikan Keli.
shoalconservation.org/keli-bladefin-catfish/
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Melanostomias dio • A New Species of the Dragonfish Genus Melanostomias (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae: Melanostomiinae) from the Western Tropical Atlantic
Melanostomias dio
Villarins, Fischer, Prokofiev & Mincarone, 2023
DOI: 10.1643/i2022082
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps
Abstract
A new species of the scaleless black dragonfish genus Melanostomias is described based on a single specimen (180 mm SL) collected off the northern Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (Brazil), western Tropical Atlantic. It differs from its congeners in having a unique barbel morphology, which ends in a bulb with two opposite slender terminal appendages. In addition, the occurrences of Melanostomias melanops and M. valdiviae are confirmed in Brazilian waters based on examination of new material. An overview analysis of the distribution and meristic variation of the species within the genus is also provided.
Melanostomias dio, holotype, NPM 4606, 180 mm SL,
off northern Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil.
Scale bar = 10 mm.
Melanostomias dio, new species
Horns-up Dragonfish
Etymology.--The specific name honors the late Ronald James Padavona, professionally known as Ronnie James Dio, one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal vocalists of all time. Among his many contributions to the metal culture, Dio popularized the hand gesture commonly referred to as horns up, which resembles the shape of the terminal bulb on the chin barbel of the new species.
Bárbara Teixeira Villarins, Luciano Gomes Fischer, Artem Mikhailovich Prokofiev and Michael Maia Mincarone. 2023. A New Species of the Dragonfish Genus Melanostomias (Stomiidae: Melanostomiinae) from the Western Tropical Atlantic. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(2); 254-263. DOI: 10.1643/i2022082
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1660652365320531971
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Melanostomias dio
Villarins, Fischer, Prokofiev & Mincarone, 2023
DOI: 10.1643/i2022082
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps
Abstract
A new species of the scaleless black dragonfish genus Melanostomias is described based on a single specimen (180 mm SL) collected off the northern Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (Brazil), western Tropical Atlantic. It differs from its congeners in having a unique barbel morphology, which ends in a bulb with two opposite slender terminal appendages. In addition, the occurrences of Melanostomias melanops and M. valdiviae are confirmed in Brazilian waters based on examination of new material. An overview analysis of the distribution and meristic variation of the species within the genus is also provided.
Melanostomias dio, holotype, NPM 4606, 180 mm SL,
off northern Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil.
Scale bar = 10 mm.
Melanostomias dio, new species
Horns-up Dragonfish
Etymology.--The specific name honors the late Ronald James Padavona, professionally known as Ronnie James Dio, one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal vocalists of all time. Among his many contributions to the metal culture, Dio popularized the hand gesture commonly referred to as horns up, which resembles the shape of the terminal bulb on the chin barbel of the new species.
Bárbara Teixeira Villarins, Luciano Gomes Fischer, Artem Mikhailovich Prokofiev and Michael Maia Mincarone. 2023. A New Species of the Dragonfish Genus Melanostomias (Stomiidae: Melanostomiinae) from the Western Tropical Atlantic. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(2); 254-263. DOI: 10.1643/i2022082
twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1660652365320531971
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Listrura gyrinura sp. nov.
http://zoobank.org/act: F68F2A3E-B5F7-418E-BFA6-EA6752BAB543
( Figures 1–3a–c View Figure 1 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 ; Table 1 View Table 1 )
Holotype
UFRJ 6927 , 39.9 mm SL; Brazil: Santa Catarina State: Municipality of Paulo Lopes: village of Sertão do Campo : stream tributary to Rio da Madre , 27.920°S, 48.692°W; C.R.M. Feltrin and F.R. Colonetti, 10 July 2020.
GoogleMapsParatypes
UFRJ 6928, 10, 27.6–41.6 mm SL; UFRJ 6929, 4 (C&S), 29.7–38.4 mm SL; CICCAA 02658, 5, 29.7–37.0 mm SL; collected with holotype.
Diagnosis
Listrura gyrinura is distinguished from all congeners, except L. depinnai and L. urussanga , by having a deep caudal peduncle,deeper than the preanal region of the body, as the result of an expanded skin fold involving procurrent caudal-fin rays (vs caudal peduncle slender, its depth about equal to preanal depth). Listrura gyrinura is distinguished from L. depinnai and L. urussanga by having more vertebrae (51 or 52 vs 45 or 46 in L. depinnai and 48 or 49 in L. urussanga ), absence of a process on the dorsal surface of the autopalatine articular facet for the mesethmoid (vs presence),and by the mesethmoid cornu being slightly posteriorly folded (vs straight). Listrura gyrinura also differs from L. depinnai by the presence of a dorsal fin (vs absence), and from L. urussanga by having the dorsal-fin origin at a vertical between the centra of the 31st to 33rd vertebrae (vs between centra of the 29th and 30th vertebrae), anal-fin origin at a vertical between the centra of the 32nd and 33rd vertebrae (vs between the centra of the 30th and 31st vertebrae), absence of a ventral projection on the hyomandibula articular facet for the opercle (vs presence), and a shorter parhypural posterior process, its length about half or slightly less of the length between the anterior margin of the parurohyal head and the proximal limit of the posterior process (vs about equal to that length). Listrura gyrinura is also distinguished from L. boticario and L. camposae by having more ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays (31–36, vs 28 in L. boticario and 26–28 in L. camposae ).
Description
Morphometric data appear in Table 1 View Table 1 . Body slender, subcylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Greatest body depth approximately at middle region of caudal peduncle. Dorsal and ventral profiles slightly convex, slightly expanded on caudal peduncle. Skin papillae minute. Anus and urogenital papilla slightly anterior to anal fin base. Head trapezoidal in dorsal view. Anterior profile of head straight in dorsal view. Eye small, dorsally positioned in head, just anterior to midway between snout and posterior limit of head. Posterior nostril located nearer to orbit than to anterior nostril. Barbels long, reaching basal portion of first pectoral-fin ray. Mouth subterminal. Jaw teeth pointed, arranged in two rows; total premaxillary teeth 18–23, outer row 7–10, inner row 11–13; total dentary teeth 15–18, outer row 6–7, inner row 7–11. Branchial membrane attached to isthmus only at its anterior point. Branchiostegal rays 5–7.
Dorsal and anal fins minute; total dorsal-fin rays 6–8 (i–ii + V–VI), total anal-fin rays 8 (ii–iii + 5–6); dorsal-fin origin at vertical slightly posterior to anal-fin base, between centra of 31st to 33rd vertebrae; anal-fin origin at vertical through centrum of 32nd or 33rd vertebra. Pectoral fin narrow, total pectoral-fin rays 3 (III), first ray well developed, second and third rays rudimentary, second ray half first ray length or less, third ray slightly shorter than second ray. Pelvic fin and girdle absent. Caudal fin spatula-shaped, narrowing posteriorly; dorsal and ventral procurrent rays anteriorly extending to area close to dorsal- and anal-fin base, respectively; total principal caudal-fin rays 12 or 13 (I–II + 7–9 + II–III), total dorsal procurrent rays 33–38 (xxxii–xxxvii + I–II), total ventral procurrent rays 31–36 (xxx–xxxiv + I–III). Vertebrae 51–52. Ribs 2 or 3. Single dorsal hypural plate, corresponding to hypurals 3–5; single ventral hypural plate corresponding to hypurals 1–2 and parhypural.
Latero-sensory system
Cephalic sensory canal minute, restricted to short postorbital canal with 2 pores just above opercular patch of odontodes, connected to short lateral line of body, with 1 pore just posterior to pectoral-fin base.
Osteology ( Figure 3a–c View Figure 3 )
Mesethmoid thin, posteriorly widening, with distinctive lateral expansion; cornu narrow and slightly posteriorly folded. Antorbital pentagonal; sesamoid supraorbital minute. Premaxilla sub-triangular in dorsal view, with narrow lateral extremity. Maxilla moderate in length, slightly longer than premaxilla length. Autopalatine sub-rectangular in dorsal view, compact, lateral and medial margins slightly concave; autopalatine posterolateral process minute, with narrow process dorso-medially directed; articular facet for mesethmoid wide, without distinctive dorsal process. Metapterygoid minute. Quadrate slender, dorsal process narrow, without posterior outgrowth. Hyomandibula long, with anterior outgrowth anteriorly terminating in sharp tip; articular facet for opercle robust, without distinctive ventral expansion. Opercle slender, transverse length of odontode patch about three quarters of transverse length of interopercular odontode patch; interopercle compact, with minute postero-dorsal process; opercular odontodes 5–7, interopercular odontodes 8–10; odontodes pointed, nearly straight. Preopercle narrow and long. Parurohyal slender, lateral process narrow and pointed, latero-posteriorly directed; parurohyal head small, with prominent anterolateral paired process; middle foramen small and rounded; posterior process short, its length about half or slightly less of length between anterior margin of parurohyal head and proximal limit of posterior process.
Colouration in alcohol
Dorsum and dorsal portion of flank and head light brownish grey, with brown chromatophores irregularly arranged, often forming small irregularly shaped spots, darker on flank longitudinal midline; on head, brown chromatophores extending over base of barbels; unpigmented area below orbit. Venter and ventral portion of flank and head greyish white, often with brown chromatophores irregularly arranged on posterior region of flank, sometimes a few brown chromatophores on ventral portion of head and venter. Fins hyaline with brown chromatophores forming minute spots.
Distribution, habitat and conservation
Listrura gyrinura is only known from the type locality, a clear-water stream tributary to the Rio da Madre, a small isolated coastal river basin ( Figure 4 View Figure 4 ). It was found close to the leaf litter over gravel sediment on the stream bottom ( Figure 5a View Figure 5 ). The habitat of this species may be considered highly endangered by mining activities that use explosives. About 100 m below the type locality, the stream is highly impacted by both mining sediments and rice planting.
Etymology
From the Greek gyrinus (tadpole) and ura (tail), referring to the shape of the caudal fin and caudal peduncle of the new species, similar to that occurring in tadpoles.
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http://zoobank.org/act: F68F2A3E-B5F7-418E-BFA6-EA6752BAB543
( Figures 1–3a–c View Figure 1 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 ; Table 1 View Table 1 )
Holotype
UFRJ 6927 , 39.9 mm SL; Brazil: Santa Catarina State: Municipality of Paulo Lopes: village of Sertão do Campo : stream tributary to Rio da Madre , 27.920°S, 48.692°W; C.R.M. Feltrin and F.R. Colonetti, 10 July 2020.
GoogleMapsParatypes
UFRJ 6928, 10, 27.6–41.6 mm SL; UFRJ 6929, 4 (C&S), 29.7–38.4 mm SL; CICCAA 02658, 5, 29.7–37.0 mm SL; collected with holotype.
Diagnosis
Listrura gyrinura is distinguished from all congeners, except L. depinnai and L. urussanga , by having a deep caudal peduncle,deeper than the preanal region of the body, as the result of an expanded skin fold involving procurrent caudal-fin rays (vs caudal peduncle slender, its depth about equal to preanal depth). Listrura gyrinura is distinguished from L. depinnai and L. urussanga by having more vertebrae (51 or 52 vs 45 or 46 in L. depinnai and 48 or 49 in L. urussanga ), absence of a process on the dorsal surface of the autopalatine articular facet for the mesethmoid (vs presence),and by the mesethmoid cornu being slightly posteriorly folded (vs straight). Listrura gyrinura also differs from L. depinnai by the presence of a dorsal fin (vs absence), and from L. urussanga by having the dorsal-fin origin at a vertical between the centra of the 31st to 33rd vertebrae (vs between centra of the 29th and 30th vertebrae), anal-fin origin at a vertical between the centra of the 32nd and 33rd vertebrae (vs between the centra of the 30th and 31st vertebrae), absence of a ventral projection on the hyomandibula articular facet for the opercle (vs presence), and a shorter parhypural posterior process, its length about half or slightly less of the length between the anterior margin of the parurohyal head and the proximal limit of the posterior process (vs about equal to that length). Listrura gyrinura is also distinguished from L. boticario and L. camposae by having more ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays (31–36, vs 28 in L. boticario and 26–28 in L. camposae ).
Description
Morphometric data appear in Table 1 View Table 1 . Body slender, subcylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Greatest body depth approximately at middle region of caudal peduncle. Dorsal and ventral profiles slightly convex, slightly expanded on caudal peduncle. Skin papillae minute. Anus and urogenital papilla slightly anterior to anal fin base. Head trapezoidal in dorsal view. Anterior profile of head straight in dorsal view. Eye small, dorsally positioned in head, just anterior to midway between snout and posterior limit of head. Posterior nostril located nearer to orbit than to anterior nostril. Barbels long, reaching basal portion of first pectoral-fin ray. Mouth subterminal. Jaw teeth pointed, arranged in two rows; total premaxillary teeth 18–23, outer row 7–10, inner row 11–13; total dentary teeth 15–18, outer row 6–7, inner row 7–11. Branchial membrane attached to isthmus only at its anterior point. Branchiostegal rays 5–7.
Dorsal and anal fins minute; total dorsal-fin rays 6–8 (i–ii + V–VI), total anal-fin rays 8 (ii–iii + 5–6); dorsal-fin origin at vertical slightly posterior to anal-fin base, between centra of 31st to 33rd vertebrae; anal-fin origin at vertical through centrum of 32nd or 33rd vertebra. Pectoral fin narrow, total pectoral-fin rays 3 (III), first ray well developed, second and third rays rudimentary, second ray half first ray length or less, third ray slightly shorter than second ray. Pelvic fin and girdle absent. Caudal fin spatula-shaped, narrowing posteriorly; dorsal and ventral procurrent rays anteriorly extending to area close to dorsal- and anal-fin base, respectively; total principal caudal-fin rays 12 or 13 (I–II + 7–9 + II–III), total dorsal procurrent rays 33–38 (xxxii–xxxvii + I–II), total ventral procurrent rays 31–36 (xxx–xxxiv + I–III). Vertebrae 51–52. Ribs 2 or 3. Single dorsal hypural plate, corresponding to hypurals 3–5; single ventral hypural plate corresponding to hypurals 1–2 and parhypural.
Latero-sensory system
Cephalic sensory canal minute, restricted to short postorbital canal with 2 pores just above opercular patch of odontodes, connected to short lateral line of body, with 1 pore just posterior to pectoral-fin base.
Osteology ( Figure 3a–c View Figure 3 )
Mesethmoid thin, posteriorly widening, with distinctive lateral expansion; cornu narrow and slightly posteriorly folded. Antorbital pentagonal; sesamoid supraorbital minute. Premaxilla sub-triangular in dorsal view, with narrow lateral extremity. Maxilla moderate in length, slightly longer than premaxilla length. Autopalatine sub-rectangular in dorsal view, compact, lateral and medial margins slightly concave; autopalatine posterolateral process minute, with narrow process dorso-medially directed; articular facet for mesethmoid wide, without distinctive dorsal process. Metapterygoid minute. Quadrate slender, dorsal process narrow, without posterior outgrowth. Hyomandibula long, with anterior outgrowth anteriorly terminating in sharp tip; articular facet for opercle robust, without distinctive ventral expansion. Opercle slender, transverse length of odontode patch about three quarters of transverse length of interopercular odontode patch; interopercle compact, with minute postero-dorsal process; opercular odontodes 5–7, interopercular odontodes 8–10; odontodes pointed, nearly straight. Preopercle narrow and long. Parurohyal slender, lateral process narrow and pointed, latero-posteriorly directed; parurohyal head small, with prominent anterolateral paired process; middle foramen small and rounded; posterior process short, its length about half or slightly less of length between anterior margin of parurohyal head and proximal limit of posterior process.
Colouration in alcohol
Dorsum and dorsal portion of flank and head light brownish grey, with brown chromatophores irregularly arranged, often forming small irregularly shaped spots, darker on flank longitudinal midline; on head, brown chromatophores extending over base of barbels; unpigmented area below orbit. Venter and ventral portion of flank and head greyish white, often with brown chromatophores irregularly arranged on posterior region of flank, sometimes a few brown chromatophores on ventral portion of head and venter. Fins hyaline with brown chromatophores forming minute spots.
Distribution, habitat and conservation
Listrura gyrinura is only known from the type locality, a clear-water stream tributary to the Rio da Madre, a small isolated coastal river basin ( Figure 4 View Figure 4 ). It was found close to the leaf litter over gravel sediment on the stream bottom ( Figure 5a View Figure 5 ). The habitat of this species may be considered highly endangered by mining activities that use explosives. About 100 m below the type locality, the stream is highly impacted by both mining sediments and rice planting.
Etymology
From the Greek gyrinus (tadpole) and ura (tail), referring to the shape of the caudal fin and caudal peduncle of the new species, similar to that occurring in tadpoles.
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A new species of mailed catfish of genus Rhadinoloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Loricariinae) from Rio Negro basin, BrazilJefferson L. Crispim-Rodrigues, Maxwell J. Bernt, Brandon T. Waltz, Gabriel S. C. Silva, Ricardo C. Benine, Claudio Oliveira, Raphaël Covain, Fábio F. Roxo
First published: 11 May 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15402urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6DF2C3BD-F256-4530-9620-482D87E980F8.
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SHAREAbstractDuring a recent collection expedition to the Rio Negro, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, eight individuals of an unknown species were collected, with a combination of characteristics that placed the species in the genus Rhadinoloricaria. Furthermore, the presence of two autapomorphic characteristics, including numerous elongated papillae on the lower lip and unbranched barbelets on the margin of lower lip, suggests that it is a new species. From morphological and phylogenetic analyses, including the sequencing of specific genes to calculate the maximum likelihood analyses, coupled with osteological computed tomography (CT) scan analyses, the authors corroborated that the specimens represent a new species of Rhadinoloricaria, described in the present study.
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First published: 11 May 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15402urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6DF2C3BD-F256-4530-9620-482D87E980F8.
Read the full text
TOOLS
SHAREAbstractDuring a recent collection expedition to the Rio Negro, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, eight individuals of an unknown species were collected, with a combination of characteristics that placed the species in the genus Rhadinoloricaria. Furthermore, the presence of two autapomorphic characteristics, including numerous elongated papillae on the lower lip and unbranched barbelets on the margin of lower lip, suggests that it is a new species. From morphological and phylogenetic analyses, including the sequencing of specific genes to calculate the maximum likelihood analyses, coupled with osteological computed tomography (CT) scan analyses, the authors corroborated that the specimens represent a new species of Rhadinoloricaria, described in the present study.
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5278.1.4
PUBLISHED: 2023-05-04
Okamejei picta sp. nov., a new rajid skate from the South China Sea (Rajiformes: Rajidae)PISCESCHONDRICHTHYESRAJIFORMESGENUS OKAMEJEITAXONOMYBIODIVERSITYAbstractA new species of Okamejei is described based on two adult males collected from deep waters in the South China Sea. The new species, Okamejei picta sp. nov., is readily distinguished from most other congeners in having densely scattered black spots on dorsal disc. Okamejei hollandi and O. mengae is quite similar to the new species by their spot patterns on dorsal disc, but the new species differs from the former by a combination of characters: a yellowish brown dorsal surface densely covered with small, circular to irregular-shaped black spots; blotches on dorsal disc indistinct; posterior ocellus absent; ventral disc white; disc length 45.0–47.7% TL; distance between cloaca to caudal-fin tip 53.6–55.1% TL; trunk centra 31; total basal radials 73–76, morphology of clasper terminal skeleton, and lacking component funnel at the clasper end.
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PUBLISHED: 2023-05-04
Okamejei picta sp. nov., a new rajid skate from the South China Sea (Rajiformes: Rajidae)PISCESCHONDRICHTHYESRAJIFORMESGENUS OKAMEJEITAXONOMYBIODIVERSITYAbstractA new species of Okamejei is described based on two adult males collected from deep waters in the South China Sea. The new species, Okamejei picta sp. nov., is readily distinguished from most other congeners in having densely scattered black spots on dorsal disc. Okamejei hollandi and O. mengae is quite similar to the new species by their spot patterns on dorsal disc, but the new species differs from the former by a combination of characters: a yellowish brown dorsal surface densely covered with small, circular to irregular-shaped black spots; blotches on dorsal disc indistinct; posterior ocellus absent; ventral disc white; disc length 45.0–47.7% TL; distance between cloaca to caudal-fin tip 53.6–55.1% TL; trunk centra 31; total basal radials 73–76, morphology of clasper terminal skeleton, and lacking component funnel at the clasper end.
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Corydoras maclurei • A New Species of Corydoras (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madre de Dios Basin, Peruvian Amazon, with Comments on Corydoras aeneus Identity
Corydoras maclurei
Tencatt, de Carvalho Gomes & Evers, 2023
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0023
Abstract
A new species of Corydoras is described from tributaries to the rio Araza, an affluent of the rio Inambari, itself a tributary to the rio Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin in the Peruvian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following features: (I) absence of contact between the posterior process of the parieto-supraoccipital and the nuchal plate, (II) a single, large conspicuous dark brown or black blotch on anterodorsal portion of flank; blotch somewhat rounded to roughly diamond shaped, and (III) absence of dark blotches on fins. General comments on the identity of Corydoras aeneus are also provided.
Keywords: Corydoradinae; Corydoras sp. CW16; Osteology; Rio Madeira basin; Taxonomy
Corydoras maclurei, holotype, MUSM 70671, 37.0 mm SL,
Camanti District, Quispicanchi Province, Cusco Region, Peru, small stream tributary to the rio Araza, a bigger affluent of the rio Inambari, itself a tributary to the rio Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin.
Uncatalogued aquarium specimens of Corydoras maclurei (not measured) showing variations of the color pattern in life:
specimens can variably present greyish orange (A) or reddish orange (B) ground color of body. In C, the detail of a conspicuously reddish orange dorsal fin. Anterior portion of first dorsolateral body plate typically with orange (D) or yellow (E) bright patch. Photographs (D) and (E) by Ian Fuller.
Uncatalogued aquarium specimen of Corydoras maclurei (A) showing its typical color pattern in life (lateral view),
collected in its type-locality (B), a small stream tributary to the rio Araza, rio Madre de Dios basin, rio Madeira basin in Peru.
Corydoras maclurei, new species
Diagnosis. Corydoras maclurei can be distinguished from its congeners, except for C. difluviatilis Britto & Castro, 2002, C. flaveolus Ihering, 1911, C. gladysae, C. gracilis Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1976, C. hastatus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888, C. hephaestus Ohara, Tencatt & Britto, 2016, C. latus, C. melanotaenia Regan, 1912, C. micracanthus Regan, 1912, C. nanus, C. petracinii, C pygmaeus Knaack, 1966, and C. undulatus Regan, 1912, by the absence of contact between the posterior process of the parieto-supraoccipital and the nuchal plate (vs. bones in contact). The new species can be distinguished from C. difluviatilis, C. flaveolus, C. gladysae, C. gracilis, C. hastatus, C. hephaestus, C. latus, C. melanotaenia, C. micracanthus, C. nanus, C. petracinii, C pygmaeus, and C. undulatus by having just a single, large conspicuous dark brown or black blotch on anterodorsal portion of flank; ...
Etymology: Corydoras maclurei is named in honor of Robert “Rob” McLure, dear friend and renowned Corydoradinae breeder. Rob has been the main English-language reviewer of the first author’s publications, in addition to providing valuable information and live photos of several species of Corydoradinae. A genitive noun.
Luiz Fernando Caserta Tencatt, Vandergleison de Carvalho Gomes and Hans-Georg Evers. 2023. A New Species of Corydoras (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madre de Dios Basin, Peruvian Amazon, with Comments on Corydoras aeneus Identity. Neotrop. ichthyol. 21 (2); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0023
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Corydoras maclurei
Tencatt, de Carvalho Gomes & Evers, 2023
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0023
Abstract
A new species of Corydoras is described from tributaries to the rio Araza, an affluent of the rio Inambari, itself a tributary to the rio Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin in the Peruvian Amazon. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following features: (I) absence of contact between the posterior process of the parieto-supraoccipital and the nuchal plate, (II) a single, large conspicuous dark brown or black blotch on anterodorsal portion of flank; blotch somewhat rounded to roughly diamond shaped, and (III) absence of dark blotches on fins. General comments on the identity of Corydoras aeneus are also provided.
Keywords: Corydoradinae; Corydoras sp. CW16; Osteology; Rio Madeira basin; Taxonomy
Corydoras maclurei, holotype, MUSM 70671, 37.0 mm SL,
Camanti District, Quispicanchi Province, Cusco Region, Peru, small stream tributary to the rio Araza, a bigger affluent of the rio Inambari, itself a tributary to the rio Madre de Dios, rio Madeira basin.
Uncatalogued aquarium specimens of Corydoras maclurei (not measured) showing variations of the color pattern in life:
specimens can variably present greyish orange (A) or reddish orange (B) ground color of body. In C, the detail of a conspicuously reddish orange dorsal fin. Anterior portion of first dorsolateral body plate typically with orange (D) or yellow (E) bright patch. Photographs (D) and (E) by Ian Fuller.
Uncatalogued aquarium specimen of Corydoras maclurei (A) showing its typical color pattern in life (lateral view),
collected in its type-locality (B), a small stream tributary to the rio Araza, rio Madre de Dios basin, rio Madeira basin in Peru.
Corydoras maclurei, new species
Diagnosis. Corydoras maclurei can be distinguished from its congeners, except for C. difluviatilis Britto & Castro, 2002, C. flaveolus Ihering, 1911, C. gladysae, C. gracilis Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1976, C. hastatus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888, C. hephaestus Ohara, Tencatt & Britto, 2016, C. latus, C. melanotaenia Regan, 1912, C. micracanthus Regan, 1912, C. nanus, C. petracinii, C pygmaeus Knaack, 1966, and C. undulatus Regan, 1912, by the absence of contact between the posterior process of the parieto-supraoccipital and the nuchal plate (vs. bones in contact). The new species can be distinguished from C. difluviatilis, C. flaveolus, C. gladysae, C. gracilis, C. hastatus, C. hephaestus, C. latus, C. melanotaenia, C. micracanthus, C. nanus, C. petracinii, C pygmaeus, and C. undulatus by having just a single, large conspicuous dark brown or black blotch on anterodorsal portion of flank; ...
Etymology: Corydoras maclurei is named in honor of Robert “Rob” McLure, dear friend and renowned Corydoradinae breeder. Rob has been the main English-language reviewer of the first author’s publications, in addition to providing valuable information and live photos of several species of Corydoradinae. A genitive noun.
Luiz Fernando Caserta Tencatt, Vandergleison de Carvalho Gomes and Hans-Georg Evers. 2023. A New Species of Corydoras (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madre de Dios Basin, Peruvian Amazon, with Comments on Corydoras aeneus Identity. Neotrop. ichthyol. 21 (2); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0023
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A new species of barred Sternopygus (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) from the Orinoco RiverKevin T. Torgersen1 , Aleidy M. Galindo-Cuervo2, Roberto E. Reis2 and James S. Albert1
PDF: EN XML: EN | Cite this article
Abstract
A new species of Sternopygus is described from the Orinoco River of Venezuela using traditional methods of morphometrics and meristics, and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging for osteological analysis. The new species is readily separated from all congeners in having broad, vertical pigment bars that extend from the mid-dorsum to the ventral margin of the pterygiophores. A similar color pattern, characterized by subtle differences in the densities and sizes of chromatophores, is also present in juveniles of S. obtusirostris from the Amazon River, juveniles of S. sabaji from rivers of the Guiana Shield, and S. astrabes from clearwater and blackwater terra firme streams of lowlands around the Guiana Shield. The new species further differs from other congeners in the Orinoco basin by having a reduced humeral pigment blotch with poorly defined margins, a proportionally smaller head, a longer body cavity, a more slender body shape in lateral profile, and in having vertical pigment bars that extend ventrally to the pterygiophores (vs. pigment saddles not reaching the pterygiophores). The description of this species raises to three the number of Sternopygus species in the Orinoco basin, and to 11 the total number of Sternopygus species.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Computed tomography, Knifefish, Morphometrics, Taxonomy.
Introduction
With more than 1,000 described fish species, the Orinoco basin is one of the world’s hotspots of freshwater fish biodiversity (Lasso et al., 2004, 2011, 2016; Albert et al., 2011, 2020). Gymnotiform electric fishes (also called knifefishes) are an important component of the taxonomic and functional diversity of the Orinoco fauna (Lundberg et al., 1987; Albert, Crampton, 2005). Taxonomic knowledge of gymnotiform diversity in the Orinoco River has increased dramatically since the 1980s (e.g., Mago-Leccia, Zaret, 1978; Mago-Leccia et al., 1985, 1994; Lundberg, Stager, 1985; Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986; de Santana, Crampton, 2011; Crampton et al., 2016). The results of these and other studies have more than tripled the number of described gymnotiform species known from the Orinoco basin from 20 to 65 over a period of 35 years (Machado-Allison, 1987; Maldonado-Ocampo, Albert, 2003; Van der Sleen, Albert, 2017; Peixoto, Waltz, 2017). These recent advances in our knowledge of gymnotiform species richness and species limits have improved our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes (Marrero, Winemiller, 1993; Barbarino Duque, Winemiller, 2003; Winemiller, 2004; Lovejoy et al., 2010).
“Longtail electric fishes” of the genus Sternopygus Müller & Troschel, 1846 are widely distributed across the lowland river basins (<250 m elevation) of the humid Neotropics, from northern Argentina to Panama (Hulen et al., 2005; Waltz, Albert, 2017). Currently, 10 Sternopygus species are recognized as valid (Tab. 1; Hulen et al., 2005; Torgersen, Albert, 2022). However, differences in morphology (Albert, Fink, 1996), karyotypes (Santos Silva et al., 2008), and gene sequences (Maldonado-Ocampo, 2011) indicate that museum collections contain additional undescribed species. Only two Sternopygus species are known from the Orinoco basin: S. macrurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (type locality unknown but in “Brazil”), and S. astrabes Mago-Leccia, 1994, which was described from a clearwater tributary of the upper Orinoco River. Sternopygus macrurus exhibits the broadest geographic distribution of all nominal gymnotiform species, with specimens ascribed to this species recorded from Pacific slope basins of Colombia to the Pampas of Argentina (Eigenmann, Ward, 1905; Eigenmann, Allen, 1942; Albert, Fink, 1996). Sternopygus macrurus is also thought to be among the most ecologically tolerant of all gymnotiform species, inhabiting water bodies of varying water chemistry (clearwater, blackwater, whitewater) and flow (riffles and runs) in lowland forests, seasonal floodplains, and even estuarine environments (Crampton, 1996, 1998a,b; Fernandes, 1999; Marceniuk et al., 2017). Due to its widespread distribution, unknown type locality, and conserved morphology, S. macrurus has long been a “wastebasket” taxon into which many specimens in museum collections have been ascribed.
TABLE 1 | Summary of all valid species of Sternopygus with information regarding primary type specimens and locality drainage for each species. Country of collection of primary types given in parenthesis.
Species
Holotype
Type drainage (Country)
Sternopygus aequilabiatus (Humboldt, 1805)
Whereabouts unknown
Magdalena (Colombia)
Sternopygus arenatus Eydoux & Souleyet, 1841
MNHN 0000-3809 (2 syntypes)
Guayaquil (Ecuador)
Sternopygus astrabes Mago-Leccia, 1994
MBUCV-V-14182
Orinoco (Venezuela)
Sternopygus branco Crampton, Hulen & Albert, 2004
MCP 32451
Amazonas (Brazil)
Sternopygus dariensis Meek & Hildebrand, 1913
FMNH 8949
Tuira (Panama)
Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
ZMB 8701 (syntype, stuffed)
Unknown (Brazil)
Sternopygus obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881
MCZ 9413 (lectotype)
Amazonas (Brazil)
Sternopygus pejeraton Schultz, 1949
USNM 121752
Maracaibo (Venezuela)
Sternopygus sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022
ANSP 208090
Maroni (Suriname)
Sternopygus n. sp. (in this study)
ANSP 209718
Orinoco (Venezuela)
Sternopygus xingu Albert & Fink, 1996
MZUSP 48374
Xingu (Brazil)
Fishes ascribed to Sternopygus can be diagnosed from all other sternopygids by the following characters: (1) relatively larger gape (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (2) large branchial opening (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (3) long, evenly curved maxilla; (4) anterior process of maxilla extends as a narrow hook-like process (Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986); (5) dorsal portion of ventral ethmoid elongate (Albert, Fink, 1996); (6) post-temporal fossa present between pterotic and epioccipital bones (Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986); (7) gill rakers composed of three bony elements, the middle one with 3–10 small teeth (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (8) gill rakers not attached to branchial arches (Albert, Fink, 1996); (9) gap between parapophyses of second vertebra; (10) unossified post cleithrum (Albert, Fink, 1996); (11) long body cavity, with 18–30 precaudal vertebrae (Albert, Fink, 1996); (12) long anal fin with 170–340 rays, (13) unbranched anal-fin rays (Fink, Fink, 1981); (14) developmental origin of adult electric organ from both hypaxial and epaxial muscles (Unguez, Zakon, 1998; Albert, 2001); (15) absence of jamming avoidance response (Heiligenberg, 1991; Albert, 2001); (16) presence of a ‘medial cephalic fold’ (Triques, 2000), defined as a ridge of ectodermal tissue extending from the ventral limit of the opercular opening anteromedially to the branchial isthmus. Most Sternopygus species attain medium to large body sizes (40–50 cm Total Length (TL)), except the more diminutive S. astrabes which grows to about 20 cm TL. Most Sternopygus species are nocturnal predators of small animals (e.g., insect larvae, crustaceans) and occur in multiple habitats, including small streams, river margins, and deep river channels(Crampton et al., 2004a; Crampton, 2007, 2011; Brejão et al., 2013).
Most Sternopygus species share a similar color pattern with a base color composed of small, densely arranged gray chromatophores. Some species have a dark humeral blotch with variable contrast to the background coloration, and a distinctive yellow or white longitudinal stripe extending between the hypaxial and pterygiophore muscles on the posterior third of the body. These aspects of coloration are variable within and among nominal species and are sometimes absent, with some specimens ranging in color from deep black to pinkish white. At least three valid Sternopygus species possess a distinctive color pattern composed of 1–4 broad, dark vertical bars or saddles across the dorsal midline at some stage in their ontogeny: S. astrabes, S. obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881, S. sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022 (Fig. 1; Mago-Leccia, 1994; Crampton et al., 2004b; Torgersen, Albert, 2022). The monophyly, species limits, variation, and species richness of species with broad vertical pigment bars or saddles remains poorly understood and these topics are not addressed here.
FIGURE 1 | Four species of barred Sternopygus. A. Sternopygus astrabes, ANSP 162663 (189 mm TL); B. Sternopygus n. sp., ANSP 160357 (284 mm TL, paratype); C. Juvenile Sternopygus sabaji, ANSP 189018 (146 mm TL); D. Juvenile Sternopygus obtusirostris, INPA 15787 (180 mm TL), photo taken at night from Crampton et al. (2004b). Dark outlines added to bars/saddles in all photos for emphasis. Scale bars = 1 cm.
Here we describe a new species of barred Sternopygus from the lower Orinoco basin of Venezuela, bringingthe total number of species in the genus to 11, the number of species known in the Orinoco basin to three, the number of species in the Guiana Shield region to four, and the number of Sternopygus species possessing dark vertical bars to four.
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Abstract
A new species of Sternopygus is described from the Orinoco River of Venezuela using traditional methods of morphometrics and meristics, and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging for osteological analysis. The new species is readily separated from all congeners in having broad, vertical pigment bars that extend from the mid-dorsum to the ventral margin of the pterygiophores. A similar color pattern, characterized by subtle differences in the densities and sizes of chromatophores, is also present in juveniles of S. obtusirostris from the Amazon River, juveniles of S. sabaji from rivers of the Guiana Shield, and S. astrabes from clearwater and blackwater terra firme streams of lowlands around the Guiana Shield. The new species further differs from other congeners in the Orinoco basin by having a reduced humeral pigment blotch with poorly defined margins, a proportionally smaller head, a longer body cavity, a more slender body shape in lateral profile, and in having vertical pigment bars that extend ventrally to the pterygiophores (vs. pigment saddles not reaching the pterygiophores). The description of this species raises to three the number of Sternopygus species in the Orinoco basin, and to 11 the total number of Sternopygus species.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Computed tomography, Knifefish, Morphometrics, Taxonomy.
Introduction
With more than 1,000 described fish species, the Orinoco basin is one of the world’s hotspots of freshwater fish biodiversity (Lasso et al., 2004, 2011, 2016; Albert et al., 2011, 2020). Gymnotiform electric fishes (also called knifefishes) are an important component of the taxonomic and functional diversity of the Orinoco fauna (Lundberg et al., 1987; Albert, Crampton, 2005). Taxonomic knowledge of gymnotiform diversity in the Orinoco River has increased dramatically since the 1980s (e.g., Mago-Leccia, Zaret, 1978; Mago-Leccia et al., 1985, 1994; Lundberg, Stager, 1985; Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986; de Santana, Crampton, 2011; Crampton et al., 2016). The results of these and other studies have more than tripled the number of described gymnotiform species known from the Orinoco basin from 20 to 65 over a period of 35 years (Machado-Allison, 1987; Maldonado-Ocampo, Albert, 2003; Van der Sleen, Albert, 2017; Peixoto, Waltz, 2017). These recent advances in our knowledge of gymnotiform species richness and species limits have improved our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes (Marrero, Winemiller, 1993; Barbarino Duque, Winemiller, 2003; Winemiller, 2004; Lovejoy et al., 2010).
“Longtail electric fishes” of the genus Sternopygus Müller & Troschel, 1846 are widely distributed across the lowland river basins (<250 m elevation) of the humid Neotropics, from northern Argentina to Panama (Hulen et al., 2005; Waltz, Albert, 2017). Currently, 10 Sternopygus species are recognized as valid (Tab. 1; Hulen et al., 2005; Torgersen, Albert, 2022). However, differences in morphology (Albert, Fink, 1996), karyotypes (Santos Silva et al., 2008), and gene sequences (Maldonado-Ocampo, 2011) indicate that museum collections contain additional undescribed species. Only two Sternopygus species are known from the Orinoco basin: S. macrurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (type locality unknown but in “Brazil”), and S. astrabes Mago-Leccia, 1994, which was described from a clearwater tributary of the upper Orinoco River. Sternopygus macrurus exhibits the broadest geographic distribution of all nominal gymnotiform species, with specimens ascribed to this species recorded from Pacific slope basins of Colombia to the Pampas of Argentina (Eigenmann, Ward, 1905; Eigenmann, Allen, 1942; Albert, Fink, 1996). Sternopygus macrurus is also thought to be among the most ecologically tolerant of all gymnotiform species, inhabiting water bodies of varying water chemistry (clearwater, blackwater, whitewater) and flow (riffles and runs) in lowland forests, seasonal floodplains, and even estuarine environments (Crampton, 1996, 1998a,b; Fernandes, 1999; Marceniuk et al., 2017). Due to its widespread distribution, unknown type locality, and conserved morphology, S. macrurus has long been a “wastebasket” taxon into which many specimens in museum collections have been ascribed.
TABLE 1 | Summary of all valid species of Sternopygus with information regarding primary type specimens and locality drainage for each species. Country of collection of primary types given in parenthesis.
Species
Holotype
Type drainage (Country)
Sternopygus aequilabiatus (Humboldt, 1805)
Whereabouts unknown
Magdalena (Colombia)
Sternopygus arenatus Eydoux & Souleyet, 1841
MNHN 0000-3809 (2 syntypes)
Guayaquil (Ecuador)
Sternopygus astrabes Mago-Leccia, 1994
MBUCV-V-14182
Orinoco (Venezuela)
Sternopygus branco Crampton, Hulen & Albert, 2004
MCP 32451
Amazonas (Brazil)
Sternopygus dariensis Meek & Hildebrand, 1913
FMNH 8949
Tuira (Panama)
Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
ZMB 8701 (syntype, stuffed)
Unknown (Brazil)
Sternopygus obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881
MCZ 9413 (lectotype)
Amazonas (Brazil)
Sternopygus pejeraton Schultz, 1949
USNM 121752
Maracaibo (Venezuela)
Sternopygus sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022
ANSP 208090
Maroni (Suriname)
Sternopygus n. sp. (in this study)
ANSP 209718
Orinoco (Venezuela)
Sternopygus xingu Albert & Fink, 1996
MZUSP 48374
Xingu (Brazil)
Fishes ascribed to Sternopygus can be diagnosed from all other sternopygids by the following characters: (1) relatively larger gape (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (2) large branchial opening (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (3) long, evenly curved maxilla; (4) anterior process of maxilla extends as a narrow hook-like process (Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986); (5) dorsal portion of ventral ethmoid elongate (Albert, Fink, 1996); (6) post-temporal fossa present between pterotic and epioccipital bones (Lundberg, Mago-Leccia, 1986); (7) gill rakers composed of three bony elements, the middle one with 3–10 small teeth (Mago-Leccia, 1978); (8) gill rakers not attached to branchial arches (Albert, Fink, 1996); (9) gap between parapophyses of second vertebra; (10) unossified post cleithrum (Albert, Fink, 1996); (11) long body cavity, with 18–30 precaudal vertebrae (Albert, Fink, 1996); (12) long anal fin with 170–340 rays, (13) unbranched anal-fin rays (Fink, Fink, 1981); (14) developmental origin of adult electric organ from both hypaxial and epaxial muscles (Unguez, Zakon, 1998; Albert, 2001); (15) absence of jamming avoidance response (Heiligenberg, 1991; Albert, 2001); (16) presence of a ‘medial cephalic fold’ (Triques, 2000), defined as a ridge of ectodermal tissue extending from the ventral limit of the opercular opening anteromedially to the branchial isthmus. Most Sternopygus species attain medium to large body sizes (40–50 cm Total Length (TL)), except the more diminutive S. astrabes which grows to about 20 cm TL. Most Sternopygus species are nocturnal predators of small animals (e.g., insect larvae, crustaceans) and occur in multiple habitats, including small streams, river margins, and deep river channels(Crampton et al., 2004a; Crampton, 2007, 2011; Brejão et al., 2013).
Most Sternopygus species share a similar color pattern with a base color composed of small, densely arranged gray chromatophores. Some species have a dark humeral blotch with variable contrast to the background coloration, and a distinctive yellow or white longitudinal stripe extending between the hypaxial and pterygiophore muscles on the posterior third of the body. These aspects of coloration are variable within and among nominal species and are sometimes absent, with some specimens ranging in color from deep black to pinkish white. At least three valid Sternopygus species possess a distinctive color pattern composed of 1–4 broad, dark vertical bars or saddles across the dorsal midline at some stage in their ontogeny: S. astrabes, S. obtusirostris Steindachner, 1881, S. sabaji Torgersen & Albert, 2022 (Fig. 1; Mago-Leccia, 1994; Crampton et al., 2004b; Torgersen, Albert, 2022). The monophyly, species limits, variation, and species richness of species with broad vertical pigment bars or saddles remains poorly understood and these topics are not addressed here.
FIGURE 1 | Four species of barred Sternopygus. A. Sternopygus astrabes, ANSP 162663 (189 mm TL); B. Sternopygus n. sp., ANSP 160357 (284 mm TL, paratype); C. Juvenile Sternopygus sabaji, ANSP 189018 (146 mm TL); D. Juvenile Sternopygus obtusirostris, INPA 15787 (180 mm TL), photo taken at night from Crampton et al. (2004b). Dark outlines added to bars/saddles in all photos for emphasis. Scale bars = 1 cm.
Here we describe a new species of barred Sternopygus from the lower Orinoco basin of Venezuela, bringingthe total number of species in the genus to 11, the number of species known in the Orinoco basin to three, the number of species in the Guiana Shield region to four, and the number of Sternopygus species possessing dark vertical bars to four.
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Original Article • Neotrop. ichthyol. 21 (1) • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2022-0097 COPYOriginal Article • Neotrop. ichthyol. 21 (1) • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2022-0097 COPY
New species of Farlowella (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Tapajós basin, Pará, Brazil
Manuela DopazoWolmar B. WosiackiMarcelo R. BrittoABOUT THE AUTHORS
Keywords:
Amazon; Armored catfish; Biodiversity; Loricariinae; Taxonomy
ResumoUma nova espécie de cascudo-graveto Farlowella é descrita de pequenos igarapés do baixo rio Tapajós, no Estado do Pará, norte do Brasil. A nova espécie é distinta de todas as suas congêneres por uma região gular nua (vs. região gular com placas) e de muitas congêneres pela presença de cinco fileiras de placas laterais na região anterior do corpo (vs. quatro). A nova espécie apresenta variação na série de placas abdominais e é feita uma discussão sobre a variação das placas abdominais dentro de Farlowella e comentários sobre caracteres sinapomórficos em Farlowellini.
Palavras-chave:
Amazônia; Biodiversidade; Cascudo; Loricariinae; Taxonomia
INTRODUCTIONThe genus FarlowellaEigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner, (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker, (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann, (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al., (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
MATERIAL AND METHODSMeasurements were taken point to point with digital calipers. Measurements are expressed as percents of the standard length (SL), except subunits of head, which are expressed as percents of the head length (HL). Measurements follow Boeseman, (1971), except measurement of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin that follow Retzer, Page (1996), plus minimum width of snout (minimum width at the tip of snout) (Fig. 1A), distance between cleithral processes (between the humeral processes of the cleithrum) (Fig. 1B) and maximum width of snout (maximum width in transverse line from the posterior edge of the ventral plate before mouth) (Fig. 1C). Counts and nomenclature of lateral plate series follow Ballen et al., (2016a). Osteological nomenclature follows Paixão, Toledo-Piza, (2009), except for parieto-supraoccipital instead of supraoccipital (Arratia, Gayet, 1995), pterotic-extraescapular instead of pterotic-supracleithrum (Slobodian, Pastana, 2018). Vertebral counts include only free centra, with the compound caudal centrum (preural 1+ ural 1) counted as a single element. Cleared and stained (cs) specimens were prepared according to the methods of Taylor, Van Dyke, (1985). Numbers in parentheses following meristic counts correspond to number of specimens having that count, and those indicated by an asterisk (*) belong to the holotype. Map was generated in the QGIS 3.14.16 program. Institutional abbreviations follow Sabaj, (2022). The estimated Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and Area of Occupation (AOO) of the species was calculated using the web portal of the Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT: http://geocat.kew.org/) and the categories and criteria of conservation status of species followed IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
FIGURE 1 |
Additional measures used in this study. A. Minimum width of snout; B. Distance between cleithral processes; and C. Maximum width of snout.
RESULTSFarlowella wuyjugu, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA22FB00-B26F-45C0-A121-2BD8FB00B523
(Figs. 2–3; Tab. 1)
Holotype. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça.
Paratypes. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. INPA 59894, 2, 124.8–128.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MNRJ 53691, 2, 127.3–130.9 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894. MPEG 10062, 5, 112.0–121.6 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 12865, 5, 90.9–123.2 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 12, 2 cs, 97.6–136.5 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 10857, 5, 111.7–128.2 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 32191, 4, 94.3–133.9 mm SL, same locality as MPEG 10857, 14 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 12684, 5, 1 cs, 122.8–144.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°50’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag.
Non-types. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. MPEG 10055, 4, 102.9–124.3 mm SL, MPEG 10062, 13, 70.0–109.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 10851, 1, 119.2 mm SL, MPEG 10852, 3, 79.5–116.1 mm SL, MPEG 10853, 1, 121.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10855, 4, 46.7–88.7 mm SL, MPEG 10856, 7, 54.2–108.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10857, 11, 65.1–145.8 mm SL, MPEG 10858, 2, 106.2–112.8 mm SL, MPEG 10859, 4, 64.4–128.3 mm SL, MPEG 10861, 1, 113.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10860, 1, 128.6 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10862, 3, 49.6–54.6 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10956, 1, 26.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 12491, 4, 18.6–45.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, 02°36’44.8”S 56°11’37.3”W, 9 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 12865, 4, 69.8–93.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 13040, 2, 35.7–38.4 mm SL, MPEG 13043, 2, 20.6–30 mm SL, MPEG 13050, 2, 11.0–118.4 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13041, 1, 56.3 mm SL, MPEG 13044, 5, 56.8–93.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 12 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13042, 3, 48.1–45.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13045, 1, 92.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13046, 1, 101.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13048, 5, 50.2–80.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13731, 2, 63.9–69.4 mm SL, MPEG 14143, 7, 61.9–136.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14271, 1, 42.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 27 Nov 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14711, 13, 46.2–126.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 8, 56.6–95.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 16955, 1, 120.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’33.2”S 56°11’33.4”W, 19 Feb 2008, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 26172, 13, 71.8–129.8 mm SL, MPEG 26173, 4, 61.5–94.5 mm SL, MPEG 26333, 1, 86.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 28 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26179,19, 43.5–156.4 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 29996, 2, 112.7–117.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 6 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26997, 9, 100.5–129.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 7 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26998, 1, 88.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 11 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26999, 5, 51.9–138.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 12 Dec 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32191, 4, 93.7–136.6 mm SL, MPEG 32192, 2, 55.6–115.1 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32193, 15, 32.9–124.2 mm SL, MPEG 32194, 14, 61.4–127.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 22 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32195, 1, 135.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 18 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32507, 72.4–113.1 mm S, MPEG 32508, 11, 49.0–116.5 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 20 Mar 2015, M. B. Mendonça.
FIGURE 2 |
Dorsal, lateral and ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu, holotype, 143.4 mm SL, MPEG 26178, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, igarapé Rio Branco, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin.
Diagnosis.Farlowella wuyjugu can be diagnosed from its congeners by lack of plates in gular region (vs. gular plates present) (Fig. 3). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners, except Farlowella altocorpus Retzer, 2006, F. azpelicuetae Terán, Ballen, Alonso, Aguilera & Mirande, 2019, F. gianetii Ballen, Pastana & Peixoto, 2016, F. gracilis Regan, 1904, F. guarani Delgadillo, Maldonado & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2021, F. hasemani Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. isbrueckeri Retzer & Page, 1997, F. jauruensis Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. myriodon, F. nattereri Steindachner, 1910, and F. odontotumulusRetzer & Page, 1997, by having five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). Additionally, F. wuyjugu differs from F. altocorpus and F. azpelicuatae by having a smaller body width at dorsal origin (4.3–5.5 vs. 6.4–8.1% SL); from F. gianetti by number of caudal-fin rays (i,11,i or i,12,i vs. i,10,i); from F. gracilis by having head triangular in dorsal view (vs. head square); from F. guarani by interorbital width (12.0–16.0 vs. 28.6–44% HL) and eye diameter (3.6–5.8 vs. 6.6–13.3% HL); from F. hasemani by all fin rays uniformly pigmented (vs. fin rays not pigmented); from F. isbruckeri and F. odontotumulus by having the ventromedian row of anterior plates keeled (vs. ventromedian row of anterior plates unkeeled); from F. jauruensis by having five branched pelvic-fin rays (vs. four branched pelvic-fin rays); from F. myriodon by having dark brown lateral stripe on each side of snout (vs. absence of such stripe, snout completely dark); and from F. nattereri by having a short pectoral fin, not reaching the pelvic-fin base (vs. long pectoral fin, reaching the pelvic-fin base).
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TABLE 1 |
Morphometrics of Farlowella wuyjugu, new species. Values as percents of standard length (SL) and head length (HL) for holotype and 38 paratypes. n = number of specimens, SD = Standard deviation.
Description. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype in Fig. 2. Morphometric and meristic data for holotype and paratypes summarized in Tab. 1. Body slender and very elongated, completely covered by dermal plates, except in gular portion. Head triangular and elongate in dorsal and ventral views. Rostrum slender and flat in ventral view. Orbit circular, dorsolaterally placed, visible in dorsal view and not visible in ventral view. Preorbital ridge present. Mouth ventral. Dorsal profile of head concave from snout tip to anterior margin of nares, relatively straight to convex from point to posterior margin of nares to posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital and slightly concave to dorsal-fin origin. Posterior profile of margin of dorsal-fin origin slightly concave and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile slightly straight from tip of snout to anal-fin origin, slightly concave in anal-fin base and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle.
Mouth ovoid, lower lip longer than upper lip; wide oval papillae on upper lip and round papillae on lower lip, decreasing in size from oral aperture to lip margin; lip margin papillose. Bicuspid slender teeth, each premaxilla with 22(2), 23*(1), 29(1), 31(1), 33(1), 36(1), 37(3), 39(1), 40(2), 41(1), 42(3), 43(2), 44(1), 46(3), 47(4), 48(4), 49(4), 51(2), 53(1) or 55(1) teeth and each dentary with 18*(3), 22(1), 23(1), 26(2), 28(1), 29(2), 30(2), 32(3), 33(3), 34(1), 35(4), 36(3), 37(1), 38(4), 39(2), 40(2), 41(1), 42(1) or 43(2) teeth; premaxilla larger than dentary. Two maxillary barbels small and projecting slightly from mouth margin.
Five lateral plate rows on body, with 31(6), 32*(30) or 33(3) dorsal plates; 6(1), 7*(5), 8(23) or 9(10) dorsomedian plates; 7(1), 8*(5), 9(20) or 10(13) median plates; 14*(7), 15(27) or 16(5) ventromedian plates; 35(3), 36(7), 37*(15), 38(9), 39(3) or 40(2) ventral plates; 5(14), 6*(18), 7(6) or 8(1) dorsomedian+median plates; 18(12), 19(20) or 20*(7) coalescent plates; 8*(39) predorsal plates; 23(6), 24*(30) or 25(3) postdorsal plates; 20(2), 21(14), 22*(21), 23(1) or 24(1) postanal plates; 2 plates at the base of caudal fin and one preanal plate. Abdomen covered with two lateral rows with 6(6), 7*(19), 8(11), 9(2), 11(1) lateral abdominal plates (left) and 6(10), 7*(14), 8(8) or 9(7) lateral abdominal plates (right), and one midabdominal incomplete (23)* row or when complete (16) row with 2(1), 3(2), 4*(2), 5(1), 6(5), 7(7), 8(7), 9(3), 10(3), 11(2), 12(3), 13(2) or 16(1) midabdominal plates.
Lateral line complete; reaching up to last caudal peduncle coalesced plate. Preopercular canal passing through infraorbital six with two pores. Terminal exit of parietal branch in frontal bone curved. Canal-bearing cheek plate in ventral position. Nasal slightly curved in anterior portion with pore opening laterally.
Pectoral-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin slightly concave; unbranched ray longest. Dorsal-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; three* or four plates along its base; unbranched ray longest. Pelvic-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight; unbranched ray longest. Anal-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; unbranched ray longest; three* or four plates along its base. Caudal-fin rays i,11,i(2) or i,12,i*(37); posterior margin deeply concave; dorsal and ventral lobes similar in size; filaments on upper and lower unbranched rays. All fin rays with odontodes; more developed odontodes on unbranched first ray.
Mesethmoid long; lateral expansion of anterior portion absent; mesethmoid ventral posterior process present. Nasal rectangular irregular bone curved laterally. Frontal wide, occluded from dorsal border of orbit. Orbit anteriorly delimited by dermal plate, dorsally by frontal bone, dorsolaterally by sphenotic, and ventrally by infraorbital series. Sphenotic quadrate in shape, contacting frontal bone anterolaterally, parieto-supraoccipital dorsally, infraorbital six ventrally, and pterotic-extrascapular posteriorly. Pterotic-extrascapular with large perforations. Parieto-supraoccipital wide and oval, contacting first predorsal plate posteriorly. Anterior contact of hyomandibula with metapterygoid and quadrate, and ventral with preopercle. Symphyseal cartilage between quadrate and hyomandibula. Anterior margin of quadrate articulation with anguloarticular. Dentary almost twice the size of anguloarticular. Autopalatine irregular, rod-like shape. Anterior margin of autopalatine articulation with maxilla and posterior contact posteriorly with vomer and metapterygoid. Preopercle long and partially exposed; anterior process reaching at least half of quadrate length. Suspensorium rectangular in overall shape. Three branchiostegal rays. Hypohyal anterior border straight, without anterior projection. Urohyal triangular and posterior margin rounded, with medial foramen. Anterohyal and posterohyal partially separated by cartilage. Anterior margin of anterohyal greatly expanded. Basibranchial 2, 3 and 4 present; basibranchial 2 and 3 elongated; basibranchial 2 equal to basibranchial 3; basibranchial 2 and 3 ossified and basibranchial 4 cartilaginous. Two hypobranchials; hypobranchial 1 ossified and hypobranchial 2 cartilaginous. Four epibranchials with similar size. Five ceratobranchials; ceratobranchial 1 with accessory flange; ceratobranchial 5 triangular; ceratobranchial teeth restricted to mesial area of plate. Upper pharyngeal plate club-shaped, completely covered with fine teeth. Vertebral count 39(1) and 40(1); five thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12(1) and four thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 9, 10, 11 and 12(1); parapophysis of complex vertebra well developed (two specimens).
FIGURE 3 |
Gular region and variation of abdominal plates in specimens, ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu. A. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL; B. INPA 59894, 128.9 mm SL; C. MPEG 12684, 125 mm SL.
Coloration in alcohol. Ground color of dorsum and head pale or dark brown. Light brown color with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots on predorsal portion, from tip of parieto-supraoccipital and extending to all plates. Five to six rounded spots between the second and third infraorbital, extending to opercle. One dark brown lateral stripe on each side, that runs from snout to caudal peduncle. Ventral portion of head brown; yellow between lower lip and anterior portion of anal fin. Dorsal profile in posterior portion of anal fin light brown with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots along the plates, same to dorsal portion, more delimited in some individuals. Upper lip with scattered chromatophores. Pectoral, dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin rays with hyaline membranes and pigmented brown rays, sometimes forming dark bands. First rays markedly dark. Caudal fin almost completely dark brown, membranes and rays pigmented, in some individuals with area of hyaline membrane (Fig. 4).
FIGURE 4 |
Caudal fin coloration of Farlowella wuyjugu. MPEG 31191, 119.9 mm SL.
Geographical distribution.Farlowella wuyjugu is known only from small, forest creeks near Juruti, Pará State, tributaries of rio Arapiuns, rio Tapajós in its lower portion, rio Amazon basin, Brazil (Fig. 5).
FIGURE 5 |
Geographic distribution of Farlowella wuyjugu in lower rio Tapajós. Star = holotype; circles = paratypes localities.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the combination of the words Wuy jugu, which is the self-denomination of indigenous people known in Brazil as Munduruku. This ethnic group is part of the Tupi trunk and they are located in different regions and territories in the states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso. In the region of the lower Tapajós River, in recent years some communities in the process of their ethnic identity have recognized themselves as Munduruku (Ramos, 2022). A noun in apposittion.
Conservation status.Farlowella wuyjugu is known from four collection stations [igarapé Rio Branco (Fig. 6), igarapé Mutum, and igarapé São Francisco] in Juruti municipality, Pará State, Brazil. Using the GeoCAT we calculate the extent of occurrence (EOO) of the species in 4,921 km2, suggesting a threatened category of Endangered (EN). Farlowella wuyjugu is sampled in few localities in the Juruti municipality, impacted by a large bauxite extraction project, deteriorating their habitats. Following the recommendations by the IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022), F. wuyjugu should be categorized as Nearly Threatened (NT), following criterions B2:EN (EOO < 5,000 km2), b(iii) (decline of quality of habitat by bauxite extraction).
FIGURE 6 |
Igarapé Rio Branco, type-locality of Farlowella wuyjugu.
Variation of abdominal plates within Farlowellawuyjugu. Abdominal plates are usually termed as lateral abdominal plates, which are transversely elongated plates between the pectoral-fin axilla and the pelvic-fin insertion, and midabdominal plates, which cover the abdomen between the lateral ones (Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021). The midabdominal plates, in Farlowella, can be absent or present and when present can be incomplete or complete. Ballen et al., (2016b) described Falowella mitoupiboBallen, Urbano-Bonilla & Zamudio, 2016 and proposed as diagnostic for the species an incomplete median disjunct row of abdominal plates, divided at the center by plates belonging to the lateral rows of abdominal plates (vs. two or three complete rows of abdominal plates or an incomplete median row of one or two plates anteriorly that never reach to the level of the prepelvic plate). Although the authors proposed this character as a diagnosis for the species, in recent examinations of the type material of F. mitoupibo, it was possible to observe two completes rows of abdominal plates in one specimen (M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Farlowella wuyjugu have midabdominal plates and can be an incomplete or complete midabdominal series (Fig. 3). An incomplete midabdominal series can be a disjunct row as described for F. mitoupibo or an incomplete median row of plates anteriorly that do not reach to the level of the prepelvic plate (Figs. 3A, B). Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species group of Farlowella: two rows (F. acus (Kner, 1853) group and F. amazonumGünther, 1864 group) and three rows (F. curtirostra Myers, 1942 group, F. mariaelene Martín Salazar, 1964 group, F. nattereri group, F. knerii (Steindachner, 1882) group and unassigned species group). Although Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species groups of Farlowella, both states were found in F. wuyjugu and F. mitoupibo, rendering that character not be useful to differentiate groups because they are variable within Farlowella species. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus (including the species described here) is being carried out and aims to test if these characters (proposed by Retzer, Page, 1996) are in fact phylogenetically informative.
DISCUSSIONLondoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) recovered the tribe Farlowellini Fowler, 1958 including five genera, Lamontichthys Miranda Ribeiro, 1939, Pterosturisoma Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978, Sturisoma Swainson, 1838, Sturisomatichthys Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 and Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889. The authors defined two exclusive synapomorphies for the tribe: (1) nuchal plate articulated to lateral plates (char 175) and (2) the presence of gular plates (char 179). According to Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), gular plates are large, polygonal dermal plates covering the ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip. Character 175 was observed in F. wuyjugu, however, character 179 is not applicable to the new species because of the lack of gular plates. Almost twenty years after the publication of the study by Retzer, Page (1996). Farlowella was proposed as a monophyletic group by Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) with 11 morphological and 38 molecular synapomorphies. Of the eleven morphological synapomorphies, four were considered exclusive for the genus: (1) number of branchiostegal rays fewer than four (char 109); (2) straight and upright lamina on neural spine on the sixth vertebra for articulation with ventral surface of parieto-supraoccipital (char 114); (3) absence of pleural rib associated to the seventh vertebra (char 117); (4) short anteriormost paraneural spines (char 129). These character states were all observed in F. wuyjugu supporting the species as a member of the genus. Despite the high number of morphological characters and the number of terminals used in the analysis by the authors, there are many high homoplastic characters and not useful for a diagnosis at the species level.
Other Farlowella species are also identified for the rio Tapajós basin (F. gr. amazonum, F. cf. oxyrryncha, F. schreitmuelleri Arnold, 1936, and F. sp.; M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Species with type locality in or near the region are F. amazonum (Santarém, Pará State), F. gladiolusGünther, 1864 (rio Cupari, rio Tapajós basin, Amazon River drainage, Pará State), and F. schreitmuelleri (lower Amazon River basin, Santarém, Pará State), but they differ from F. wuyjugu mainly by the number of lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (four vs. five). Farlowella amazonum and F. gladiolus were described in the same work by Günther, (1864). In the review of the genus by Retzer, Page (1996), F. gladiolus was placed in the synonymy with F. amazonum, however, Covain et al., (2016) recognized the former as a valid species. There are several taxonomic issues regarding the validity of Farlowella species and their delimitation. These questions are being addressed in an ongoing taxonomic review (by MD and MRB) of the genus. Our description of F. wuyjugu contributes to the knowledge of the rio Arapiuns and to the understanding of the ichthyofauna of the rio Tapajós basin.
Comparative material examined.Farlowella acus: Colombia: MPUJ 2834, 1, 183.6 mm SL; MPUJ 2842, 1, 133.3 mm SL; MPUJ 2955, 1, 50.1 mm SL: MPUJ 7320,1 124.1 mm SL; MPUJ 9287, 1, 122.5 mm SL; MPUJ 10915, 1, 116.9 mm SL; MPUJ 11158, 1, 130.4 mm SL; MPUJ 13270, 1, 38.6 mm SL: MPUJ 16876, 1, 76 mm SL; Venezuela: ANSP 130038, 20, 90.6–149.7 mm SL; MZUSP 147, 2, 108.4–123.8 mm SL; Farlowella cf. altocorpus: Brazil: INPA 3034, 49, 64.2–155.6 mm SL; INPA 3035, 16, 58–148.6 mm SL; Farlowella amazonum: Brazil: LIA 7233, 1, 84.7 mm SL; LIA 7235, 64.8–198.5 mm SL; LIA 7236, 4, 69.2–92,5 mm SL; LBP 4344, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 10860, 3, 111.0–144.7 mm SL; LBP 11118, 1, 132.2 mm SL; LBP 12117, 5, 47.4–147.2 mm SL; LBP 15179, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 17994, 3, 70.7–121.81 mm SL; LBP 20432, 1, 110.1 mm SL; LBP 20964, 2, 67.5–113.1 mm SL; LBP 21208, 4, 69.5–121.7 mm SL; LBP 21230, 1, 142.1 mm SL; LBP 22348, 13, 54.9–203.6 mm SL; LBP 22488, 1, 169.2 mm SL; MCP 44240, 6, 163.8–190.7 mm SL; MCP 50059, 83.6–176.4 mm SL; MNRJ 762, 3, 130.1–161.2 mm SL; MNRJ 35534, 15, 79.9–166.1 mm SL, 3 cs; MNRJ 35535, 3, 176.3–161.3 mm SL; MNRJ 35536, 2, 76.3–176.8 mm SL; MNRJ 35537, 2, 99.7–179.9 mm SL; MNRJ 39040, 8, 52.1–73.7 mm SL; MNRJ 39249, 1, 66.6 mm SL; MNRJ 39270, 6, 34.4–66.8 mm SL; MPEG 3072, 2, 71,7–146.2 mm SL; MPEG 9008, 4, 147–182.3 mm SL; MPEG 13290, 5, 157.9–180.3 mm SL; MPEG 17077, 1, 50.8 mm SL; MPEG 19827, 1, 182.2 mm SL; MPEG 19945, 1, 123.8 mm SL; MPEG 23942, 2, 139–175.4 mm SL; MPEG 23726, 2, 166.4–172.5 mm SL; MPEG 24470, 1, 129.2 mm SL; MPEG 24471, 2, 166.3–74 mm SL; MPEG 30598, 5, 118.3–151.1 mm SL; MPEG 30931, 1, 104.2 mm SL; MPEG 30936, 1, 109.7 mm SL; MZUSP 23416, 5, 35.9–139.2 mm SL; MZUSP 27717, 1, 115.8 mm SL; MZUSP 121244, 1, 207.0 mm SL; UFRGS 21710, 1, 80.5 mm SL; Peru: ANSP 191818, 2, 172.7–179.6 mm SL; ANSP 199910, 1, 146.1 mm SL; Farlowella azpelicuetae: Argentina: MZUSP 123935, paratype, 80.8 mm SL; MZUSP 123936, 2, paratypes, 79.8–165.9 mm SL; Farlowella gianetti: Brazil: MZUSP 95564, holotype, 114.4 mm SL; MZUSP 97022, paratypes, 94.1–118.6 mm SL; Farlowella cf. hahni: Brazil: MZUEL 9037, 5, 56.6–131 mm SL; MZUEL 9669, 1, 47.2 mm SL; NUP 374, 6, 78.1–161.7 mm SL; NUP 818, 5, 127.6–140 mm SL; NUP 819, 10, 89.3–156.2 mm SL; NUP 1450, 1, 111.7 mm SL; NUP 1496, 5, 95.7–177.8 mm SL; NUP 2849, 1, 128.4 mm SL; NUP 4029, 2, 151.1–162.2 mm SL; NUP 4525, 1, 130.7 mm SL; NUP 4728, 5, 129.4–148 mm SL; NUP 7867, 2, 134.7–140.3 mm SL; NUP 11443, 1, 109.5 mm SL; NUP 13303, 2, 103.2–129.7 mm SL; NUP 14747, 1, 125.6 mm SL; NUP 16978, 2, 133.8–149.8 mm SL; Farlowella hasemani: Brazil: INPA 3912, 190.8 mm SL; Farlowella henriquei: Brazil: INPA 3012, 2, 68.8–111 mm SL; INPA 3030, 1, 170.3 mm SL; INPA 3911, 147.9–153.1 mm SL; INPA 3913, 1, 180.7; INPA 34545, 3, 83.6–160.5 mm SL; MZUSP 2159, holotype, 165.7 mm SL; Farlowella isbruckeri: Brazil: MZUSP 27704, paratype, 134.8 mm SL; Farlowella jauruensis: Brazil: MZUSP 59457, 2, 58.3–57.3 mm SL; MZUSP 58485, 1, 77.2 mm SL; MZUSP 115560, 1, 81.4 mm SL; Farlowella knerii: Ecuador: ANSP 130435, 2, 21.4–73.3 mm SL; ANSP 130436, 1, 123.3 mm SL; Farlowella latisoma: Brazil: MNRJ 761, holotype, 179.3 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella schreitmuelleri; Farlowella mariaelenae: Venezuela: ROM 94123, 2, 67.2–81.8 mm SL; Farlowella mitoupibo: Colombia: MPUJ 8481, holotype, 203.7 mm SL; MPUJ 8479, 1, paratype, 112.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8480, paratype, 5, 65.7–170 mm SL; MPUJ 8482, paratype, 109.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8483, paratype, 1, 163.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8484, paratype, 1, 112.5 mm SL; Farlowella myriodon: Peru: MZUSP 15328, holotype, 154 mm SL; MZUSP 15332, paratype, 134.2 mm SL; MZUSP 15342, paratype, 92.6 mm SL; Farlowella nattereri: Brazil: LBP 10568, 3, 80.7–92.4 mm SL; LBP 18192, 6, 47.5–117.5 mm SL; LBP 18526, 1, 189.9 mm SL; LBP 18580, 3, 102.9–164.5 mm SL; LBP 26628, 7, 185.0–208.6 mm SL; MNRJ 3732, 2, 166.9–168.2 mm SL; MNRJ 37080, 1, 135.7 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 6731, 2, 96.4–104.6 mm SL; UFRGS 26186, 1, 147.7 mm SL; Colombia: ROM 107219, 3, 90.3–213 mm SL; Peru: LBP 22594, 1, 132.3 mm SL; ROM 64063, 6, 42.9–129.8 mm SL; Farlowella aff. nattereri: Brazil: INPA 1637, 1, 117.8 mm SL; INPA 1963, 2, 78.7–146.1 mm SL; INPA 2017, 1, 87.5 mm SL; INPA 2808, 1, 171.8 mm SL; INPA 3916, 1, 95 mm SL; INPA 4839, 1, 184.5 mm SL; INPA 12945, 1, 162.5 mm SL; INPA 16763, 1, 52 mm SL; INPA 43891, 1, 199.1 mm SL; Guyana: INPA 58225, 2, 135.6–52.7 mm SL; ROM 97162, 1, 112.3 mm SL; Farlowella oliveirae Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: MNRJ 757, holotype, 111.8 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella aff. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 12940, 6, 61–155.2 mm SL; INPA 12941, 1, 60.5 mm SL; INPA 29869, 5, 29.9–105.1 mm SL; INPA 31038, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MZUEL 6713, 1, 103 mm SL; Farlowella cf. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 1645,1, 86.4 mm SL; INPA 8159, 3, 61.9–151.6 mm SL; INPA 10371, 21, 72.33–188 mm SL; INPA 12964, 1, 56.3 mm SL; INPA 14001, 1, 159.2; INPA 20796, 1, 134.4 mm SL; INPA 27505, 21, 23.9–129.3 mm SL; INPA 37694, 1, 75 mm SL; INPA 53229, 1, 199.8 mm SL; INPA 54977, 1, 110 mm SL; INPA 58662, 1, 170.5 mm SL; MCP 32735, 1, 83 mm SL; MCP 36623, 7, 51.6–112.7 mm SL; MCP 46138, 1, 103 mm SL; MPEG 13083, 3, 116.4–127 mm SL; MPEG 28662, 5, 73.7–178.5 mm SL; MPEG 30901, 1, 103.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12165, 4, 105,5–97.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12325, 5, 49.8–133.6 mm SL; UFRGS 21842, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MNRJ 23380, 1, 115.4 mm SL; MZUSP 22919, 6, 47.7–101.8 mm SL; MZUSP 96753, 8, 55.9–101 mm SL; MZUSP 125342, 10, 69.2–195 mm SL; Farlowella paraguayensis Retzer & Page, 1997: Brazil: INPA 567, 5, 72.3–122.1 mm SL; INPA 2829, 4, 65.1–135 mm SL; INPA 2830, 6, 70.5–153.2; INPA 3919, 12, 56.5–88.7 mm SL; INPA 12999, 4, 59.8–110.7 mm SL; MNRJ 760, 1, 162.0 mm SL; MNRJ 46680, 2, 117.8–118.3 mm SL; MZUSP 47243, 8, paratypes, 122.5–134.4 mm SL; NUP 15010, 8, 51.7–95.8 mm SL; NUP 21531, 5, 56.3–101 mm SL; ZUFMS 1292, 2, 134.6–143.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 1426, 3, 112.9–122.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 4373, 3, 113.7–128.4 mm SL; ZUFMS 5950, 4, 74.2–122.9 mm SL; Farlowella pleurotaenia Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: Brazil: MNRJ 758, holotype, 99.6 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella rugosa Boeseman, 1971: Brazil: IEPA 3886, 1, 187.2 mm SL; IEPA 3916, 1, 113.6 mm SL; Guyana: ROM 64797, 1, 143.5 mm SL; ROM 85790, 3, 73.9–87.4 mm SL; ROM 85916, 1, 73.7 mm SL; ROM 85922, 2, 81.9–143.1 mm SL; ROM 86116, 2, 63.5–65 mm SL; Suriname: ROM 98122, 1, 90.64 mm SL; Farlowella schreitmuelleri: Brazil: IEPA 2708, 1, 59 mm SL; IEPA 4644, 1, 66.9 mm SL; IEPA 4708, 1, 63.1 mm SL, IEPA 4724, 2, 80.1–121.8 mm SL; IEPA 4727, 6, 63.3–120.6 mm SL; INPA 3917, 1, 82.8 mm SL; INPA 3918, 1, 76.2 mm SL; INPA 6777, 9, 63.1–104.7 mm SL; INPA 6978, 3, 67.6–111.3 mm SL; INPA 7069, 1, 76 mm SL; INPA 8209, 1, 75.8 mm SL; INPA 24914, 11, 78.8–125.4 mm SL; INPA 29109, 2, 55.3–66.5 mm SL; INPA 44877, 5, 66.2–111 mm SL; INPA 44493, 1, 110.1 mm SL; INPA 44662, 1, 71.4 mm SL; INPA 45127, 2, 99.4–113.3 mm SL; INPA 45891, 13, 59.5–115.4 mm SL; INPA 46005, 1, 98.6 mm SL; INPA 46027, 1, 119.7 mm SL; MZUSP 101583, 2, 91.6–132 mm SL; MZUSP 101828, 1, 93.1 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; Farlowella smithi Fowler, 1913: Brazil: UFRGS 25175, 3, 60.9–71.8 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 507, 3, 64.8–89.9 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 24122, 3, 70.3–88.9 mm SL; MZUSP 73593, 14, 56.9–85.8 mm SL; Farlowella vittata Myers, 1942: Colombia: LBP 18722, 2, 51.9–130.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8349, 8, 37.4–124.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8353, 2, 54.3–75.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8357, 7, 78.9–128.3 mm SL; Venezuela: LBP 2307, 1, 87.4 mm SL; LBP 9950, 2, 51.6–123.4 mm SL; ROM 88294, 6, 90.4–77.5 mm SL; ROM 94407, 3, 62–136.3 mm SL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe are grateful to Mariangeles Arce and Mark Sabaj (ANSP); Cecile Gama (IEPA); Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Renildo Oliveira and Vitoria Pereira (INPA); Claudio Oliveira (LBP); Isaac Cabral and Leandro Sousa (LIA); Carlos Lucena (MCP); Alberto Akama and Angelo Dourado (MPEG); Alejandra Rodríguez, Tiago Carvalho and Saul Prada (MPUJ); Alessio Datovo, Guilherme Dutra, Mario de Pinna and Michel Gianeti (MZUSP); Carla Pavanelli and Marli Campos (NUPELIA); Marg Zur and Nathan Lujan (ROM); Fernando Jerep and José Birindelli (UEL); Juliana Wingert and Luiz Malabarba (UFRGS); Aline Andriolo and Carolina Doria (UFRO); Carine Chamon, Everton Oliveira and Paulo Lucinda (UNT); Francisco Severo Neto and Thomaz Sinani (ZUFMS) for loan material and assistance during visits of the first author to collections under their care. Alejandro Londoño-Burbano (MNRJ) for comments and discussion about the Loricariinae and generous contributions to this manuscript. Roberto Reis (MCP), Jonathan Armbruster (AUM) and an anonymous reviewer provided useful comments that helped improve the manuscript. Lucas Garcia (MNRJ) for the drawing of Fig. 1. Igor Souto-Santos (MNRJ) for helping with photos for Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Guilherme Dutra (MZUSP) for the photograph of the type locality. MD is supported from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/PROEX 88887.335793/2019–00). MRB and WBW are supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, processes #311294/2021–9 and #307988/2021–0).
Manuela DopazoWolmar B. WosiackiMarcelo R. BrittoABOUT THE AUTHORS
Keywords:
Amazon; Armored catfish; Biodiversity; Loricariinae; Taxonomy
ResumoUma nova espécie de cascudo-graveto Farlowella é descrita de pequenos igarapés do baixo rio Tapajós, no Estado do Pará, norte do Brasil. A nova espécie é distinta de todas as suas congêneres por uma região gular nua (vs. região gular com placas) e de muitas congêneres pela presença de cinco fileiras de placas laterais na região anterior do corpo (vs. quatro). A nova espécie apresenta variação na série de placas abdominais e é feita uma discussão sobre a variação das placas abdominais dentro de Farlowella e comentários sobre caracteres sinapomórficos em Farlowellini.
Palavras-chave:
Amazônia; Biodiversidade; Cascudo; Loricariinae; Taxonomia
INTRODUCTIONThe genus FarlowellaEigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner, (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker, (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann, (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al., (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
MATERIAL AND METHODSMeasurements were taken point to point with digital calipers. Measurements are expressed as percents of the standard length (SL), except subunits of head, which are expressed as percents of the head length (HL). Measurements follow Boeseman, (1971), except measurement of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin that follow Retzer, Page (1996), plus minimum width of snout (minimum width at the tip of snout) (Fig. 1A), distance between cleithral processes (between the humeral processes of the cleithrum) (Fig. 1B) and maximum width of snout (maximum width in transverse line from the posterior edge of the ventral plate before mouth) (Fig. 1C). Counts and nomenclature of lateral plate series follow Ballen et al., (2016a). Osteological nomenclature follows Paixão, Toledo-Piza, (2009), except for parieto-supraoccipital instead of supraoccipital (Arratia, Gayet, 1995), pterotic-extraescapular instead of pterotic-supracleithrum (Slobodian, Pastana, 2018). Vertebral counts include only free centra, with the compound caudal centrum (preural 1+ ural 1) counted as a single element. Cleared and stained (cs) specimens were prepared according to the methods of Taylor, Van Dyke, (1985). Numbers in parentheses following meristic counts correspond to number of specimens having that count, and those indicated by an asterisk (*) belong to the holotype. Map was generated in the QGIS 3.14.16 program. Institutional abbreviations follow Sabaj, (2022). The estimated Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and Area of Occupation (AOO) of the species was calculated using the web portal of the Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT: http://geocat.kew.org/) and the categories and criteria of conservation status of species followed IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
FIGURE 1 |
Additional measures used in this study. A. Minimum width of snout; B. Distance between cleithral processes; and C. Maximum width of snout.
RESULTSFarlowella wuyjugu, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA22FB00-B26F-45C0-A121-2BD8FB00B523
(Figs. 2–3; Tab. 1)
Holotype. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça.
Paratypes. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. INPA 59894, 2, 124.8–128.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MNRJ 53691, 2, 127.3–130.9 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894. MPEG 10062, 5, 112.0–121.6 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 12865, 5, 90.9–123.2 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 12, 2 cs, 97.6–136.5 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 10857, 5, 111.7–128.2 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 32191, 4, 94.3–133.9 mm SL, same locality as MPEG 10857, 14 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 12684, 5, 1 cs, 122.8–144.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°50’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag.
Non-types. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. MPEG 10055, 4, 102.9–124.3 mm SL, MPEG 10062, 13, 70.0–109.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 10851, 1, 119.2 mm SL, MPEG 10852, 3, 79.5–116.1 mm SL, MPEG 10853, 1, 121.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10855, 4, 46.7–88.7 mm SL, MPEG 10856, 7, 54.2–108.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10857, 11, 65.1–145.8 mm SL, MPEG 10858, 2, 106.2–112.8 mm SL, MPEG 10859, 4, 64.4–128.3 mm SL, MPEG 10861, 1, 113.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10860, 1, 128.6 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10862, 3, 49.6–54.6 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10956, 1, 26.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 12491, 4, 18.6–45.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, 02°36’44.8”S 56°11’37.3”W, 9 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 12865, 4, 69.8–93.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 13040, 2, 35.7–38.4 mm SL, MPEG 13043, 2, 20.6–30 mm SL, MPEG 13050, 2, 11.0–118.4 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13041, 1, 56.3 mm SL, MPEG 13044, 5, 56.8–93.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 12 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13042, 3, 48.1–45.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13045, 1, 92.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13046, 1, 101.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13048, 5, 50.2–80.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13731, 2, 63.9–69.4 mm SL, MPEG 14143, 7, 61.9–136.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14271, 1, 42.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 27 Nov 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14711, 13, 46.2–126.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 8, 56.6–95.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 16955, 1, 120.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’33.2”S 56°11’33.4”W, 19 Feb 2008, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 26172, 13, 71.8–129.8 mm SL, MPEG 26173, 4, 61.5–94.5 mm SL, MPEG 26333, 1, 86.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 28 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26179,19, 43.5–156.4 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 29996, 2, 112.7–117.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 6 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26997, 9, 100.5–129.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 7 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26998, 1, 88.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 11 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26999, 5, 51.9–138.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 12 Dec 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32191, 4, 93.7–136.6 mm SL, MPEG 32192, 2, 55.6–115.1 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32193, 15, 32.9–124.2 mm SL, MPEG 32194, 14, 61.4–127.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 22 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32195, 1, 135.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 18 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32507, 72.4–113.1 mm S, MPEG 32508, 11, 49.0–116.5 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 20 Mar 2015, M. B. Mendonça.
FIGURE 2 |
Dorsal, lateral and ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu, holotype, 143.4 mm SL, MPEG 26178, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, igarapé Rio Branco, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin.
Diagnosis.Farlowella wuyjugu can be diagnosed from its congeners by lack of plates in gular region (vs. gular plates present) (Fig. 3). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners, except Farlowella altocorpus Retzer, 2006, F. azpelicuetae Terán, Ballen, Alonso, Aguilera & Mirande, 2019, F. gianetii Ballen, Pastana & Peixoto, 2016, F. gracilis Regan, 1904, F. guarani Delgadillo, Maldonado & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2021, F. hasemani Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. isbrueckeri Retzer & Page, 1997, F. jauruensis Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. myriodon, F. nattereri Steindachner, 1910, and F. odontotumulusRetzer & Page, 1997, by having five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). Additionally, F. wuyjugu differs from F. altocorpus and F. azpelicuatae by having a smaller body width at dorsal origin (4.3–5.5 vs. 6.4–8.1% SL); from F. gianetti by number of caudal-fin rays (i,11,i or i,12,i vs. i,10,i); from F. gracilis by having head triangular in dorsal view (vs. head square); from F. guarani by interorbital width (12.0–16.0 vs. 28.6–44% HL) and eye diameter (3.6–5.8 vs. 6.6–13.3% HL); from F. hasemani by all fin rays uniformly pigmented (vs. fin rays not pigmented); from F. isbruckeri and F. odontotumulus by having the ventromedian row of anterior plates keeled (vs. ventromedian row of anterior plates unkeeled); from F. jauruensis by having five branched pelvic-fin rays (vs. four branched pelvic-fin rays); from F. myriodon by having dark brown lateral stripe on each side of snout (vs. absence of such stripe, snout completely dark); and from F. nattereri by having a short pectoral fin, not reaching the pelvic-fin base (vs. long pectoral fin, reaching the pelvic-fin base).
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TABLE 1 |
Morphometrics of Farlowella wuyjugu, new species. Values as percents of standard length (SL) and head length (HL) for holotype and 38 paratypes. n = number of specimens, SD = Standard deviation.
Description. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype in Fig. 2. Morphometric and meristic data for holotype and paratypes summarized in Tab. 1. Body slender and very elongated, completely covered by dermal plates, except in gular portion. Head triangular and elongate in dorsal and ventral views. Rostrum slender and flat in ventral view. Orbit circular, dorsolaterally placed, visible in dorsal view and not visible in ventral view. Preorbital ridge present. Mouth ventral. Dorsal profile of head concave from snout tip to anterior margin of nares, relatively straight to convex from point to posterior margin of nares to posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital and slightly concave to dorsal-fin origin. Posterior profile of margin of dorsal-fin origin slightly concave and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile slightly straight from tip of snout to anal-fin origin, slightly concave in anal-fin base and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle.
Mouth ovoid, lower lip longer than upper lip; wide oval papillae on upper lip and round papillae on lower lip, decreasing in size from oral aperture to lip margin; lip margin papillose. Bicuspid slender teeth, each premaxilla with 22(2), 23*(1), 29(1), 31(1), 33(1), 36(1), 37(3), 39(1), 40(2), 41(1), 42(3), 43(2), 44(1), 46(3), 47(4), 48(4), 49(4), 51(2), 53(1) or 55(1) teeth and each dentary with 18*(3), 22(1), 23(1), 26(2), 28(1), 29(2), 30(2), 32(3), 33(3), 34(1), 35(4), 36(3), 37(1), 38(4), 39(2), 40(2), 41(1), 42(1) or 43(2) teeth; premaxilla larger than dentary. Two maxillary barbels small and projecting slightly from mouth margin.
Five lateral plate rows on body, with 31(6), 32*(30) or 33(3) dorsal plates; 6(1), 7*(5), 8(23) or 9(10) dorsomedian plates; 7(1), 8*(5), 9(20) or 10(13) median plates; 14*(7), 15(27) or 16(5) ventromedian plates; 35(3), 36(7), 37*(15), 38(9), 39(3) or 40(2) ventral plates; 5(14), 6*(18), 7(6) or 8(1) dorsomedian+median plates; 18(12), 19(20) or 20*(7) coalescent plates; 8*(39) predorsal plates; 23(6), 24*(30) or 25(3) postdorsal plates; 20(2), 21(14), 22*(21), 23(1) or 24(1) postanal plates; 2 plates at the base of caudal fin and one preanal plate. Abdomen covered with two lateral rows with 6(6), 7*(19), 8(11), 9(2), 11(1) lateral abdominal plates (left) and 6(10), 7*(14), 8(8) or 9(7) lateral abdominal plates (right), and one midabdominal incomplete (23)* row or when complete (16) row with 2(1), 3(2), 4*(2), 5(1), 6(5), 7(7), 8(7), 9(3), 10(3), 11(2), 12(3), 13(2) or 16(1) midabdominal plates.
Lateral line complete; reaching up to last caudal peduncle coalesced plate. Preopercular canal passing through infraorbital six with two pores. Terminal exit of parietal branch in frontal bone curved. Canal-bearing cheek plate in ventral position. Nasal slightly curved in anterior portion with pore opening laterally.
Pectoral-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin slightly concave; unbranched ray longest. Dorsal-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; three* or four plates along its base; unbranched ray longest. Pelvic-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight; unbranched ray longest. Anal-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; unbranched ray longest; three* or four plates along its base. Caudal-fin rays i,11,i(2) or i,12,i*(37); posterior margin deeply concave; dorsal and ventral lobes similar in size; filaments on upper and lower unbranched rays. All fin rays with odontodes; more developed odontodes on unbranched first ray.
Mesethmoid long; lateral expansion of anterior portion absent; mesethmoid ventral posterior process present. Nasal rectangular irregular bone curved laterally. Frontal wide, occluded from dorsal border of orbit. Orbit anteriorly delimited by dermal plate, dorsally by frontal bone, dorsolaterally by sphenotic, and ventrally by infraorbital series. Sphenotic quadrate in shape, contacting frontal bone anterolaterally, parieto-supraoccipital dorsally, infraorbital six ventrally, and pterotic-extrascapular posteriorly. Pterotic-extrascapular with large perforations. Parieto-supraoccipital wide and oval, contacting first predorsal plate posteriorly. Anterior contact of hyomandibula with metapterygoid and quadrate, and ventral with preopercle. Symphyseal cartilage between quadrate and hyomandibula. Anterior margin of quadrate articulation with anguloarticular. Dentary almost twice the size of anguloarticular. Autopalatine irregular, rod-like shape. Anterior margin of autopalatine articulation with maxilla and posterior contact posteriorly with vomer and metapterygoid. Preopercle long and partially exposed; anterior process reaching at least half of quadrate length. Suspensorium rectangular in overall shape. Three branchiostegal rays. Hypohyal anterior border straight, without anterior projection. Urohyal triangular and posterior margin rounded, with medial foramen. Anterohyal and posterohyal partially separated by cartilage. Anterior margin of anterohyal greatly expanded. Basibranchial 2, 3 and 4 present; basibranchial 2 and 3 elongated; basibranchial 2 equal to basibranchial 3; basibranchial 2 and 3 ossified and basibranchial 4 cartilaginous. Two hypobranchials; hypobranchial 1 ossified and hypobranchial 2 cartilaginous. Four epibranchials with similar size. Five ceratobranchials; ceratobranchial 1 with accessory flange; ceratobranchial 5 triangular; ceratobranchial teeth restricted to mesial area of plate. Upper pharyngeal plate club-shaped, completely covered with fine teeth. Vertebral count 39(1) and 40(1); five thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12(1) and four thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 9, 10, 11 and 12(1); parapophysis of complex vertebra well developed (two specimens).
FIGURE 3 |
Gular region and variation of abdominal plates in specimens, ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu. A. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL; B. INPA 59894, 128.9 mm SL; C. MPEG 12684, 125 mm SL.
Coloration in alcohol. Ground color of dorsum and head pale or dark brown. Light brown color with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots on predorsal portion, from tip of parieto-supraoccipital and extending to all plates. Five to six rounded spots between the second and third infraorbital, extending to opercle. One dark brown lateral stripe on each side, that runs from snout to caudal peduncle. Ventral portion of head brown; yellow between lower lip and anterior portion of anal fin. Dorsal profile in posterior portion of anal fin light brown with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots along the plates, same to dorsal portion, more delimited in some individuals. Upper lip with scattered chromatophores. Pectoral, dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin rays with hyaline membranes and pigmented brown rays, sometimes forming dark bands. First rays markedly dark. Caudal fin almost completely dark brown, membranes and rays pigmented, in some individuals with area of hyaline membrane (Fig. 4).
FIGURE 4 |
Caudal fin coloration of Farlowella wuyjugu. MPEG 31191, 119.9 mm SL.
Geographical distribution.Farlowella wuyjugu is known only from small, forest creeks near Juruti, Pará State, tributaries of rio Arapiuns, rio Tapajós in its lower portion, rio Amazon basin, Brazil (Fig. 5).
FIGURE 5 |
Geographic distribution of Farlowella wuyjugu in lower rio Tapajós. Star = holotype; circles = paratypes localities.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the combination of the words Wuy jugu, which is the self-denomination of indigenous people known in Brazil as Munduruku. This ethnic group is part of the Tupi trunk and they are located in different regions and territories in the states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso. In the region of the lower Tapajós River, in recent years some communities in the process of their ethnic identity have recognized themselves as Munduruku (Ramos, 2022). A noun in apposittion.
Conservation status.Farlowella wuyjugu is known from four collection stations [igarapé Rio Branco (Fig. 6), igarapé Mutum, and igarapé São Francisco] in Juruti municipality, Pará State, Brazil. Using the GeoCAT we calculate the extent of occurrence (EOO) of the species in 4,921 km2, suggesting a threatened category of Endangered (EN). Farlowella wuyjugu is sampled in few localities in the Juruti municipality, impacted by a large bauxite extraction project, deteriorating their habitats. Following the recommendations by the IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022), F. wuyjugu should be categorized as Nearly Threatened (NT), following criterions B2:EN (EOO < 5,000 km2), b(iii) (decline of quality of habitat by bauxite extraction).
FIGURE 6 |
Igarapé Rio Branco, type-locality of Farlowella wuyjugu.
Variation of abdominal plates within Farlowellawuyjugu. Abdominal plates are usually termed as lateral abdominal plates, which are transversely elongated plates between the pectoral-fin axilla and the pelvic-fin insertion, and midabdominal plates, which cover the abdomen between the lateral ones (Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021). The midabdominal plates, in Farlowella, can be absent or present and when present can be incomplete or complete. Ballen et al., (2016b) described Falowella mitoupiboBallen, Urbano-Bonilla & Zamudio, 2016 and proposed as diagnostic for the species an incomplete median disjunct row of abdominal plates, divided at the center by plates belonging to the lateral rows of abdominal plates (vs. two or three complete rows of abdominal plates or an incomplete median row of one or two plates anteriorly that never reach to the level of the prepelvic plate). Although the authors proposed this character as a diagnosis for the species, in recent examinations of the type material of F. mitoupibo, it was possible to observe two completes rows of abdominal plates in one specimen (M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Farlowella wuyjugu have midabdominal plates and can be an incomplete or complete midabdominal series (Fig. 3). An incomplete midabdominal series can be a disjunct row as described for F. mitoupibo or an incomplete median row of plates anteriorly that do not reach to the level of the prepelvic plate (Figs. 3A, B). Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species group of Farlowella: two rows (F. acus (Kner, 1853) group and F. amazonumGünther, 1864 group) and three rows (F. curtirostra Myers, 1942 group, F. mariaelene Martín Salazar, 1964 group, F. nattereri group, F. knerii (Steindachner, 1882) group and unassigned species group). Although Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species groups of Farlowella, both states were found in F. wuyjugu and F. mitoupibo, rendering that character not be useful to differentiate groups because they are variable within Farlowella species. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus (including the species described here) is being carried out and aims to test if these characters (proposed by Retzer, Page, 1996) are in fact phylogenetically informative.
DISCUSSIONLondoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) recovered the tribe Farlowellini Fowler, 1958 including five genera, Lamontichthys Miranda Ribeiro, 1939, Pterosturisoma Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978, Sturisoma Swainson, 1838, Sturisomatichthys Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 and Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889. The authors defined two exclusive synapomorphies for the tribe: (1) nuchal plate articulated to lateral plates (char 175) and (2) the presence of gular plates (char 179). According to Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), gular plates are large, polygonal dermal plates covering the ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip. Character 175 was observed in F. wuyjugu, however, character 179 is not applicable to the new species because of the lack of gular plates. Almost twenty years after the publication of the study by Retzer, Page (1996). Farlowella was proposed as a monophyletic group by Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) with 11 morphological and 38 molecular synapomorphies. Of the eleven morphological synapomorphies, four were considered exclusive for the genus: (1) number of branchiostegal rays fewer than four (char 109); (2) straight and upright lamina on neural spine on the sixth vertebra for articulation with ventral surface of parieto-supraoccipital (char 114); (3) absence of pleural rib associated to the seventh vertebra (char 117); (4) short anteriormost paraneural spines (char 129). These character states were all observed in F. wuyjugu supporting the species as a member of the genus. Despite the high number of morphological characters and the number of terminals used in the analysis by the authors, there are many high homoplastic characters and not useful for a diagnosis at the species level.
Other Farlowella species are also identified for the rio Tapajós basin (F. gr. amazonum, F. cf. oxyrryncha, F. schreitmuelleri Arnold, 1936, and F. sp.; M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Species with type locality in or near the region are F. amazonum (Santarém, Pará State), F. gladiolusGünther, 1864 (rio Cupari, rio Tapajós basin, Amazon River drainage, Pará State), and F. schreitmuelleri (lower Amazon River basin, Santarém, Pará State), but they differ from F. wuyjugu mainly by the number of lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (four vs. five). Farlowella amazonum and F. gladiolus were described in the same work by Günther, (1864). In the review of the genus by Retzer, Page (1996), F. gladiolus was placed in the synonymy with F. amazonum, however, Covain et al., (2016) recognized the former as a valid species. There are several taxonomic issues regarding the validity of Farlowella species and their delimitation. These questions are being addressed in an ongoing taxonomic review (by MD and MRB) of the genus. Our description of F. wuyjugu contributes to the knowledge of the rio Arapiuns and to the understanding of the ichthyofauna of the rio Tapajós basin.
Comparative material examined.Farlowella acus: Colombia: MPUJ 2834, 1, 183.6 mm SL; MPUJ 2842, 1, 133.3 mm SL; MPUJ 2955, 1, 50.1 mm SL: MPUJ 7320,1 124.1 mm SL; MPUJ 9287, 1, 122.5 mm SL; MPUJ 10915, 1, 116.9 mm SL; MPUJ 11158, 1, 130.4 mm SL; MPUJ 13270, 1, 38.6 mm SL: MPUJ 16876, 1, 76 mm SL; Venezuela: ANSP 130038, 20, 90.6–149.7 mm SL; MZUSP 147, 2, 108.4–123.8 mm SL; Farlowella cf. altocorpus: Brazil: INPA 3034, 49, 64.2–155.6 mm SL; INPA 3035, 16, 58–148.6 mm SL; Farlowella amazonum: Brazil: LIA 7233, 1, 84.7 mm SL; LIA 7235, 64.8–198.5 mm SL; LIA 7236, 4, 69.2–92,5 mm SL; LBP 4344, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 10860, 3, 111.0–144.7 mm SL; LBP 11118, 1, 132.2 mm SL; LBP 12117, 5, 47.4–147.2 mm SL; LBP 15179, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 17994, 3, 70.7–121.81 mm SL; LBP 20432, 1, 110.1 mm SL; LBP 20964, 2, 67.5–113.1 mm SL; LBP 21208, 4, 69.5–121.7 mm SL; LBP 21230, 1, 142.1 mm SL; LBP 22348, 13, 54.9–203.6 mm SL; LBP 22488, 1, 169.2 mm SL; MCP 44240, 6, 163.8–190.7 mm SL; MCP 50059, 83.6–176.4 mm SL; MNRJ 762, 3, 130.1–161.2 mm SL; MNRJ 35534, 15, 79.9–166.1 mm SL, 3 cs; MNRJ 35535, 3, 176.3–161.3 mm SL; MNRJ 35536, 2, 76.3–176.8 mm SL; MNRJ 35537, 2, 99.7–179.9 mm SL; MNRJ 39040, 8, 52.1–73.7 mm SL; MNRJ 39249, 1, 66.6 mm SL; MNRJ 39270, 6, 34.4–66.8 mm SL; MPEG 3072, 2, 71,7–146.2 mm SL; MPEG 9008, 4, 147–182.3 mm SL; MPEG 13290, 5, 157.9–180.3 mm SL; MPEG 17077, 1, 50.8 mm SL; MPEG 19827, 1, 182.2 mm SL; MPEG 19945, 1, 123.8 mm SL; MPEG 23942, 2, 139–175.4 mm SL; MPEG 23726, 2, 166.4–172.5 mm SL; MPEG 24470, 1, 129.2 mm SL; MPEG 24471, 2, 166.3–74 mm SL; MPEG 30598, 5, 118.3–151.1 mm SL; MPEG 30931, 1, 104.2 mm SL; MPEG 30936, 1, 109.7 mm SL; MZUSP 23416, 5, 35.9–139.2 mm SL; MZUSP 27717, 1, 115.8 mm SL; MZUSP 121244, 1, 207.0 mm SL; UFRGS 21710, 1, 80.5 mm SL; Peru: ANSP 191818, 2, 172.7–179.6 mm SL; ANSP 199910, 1, 146.1 mm SL; Farlowella azpelicuetae: Argentina: MZUSP 123935, paratype, 80.8 mm SL; MZUSP 123936, 2, paratypes, 79.8–165.9 mm SL; Farlowella gianetti: Brazil: MZUSP 95564, holotype, 114.4 mm SL; MZUSP 97022, paratypes, 94.1–118.6 mm SL; Farlowella cf. hahni: Brazil: MZUEL 9037, 5, 56.6–131 mm SL; MZUEL 9669, 1, 47.2 mm SL; NUP 374, 6, 78.1–161.7 mm SL; NUP 818, 5, 127.6–140 mm SL; NUP 819, 10, 89.3–156.2 mm SL; NUP 1450, 1, 111.7 mm SL; NUP 1496, 5, 95.7–177.8 mm SL; NUP 2849, 1, 128.4 mm SL; NUP 4029, 2, 151.1–162.2 mm SL; NUP 4525, 1, 130.7 mm SL; NUP 4728, 5, 129.4–148 mm SL; NUP 7867, 2, 134.7–140.3 mm SL; NUP 11443, 1, 109.5 mm SL; NUP 13303, 2, 103.2–129.7 mm SL; NUP 14747, 1, 125.6 mm SL; NUP 16978, 2, 133.8–149.8 mm SL; Farlowella hasemani: Brazil: INPA 3912, 190.8 mm SL; Farlowella henriquei: Brazil: INPA 3012, 2, 68.8–111 mm SL; INPA 3030, 1, 170.3 mm SL; INPA 3911, 147.9–153.1 mm SL; INPA 3913, 1, 180.7; INPA 34545, 3, 83.6–160.5 mm SL; MZUSP 2159, holotype, 165.7 mm SL; Farlowella isbruckeri: Brazil: MZUSP 27704, paratype, 134.8 mm SL; Farlowella jauruensis: Brazil: MZUSP 59457, 2, 58.3–57.3 mm SL; MZUSP 58485, 1, 77.2 mm SL; MZUSP 115560, 1, 81.4 mm SL; Farlowella knerii: Ecuador: ANSP 130435, 2, 21.4–73.3 mm SL; ANSP 130436, 1, 123.3 mm SL; Farlowella latisoma: Brazil: MNRJ 761, holotype, 179.3 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella schreitmuelleri; Farlowella mariaelenae: Venezuela: ROM 94123, 2, 67.2–81.8 mm SL; Farlowella mitoupibo: Colombia: MPUJ 8481, holotype, 203.7 mm SL; MPUJ 8479, 1, paratype, 112.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8480, paratype, 5, 65.7–170 mm SL; MPUJ 8482, paratype, 109.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8483, paratype, 1, 163.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8484, paratype, 1, 112.5 mm SL; Farlowella myriodon: Peru: MZUSP 15328, holotype, 154 mm SL; MZUSP 15332, paratype, 134.2 mm SL; MZUSP 15342, paratype, 92.6 mm SL; Farlowella nattereri: Brazil: LBP 10568, 3, 80.7–92.4 mm SL; LBP 18192, 6, 47.5–117.5 mm SL; LBP 18526, 1, 189.9 mm SL; LBP 18580, 3, 102.9–164.5 mm SL; LBP 26628, 7, 185.0–208.6 mm SL; MNRJ 3732, 2, 166.9–168.2 mm SL; MNRJ 37080, 1, 135.7 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 6731, 2, 96.4–104.6 mm SL; UFRGS 26186, 1, 147.7 mm SL; Colombia: ROM 107219, 3, 90.3–213 mm SL; Peru: LBP 22594, 1, 132.3 mm SL; ROM 64063, 6, 42.9–129.8 mm SL; Farlowella aff. nattereri: Brazil: INPA 1637, 1, 117.8 mm SL; INPA 1963, 2, 78.7–146.1 mm SL; INPA 2017, 1, 87.5 mm SL; INPA 2808, 1, 171.8 mm SL; INPA 3916, 1, 95 mm SL; INPA 4839, 1, 184.5 mm SL; INPA 12945, 1, 162.5 mm SL; INPA 16763, 1, 52 mm SL; INPA 43891, 1, 199.1 mm SL; Guyana: INPA 58225, 2, 135.6–52.7 mm SL; ROM 97162, 1, 112.3 mm SL; Farlowella oliveirae Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: MNRJ 757, holotype, 111.8 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella aff. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 12940, 6, 61–155.2 mm SL; INPA 12941, 1, 60.5 mm SL; INPA 29869, 5, 29.9–105.1 mm SL; INPA 31038, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MZUEL 6713, 1, 103 mm SL; Farlowella cf. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 1645,1, 86.4 mm SL; INPA 8159, 3, 61.9–151.6 mm SL; INPA 10371, 21, 72.33–188 mm SL; INPA 12964, 1, 56.3 mm SL; INPA 14001, 1, 159.2; INPA 20796, 1, 134.4 mm SL; INPA 27505, 21, 23.9–129.3 mm SL; INPA 37694, 1, 75 mm SL; INPA 53229, 1, 199.8 mm SL; INPA 54977, 1, 110 mm SL; INPA 58662, 1, 170.5 mm SL; MCP 32735, 1, 83 mm SL; MCP 36623, 7, 51.6–112.7 mm SL; MCP 46138, 1, 103 mm SL; MPEG 13083, 3, 116.4–127 mm SL; MPEG 28662, 5, 73.7–178.5 mm SL; MPEG 30901, 1, 103.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12165, 4, 105,5–97.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12325, 5, 49.8–133.6 mm SL; UFRGS 21842, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MNRJ 23380, 1, 115.4 mm SL; MZUSP 22919, 6, 47.7–101.8 mm SL; MZUSP 96753, 8, 55.9–101 mm SL; MZUSP 125342, 10, 69.2–195 mm SL; Farlowella paraguayensis Retzer & Page, 1997: Brazil: INPA 567, 5, 72.3–122.1 mm SL; INPA 2829, 4, 65.1–135 mm SL; INPA 2830, 6, 70.5–153.2; INPA 3919, 12, 56.5–88.7 mm SL; INPA 12999, 4, 59.8–110.7 mm SL; MNRJ 760, 1, 162.0 mm SL; MNRJ 46680, 2, 117.8–118.3 mm SL; MZUSP 47243, 8, paratypes, 122.5–134.4 mm SL; NUP 15010, 8, 51.7–95.8 mm SL; NUP 21531, 5, 56.3–101 mm SL; ZUFMS 1292, 2, 134.6–143.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 1426, 3, 112.9–122.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 4373, 3, 113.7–128.4 mm SL; ZUFMS 5950, 4, 74.2–122.9 mm SL; Farlowella pleurotaenia Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: Brazil: MNRJ 758, holotype, 99.6 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella rugosa Boeseman, 1971: Brazil: IEPA 3886, 1, 187.2 mm SL; IEPA 3916, 1, 113.6 mm SL; Guyana: ROM 64797, 1, 143.5 mm SL; ROM 85790, 3, 73.9–87.4 mm SL; ROM 85916, 1, 73.7 mm SL; ROM 85922, 2, 81.9–143.1 mm SL; ROM 86116, 2, 63.5–65 mm SL; Suriname: ROM 98122, 1, 90.64 mm SL; Farlowella schreitmuelleri: Brazil: IEPA 2708, 1, 59 mm SL; IEPA 4644, 1, 66.9 mm SL; IEPA 4708, 1, 63.1 mm SL, IEPA 4724, 2, 80.1–121.8 mm SL; IEPA 4727, 6, 63.3–120.6 mm SL; INPA 3917, 1, 82.8 mm SL; INPA 3918, 1, 76.2 mm SL; INPA 6777, 9, 63.1–104.7 mm SL; INPA 6978, 3, 67.6–111.3 mm SL; INPA 7069, 1, 76 mm SL; INPA 8209, 1, 75.8 mm SL; INPA 24914, 11, 78.8–125.4 mm SL; INPA 29109, 2, 55.3–66.5 mm SL; INPA 44877, 5, 66.2–111 mm SL; INPA 44493, 1, 110.1 mm SL; INPA 44662, 1, 71.4 mm SL; INPA 45127, 2, 99.4–113.3 mm SL; INPA 45891, 13, 59.5–115.4 mm SL; INPA 46005, 1, 98.6 mm SL; INPA 46027, 1, 119.7 mm SL; MZUSP 101583, 2, 91.6–132 mm SL; MZUSP 101828, 1, 93.1 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; Farlowella smithi Fowler, 1913: Brazil: UFRGS 25175, 3, 60.9–71.8 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 507, 3, 64.8–89.9 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 24122, 3, 70.3–88.9 mm SL; MZUSP 73593, 14, 56.9–85.8 mm SL; Farlowella vittata Myers, 1942: Colombia: LBP 18722, 2, 51.9–130.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8349, 8, 37.4–124.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8353, 2, 54.3–75.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8357, 7, 78.9–128.3 mm SL; Venezuela: LBP 2307, 1, 87.4 mm SL; LBP 9950, 2, 51.6–123.4 mm SL; ROM 88294, 6, 90.4–77.5 mm SL; ROM 94407, 3, 62–136.3 mm SL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe are grateful to Mariangeles Arce and Mark Sabaj (ANSP); Cecile Gama (IEPA); Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Renildo Oliveira and Vitoria Pereira (INPA); Claudio Oliveira (LBP); Isaac Cabral and Leandro Sousa (LIA); Carlos Lucena (MCP); Alberto Akama and Angelo Dourado (MPEG); Alejandra Rodríguez, Tiago Carvalho and Saul Prada (MPUJ); Alessio Datovo, Guilherme Dutra, Mario de Pinna and Michel Gianeti (MZUSP); Carla Pavanelli and Marli Campos (NUPELIA); Marg Zur and Nathan Lujan (ROM); Fernando Jerep and José Birindelli (UEL); Juliana Wingert and Luiz Malabarba (UFRGS); Aline Andriolo and Carolina Doria (UFRO); Carine Chamon, Everton Oliveira and Paulo Lucinda (UNT); Francisco Severo Neto and Thomaz Sinani (ZUFMS) for loan material and assistance during visits of the first author to collections under their care. Alejandro Londoño-Burbano (MNRJ) for comments and discussion about the Loricariinae and generous contributions to this manuscript. Roberto Reis (MCP), Jonathan Armbruster (AUM) and an anonymous reviewer provided useful comments that helped improve the manuscript. Lucas Garcia (MNRJ) for the drawing of Fig. 1. Igor Souto-Santos (MNRJ) for helping with photos for Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Guilherme Dutra (MZUSP) for the photograph of the type locality. MD is supported from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/PROEX 88887.335793/2019–00). MRB and WBW are supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, processes #311294/2021–9 and #307988/2021–0).
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New species of Farlowella (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Tapajós basin, Pará, Brazil
Manuela DopazoWolmar B. WosiackiMarcelo R. BrittoABOUT THE AUTHORS
- Abstract
- Resumo
- Text
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- REFERENCES
- ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Edited-by
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Keywords:
Amazon; Armored catfish; Biodiversity; Loricariinae; Taxonomy
ResumoUma nova espécie de cascudo-graveto Farlowella é descrita de pequenos igarapés do baixo rio Tapajós, no Estado do Pará, norte do Brasil. A nova espécie é distinta de todas as suas congêneres por uma região gular nua (vs. região gular com placas) e de muitas congêneres pela presença de cinco fileiras de placas laterais na região anterior do corpo (vs. quatro). A nova espécie apresenta variação na série de placas abdominais e é feita uma discussão sobre a variação das placas abdominais dentro de Farlowella e comentários sobre caracteres sinapomórficos em Farlowellini.
Palavras-chave:
Amazônia; Biodiversidade; Cascudo; Loricariinae; Taxonomia
INTRODUCTIONThe genus FarlowellaEigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner, (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker, (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann, (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al., (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
MATERIAL AND METHODSMeasurements were taken point to point with digital calipers. Measurements are expressed as percents of the standard length (SL), except subunits of head, which are expressed as percents of the head length (HL). Measurements follow Boeseman, (1971), except measurement of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin that follow Retzer, Page (1996), plus minimum width of snout (minimum width at the tip of snout) (Fig. 1A), distance between cleithral processes (between the humeral processes of the cleithrum) (Fig. 1B) and maximum width of snout (maximum width in transverse line from the posterior edge of the ventral plate before mouth) (Fig. 1C). Counts and nomenclature of lateral plate series follow Ballen et al., (2016a). Osteological nomenclature follows Paixão, Toledo-Piza, (2009), except for parieto-supraoccipital instead of supraoccipital (Arratia, Gayet, 1995), pterotic-extraescapular instead of pterotic-supracleithrum (Slobodian, Pastana, 2018). Vertebral counts include only free centra, with the compound caudal centrum (preural 1+ ural 1) counted as a single element. Cleared and stained (cs) specimens were prepared according to the methods of Taylor, Van Dyke, (1985). Numbers in parentheses following meristic counts correspond to number of specimens having that count, and those indicated by an asterisk (*) belong to the holotype. Map was generated in the QGIS 3.14.16 program. Institutional abbreviations follow Sabaj, (2022). The estimated Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and Area of Occupation (AOO) of the species was calculated using the web portal of the Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT: http://geocat.kew.org/) and the categories and criteria of conservation status of species followed IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
FIGURE 1 |
Additional measures used in this study. A. Minimum width of snout; B. Distance between cleithral processes; and C. Maximum width of snout.
RESULTSFarlowella wuyjugu, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA22FB00-B26F-45C0-A121-2BD8FB00B523
(Figs. 2–3; Tab. 1)
Holotype. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça.
Paratypes. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. INPA 59894, 2, 124.8–128.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MNRJ 53691, 2, 127.3–130.9 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894. MPEG 10062, 5, 112.0–121.6 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 12865, 5, 90.9–123.2 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 12, 2 cs, 97.6–136.5 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 10857, 5, 111.7–128.2 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 32191, 4, 94.3–133.9 mm SL, same locality as MPEG 10857, 14 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 12684, 5, 1 cs, 122.8–144.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°50’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag.
Non-types. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. MPEG 10055, 4, 102.9–124.3 mm SL, MPEG 10062, 13, 70.0–109.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 10851, 1, 119.2 mm SL, MPEG 10852, 3, 79.5–116.1 mm SL, MPEG 10853, 1, 121.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10855, 4, 46.7–88.7 mm SL, MPEG 10856, 7, 54.2–108.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10857, 11, 65.1–145.8 mm SL, MPEG 10858, 2, 106.2–112.8 mm SL, MPEG 10859, 4, 64.4–128.3 mm SL, MPEG 10861, 1, 113.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10860, 1, 128.6 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10862, 3, 49.6–54.6 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10956, 1, 26.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 12491, 4, 18.6–45.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, 02°36’44.8”S 56°11’37.3”W, 9 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 12865, 4, 69.8–93.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 13040, 2, 35.7–38.4 mm SL, MPEG 13043, 2, 20.6–30 mm SL, MPEG 13050, 2, 11.0–118.4 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13041, 1, 56.3 mm SL, MPEG 13044, 5, 56.8–93.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 12 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13042, 3, 48.1–45.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13045, 1, 92.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13046, 1, 101.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13048, 5, 50.2–80.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13731, 2, 63.9–69.4 mm SL, MPEG 14143, 7, 61.9–136.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14271, 1, 42.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 27 Nov 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14711, 13, 46.2–126.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 8, 56.6–95.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 16955, 1, 120.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’33.2”S 56°11’33.4”W, 19 Feb 2008, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 26172, 13, 71.8–129.8 mm SL, MPEG 26173, 4, 61.5–94.5 mm SL, MPEG 26333, 1, 86.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 28 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26179,19, 43.5–156.4 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 29996, 2, 112.7–117.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 6 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26997, 9, 100.5–129.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 7 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26998, 1, 88.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 11 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26999, 5, 51.9–138.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 12 Dec 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32191, 4, 93.7–136.6 mm SL, MPEG 32192, 2, 55.6–115.1 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32193, 15, 32.9–124.2 mm SL, MPEG 32194, 14, 61.4–127.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 22 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32195, 1, 135.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 18 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32507, 72.4–113.1 mm S, MPEG 32508, 11, 49.0–116.5 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 20 Mar 2015, M. B. Mendonça.
FIGURE 2 |
Dorsal, lateral and ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu, holotype, 143.4 mm SL, MPEG 26178, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, igarapé Rio Branco, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin.
Diagnosis.Farlowella wuyjugu can be diagnosed from its congeners by lack of plates in gular region (vs. gular plates present) (Fig. 3). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners, except Farlowella altocorpus Retzer, 2006, F. azpelicuetae Terán, Ballen, Alonso, Aguilera & Mirande, 2019, F. gianetii Ballen, Pastana & Peixoto, 2016, F. gracilis Regan, 1904, F. guarani Delgadillo, Maldonado & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2021, F. hasemani Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. isbrueckeri Retzer & Page, 1997, F. jauruensis Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. myriodon, F. nattereri Steindachner, 1910, and F. odontotumulusRetzer & Page, 1997, by having five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). Additionally, F. wuyjugu differs from F. altocorpus and F. azpelicuatae by having a smaller body width at dorsal origin (4.3–5.5 vs. 6.4–8.1% SL); from F. gianetti by number of caudal-fin rays (i,11,i or i,12,i vs. i,10,i); from F. gracilis by having head triangular in dorsal view (vs. head square); from F. guarani by interorbital width (12.0–16.0 vs. 28.6–44% HL) and eye diameter (3.6–5.8 vs. 6.6–13.3% HL); from F. hasemani by all fin rays uniformly pigmented (vs. fin rays not pigmented); from F. isbruckeri and F. odontotumulus by having the ventromedian row of anterior plates keeled (vs. ventromedian row of anterior plates unkeeled); from F. jauruensis by having five branched pelvic-fin rays (vs. four branched pelvic-fin rays); from F. myriodon by having dark brown lateral stripe on each side of snout (vs. absence of such stripe, snout completely dark); and from F. nattereri by having a short pectoral fin, not reaching the pelvic-fin base (vs. long pectoral fin, reaching the pelvic-fin base).
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TABLE 1 |
Morphometrics of Farlowella wuyjugu, new species. Values as percents of standard length (SL) and head length (HL) for holotype and 38 paratypes. n = number of specimens, SD = Standard deviation.
Description. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype in Fig. 2. Morphometric and meristic data for holotype and paratypes summarized in Tab. 1. Body slender and very elongated, completely covered by dermal plates, except in gular portion. Head triangular and elongate in dorsal and ventral views. Rostrum slender and flat in ventral view. Orbit circular, dorsolaterally placed, visible in dorsal view and not visible in ventral view. Preorbital ridge present. Mouth ventral. Dorsal profile of head concave from snout tip to anterior margin of nares, relatively straight to convex from point to posterior margin of nares to posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital and slightly concave to dorsal-fin origin. Posterior profile of margin of dorsal-fin origin slightly concave and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile slightly straight from tip of snout to anal-fin origin, slightly concave in anal-fin base and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle.
Mouth ovoid, lower lip longer than upper lip; wide oval papillae on upper lip and round papillae on lower lip, decreasing in size from oral aperture to lip margin; lip margin papillose. Bicuspid slender teeth, each premaxilla with 22(2), 23*(1), 29(1), 31(1), 33(1), 36(1), 37(3), 39(1), 40(2), 41(1), 42(3), 43(2), 44(1), 46(3), 47(4), 48(4), 49(4), 51(2), 53(1) or 55(1) teeth and each dentary with 18*(3), 22(1), 23(1), 26(2), 28(1), 29(2), 30(2), 32(3), 33(3), 34(1), 35(4), 36(3), 37(1), 38(4), 39(2), 40(2), 41(1), 42(1) or 43(2) teeth; premaxilla larger than dentary. Two maxillary barbels small and projecting slightly from mouth margin.
Five lateral plate rows on body, with 31(6), 32*(30) or 33(3) dorsal plates; 6(1), 7*(5), 8(23) or 9(10) dorsomedian plates; 7(1), 8*(5), 9(20) or 10(13) median plates; 14*(7), 15(27) or 16(5) ventromedian plates; 35(3), 36(7), 37*(15), 38(9), 39(3) or 40(2) ventral plates; 5(14), 6*(18), 7(6) or 8(1) dorsomedian+median plates; 18(12), 19(20) or 20*(7) coalescent plates; 8*(39) predorsal plates; 23(6), 24*(30) or 25(3) postdorsal plates; 20(2), 21(14), 22*(21), 23(1) or 24(1) postanal plates; 2 plates at the base of caudal fin and one preanal plate. Abdomen covered with two lateral rows with 6(6), 7*(19), 8(11), 9(2), 11(1) lateral abdominal plates (left) and 6(10), 7*(14), 8(8) or 9(7) lateral abdominal plates (right), and one midabdominal incomplete (23)* row or when complete (16) row with 2(1), 3(2), 4*(2), 5(1), 6(5), 7(7), 8(7), 9(3), 10(3), 11(2), 12(3), 13(2) or 16(1) midabdominal plates.
Lateral line complete; reaching up to last caudal peduncle coalesced plate. Preopercular canal passing through infraorbital six with two pores. Terminal exit of parietal branch in frontal bone curved. Canal-bearing cheek plate in ventral position. Nasal slightly curved in anterior portion with pore opening laterally.
Pectoral-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin slightly concave; unbranched ray longest. Dorsal-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; three* or four plates along its base; unbranched ray longest. Pelvic-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight; unbranched ray longest. Anal-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; unbranched ray longest; three* or four plates along its base. Caudal-fin rays i,11,i(2) or i,12,i*(37); posterior margin deeply concave; dorsal and ventral lobes similar in size; filaments on upper and lower unbranched rays. All fin rays with odontodes; more developed odontodes on unbranched first ray.
Mesethmoid long; lateral expansion of anterior portion absent; mesethmoid ventral posterior process present. Nasal rectangular irregular bone curved laterally. Frontal wide, occluded from dorsal border of orbit. Orbit anteriorly delimited by dermal plate, dorsally by frontal bone, dorsolaterally by sphenotic, and ventrally by infraorbital series. Sphenotic quadrate in shape, contacting frontal bone anterolaterally, parieto-supraoccipital dorsally, infraorbital six ventrally, and pterotic-extrascapular posteriorly. Pterotic-extrascapular with large perforations. Parieto-supraoccipital wide and oval, contacting first predorsal plate posteriorly. Anterior contact of hyomandibula with metapterygoid and quadrate, and ventral with preopercle. Symphyseal cartilage between quadrate and hyomandibula. Anterior margin of quadrate articulation with anguloarticular. Dentary almost twice the size of anguloarticular. Autopalatine irregular, rod-like shape. Anterior margin of autopalatine articulation with maxilla and posterior contact posteriorly with vomer and metapterygoid. Preopercle long and partially exposed; anterior process reaching at least half of quadrate length. Suspensorium rectangular in overall shape. Three branchiostegal rays. Hypohyal anterior border straight, without anterior projection. Urohyal triangular and posterior margin rounded, with medial foramen. Anterohyal and posterohyal partially separated by cartilage. Anterior margin of anterohyal greatly expanded. Basibranchial 2, 3 and 4 present; basibranchial 2 and 3 elongated; basibranchial 2 equal to basibranchial 3; basibranchial 2 and 3 ossified and basibranchial 4 cartilaginous. Two hypobranchials; hypobranchial 1 ossified and hypobranchial 2 cartilaginous. Four epibranchials with similar size. Five ceratobranchials; ceratobranchial 1 with accessory flange; ceratobranchial 5 triangular; ceratobranchial teeth restricted to mesial area of plate. Upper pharyngeal plate club-shaped, completely covered with fine teeth. Vertebral count 39(1) and 40(1); five thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12(1) and four thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 9, 10, 11 and 12(1); parapophysis of complex vertebra well developed (two specimens).
FIGURE 3 |
Gular region and variation of abdominal plates in specimens, ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu. A. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL; B. INPA 59894, 128.9 mm SL; C. MPEG 12684, 125 mm SL.
Coloration in alcohol. Ground color of dorsum and head pale or dark brown. Light brown color with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots on predorsal portion, from tip of parieto-supraoccipital and extending to all plates. Five to six rounded spots between the second and third infraorbital, extending to opercle. One dark brown lateral stripe on each side, that runs from snout to caudal peduncle. Ventral portion of head brown; yellow between lower lip and anterior portion of anal fin. Dorsal profile in posterior portion of anal fin light brown with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots along the plates, same to dorsal portion, more delimited in some individuals. Upper lip with scattered chromatophores. Pectoral, dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin rays with hyaline membranes and pigmented brown rays, sometimes forming dark bands. First rays markedly dark. Caudal fin almost completely dark brown, membranes and rays pigmented, in some individuals with area of hyaline membrane (Fig. 4).
FIGURE 4 |
Caudal fin coloration of Farlowella wuyjugu. MPEG 31191, 119.9 mm SL.
Geographical distribution.Farlowella wuyjugu is known only from small, forest creeks near Juruti, Pará State, tributaries of rio Arapiuns, rio Tapajós in its lower portion, rio Amazon basin, Brazil (Fig. 5).
FIGURE 5 |
Geographic distribution of Farlowella wuyjugu in lower rio Tapajós. Star = holotype; circles = paratypes localities.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the combination of the words Wuy jugu, which is the self-denomination of indigenous people known in Brazil as Munduruku. This ethnic group is part of the Tupi trunk and they are located in different regions and territories in the states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso. In the region of the lower Tapajós River, in recent years some communities in the process of their ethnic identity have recognized themselves as Munduruku (Ramos, 2022). A noun in apposittion.
Conservation status.Farlowella wuyjugu is known from four collection stations [igarapé Rio Branco (Fig. 6), igarapé Mutum, and igarapé São Francisco] in Juruti municipality, Pará State, Brazil. Using the GeoCAT we calculate the extent of occurrence (EOO) of the species in 4,921 km2, suggesting a threatened category of Endangered (EN). Farlowella wuyjugu is sampled in few localities in the Juruti municipality, impacted by a large bauxite extraction project, deteriorating their habitats. Following the recommendations by the IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022), F. wuyjugu should be categorized as Nearly Threatened (NT), following criterions B2:EN (EOO < 5,000 km2), b(iii) (decline of quality of habitat by bauxite extraction).
FIGURE 6 |
Igarapé Rio Branco, type-locality of Farlowella wuyjugu.
Variation of abdominal plates within Farlowellawuyjugu. Abdominal plates are usually termed as lateral abdominal plates, which are transversely elongated plates between the pectoral-fin axilla and the pelvic-fin insertion, and midabdominal plates, which cover the abdomen between the lateral ones (Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021). The midabdominal plates, in Farlowella, can be absent or present and when present can be incomplete or complete. Ballen et al., (2016b) described Falowella mitoupiboBallen, Urbano-Bonilla & Zamudio, 2016 and proposed as diagnostic for the species an incomplete median disjunct row of abdominal plates, divided at the center by plates belonging to the lateral rows of abdominal plates (vs. two or three complete rows of abdominal plates or an incomplete median row of one or two plates anteriorly that never reach to the level of the prepelvic plate). Although the authors proposed this character as a diagnosis for the species, in recent examinations of the type material of F. mitoupibo, it was possible to observe two completes rows of abdominal plates in one specimen (M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Farlowella wuyjugu have midabdominal plates and can be an incomplete or complete midabdominal series (Fig. 3). An incomplete midabdominal series can be a disjunct row as described for F. mitoupibo or an incomplete median row of plates anteriorly that do not reach to the level of the prepelvic plate (Figs. 3A, B). Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species group of Farlowella: two rows (F. acus (Kner, 1853) group and F. amazonumGünther, 1864 group) and three rows (F. curtirostra Myers, 1942 group, F. mariaelene Martín Salazar, 1964 group, F. nattereri group, F. knerii (Steindachner, 1882) group and unassigned species group). Although Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species groups of Farlowella, both states were found in F. wuyjugu and F. mitoupibo, rendering that character not be useful to differentiate groups because they are variable within Farlowella species. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus (including the species described here) is being carried out and aims to test if these characters (proposed by Retzer, Page, 1996) are in fact phylogenetically informative.
DISCUSSIONLondoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) recovered the tribe Farlowellini Fowler, 1958 including five genera, Lamontichthys Miranda Ribeiro, 1939, Pterosturisoma Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978, Sturisoma Swainson, 1838, Sturisomatichthys Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 and Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889. The authors defined two exclusive synapomorphies for the tribe: (1) nuchal plate articulated to lateral plates (char 175) and (2) the presence of gular plates (char 179). According to Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), gular plates are large, polygonal dermal plates covering the ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip. Character 175 was observed in F. wuyjugu, however, character 179 is not applicable to the new species because of the lack of gular plates. Almost twenty years after the publication of the study by Retzer, Page (1996). Farlowella was proposed as a monophyletic group by Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) with 11 morphological and 38 molecular synapomorphies. Of the eleven morphological synapomorphies, four were considered exclusive for the genus: (1) number of branchiostegal rays fewer than four (char 109); (2) straight and upright lamina on neural spine on the sixth vertebra for articulation with ventral surface of parieto-supraoccipital (char 114); (3) absence of pleural rib associated to the seventh vertebra (char 117); (4) short anteriormost paraneural spines (char 129). These character states were all observed in F. wuyjugu supporting the species as a member of the genus. Despite the high number of morphological characters and the number of terminals used in the analysis by the authors, there are many high homoplastic characters and not useful for a diagnosis at the species level.
Other Farlowella species are also identified for the rio Tapajós basin (F. gr. amazonum, F. cf. oxyrryncha, F. schreitmuelleri Arnold, 1936, and F. sp.; M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Species with type locality in or near the region are F. amazonum (Santarém, Pará State), F. gladiolusGünther, 1864 (rio Cupari, rio Tapajós basin, Amazon River drainage, Pará State), and F. schreitmuelleri (lower Amazon River basin, Santarém, Pará State), but they differ from F. wuyjugu mainly by the number of lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (four vs. five). Farlowella amazonum and F. gladiolus were described in the same work by Günther, (1864). In the review of the genus by Retzer, Page (1996), F. gladiolus was placed in the synonymy with F. amazonum, however, Covain et al., (2016) recognized the former as a valid species. There are several taxonomic issues regarding the validity of Farlowella species and their delimitation. These questions are being addressed in an ongoing taxonomic review (by MD and MRB) of the genus. Our description of F. wuyjugu contributes to the knowledge of the rio Arapiuns and to the understanding of the ichthyofauna of the rio Tapajós basin.
Comparative material examined.Farlowella acus: Colombia: MPUJ 2834, 1, 183.6 mm SL; MPUJ 2842, 1, 133.3 mm SL; MPUJ 2955, 1, 50.1 mm SL: MPUJ 7320,1 124.1 mm SL; MPUJ 9287, 1, 122.5 mm SL; MPUJ 10915, 1, 116.9 mm SL; MPUJ 11158, 1, 130.4 mm SL; MPUJ 13270, 1, 38.6 mm SL: MPUJ 16876, 1, 76 mm SL; Venezuela: ANSP 130038, 20, 90.6–149.7 mm SL; MZUSP 147, 2, 108.4–123.8 mm SL; Farlowella cf. altocorpus: Brazil: INPA 3034, 49, 64.2–155.6 mm SL; INPA 3035, 16, 58–148.6 mm SL; Farlowella amazonum: Brazil: LIA 7233, 1, 84.7 mm SL; LIA 7235, 64.8–198.5 mm SL; LIA 7236, 4, 69.2–92,5 mm SL; LBP 4344, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 10860, 3, 111.0–144.7 mm SL; LBP 11118, 1, 132.2 mm SL; LBP 12117, 5, 47.4–147.2 mm SL; LBP 15179, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 17994, 3, 70.7–121.81 mm SL; LBP 20432, 1, 110.1 mm SL; LBP 20964, 2, 67.5–113.1 mm SL; LBP 21208, 4, 69.5–121.7 mm SL; LBP 21230, 1, 142.1 mm SL; LBP 22348, 13, 54.9–203.6 mm SL; LBP 22488, 1, 169.2 mm SL; MCP 44240, 6, 163.8–190.7 mm SL; MCP 50059, 83.6–176.4 mm SL; MNRJ 762, 3, 130.1–161.2 mm SL; MNRJ 35534, 15, 79.9–166.1 mm SL, 3 cs; MNRJ 35535, 3, 176.3–161.3 mm SL; MNRJ 35536, 2, 76.3–176.8 mm SL; MNRJ 35537, 2, 99.7–179.9 mm SL; MNRJ 39040, 8, 52.1–73.7 mm SL; MNRJ 39249, 1, 66.6 mm SL; MNRJ 39270, 6, 34.4–66.8 mm SL; MPEG 3072, 2, 71,7–146.2 mm SL; MPEG 9008, 4, 147–182.3 mm SL; MPEG 13290, 5, 157.9–180.3 mm SL; MPEG 17077, 1, 50.8 mm SL; MPEG 19827, 1, 182.2 mm SL; MPEG 19945, 1, 123.8 mm SL; MPEG 23942, 2, 139–175.4 mm SL; MPEG 23726, 2, 166.4–172.5 mm SL; MPEG 24470, 1, 129.2 mm SL; MPEG 24471, 2, 166.3–74 mm SL; MPEG 30598, 5, 118.3–151.1 mm SL; MPEG 30931, 1, 104.2 mm SL; MPEG 30936, 1, 109.7 mm SL; MZUSP 23416, 5, 35.9–139.2 mm SL; MZUSP 27717, 1, 115.8 mm SL; MZUSP 121244, 1, 207.0 mm SL; UFRGS 21710, 1, 80.5 mm SL; Peru: ANSP 191818, 2, 172.7–179.6 mm SL; ANSP 199910, 1, 146.1 mm SL; Farlowella azpelicuetae: Argentina: MZUSP 123935, paratype, 80.8 mm SL; MZUSP 123936, 2, paratypes, 79.8–165.9 mm SL; Farlowella gianetti: Brazil: MZUSP 95564, holotype, 114.4 mm SL; MZUSP 97022, paratypes, 94.1–118.6 mm SL; Farlowella cf. hahni: Brazil: MZUEL 9037, 5, 56.6–131 mm SL; MZUEL 9669, 1, 47.2 mm SL; NUP 374, 6, 78.1–161.7 mm SL; NUP 818, 5, 127.6–140 mm SL; NUP 819, 10, 89.3–156.2 mm SL; NUP 1450, 1, 111.7 mm SL; NUP 1496, 5, 95.7–177.8 mm SL; NUP 2849, 1, 128.4 mm SL; NUP 4029, 2, 151.1–162.2 mm SL; NUP 4525, 1, 130.7 mm SL; NUP 4728, 5, 129.4–148 mm SL; NUP 7867, 2, 134.7–140.3 mm SL; NUP 11443, 1, 109.5 mm SL; NUP 13303, 2, 103.2–129.7 mm SL; NUP 14747, 1, 125.6 mm SL; NUP 16978, 2, 133.8–149.8 mm SL; Farlowella hasemani: Brazil: INPA 3912, 190.8 mm SL; Farlowella henriquei: Brazil: INPA 3012, 2, 68.8–111 mm SL; INPA 3030, 1, 170.3 mm SL; INPA 3911, 147.9–153.1 mm SL; INPA 3913, 1, 180.7; INPA 34545, 3, 83.6–160.5 mm SL; MZUSP 2159, holotype, 165.7 mm SL; Farlowella isbruckeri: Brazil: MZUSP 27704, paratype, 134.8 mm SL; Farlowella jauruensis: Brazil: MZUSP 59457, 2, 58.3–57.3 mm SL; MZUSP 58485, 1, 77.2 mm SL; MZUSP 115560, 1, 81.4 mm SL; Farlowella knerii: Ecuador: ANSP 130435, 2, 21.4–73.3 mm SL; ANSP 130436, 1, 123.3 mm SL; Farlowella latisoma: Brazil: MNRJ 761, holotype, 179.3 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella schreitmuelleri; Farlowella mariaelenae: Venezuela: ROM 94123, 2, 67.2–81.8 mm SL; Farlowella mitoupibo: Colombia: MPUJ 8481, holotype, 203.7 mm SL; MPUJ 8479, 1, paratype, 112.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8480, paratype, 5, 65.7–170 mm SL; MPUJ 8482, paratype, 109.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8483, paratype, 1, 163.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8484, paratype, 1, 112.5 mm SL; Farlowella myriodon: Peru: MZUSP 15328, holotype, 154 mm SL; MZUSP 15332, paratype, 134.2 mm SL; MZUSP 15342, paratype, 92.6 mm SL; Farlowella nattereri: Brazil: LBP 10568, 3, 80.7–92.4 mm SL; LBP 18192, 6, 47.5–117.5 mm SL; LBP 18526, 1, 189.9 mm SL; LBP 18580, 3, 102.9–164.5 mm SL; LBP 26628, 7, 185.0–208.6 mm SL; MNRJ 3732, 2, 166.9–168.2 mm SL; MNRJ 37080, 1, 135.7 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 6731, 2, 96.4–104.6 mm SL; UFRGS 26186, 1, 147.7 mm SL; Colombia: ROM 107219, 3, 90.3–213 mm SL; Peru: LBP 22594, 1, 132.3 mm SL; ROM 64063, 6, 42.9–129.8 mm SL; Farlowella aff. nattereri: Brazil: INPA 1637, 1, 117.8 mm SL; INPA 1963, 2, 78.7–146.1 mm SL; INPA 2017, 1, 87.5 mm SL; INPA 2808, 1, 171.8 mm SL; INPA 3916, 1, 95 mm SL; INPA 4839, 1, 184.5 mm SL; INPA 12945, 1, 162.5 mm SL; INPA 16763, 1, 52 mm SL; INPA 43891, 1, 199.1 mm SL; Guyana: INPA 58225, 2, 135.6–52.7 mm SL; ROM 97162, 1, 112.3 mm SL; Farlowella oliveirae Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: MNRJ 757, holotype, 111.8 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella aff. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 12940, 6, 61–155.2 mm SL; INPA 12941, 1, 60.5 mm SL; INPA 29869, 5, 29.9–105.1 mm SL; INPA 31038, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MZUEL 6713, 1, 103 mm SL; Farlowella cf. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 1645,1, 86.4 mm SL; INPA 8159, 3, 61.9–151.6 mm SL; INPA 10371, 21, 72.33–188 mm SL; INPA 12964, 1, 56.3 mm SL; INPA 14001, 1, 159.2; INPA 20796, 1, 134.4 mm SL; INPA 27505, 21, 23.9–129.3 mm SL; INPA 37694, 1, 75 mm SL; INPA 53229, 1, 199.8 mm SL; INPA 54977, 1, 110 mm SL; INPA 58662, 1, 170.5 mm SL; MCP 32735, 1, 83 mm SL; MCP 36623, 7, 51.6–112.7 mm SL; MCP 46138, 1, 103 mm SL; MPEG 13083, 3, 116.4–127 mm SL; MPEG 28662, 5, 73.7–178.5 mm SL; MPEG 30901, 1, 103.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12165, 4, 105,5–97.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12325, 5, 49.8–133.6 mm SL; UFRGS 21842, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MNRJ 23380, 1, 115.4 mm SL; MZUSP 22919, 6, 47.7–101.8 mm SL; MZUSP 96753, 8, 55.9–101 mm SL; MZUSP 125342, 10, 69.2–195 mm SL; Farlowella paraguayensis Retzer & Page, 1997: Brazil: INPA 567, 5, 72.3–122.1 mm SL; INPA 2829, 4, 65.1–135 mm SL; INPA 2830, 6, 70.5–153.2; INPA 3919, 12, 56.5–88.7 mm SL; INPA 12999, 4, 59.8–110.7 mm SL; MNRJ 760, 1, 162.0 mm SL; MNRJ 46680, 2, 117.8–118.3 mm SL; MZUSP 47243, 8, paratypes, 122.5–134.4 mm SL; NUP 15010, 8, 51.7–95.8 mm SL; NUP 21531, 5, 56.3–101 mm SL; ZUFMS 1292, 2, 134.6–143.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 1426, 3, 112.9–122.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 4373, 3, 113.7–128.4 mm SL; ZUFMS 5950, 4, 74.2–122.9 mm SL; Farlowella pleurotaenia Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: Brazil: MNRJ 758, holotype, 99.6 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella rugosa Boeseman, 1971: Brazil: IEPA 3886, 1, 187.2 mm SL; IEPA 3916, 1, 113.6 mm SL; Guyana: ROM 64797, 1, 143.5 mm SL; ROM 85790, 3, 73.9–87.4 mm SL; ROM 85916, 1, 73.7 mm SL; ROM 85922, 2, 81.9–143.1 mm SL; ROM 86116, 2, 63.5–65 mm SL; Suriname: ROM 98122, 1, 90.64 mm SL; Farlowella schreitmuelleri: Brazil: IEPA 2708, 1, 59 mm SL; IEPA 4644, 1, 66.9 mm SL; IEPA 4708, 1, 63.1 mm SL, IEPA 4724, 2, 80.1–121.8 mm SL; IEPA 4727, 6, 63.3–120.6 mm SL; INPA 3917, 1, 82.8 mm SL; INPA 3918, 1, 76.2 mm SL; INPA 6777, 9, 63.1–104.7 mm SL; INPA 6978, 3, 67.6–111.3 mm SL; INPA 7069, 1, 76 mm SL; INPA 8209, 1, 75.8 mm SL; INPA 24914, 11, 78.8–125.4 mm SL; INPA 29109, 2, 55.3–66.5 mm SL; INPA 44877, 5, 66.2–111 mm SL; INPA 44493, 1, 110.1 mm SL; INPA 44662, 1, 71.4 mm SL; INPA 45127, 2, 99.4–113.3 mm SL; INPA 45891, 13, 59.5–115.4 mm SL; INPA 46005, 1, 98.6 mm SL; INPA 46027, 1, 119.7 mm SL; MZUSP 101583, 2, 91.6–132 mm SL; MZUSP 101828, 1, 93.1 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; Farlowella smithi Fowler, 1913: Brazil: UFRGS 25175, 3, 60.9–71.8 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 507, 3, 64.8–89.9 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 24122, 3, 70.3–88.9 mm SL; MZUSP 73593, 14, 56.9–85.8 mm SL; Farlowella vittata Myers, 1942: Colombia: LBP 18722, 2, 51.9–130.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8349, 8, 37.4–124.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8353, 2, 54.3–75.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8357, 7, 78.9–128.3 mm SL; Venezuela: LBP 2307, 1, 87.4 mm SL; LBP 9950, 2, 51.6–123.4 mm SL; ROM 88294, 6, 90.4–77.5 mm SL; ROM 94407, 3, 62–136.3 mm SL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe are grateful to Mariangeles Arce and Mark Sabaj (ANSP); Cecile Gama (IEPA); Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Renildo Oliveira and Vitoria Pereira (INPA); Claudio Oliveira (LBP); Isaac Cabral and Leandro Sousa (LIA); Carlos Lucena (MCP); Alberto Akama and Angelo Dourado (MPEG); Alejandra Rodríguez, Tiago Carvalho and Saul Prada (MPUJ); Alessio Datovo, Guilherme Dutra, Mario de Pinna and Michel Gianeti (MZUSP); Carla Pavanelli and Marli Campos (NUPELIA); Marg Zur and Nathan Lujan (ROM); Fernando Jerep and José Birindelli (UEL); Juliana Wingert and Luiz Malabarba (UFRGS); Aline Andriolo and Carolina Doria (UFRO); Carine Chamon, Everton Oliveira and Paulo Lucinda (UNT); Francisco Severo Neto and Thomaz Sinani (ZUFMS) for loan material and assistance during visits of the first author to collections under their care. Alejandro Londoño-Burbano (MNRJ) for comments and discussion about the Loricariinae and generous contributions to this manuscript. Roberto Reis (MCP), Jonathan Armbruster (AUM) and an anonymous reviewer provided useful comments that helped improve the manuscript. Lucas Garcia (MNRJ) for the drawing of Fig. 1. Igor Souto-Santos (MNRJ) for helping with photos for Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Guilherme Dutra (MZUSP) for the photograph of the type locality. MD is supported from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/PROEX 88887.335793/2019–00). MRB and WBW are supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, processes #311294/2021–9 and #307988/2021–0).
Manuela DopazoWolmar B. WosiackiMarcelo R. BrittoABOUT THE AUTHORS
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Keywords:
Amazon; Armored catfish; Biodiversity; Loricariinae; Taxonomy
ResumoUma nova espécie de cascudo-graveto Farlowella é descrita de pequenos igarapés do baixo rio Tapajós, no Estado do Pará, norte do Brasil. A nova espécie é distinta de todas as suas congêneres por uma região gular nua (vs. região gular com placas) e de muitas congêneres pela presença de cinco fileiras de placas laterais na região anterior do corpo (vs. quatro). A nova espécie apresenta variação na série de placas abdominais e é feita uma discussão sobre a variação das placas abdominais dentro de Farlowella e comentários sobre caracteres sinapomórficos em Farlowellini.
Palavras-chave:
Amazônia; Biodiversidade; Cascudo; Loricariinae; Taxonomia
INTRODUCTIONThe genus FarlowellaEigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 is a component of the freshwater fish fauna of the Neotropics. With 32 valid species, Farlowella is the second-most species-rich genus of Loricariinae, a sub-family comprised of 262 valid species in 31 genera (Delgadillo et al., 2021; Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021; Fricke et al., 2023). Farlowella representatives are widely distributed in the main cis-Andean South America river drainages and trans-Andean Maracaibo and Magdalena river basins (Terán et al., 2019). They are easily distinguished by having a pronounced rostrum, a thin, elongated, brown body with two longitudinal bands that extend from the tip of the rostrum to the caudal peduncle (Covain, Fisch-Muller, 2007), resembling dry twigs or sticks, which justifies the popular name stick catfishes.
The first taxonomic study was the description of the genus Acestra by Kner, (1853), with the first species described: Acestra acus and A. oxyrryncha, but without designating the type species of the genus, until A. acus was determined by Bleeker, (1862). However, Acestra was already occupied in Hemiptera (Dallas, 1852) and the name Farlowella was then replaced by Eigenmann, Eigenmann, (1889). From the end of the 19th century, several species were described, totaling 37 names that remained for almost a century, when Retzer, Page (1996) revised the genus based on characters of external morphology. This was the last revision of its species, as well as the first exclusive hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. In that study, the authors performed a phylogenetic analysis with morphological data including only one external group, Aposturisoma myriodon Isbrücker, Britski, Nijssen & Ortega, 1983 (= Farlowella myriodon), that was used to root the tree; the monophyly of the genus, and species relationships were not actually tested. The authors also proposed six species groups and six species were considered as incertae sedis.
Recently, Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), based on combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis, formally recognized Aposturisoma myriodon as a member of Farlowella to assign the monophyly of the genus. Although A. myriodon is phenotypically different from Farlowella, this configuration had already been recovered by Covain et al., (2016). Based on the review of Farlowella material deposited in different collections and on the examination of material collected in the river near the confluence with rio Tapajós, in its lower portion, we identified a new species of Farlowella, which is described herein.
MATERIAL AND METHODSMeasurements were taken point to point with digital calipers. Measurements are expressed as percents of the standard length (SL), except subunits of head, which are expressed as percents of the head length (HL). Measurements follow Boeseman, (1971), except measurement of distance from pectoral-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin that follow Retzer, Page (1996), plus minimum width of snout (minimum width at the tip of snout) (Fig. 1A), distance between cleithral processes (between the humeral processes of the cleithrum) (Fig. 1B) and maximum width of snout (maximum width in transverse line from the posterior edge of the ventral plate before mouth) (Fig. 1C). Counts and nomenclature of lateral plate series follow Ballen et al., (2016a). Osteological nomenclature follows Paixão, Toledo-Piza, (2009), except for parieto-supraoccipital instead of supraoccipital (Arratia, Gayet, 1995), pterotic-extraescapular instead of pterotic-supracleithrum (Slobodian, Pastana, 2018). Vertebral counts include only free centra, with the compound caudal centrum (preural 1+ ural 1) counted as a single element. Cleared and stained (cs) specimens were prepared according to the methods of Taylor, Van Dyke, (1985). Numbers in parentheses following meristic counts correspond to number of specimens having that count, and those indicated by an asterisk (*) belong to the holotype. Map was generated in the QGIS 3.14.16 program. Institutional abbreviations follow Sabaj, (2022). The estimated Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and Area of Occupation (AOO) of the species was calculated using the web portal of the Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT: http://geocat.kew.org/) and the categories and criteria of conservation status of species followed IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022).
FIGURE 1 |
Additional measures used in this study. A. Minimum width of snout; B. Distance between cleithral processes; and C. Maximum width of snout.
RESULTSFarlowella wuyjugu, new species
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FA22FB00-B26F-45C0-A121-2BD8FB00B523
(Figs. 2–3; Tab. 1)
Holotype. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça.
Paratypes. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. INPA 59894, 2, 124.8–128.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MNRJ 53691, 2, 127.3–130.9 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894. MPEG 10062, 5, 112.0–121.6 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 12865, 5, 90.9–123.2 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 12, 2 cs, 97.6–136.5 mm SL, same locality as INPA 59894, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 10857, 5, 111.7–128.2 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 32191, 4, 94.3–133.9 mm SL, same locality as MPEG 10857, 14 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 12684, 5, 1 cs, 122.8–144.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°50’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag.
Non-types. All from Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, rio Arapiuns basin, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin. MPEG 10055, 4, 102.9–124.3 mm SL, MPEG 10062, 13, 70.0–109.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 3 Mar 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 10851, 1, 119.2 mm SL, MPEG 10852, 3, 79.5–116.1 mm SL, MPEG 10853, 1, 121.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10855, 4, 46.7–88.7 mm SL, MPEG 10856, 7, 54.2–108.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10857, 11, 65.1–145.8 mm SL, MPEG 10858, 2, 106.2–112.8 mm SL, MPEG 10859, 4, 64.4–128.3 mm SL, MPEG 10861, 1, 113.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10860, 1, 128.6 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10862, 3, 49.6–54.6 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 10956, 1, 26.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 17 Aug 2006, A. Hercos. MPEG 12491, 4, 18.6–45.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, 02°36’44.8”S 56°11’37.3”W, 9 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 12865, 4, 69.8–93.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02º36’44.5”S 56º11’37.3”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag & A. Hercos. MPEG 13040, 2, 35.7–38.4 mm SL, MPEG 13043, 2, 20.6–30 mm SL, MPEG 13050, 2, 11.0–118.4 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 19 Aug 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13041, 1, 56.3 mm SL, MPEG 13044, 5, 56.8–93.2 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 12 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13042, 3, 48.1–45.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13045, 1, 92.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 14 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13046, 1, 101.7 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13048, 5, 50.2–80.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 Dec 2006, L. F. A. Montag. MPEG 13731, 2, 63.9–69.4 mm SL, MPEG 14143, 7, 61.9–136.5 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’50.7”S 55°54’13.8”W, 15 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14271, 1, 42.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 27 Nov 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 14711, 13, 46.2–126.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’35.5”W, 11 May 2007, A. Hercos. MPEG 15900, 8, 56.6–95.8 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’44.5”S 56°11’37.3”W, 8 Sep 2002, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 16955, 1, 120.7 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’33.2”S 56°11’33.4”W, 19 Feb 2008, W. B. Wosiacki. MPEG 26172, 13, 71.8–129.8 mm SL, MPEG 26173, 4, 61.5–94.5 mm SL, MPEG 26333, 1, 86.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 28 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26179,19, 43.5–156.4 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 27 Nov 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 29996, 2, 112.7–117.4 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 6 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26997, 9, 100.5–129.9 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 7 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26998, 1, 88.9 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 11 Dec 2013, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 26999, 5, 51.9–138.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 12 Dec 2012, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32191, 4, 93.7–136.6 mm SL, MPEG 32192, 2, 55.6–115.1 mm SL, igarapé São Francisco, 02°34’52”S 55°54’10.8”W, 19 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32193, 15, 32.9–124.2 mm SL, MPEG 32194, 14, 61.4–127.3 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 22 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32195, 1, 135.1 mm SL, igarapé Rio Branco, 02°20’58.6”S 56°01’26.4”W, 18 Sep 2014, M. B. Mendonça. MPEG 32507, 72.4–113.1 mm S, MPEG 32508, 11, 49.0–116.5 mm SL, igarapé Mutum, affluent of rio Aruã, tributary of Rio Branco, 02°36’45.8”S 56°11’36.8”W, 20 Mar 2015, M. B. Mendonça.
FIGURE 2 |
Dorsal, lateral and ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu, holotype, 143.4 mm SL, MPEG 26178, Brazil, Pará State, Juruti municipality, igarapé Rio Branco, lower rio Tapajós, rio Amazon basin.
Diagnosis.Farlowella wuyjugu can be diagnosed from its congeners by lack of plates in gular region (vs. gular plates present) (Fig. 3). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners, except Farlowella altocorpus Retzer, 2006, F. azpelicuetae Terán, Ballen, Alonso, Aguilera & Mirande, 2019, F. gianetii Ballen, Pastana & Peixoto, 2016, F. gracilis Regan, 1904, F. guarani Delgadillo, Maldonado & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2021, F. hasemani Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. isbrueckeri Retzer & Page, 1997, F. jauruensis Eigenmann & Vance, 1917, F. myriodon, F. nattereri Steindachner, 1910, and F. odontotumulusRetzer & Page, 1997, by having five lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (vs. four). Additionally, F. wuyjugu differs from F. altocorpus and F. azpelicuatae by having a smaller body width at dorsal origin (4.3–5.5 vs. 6.4–8.1% SL); from F. gianetti by number of caudal-fin rays (i,11,i or i,12,i vs. i,10,i); from F. gracilis by having head triangular in dorsal view (vs. head square); from F. guarani by interorbital width (12.0–16.0 vs. 28.6–44% HL) and eye diameter (3.6–5.8 vs. 6.6–13.3% HL); from F. hasemani by all fin rays uniformly pigmented (vs. fin rays not pigmented); from F. isbruckeri and F. odontotumulus by having the ventromedian row of anterior plates keeled (vs. ventromedian row of anterior plates unkeeled); from F. jauruensis by having five branched pelvic-fin rays (vs. four branched pelvic-fin rays); from F. myriodon by having dark brown lateral stripe on each side of snout (vs. absence of such stripe, snout completely dark); and from F. nattereri by having a short pectoral fin, not reaching the pelvic-fin base (vs. long pectoral fin, reaching the pelvic-fin base).
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TABLE 1 |
Morphometrics of Farlowella wuyjugu, new species. Values as percents of standard length (SL) and head length (HL) for holotype and 38 paratypes. n = number of specimens, SD = Standard deviation.
Description. Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of holotype in Fig. 2. Morphometric and meristic data for holotype and paratypes summarized in Tab. 1. Body slender and very elongated, completely covered by dermal plates, except in gular portion. Head triangular and elongate in dorsal and ventral views. Rostrum slender and flat in ventral view. Orbit circular, dorsolaterally placed, visible in dorsal view and not visible in ventral view. Preorbital ridge present. Mouth ventral. Dorsal profile of head concave from snout tip to anterior margin of nares, relatively straight to convex from point to posterior margin of nares to posterior margin of parieto-supraoccipital and slightly concave to dorsal-fin origin. Posterior profile of margin of dorsal-fin origin slightly concave and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle. Ventral profile slightly straight from tip of snout to anal-fin origin, slightly concave in anal-fin base and straight profile to end of caudal peduncle.
Mouth ovoid, lower lip longer than upper lip; wide oval papillae on upper lip and round papillae on lower lip, decreasing in size from oral aperture to lip margin; lip margin papillose. Bicuspid slender teeth, each premaxilla with 22(2), 23*(1), 29(1), 31(1), 33(1), 36(1), 37(3), 39(1), 40(2), 41(1), 42(3), 43(2), 44(1), 46(3), 47(4), 48(4), 49(4), 51(2), 53(1) or 55(1) teeth and each dentary with 18*(3), 22(1), 23(1), 26(2), 28(1), 29(2), 30(2), 32(3), 33(3), 34(1), 35(4), 36(3), 37(1), 38(4), 39(2), 40(2), 41(1), 42(1) or 43(2) teeth; premaxilla larger than dentary. Two maxillary barbels small and projecting slightly from mouth margin.
Five lateral plate rows on body, with 31(6), 32*(30) or 33(3) dorsal plates; 6(1), 7*(5), 8(23) or 9(10) dorsomedian plates; 7(1), 8*(5), 9(20) or 10(13) median plates; 14*(7), 15(27) or 16(5) ventromedian plates; 35(3), 36(7), 37*(15), 38(9), 39(3) or 40(2) ventral plates; 5(14), 6*(18), 7(6) or 8(1) dorsomedian+median plates; 18(12), 19(20) or 20*(7) coalescent plates; 8*(39) predorsal plates; 23(6), 24*(30) or 25(3) postdorsal plates; 20(2), 21(14), 22*(21), 23(1) or 24(1) postanal plates; 2 plates at the base of caudal fin and one preanal plate. Abdomen covered with two lateral rows with 6(6), 7*(19), 8(11), 9(2), 11(1) lateral abdominal plates (left) and 6(10), 7*(14), 8(8) or 9(7) lateral abdominal plates (right), and one midabdominal incomplete (23)* row or when complete (16) row with 2(1), 3(2), 4*(2), 5(1), 6(5), 7(7), 8(7), 9(3), 10(3), 11(2), 12(3), 13(2) or 16(1) midabdominal plates.
Lateral line complete; reaching up to last caudal peduncle coalesced plate. Preopercular canal passing through infraorbital six with two pores. Terminal exit of parietal branch in frontal bone curved. Canal-bearing cheek plate in ventral position. Nasal slightly curved in anterior portion with pore opening laterally.
Pectoral-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin slightly concave; unbranched ray longest. Dorsal-fin rays i,6*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; three* or four plates along its base; unbranched ray longest. Pelvic-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight; unbranched ray longest. Anal-fin rays i,5*(39); posterior margin straight to slightly concave; unbranched ray longest; three* or four plates along its base. Caudal-fin rays i,11,i(2) or i,12,i*(37); posterior margin deeply concave; dorsal and ventral lobes similar in size; filaments on upper and lower unbranched rays. All fin rays with odontodes; more developed odontodes on unbranched first ray.
Mesethmoid long; lateral expansion of anterior portion absent; mesethmoid ventral posterior process present. Nasal rectangular irregular bone curved laterally. Frontal wide, occluded from dorsal border of orbit. Orbit anteriorly delimited by dermal plate, dorsally by frontal bone, dorsolaterally by sphenotic, and ventrally by infraorbital series. Sphenotic quadrate in shape, contacting frontal bone anterolaterally, parieto-supraoccipital dorsally, infraorbital six ventrally, and pterotic-extrascapular posteriorly. Pterotic-extrascapular with large perforations. Parieto-supraoccipital wide and oval, contacting first predorsal plate posteriorly. Anterior contact of hyomandibula with metapterygoid and quadrate, and ventral with preopercle. Symphyseal cartilage between quadrate and hyomandibula. Anterior margin of quadrate articulation with anguloarticular. Dentary almost twice the size of anguloarticular. Autopalatine irregular, rod-like shape. Anterior margin of autopalatine articulation with maxilla and posterior contact posteriorly with vomer and metapterygoid. Preopercle long and partially exposed; anterior process reaching at least half of quadrate length. Suspensorium rectangular in overall shape. Three branchiostegal rays. Hypohyal anterior border straight, without anterior projection. Urohyal triangular and posterior margin rounded, with medial foramen. Anterohyal and posterohyal partially separated by cartilage. Anterior margin of anterohyal greatly expanded. Basibranchial 2, 3 and 4 present; basibranchial 2 and 3 elongated; basibranchial 2 equal to basibranchial 3; basibranchial 2 and 3 ossified and basibranchial 4 cartilaginous. Two hypobranchials; hypobranchial 1 ossified and hypobranchial 2 cartilaginous. Four epibranchials with similar size. Five ceratobranchials; ceratobranchial 1 with accessory flange; ceratobranchial 5 triangular; ceratobranchial teeth restricted to mesial area of plate. Upper pharyngeal plate club-shaped, completely covered with fine teeth. Vertebral count 39(1) and 40(1); five thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12(1) and four thin pleural ribs directly attached to centra 9, 10, 11 and 12(1); parapophysis of complex vertebra well developed (two specimens).
FIGURE 3 |
Gular region and variation of abdominal plates in specimens, ventral view of Farlowella wuyjugu. A. MPEG 26178, 143.4 mm SL; B. INPA 59894, 128.9 mm SL; C. MPEG 12684, 125 mm SL.
Coloration in alcohol. Ground color of dorsum and head pale or dark brown. Light brown color with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots on predorsal portion, from tip of parieto-supraoccipital and extending to all plates. Five to six rounded spots between the second and third infraorbital, extending to opercle. One dark brown lateral stripe on each side, that runs from snout to caudal peduncle. Ventral portion of head brown; yellow between lower lip and anterior portion of anal fin. Dorsal profile in posterior portion of anal fin light brown with diffuse and scattered dark brown spots along the plates, same to dorsal portion, more delimited in some individuals. Upper lip with scattered chromatophores. Pectoral, dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin rays with hyaline membranes and pigmented brown rays, sometimes forming dark bands. First rays markedly dark. Caudal fin almost completely dark brown, membranes and rays pigmented, in some individuals with area of hyaline membrane (Fig. 4).
FIGURE 4 |
Caudal fin coloration of Farlowella wuyjugu. MPEG 31191, 119.9 mm SL.
Geographical distribution.Farlowella wuyjugu is known only from small, forest creeks near Juruti, Pará State, tributaries of rio Arapiuns, rio Tapajós in its lower portion, rio Amazon basin, Brazil (Fig. 5).
FIGURE 5 |
Geographic distribution of Farlowella wuyjugu in lower rio Tapajós. Star = holotype; circles = paratypes localities.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the combination of the words Wuy jugu, which is the self-denomination of indigenous people known in Brazil as Munduruku. This ethnic group is part of the Tupi trunk and they are located in different regions and territories in the states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso. In the region of the lower Tapajós River, in recent years some communities in the process of their ethnic identity have recognized themselves as Munduruku (Ramos, 2022). A noun in apposittion.
Conservation status.Farlowella wuyjugu is known from four collection stations [igarapé Rio Branco (Fig. 6), igarapé Mutum, and igarapé São Francisco] in Juruti municipality, Pará State, Brazil. Using the GeoCAT we calculate the extent of occurrence (EOO) of the species in 4,921 km2, suggesting a threatened category of Endangered (EN). Farlowella wuyjugu is sampled in few localities in the Juruti municipality, impacted by a large bauxite extraction project, deteriorating their habitats. Following the recommendations by the IUCN (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2022), F. wuyjugu should be categorized as Nearly Threatened (NT), following criterions B2:EN (EOO < 5,000 km2), b(iii) (decline of quality of habitat by bauxite extraction).
FIGURE 6 |
Igarapé Rio Branco, type-locality of Farlowella wuyjugu.
Variation of abdominal plates within Farlowellawuyjugu. Abdominal plates are usually termed as lateral abdominal plates, which are transversely elongated plates between the pectoral-fin axilla and the pelvic-fin insertion, and midabdominal plates, which cover the abdomen between the lateral ones (Londoño-Burbano, Reis, 2021). The midabdominal plates, in Farlowella, can be absent or present and when present can be incomplete or complete. Ballen et al., (2016b) described Falowella mitoupiboBallen, Urbano-Bonilla & Zamudio, 2016 and proposed as diagnostic for the species an incomplete median disjunct row of abdominal plates, divided at the center by plates belonging to the lateral rows of abdominal plates (vs. two or three complete rows of abdominal plates or an incomplete median row of one or two plates anteriorly that never reach to the level of the prepelvic plate). Although the authors proposed this character as a diagnosis for the species, in recent examinations of the type material of F. mitoupibo, it was possible to observe two completes rows of abdominal plates in one specimen (M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Farlowella wuyjugu have midabdominal plates and can be an incomplete or complete midabdominal series (Fig. 3). An incomplete midabdominal series can be a disjunct row as described for F. mitoupibo or an incomplete median row of plates anteriorly that do not reach to the level of the prepelvic plate (Figs. 3A, B). Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species group of Farlowella: two rows (F. acus (Kner, 1853) group and F. amazonumGünther, 1864 group) and three rows (F. curtirostra Myers, 1942 group, F. mariaelene Martín Salazar, 1964 group, F. nattereri group, F. knerii (Steindachner, 1882) group and unassigned species group). Although Retzer, Page (1996) proposed the number of rows of abdominal plates as a diagnostic character to differentiate species groups of Farlowella, both states were found in F. wuyjugu and F. mitoupibo, rendering that character not be useful to differentiate groups because they are variable within Farlowella species. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus (including the species described here) is being carried out and aims to test if these characters (proposed by Retzer, Page, 1996) are in fact phylogenetically informative.
DISCUSSIONLondoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) recovered the tribe Farlowellini Fowler, 1958 including five genera, Lamontichthys Miranda Ribeiro, 1939, Pterosturisoma Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1978, Sturisoma Swainson, 1838, Sturisomatichthys Isbrücker & Nijssen, 1979 and Farlowella Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889. The authors defined two exclusive synapomorphies for the tribe: (1) nuchal plate articulated to lateral plates (char 175) and (2) the presence of gular plates (char 179). According to Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021), gular plates are large, polygonal dermal plates covering the ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip. Character 175 was observed in F. wuyjugu, however, character 179 is not applicable to the new species because of the lack of gular plates. Almost twenty years after the publication of the study by Retzer, Page (1996). Farlowella was proposed as a monophyletic group by Londoño-Burbano, Reis (2021) with 11 morphological and 38 molecular synapomorphies. Of the eleven morphological synapomorphies, four were considered exclusive for the genus: (1) number of branchiostegal rays fewer than four (char 109); (2) straight and upright lamina on neural spine on the sixth vertebra for articulation with ventral surface of parieto-supraoccipital (char 114); (3) absence of pleural rib associated to the seventh vertebra (char 117); (4) short anteriormost paraneural spines (char 129). These character states were all observed in F. wuyjugu supporting the species as a member of the genus. Despite the high number of morphological characters and the number of terminals used in the analysis by the authors, there are many high homoplastic characters and not useful for a diagnosis at the species level.
Other Farlowella species are also identified for the rio Tapajós basin (F. gr. amazonum, F. cf. oxyrryncha, F. schreitmuelleri Arnold, 1936, and F. sp.; M. Dopazo, pers. obs.). Species with type locality in or near the region are F. amazonum (Santarém, Pará State), F. gladiolusGünther, 1864 (rio Cupari, rio Tapajós basin, Amazon River drainage, Pará State), and F. schreitmuelleri (lower Amazon River basin, Santarém, Pará State), but they differ from F. wuyjugu mainly by the number of lateral series of plate rows on anterior region of body (four vs. five). Farlowella amazonum and F. gladiolus were described in the same work by Günther, (1864). In the review of the genus by Retzer, Page (1996), F. gladiolus was placed in the synonymy with F. amazonum, however, Covain et al., (2016) recognized the former as a valid species. There are several taxonomic issues regarding the validity of Farlowella species and their delimitation. These questions are being addressed in an ongoing taxonomic review (by MD and MRB) of the genus. Our description of F. wuyjugu contributes to the knowledge of the rio Arapiuns and to the understanding of the ichthyofauna of the rio Tapajós basin.
Comparative material examined.Farlowella acus: Colombia: MPUJ 2834, 1, 183.6 mm SL; MPUJ 2842, 1, 133.3 mm SL; MPUJ 2955, 1, 50.1 mm SL: MPUJ 7320,1 124.1 mm SL; MPUJ 9287, 1, 122.5 mm SL; MPUJ 10915, 1, 116.9 mm SL; MPUJ 11158, 1, 130.4 mm SL; MPUJ 13270, 1, 38.6 mm SL: MPUJ 16876, 1, 76 mm SL; Venezuela: ANSP 130038, 20, 90.6–149.7 mm SL; MZUSP 147, 2, 108.4–123.8 mm SL; Farlowella cf. altocorpus: Brazil: INPA 3034, 49, 64.2–155.6 mm SL; INPA 3035, 16, 58–148.6 mm SL; Farlowella amazonum: Brazil: LIA 7233, 1, 84.7 mm SL; LIA 7235, 64.8–198.5 mm SL; LIA 7236, 4, 69.2–92,5 mm SL; LBP 4344, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 10860, 3, 111.0–144.7 mm SL; LBP 11118, 1, 132.2 mm SL; LBP 12117, 5, 47.4–147.2 mm SL; LBP 15179, 1, 82.9 mm SL; LBP 17994, 3, 70.7–121.81 mm SL; LBP 20432, 1, 110.1 mm SL; LBP 20964, 2, 67.5–113.1 mm SL; LBP 21208, 4, 69.5–121.7 mm SL; LBP 21230, 1, 142.1 mm SL; LBP 22348, 13, 54.9–203.6 mm SL; LBP 22488, 1, 169.2 mm SL; MCP 44240, 6, 163.8–190.7 mm SL; MCP 50059, 83.6–176.4 mm SL; MNRJ 762, 3, 130.1–161.2 mm SL; MNRJ 35534, 15, 79.9–166.1 mm SL, 3 cs; MNRJ 35535, 3, 176.3–161.3 mm SL; MNRJ 35536, 2, 76.3–176.8 mm SL; MNRJ 35537, 2, 99.7–179.9 mm SL; MNRJ 39040, 8, 52.1–73.7 mm SL; MNRJ 39249, 1, 66.6 mm SL; MNRJ 39270, 6, 34.4–66.8 mm SL; MPEG 3072, 2, 71,7–146.2 mm SL; MPEG 9008, 4, 147–182.3 mm SL; MPEG 13290, 5, 157.9–180.3 mm SL; MPEG 17077, 1, 50.8 mm SL; MPEG 19827, 1, 182.2 mm SL; MPEG 19945, 1, 123.8 mm SL; MPEG 23942, 2, 139–175.4 mm SL; MPEG 23726, 2, 166.4–172.5 mm SL; MPEG 24470, 1, 129.2 mm SL; MPEG 24471, 2, 166.3–74 mm SL; MPEG 30598, 5, 118.3–151.1 mm SL; MPEG 30931, 1, 104.2 mm SL; MPEG 30936, 1, 109.7 mm SL; MZUSP 23416, 5, 35.9–139.2 mm SL; MZUSP 27717, 1, 115.8 mm SL; MZUSP 121244, 1, 207.0 mm SL; UFRGS 21710, 1, 80.5 mm SL; Peru: ANSP 191818, 2, 172.7–179.6 mm SL; ANSP 199910, 1, 146.1 mm SL; Farlowella azpelicuetae: Argentina: MZUSP 123935, paratype, 80.8 mm SL; MZUSP 123936, 2, paratypes, 79.8–165.9 mm SL; Farlowella gianetti: Brazil: MZUSP 95564, holotype, 114.4 mm SL; MZUSP 97022, paratypes, 94.1–118.6 mm SL; Farlowella cf. hahni: Brazil: MZUEL 9037, 5, 56.6–131 mm SL; MZUEL 9669, 1, 47.2 mm SL; NUP 374, 6, 78.1–161.7 mm SL; NUP 818, 5, 127.6–140 mm SL; NUP 819, 10, 89.3–156.2 mm SL; NUP 1450, 1, 111.7 mm SL; NUP 1496, 5, 95.7–177.8 mm SL; NUP 2849, 1, 128.4 mm SL; NUP 4029, 2, 151.1–162.2 mm SL; NUP 4525, 1, 130.7 mm SL; NUP 4728, 5, 129.4–148 mm SL; NUP 7867, 2, 134.7–140.3 mm SL; NUP 11443, 1, 109.5 mm SL; NUP 13303, 2, 103.2–129.7 mm SL; NUP 14747, 1, 125.6 mm SL; NUP 16978, 2, 133.8–149.8 mm SL; Farlowella hasemani: Brazil: INPA 3912, 190.8 mm SL; Farlowella henriquei: Brazil: INPA 3012, 2, 68.8–111 mm SL; INPA 3030, 1, 170.3 mm SL; INPA 3911, 147.9–153.1 mm SL; INPA 3913, 1, 180.7; INPA 34545, 3, 83.6–160.5 mm SL; MZUSP 2159, holotype, 165.7 mm SL; Farlowella isbruckeri: Brazil: MZUSP 27704, paratype, 134.8 mm SL; Farlowella jauruensis: Brazil: MZUSP 59457, 2, 58.3–57.3 mm SL; MZUSP 58485, 1, 77.2 mm SL; MZUSP 115560, 1, 81.4 mm SL; Farlowella knerii: Ecuador: ANSP 130435, 2, 21.4–73.3 mm SL; ANSP 130436, 1, 123.3 mm SL; Farlowella latisoma: Brazil: MNRJ 761, holotype, 179.3 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella schreitmuelleri; Farlowella mariaelenae: Venezuela: ROM 94123, 2, 67.2–81.8 mm SL; Farlowella mitoupibo: Colombia: MPUJ 8481, holotype, 203.7 mm SL; MPUJ 8479, 1, paratype, 112.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8480, paratype, 5, 65.7–170 mm SL; MPUJ 8482, paratype, 109.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8483, paratype, 1, 163.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8484, paratype, 1, 112.5 mm SL; Farlowella myriodon: Peru: MZUSP 15328, holotype, 154 mm SL; MZUSP 15332, paratype, 134.2 mm SL; MZUSP 15342, paratype, 92.6 mm SL; Farlowella nattereri: Brazil: LBP 10568, 3, 80.7–92.4 mm SL; LBP 18192, 6, 47.5–117.5 mm SL; LBP 18526, 1, 189.9 mm SL; LBP 18580, 3, 102.9–164.5 mm SL; LBP 26628, 7, 185.0–208.6 mm SL; MNRJ 3732, 2, 166.9–168.2 mm SL; MNRJ 37080, 1, 135.7 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 6731, 2, 96.4–104.6 mm SL; UFRGS 26186, 1, 147.7 mm SL; Colombia: ROM 107219, 3, 90.3–213 mm SL; Peru: LBP 22594, 1, 132.3 mm SL; ROM 64063, 6, 42.9–129.8 mm SL; Farlowella aff. nattereri: Brazil: INPA 1637, 1, 117.8 mm SL; INPA 1963, 2, 78.7–146.1 mm SL; INPA 2017, 1, 87.5 mm SL; INPA 2808, 1, 171.8 mm SL; INPA 3916, 1, 95 mm SL; INPA 4839, 1, 184.5 mm SL; INPA 12945, 1, 162.5 mm SL; INPA 16763, 1, 52 mm SL; INPA 43891, 1, 199.1 mm SL; Guyana: INPA 58225, 2, 135.6–52.7 mm SL; ROM 97162, 1, 112.3 mm SL; Farlowella oliveirae Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: MNRJ 757, holotype, 111.8 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella aff. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 12940, 6, 61–155.2 mm SL; INPA 12941, 1, 60.5 mm SL; INPA 29869, 5, 29.9–105.1 mm SL; INPA 31038, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MZUEL 6713, 1, 103 mm SL; Farlowella cf. oxyrryncha: Brazil: INPA 1645,1, 86.4 mm SL; INPA 8159, 3, 61.9–151.6 mm SL; INPA 10371, 21, 72.33–188 mm SL; INPA 12964, 1, 56.3 mm SL; INPA 14001, 1, 159.2; INPA 20796, 1, 134.4 mm SL; INPA 27505, 21, 23.9–129.3 mm SL; INPA 37694, 1, 75 mm SL; INPA 53229, 1, 199.8 mm SL; INPA 54977, 1, 110 mm SL; INPA 58662, 1, 170.5 mm SL; MCP 32735, 1, 83 mm SL; MCP 36623, 7, 51.6–112.7 mm SL; MCP 46138, 1, 103 mm SL; MPEG 13083, 3, 116.4–127 mm SL; MPEG 28662, 5, 73.7–178.5 mm SL; MPEG 30901, 1, 103.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12165, 4, 105,5–97.7 mm SL; UFRGS 12325, 5, 49.8–133.6 mm SL; UFRGS 21842, 1, 100.3 mm SL; MNRJ 23380, 1, 115.4 mm SL; MZUSP 22919, 6, 47.7–101.8 mm SL; MZUSP 96753, 8, 55.9–101 mm SL; MZUSP 125342, 10, 69.2–195 mm SL; Farlowella paraguayensis Retzer & Page, 1997: Brazil: INPA 567, 5, 72.3–122.1 mm SL; INPA 2829, 4, 65.1–135 mm SL; INPA 2830, 6, 70.5–153.2; INPA 3919, 12, 56.5–88.7 mm SL; INPA 12999, 4, 59.8–110.7 mm SL; MNRJ 760, 1, 162.0 mm SL; MNRJ 46680, 2, 117.8–118.3 mm SL; MZUSP 47243, 8, paratypes, 122.5–134.4 mm SL; NUP 15010, 8, 51.7–95.8 mm SL; NUP 21531, 5, 56.3–101 mm SL; ZUFMS 1292, 2, 134.6–143.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 1426, 3, 112.9–122.3 mm SL; ZUFMS 4373, 3, 113.7–128.4 mm SL; ZUFMS 5950, 4, 74.2–122.9 mm SL; Farlowella pleurotaenia Miranda Ribeiro, 1939: Brazil: MNRJ 758, holotype, 99.6 mm SL, synonymy of Farlowella amazonum; Farlowella rugosa Boeseman, 1971: Brazil: IEPA 3886, 1, 187.2 mm SL; IEPA 3916, 1, 113.6 mm SL; Guyana: ROM 64797, 1, 143.5 mm SL; ROM 85790, 3, 73.9–87.4 mm SL; ROM 85916, 1, 73.7 mm SL; ROM 85922, 2, 81.9–143.1 mm SL; ROM 86116, 2, 63.5–65 mm SL; Suriname: ROM 98122, 1, 90.64 mm SL; Farlowella schreitmuelleri: Brazil: IEPA 2708, 1, 59 mm SL; IEPA 4644, 1, 66.9 mm SL; IEPA 4708, 1, 63.1 mm SL, IEPA 4724, 2, 80.1–121.8 mm SL; IEPA 4727, 6, 63.3–120.6 mm SL; INPA 3917, 1, 82.8 mm SL; INPA 3918, 1, 76.2 mm SL; INPA 6777, 9, 63.1–104.7 mm SL; INPA 6978, 3, 67.6–111.3 mm SL; INPA 7069, 1, 76 mm SL; INPA 8209, 1, 75.8 mm SL; INPA 24914, 11, 78.8–125.4 mm SL; INPA 29109, 2, 55.3–66.5 mm SL; INPA 44877, 5, 66.2–111 mm SL; INPA 44493, 1, 110.1 mm SL; INPA 44662, 1, 71.4 mm SL; INPA 45127, 2, 99.4–113.3 mm SL; INPA 45891, 13, 59.5–115.4 mm SL; INPA 46005, 1, 98.6 mm SL; INPA 46027, 1, 119.7 mm SL; MZUSP 101583, 2, 91.6–132 mm SL; MZUSP 101828, 1, 93.1 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; UNT 488, 3, 106.5–140.7 mm SL; Farlowella smithi Fowler, 1913: Brazil: UFRGS 25175, 3, 60.9–71.8 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 507, 3, 64.8–89.9 mm SL; UFRO–ICT 24122, 3, 70.3–88.9 mm SL; MZUSP 73593, 14, 56.9–85.8 mm SL; Farlowella vittata Myers, 1942: Colombia: LBP 18722, 2, 51.9–130.6 mm SL; MPUJ 8349, 8, 37.4–124.4 mm SL; MPUJ 8353, 2, 54.3–75.1 mm SL; MPUJ 8357, 7, 78.9–128.3 mm SL; Venezuela: LBP 2307, 1, 87.4 mm SL; LBP 9950, 2, 51.6–123.4 mm SL; ROM 88294, 6, 90.4–77.5 mm SL; ROM 94407, 3, 62–136.3 mm SL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe are grateful to Mariangeles Arce and Mark Sabaj (ANSP); Cecile Gama (IEPA); Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel, Renildo Oliveira and Vitoria Pereira (INPA); Claudio Oliveira (LBP); Isaac Cabral and Leandro Sousa (LIA); Carlos Lucena (MCP); Alberto Akama and Angelo Dourado (MPEG); Alejandra Rodríguez, Tiago Carvalho and Saul Prada (MPUJ); Alessio Datovo, Guilherme Dutra, Mario de Pinna and Michel Gianeti (MZUSP); Carla Pavanelli and Marli Campos (NUPELIA); Marg Zur and Nathan Lujan (ROM); Fernando Jerep and José Birindelli (UEL); Juliana Wingert and Luiz Malabarba (UFRGS); Aline Andriolo and Carolina Doria (UFRO); Carine Chamon, Everton Oliveira and Paulo Lucinda (UNT); Francisco Severo Neto and Thomaz Sinani (ZUFMS) for loan material and assistance during visits of the first author to collections under their care. Alejandro Londoño-Burbano (MNRJ) for comments and discussion about the Loricariinae and generous contributions to this manuscript. Roberto Reis (MCP), Jonathan Armbruster (AUM) and an anonymous reviewer provided useful comments that helped improve the manuscript. Lucas Garcia (MNRJ) for the drawing of Fig. 1. Igor Souto-Santos (MNRJ) for helping with photos for Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Guilherme Dutra (MZUSP) for the photograph of the type locality. MD is supported from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES/PROEX 88887.335793/2019–00). MRB and WBW are supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, processes #311294/2021–9 and #307988/2021–0).
==========================
A new species of miniature 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 (subgenus 𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒) killifish has been described as 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖, from the rio Vaupés, eastern Colombia.
Three different phenotypes of this new species are discussed in the paper, green, orange, and red. The author of the paper also reviews the species within the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 group. Photos by Vasco Gomes - Killifilia.
Paywall - https://www.killi-data.org/series-kd-2023-Vermeulen.php
Vermeulen, F.B.M., Killi-Data Series 2023: 100-115. https://www.killi-data.org/series-kd-2023-Vermeulen.php
𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
This article describes 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 n. spec. from Mitú, a small village along the headwaters of the Vaupés River, eastern Colombia, based on external and internal anatomical-morphological characteristics. This species belongs to the subgenus 𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒, member of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 species group. The Vaupés River is an important source of the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon River.
The new species belongs to a group of miniature 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 but differs from its group members by body and fin coloration, body pattern, and to some extent, fin shape. Unlike its group members, which occur only in shallow water bodies such as swamps filled with leaf litter, this species is also found on the banks of small creeks and the mouths of larger creeks, where there is a moderate current. They seek shelter and reproduce in thick layers of leaf litter on the creek banks. Current members of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 species group and of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 species group are discussed and comparted.
𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 (𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒) 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 green phenotype. Photos by Vasco Gomes. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087533316521
𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 (𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒) 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 orange phenotype. Photos by Vasco Gomes. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087533316521
Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published in the Killi-Data Series (2023). https://www.killi-data.org/index.php
#NewSpeciesAlert #NewFishSpecies #NewSpecies #Taxonomy #Biodiversity #Ichthyology #Aquarium #AquariumHobby #Fishkeeping #Fishkeeper #Aquarist #Killifish #Killifishes #Rivulus #Owiyeye #VaupésRiver #Columbia #Rivulidae
==========================
Three different phenotypes of this new species are discussed in the paper, green, orange, and red. The author of the paper also reviews the species within the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 group. Photos by Vasco Gomes - Killifilia.
Paywall - https://www.killi-data.org/series-kd-2023-Vermeulen.php
Vermeulen, F.B.M., Killi-Data Series 2023: 100-115. https://www.killi-data.org/series-kd-2023-Vermeulen.php
𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
This article describes 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 n. spec. from Mitú, a small village along the headwaters of the Vaupés River, eastern Colombia, based on external and internal anatomical-morphological characteristics. This species belongs to the subgenus 𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒, member of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 species group. The Vaupés River is an important source of the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon River.
The new species belongs to a group of miniature 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 but differs from its group members by body and fin coloration, body pattern, and to some extent, fin shape. Unlike its group members, which occur only in shallow water bodies such as swamps filled with leaf litter, this species is also found on the banks of small creeks and the mouths of larger creeks, where there is a moderate current. They seek shelter and reproduce in thick layers of leaf litter on the creek banks. Current members of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖 species group and of the 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 species group are discussed and comparted.
𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 (𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒) 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 green phenotype. Photos by Vasco Gomes. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087533316521
𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 (𝑂𝑤𝑖𝑦𝑒𝑦𝑒) 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑘𝑜𝑤𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑖 orange phenotype. Photos by Vasco Gomes. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087533316521
Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published in the Killi-Data Series (2023). https://www.killi-data.org/index.php
#NewSpeciesAlert #NewFishSpecies #NewSpecies #Taxonomy #Biodiversity #Ichthyology #Aquarium #AquariumHobby #Fishkeeping #Fishkeeper #Aquarist #Killifish #Killifishes #Rivulus #Owiyeye #VaupésRiver #Columbia #Rivulidae
==========================
Foxaspis novemura • Postcranial Disparity of galeaspids (Galeaspida) and the Evolution of Swimming Speeds in Stem-gnathostomes
Foxaspis novemura
Gai, Lin, Shan, Ferrón & Donoghue, 2023
DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad050
Researchgate.net/publication/368895582
Abstract
Galeaspids are extinct jawless relatives of living jawed vertebrates whose contribution to understanding the evolutionary assembly of the gnathostome bodyplan has been limited by absence of postcranial remains. Here, we describe Foxaspis novemura gen. et sp. nov., based on complete articulated remains from a newly discovered Konservat-Lagerstätte in the Early Devonian (Pragian, ∼410 Ma) of Guangxi, South China. F. novemura had a broad, circular dorso-ventrally compressed headshield, slender trunk and strongly asymmetrical hypochordal tail fin comprised of nine ray-like scale-covered digitations. This tail morphology contrasts with the symmetrical hypochordal tail fin of Tujiaaspis vividus, evidencing disparity in galeaspid postcranial anatomy. Analysis of swimming speed reveals galeaspids as moderately fast swimmers, capable of achieving greater cruising swimming speeds than their more derived jawless and jawed relatives. Our analyses reject the hypothesis of a driven trend towards increasingly active food acquisition which has been invoked to characterize early vertebrate evolution.
Keywords: Galeaspida, jawed vertebrates, evolution, functional morphology, phylogenetics, modelling
Class Galeaspida Tarlo, 1967
Order Polybranchiaspidiformes Liu, 1965
Family Duyunolepididae P'an et Wang, 1978
Genus Foxaspis gen. nov.
Foxaspis novemura gen. et sp. nov.
Etymology. After the nine-tailed fox, a creature spoken of in the ancient Chinese mythological bestiary, the Shan-hai Ching (Classic of Mountains and Seas) which is a compilation of mythic geography and myth. Latin novem meaning nine; Latin -ura, meaning tail.
Holotype. A complete headshield articulated with body and tail V30958.1a,bpreserved together with a complete arthrodiran fish (Fig.1A,B).
Locality and horizon. Tongmu Town, Jinxiu County, Laibin City, Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region, China, the Xiaoshan Formation, Pragian, Early Devonian (Supplementary Fig. 1).
Zhikun Gai, Xianghong Lin, Xianren Shan, Humberto G. Ferrón and Philip C. J. Donoghue. 2023. Postcranial Disparity of galeaspids and the Evolution of Swimming Speeds in Stem-gnathostomes. National Science Review. nwad050. DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad050
Researchgate.net/publication/368895582_Postcranial_disparity_of_galeaspids_and_the_evolution_of_swimming_speeds_in_stem-gnathostomes
==========================
Foxaspis novemura
Gai, Lin, Shan, Ferrón & Donoghue, 2023
DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad050
Researchgate.net/publication/368895582
Abstract
Galeaspids are extinct jawless relatives of living jawed vertebrates whose contribution to understanding the evolutionary assembly of the gnathostome bodyplan has been limited by absence of postcranial remains. Here, we describe Foxaspis novemura gen. et sp. nov., based on complete articulated remains from a newly discovered Konservat-Lagerstätte in the Early Devonian (Pragian, ∼410 Ma) of Guangxi, South China. F. novemura had a broad, circular dorso-ventrally compressed headshield, slender trunk and strongly asymmetrical hypochordal tail fin comprised of nine ray-like scale-covered digitations. This tail morphology contrasts with the symmetrical hypochordal tail fin of Tujiaaspis vividus, evidencing disparity in galeaspid postcranial anatomy. Analysis of swimming speed reveals galeaspids as moderately fast swimmers, capable of achieving greater cruising swimming speeds than their more derived jawless and jawed relatives. Our analyses reject the hypothesis of a driven trend towards increasingly active food acquisition which has been invoked to characterize early vertebrate evolution.
Keywords: Galeaspida, jawed vertebrates, evolution, functional morphology, phylogenetics, modelling
Class Galeaspida Tarlo, 1967
Order Polybranchiaspidiformes Liu, 1965
Family Duyunolepididae P'an et Wang, 1978
Genus Foxaspis gen. nov.
Foxaspis novemura gen. et sp. nov.
Etymology. After the nine-tailed fox, a creature spoken of in the ancient Chinese mythological bestiary, the Shan-hai Ching (Classic of Mountains and Seas) which is a compilation of mythic geography and myth. Latin novem meaning nine; Latin -ura, meaning tail.
Holotype. A complete headshield articulated with body and tail V30958.1a,bpreserved together with a complete arthrodiran fish (Fig.1A,B).
Locality and horizon. Tongmu Town, Jinxiu County, Laibin City, Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region, China, the Xiaoshan Formation, Pragian, Early Devonian (Supplementary Fig. 1).
Zhikun Gai, Xianghong Lin, Xianren Shan, Humberto G. Ferrón and Philip C. J. Donoghue. 2023. Postcranial Disparity of galeaspids and the Evolution of Swimming Speeds in Stem-gnathostomes. National Science Review. nwad050. DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad050
Researchgate.net/publication/368895582_Postcranial_disparity_of_galeaspids_and_the_evolution_of_swimming_speeds_in_stem-gnathostomes
==========================
A new species of Parauchenoglanis (Auchenoglanididae: Siluriformes) from the Upper Lualaba River (Upper Congo), with further evidence of hidden species diversity within the genusYonela Sithole, Tobias Musschoot, Charlotte E. T. Huyghe, Albert Chakona, Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven
First published: 11 April 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15309urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:762B314B-31FF-4715-A186-86A14BAD2A4B
Albert Chakona and Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven made an equal contribution to this work.
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SHAREAbstractParauchenoglanis zebratus sp. nov. is a new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba in the Upper Congo Basin. It is distinguished from all its congeners known from the Congo Basin and adjacent basins by the presence of (1) distinctive dark-brown or black vertical bars on the lateral side of the body, at least for specimens about ≥120 mm LS, (2) a broad and triangular humeral process embedded under the skin and (3) a well-serrated pectoral-fin spine. Genetic analysis based on mtDNA COI sequences confirmed the genetic distinctiveness (2.8%–13.6% K2P genetic divergence) of P. zebratus sp. nov. from congeners within the Congo and adjacent river basins. The study also revealed additional undocumented diversity within P. ngamensis, P. pantherinus, P. punctatus and P. balayi, indicating the need for further in-depth alpha-taxonomic attention to provide more accurate species delimitations for this genus. The discovery of yet another new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba, and this well outside the currently established protected areas, highlights the critical need for further assessments to accurately document the species diversity to guide freshwater conservation prioritisation and biodiversity management in this region.
==========================
First published: 11 April 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15309urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:762B314B-31FF-4715-A186-86A14BAD2A4B
Albert Chakona and Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven made an equal contribution to this work.
Read the full text
TOOLS
SHAREAbstractParauchenoglanis zebratus sp. nov. is a new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba in the Upper Congo Basin. It is distinguished from all its congeners known from the Congo Basin and adjacent basins by the presence of (1) distinctive dark-brown or black vertical bars on the lateral side of the body, at least for specimens about ≥120 mm LS, (2) a broad and triangular humeral process embedded under the skin and (3) a well-serrated pectoral-fin spine. Genetic analysis based on mtDNA COI sequences confirmed the genetic distinctiveness (2.8%–13.6% K2P genetic divergence) of P. zebratus sp. nov. from congeners within the Congo and adjacent river basins. The study also revealed additional undocumented diversity within P. ngamensis, P. pantherinus, P. punctatus and P. balayi, indicating the need for further in-depth alpha-taxonomic attention to provide more accurate species delimitations for this genus. The discovery of yet another new species endemic to the Upper Lualaba, and this well outside the currently established protected areas, highlights the critical need for further assessments to accurately document the species diversity to guide freshwater conservation prioritisation and biodiversity management in this region.
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Phoxinus abanticus, a new species from the Lake Abant drainage in Türkiye (Teleostei: Leuciscidae)Davut Turan, Esra Bayçelebi, Müfit Özuluğ, Özcan Gaygusuz, İsmail Aksu
First published: 21 March 2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15371urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:07548D6E-7D49-45D1-BA93-A92C4E2D792A.
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SHAREAbstractPhoxinus abanticus, a new species, is described from the Lake Abant basin. It is distinguished from Phoxinus species in Türkiye and adjacent waters by the presence of fewer lateral line scales (60–69, vs. 75–91 in Phoxinus colchicus, 75–90 in Phoxinus strandjae); a deeper caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth: 1.8–2.3 times in length, vs. 2.4–2.9 in P. colchicus; 2.5–3.2 in P. strandjae); the absence of scales in the breast of males (vs. present); and ventral body reddish in nuptial colouration pattern for male (vs. brackish). The new species, P. abanticus, is also distinguished from its closest relative, P. strandjae, by a minimum of 3.40% genetic distance in the mtDNA cytochrome b (cyt b) gene.
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Species-Level Recognition and Redescription of the Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum Gilbert (Percidae: Litocara)
in Thomas, Blanton, Ghezelayagh & Near, 2023
DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0103
twitter.com/TJNear
Abstract
The Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum, endemic to the upper Kentucky River basin of eastern Kentucky, is redescribed and recognized as a distinct species closely related to E. sagitta in the upper Cumberland River basin and E. nianguae in the Osage River drainage (Missouri River basin). Originally described as a subspecies of E. nianguae, it was later considered a full species and then a subspecies of E. sagitta, based on close geographic proximity to Cumberland basin populations and overlapping meristic variation interpreted as character intergradation. We present meristic, morphometric, and genetic data that support species-level recognition of E. spilotum. It differs from E. sagitta by lower counts of total and pored lateral scales, lower counts of caudal peduncle scales, fewer second dorsal-fin rays, and fewer pectoral-fin rays. Interspecific divergence of E. spilotum and E. sagitta is further demonstrated through analyses of variation in the mitochondrial nd2 gene and species delimitation using genome-wide double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing. Although allopatrically distributed, both species inhabit upland headwater streams on the Cumberland Plateau and have similar life history characteristics. Endemism, fragmented distributions, and low densities and genetic diversity within populations make these species extremely vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. Etheostoma spilotum was federally listed as threatened in 2016 due to degradation of stream habitat and water quality in the upper Kentucky basin that has eliminated the species from a significant portion of its range.
KEYWORDS: Arrow Darter, Cumberland Plateau, taxonomy, species delimitation, subspecies
Matthew R. Thomas, Rebecca E. Blanton, Ava Ghezelayagh and Thomas J. Near. 2023. Species-Level Recognition and Redescription of the Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum Gilbert (Percidae: Litocara). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 64(1); 39-80. DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0103
twitter.com/TJNear/status/1643216820495630336
==========================
in Thomas, Blanton, Ghezelayagh & Near, 2023
DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0103
twitter.com/TJNear
Abstract
The Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum, endemic to the upper Kentucky River basin of eastern Kentucky, is redescribed and recognized as a distinct species closely related to E. sagitta in the upper Cumberland River basin and E. nianguae in the Osage River drainage (Missouri River basin). Originally described as a subspecies of E. nianguae, it was later considered a full species and then a subspecies of E. sagitta, based on close geographic proximity to Cumberland basin populations and overlapping meristic variation interpreted as character intergradation. We present meristic, morphometric, and genetic data that support species-level recognition of E. spilotum. It differs from E. sagitta by lower counts of total and pored lateral scales, lower counts of caudal peduncle scales, fewer second dorsal-fin rays, and fewer pectoral-fin rays. Interspecific divergence of E. spilotum and E. sagitta is further demonstrated through analyses of variation in the mitochondrial nd2 gene and species delimitation using genome-wide double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing. Although allopatrically distributed, both species inhabit upland headwater streams on the Cumberland Plateau and have similar life history characteristics. Endemism, fragmented distributions, and low densities and genetic diversity within populations make these species extremely vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. Etheostoma spilotum was federally listed as threatened in 2016 due to degradation of stream habitat and water quality in the upper Kentucky basin that has eliminated the species from a significant portion of its range.
KEYWORDS: Arrow Darter, Cumberland Plateau, taxonomy, species delimitation, subspecies
Matthew R. Thomas, Rebecca E. Blanton, Ava Ghezelayagh and Thomas J. Near. 2023. Species-Level Recognition and Redescription of the Kentucky Arrow Darter, Etheostoma spilotum Gilbert (Percidae: Litocara). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 64(1); 39-80. DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0103
twitter.com/TJNear/status/1643216820495630336
==========================
Etheostoma xanthovum • A New Species of Spottail Darter (Percidae: Etheostomatinae: Etheostoma) Endemic to the Clarks River in Kentucky and Tennessee
[A] Etheostoma xanthovum
Wood, Harrington, Alley, Thomas, Simmons & Near, 2023
[C] E. oophylax,
[D] E. chienense
DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0102
twitter.com/TJNear
Abstract
Etheostoma xanthovum, the Clarks Darter, is described as a new species endemic to the Clarks River drainage in Kentucky and Tennessee, USA. Etheostoma xanthovum was previously recognized as Etheostoma oophylax based on morphological characters. Subsequent to the description of E. oophylax, molecular phylogenetic analyses consistently resolved specimens from the Clarks River drainage and E. chienense as sister species, which together formed a sister clade to all other sampled populations of E. oophylax. Our analyses of morphological trait data, mitochondrial DNA, and genomic sampling using double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing support the distinctiveness of E. xanthovum. Morphologically, E. xanthovum differs slightly from E. oophylax in the modal number of dorsal fin rays (12 versus 11) and in the average number of scale rows around the caudal peduncle (21.8 versus 20.4). Etheostoma xanthovum does not share mitochondrial DNA haplotypes with E. oophylax or E. chienense. Phylogenomic analysis of an average of 28,448 double digest restriction-site associated DNA loci per sampled specimen resolves E. xanthovum and E. chienense as sister species, and assessment of genomic divergence supports the hypothesis that each of these two species represents a distinct and independently evolving lineage. In addition, we report a range extension of E. oophylax in the Obion River drainage, a direct tributary of the Mississippi River.
KEYWORDS: species delimitation, phylogeny, Teleostei
This new species was thought to be a population of the Guardian Darter, E. oophylax (C) but is the sister lineage of the endangered Relict Darter, E. chienense (D)
Julia E. Wood, Richard C. Harrington, Zachariah D. Alley, Matthew R. Thomas, Jeffrey W. Simmons and Thomas J. Near. 2023. A New Species of Spottail Darter Endemic to the Clarks River in Kentucky and Tennessee (Percidae: Etheostomatinae: Etheostoma). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 64(1); 11-37. DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0102
twitter.com/TJNear/status/1643209745224925185
==========================
[A] Etheostoma xanthovum
Wood, Harrington, Alley, Thomas, Simmons & Near, 2023
[C] E. oophylax,
[D] E. chienense
DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0102
twitter.com/TJNear
Abstract
Etheostoma xanthovum, the Clarks Darter, is described as a new species endemic to the Clarks River drainage in Kentucky and Tennessee, USA. Etheostoma xanthovum was previously recognized as Etheostoma oophylax based on morphological characters. Subsequent to the description of E. oophylax, molecular phylogenetic analyses consistently resolved specimens from the Clarks River drainage and E. chienense as sister species, which together formed a sister clade to all other sampled populations of E. oophylax. Our analyses of morphological trait data, mitochondrial DNA, and genomic sampling using double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing support the distinctiveness of E. xanthovum. Morphologically, E. xanthovum differs slightly from E. oophylax in the modal number of dorsal fin rays (12 versus 11) and in the average number of scale rows around the caudal peduncle (21.8 versus 20.4). Etheostoma xanthovum does not share mitochondrial DNA haplotypes with E. oophylax or E. chienense. Phylogenomic analysis of an average of 28,448 double digest restriction-site associated DNA loci per sampled specimen resolves E. xanthovum and E. chienense as sister species, and assessment of genomic divergence supports the hypothesis that each of these two species represents a distinct and independently evolving lineage. In addition, we report a range extension of E. oophylax in the Obion River drainage, a direct tributary of the Mississippi River.
KEYWORDS: species delimitation, phylogeny, Teleostei
This new species was thought to be a population of the Guardian Darter, E. oophylax (C) but is the sister lineage of the endangered Relict Darter, E. chienense (D)
Julia E. Wood, Richard C. Harrington, Zachariah D. Alley, Matthew R. Thomas, Jeffrey W. Simmons and Thomas J. Near. 2023. A New Species of Spottail Darter Endemic to the Clarks River in Kentucky and Tennessee (Percidae: Etheostomatinae: Etheostoma). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 64(1); 11-37. DOI: 10.3374/014.064.0102
twitter.com/TJNear/status/1643209745224925185
==========================
A new lacustrine ricefish from central Sulawesi, with a redescription of Oryzias marmoratus (Teleostei: Adrianichthyidae)
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- Hirozumi Kobayashi,
- Daniel F. Mokodongan,
- Mizuki Horoiwa,
- Shingo Fujimoto,
- Rieko Tanaka,
- Kawilarang W. A. Masengi &
- Kazunori Yamahira
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This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
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Chromatic polymorphism in Trichomycterus albinotatus (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae), a mountain catfish from south-eastern Brazil and the role of colouration characters in trichomycterine taxonomy
Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo O. Mattos, Pedro F. Amorim, Beatrizz O. Mesquita, Axel M. KatzAbstractColouration is an important tool for systematists inferring species limits and phylogenetic relationships of teleost fishes, but the use of colouration variation in trichomycterine catfish systematics has generated some controversy. We first report and describe the occurrence of four, geographically disjunct colour morphs in Trichomycterus albinotatus, endemic to south-eastern Brazil, as well as ontogenetic colouration change in each morph. A phylogenetic analysis using a cytb fragment (1098 bp) for 23 specimens representing all colour morphs and four outgroups did not support any correlation between colour morphs and lineages, with different colour morphs sharing identical haplotypes. This study indicated that young adult specimens found in lighter habitats had white and brown to black spots on the flank, whereas similar-sized specimens inhabiting darker habitats had white spots inconspicuous or absent and dark brown or black spots expanded. Individuals above about 65 mm SL of all populations had flank white marks less conspicuous or absent and cryptic habits during daylight, contrasting with smaller individuals with white marks and actively swimming above the substrate. Literature data indicate that ontogenetic colouration and habit changes occur in different trichomycterid lineages. Our data thus show that colouration may be problematic in taxonomical studies, although often being consistently used to diagnose species and clades. We conclude that colouration should not be discarded a priori as evidence of trichomycterine relationships and species limits, but should be used with caution in systematic studies, being necessary additional evidence, such as osteological characters or molecular data.
Link for full papaer doi.org/10.3897/zse.99.98341
============================
Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo O. Mattos, Pedro F. Amorim, Beatrizz O. Mesquita, Axel M. KatzAbstractColouration is an important tool for systematists inferring species limits and phylogenetic relationships of teleost fishes, but the use of colouration variation in trichomycterine catfish systematics has generated some controversy. We first report and describe the occurrence of four, geographically disjunct colour morphs in Trichomycterus albinotatus, endemic to south-eastern Brazil, as well as ontogenetic colouration change in each morph. A phylogenetic analysis using a cytb fragment (1098 bp) for 23 specimens representing all colour morphs and four outgroups did not support any correlation between colour morphs and lineages, with different colour morphs sharing identical haplotypes. This study indicated that young adult specimens found in lighter habitats had white and brown to black spots on the flank, whereas similar-sized specimens inhabiting darker habitats had white spots inconspicuous or absent and dark brown or black spots expanded. Individuals above about 65 mm SL of all populations had flank white marks less conspicuous or absent and cryptic habits during daylight, contrasting with smaller individuals with white marks and actively swimming above the substrate. Literature data indicate that ontogenetic colouration and habit changes occur in different trichomycterid lineages. Our data thus show that colouration may be problematic in taxonomical studies, although often being consistently used to diagnose species and clades. We conclude that colouration should not be discarded a priori as evidence of trichomycterine relationships and species limits, but should be used with caution in systematic studies, being necessary additional evidence, such as osteological characters or molecular data.
Link for full papaer doi.org/10.3897/zse.99.98341
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Uropterygius cyamommatus, a new moray eel (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from anchialine caves in Christmas Island, Australia, and Panglao Island, the Philippines
Wen-Chien Huang1,2, Te-Yu Liao3 & Heok Hui Tan4*
Abstract. Uropterygius cyamommatus, new species, is described based on nine specimens from limestone anchialine caves in Christmas Island and Panglao Island. This species is a small-sized, elongated moray eel belonging to the uniform brown-coloured species group of the genus. It differs from all congeners of Uropterygius in having very small eyes (3.0–4.6% of head length), a relatively long tail (56.3–61.1% of total length), and a comparatively large number of vertebrae (total vertebrae 141–149). The new species represents the first-recorded moray eel that inhabits anchialine caves. Key words. eastern Indian Ocean, Elopomorpha, Uropterygiinae, western Pacific Ocean RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 71: 268–278 Date of publication: 29 March 2023 DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2023-0021 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:887FBA2D-60F5-4CEE-B5F0-047EE6B9709D © National University of Singapore ISSN 2345-7600 (electronic) | ISSN 0217-2445 (print) INTRODUCTION Nelson (1966) divided the family Muraenidae into two subfamilies, Muraeninae and Uropterygiinae, according to the absence and presence of hypobranchial in the former and the latter, respectively. More morphological characteristics were subsequently defined for recognising Uropterygiinae, in which the very short dorsal and anal fins that are restricted to the posterior portion of the caudal region are the most used diagnostic characters (Böhlke et al., 1989). Most moray eels in the subfamily Uropterygiinae are small-sized species (< 80 cm) that reclusively inhabit shallow waters (< 60 metres), and they usually possess either a reticulate (comprised of pale snowflake-like blotches) or uniform brown colouration pattern, leading to much difficulty in identification and a highly underestimated diversity (Smith et al., 2019). Compared to 188 valid species (22 were newly described in the last decade) in the subfamily Muraeninae, there are only 36 species within the Uropterygiinae, and it has been more than ten years since the most recent species was described (Reece et al., 2010; Fricke et al., 2022). Uropterygius Rüppell, 1838 is the largest genus of the Uropterygiinae which contains 21 valid species (Smith, 2012). Among them, five species exhibit very si
full paper at:- lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RBZ-2023-0021.pdf
==========================
Wen-Chien Huang1,2, Te-Yu Liao3 & Heok Hui Tan4*
Abstract. Uropterygius cyamommatus, new species, is described based on nine specimens from limestone anchialine caves in Christmas Island and Panglao Island. This species is a small-sized, elongated moray eel belonging to the uniform brown-coloured species group of the genus. It differs from all congeners of Uropterygius in having very small eyes (3.0–4.6% of head length), a relatively long tail (56.3–61.1% of total length), and a comparatively large number of vertebrae (total vertebrae 141–149). The new species represents the first-recorded moray eel that inhabits anchialine caves. Key words. eastern Indian Ocean, Elopomorpha, Uropterygiinae, western Pacific Ocean RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 71: 268–278 Date of publication: 29 March 2023 DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2023-0021 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:887FBA2D-60F5-4CEE-B5F0-047EE6B9709D © National University of Singapore ISSN 2345-7600 (electronic) | ISSN 0217-2445 (print) INTRODUCTION Nelson (1966) divided the family Muraenidae into two subfamilies, Muraeninae and Uropterygiinae, according to the absence and presence of hypobranchial in the former and the latter, respectively. More morphological characteristics were subsequently defined for recognising Uropterygiinae, in which the very short dorsal and anal fins that are restricted to the posterior portion of the caudal region are the most used diagnostic characters (Böhlke et al., 1989). Most moray eels in the subfamily Uropterygiinae are small-sized species (< 80 cm) that reclusively inhabit shallow waters (< 60 metres), and they usually possess either a reticulate (comprised of pale snowflake-like blotches) or uniform brown colouration pattern, leading to much difficulty in identification and a highly underestimated diversity (Smith et al., 2019). Compared to 188 valid species (22 were newly described in the last decade) in the subfamily Muraeninae, there are only 36 species within the Uropterygiinae, and it has been more than ten years since the most recent species was described (Reece et al., 2010; Fricke et al., 2022). Uropterygius Rüppell, 1838 is the largest genus of the Uropterygiinae which contains 21 valid species (Smith, 2012). Among them, five species exhibit very si
full paper at:- lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RBZ-2023-0021.pdf
==========================
Glyptothorax irroratus, a new species of rheophilic catfish from the Mekong River drainage (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Sisoridae)Heok Hee Ng
&
Maurice Kottelat
Pages 358-371 | Received 04 Aug 2022, Accepted 25 Feb 2023, Published online: 29 Mar 2023
ABSTRACTGlyptothorax irroratus, a new species of sisorid catfish from the Mekong River drainage in Laos and China, is described. It differs from its Indochinese congeners in having both large and small tubercles arranged irregularly on the lateral surfaces of the body and by combinations of colour pattern, morphometry (with particular regards to the eye, body depth, adipose fin and caudal peduncle) and thoracic adhesive apparatus morphology.
http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1031A8CE-F51D-4954-A812-14EE132371BA
KEYWORDS:
Previous articleView issue table of contentsNext articleAcknowledgementsWe are grateful to the curators and collection managers of the institutions whose material we examined in this study for permission to examine material under their care. We also thank Wansheng Jiang for sharing data on Chinese Glyptothorax, and Walter Rainboth for permission to use the base map in Figure 4. Most material of the new species was collected by MK as a by-product of surveys for various hydropower projects between 1996 and 2018, with the assistance of numerous company staff, fishermen, villagers, boat operators, drivers, etc. MK thanks Thavone Phommavong for his valuable and persistent help and companionship in the field over the last 10 years.
Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Supplementary materialSupplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2186278
Additional informationFundingThe authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.
==========================
&
Maurice Kottelat
Pages 358-371 | Received 04 Aug 2022, Accepted 25 Feb 2023, Published online: 29 Mar 2023
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ABSTRACTGlyptothorax irroratus, a new species of sisorid catfish from the Mekong River drainage in Laos and China, is described. It differs from its Indochinese congeners in having both large and small tubercles arranged irregularly on the lateral surfaces of the body and by combinations of colour pattern, morphometry (with particular regards to the eye, body depth, adipose fin and caudal peduncle) and thoracic adhesive apparatus morphology.
http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1031A8CE-F51D-4954-A812-14EE132371BA
KEYWORDS:
Previous articleView issue table of contentsNext articleAcknowledgementsWe are grateful to the curators and collection managers of the institutions whose material we examined in this study for permission to examine material under their care. We also thank Wansheng Jiang for sharing data on Chinese Glyptothorax, and Walter Rainboth for permission to use the base map in Figure 4. Most material of the new species was collected by MK as a by-product of surveys for various hydropower projects between 1996 and 2018, with the assistance of numerous company staff, fishermen, villagers, boat operators, drivers, etc. MK thanks Thavone Phommavong for his valuable and persistent help and companionship in the field over the last 10 years.
Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Supplementary materialSupplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2186278
Additional informationFundingThe authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.
==========================
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis • A New Short Brown Unpatterned Moray Eel (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from the southeast coast of India, Bay of Bengal
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis
Kodeeswaran, Kantharajan, Mohapatra, Ajith Kumar & Sarkar, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.100461
Abstract
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov., a new species of short brown unpatterned moray, is described, based on four specimens ranging from 272–487 mm total length collected from the trawl bycatch landings at Mudasalodai fish landing centre, off Cuddalore coast, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India. The new species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: origin of dorsal fin at middle of rictus and gill opening, anus just before mid-body, series of lines of small dark spots present on head and a single line of black spot-on mid-line of body, jaw pores with white rim, anal-fin margin whitish, 3 pre-dorsal vertebrae, 56–59 pre-anal vertebrae and 139–150 total vertebrae. The new species differs from its known Indian water congeners by having series of lines of small dark spots present on the head and a single line of black spots on the mid-line of the body (vs. absent in all the three congeners in India), serrated teeth (vs. smooth), jaw pores with white rim (vs. black to brown in others) and higher vertebral count (139–150 vs. 134–138 in others). Our morphological and molecular analyses show that the new species forms a distinct clade from its congeners and these data support the status as a new species.
Key Words: Elopomorpha, molecular analyses, Tamil Nadu, unpatterned moray
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov.
holotype, NBFGR/MURGTAM, 487.8 mm TL, fresh colouration, collected from Mudasalodai fish landing centre, off Cuddalore, Bay of Bengal.
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov.
Proposed common name: Tamil Nadu brown moray
Diagnosis: A new species of a short brown unpatterned moray eel with the following combination of characters: series of lines of small dark spots present on head and a single line of black spots on mid-line of body, origin of dorsal fin at middle of rictus and gill opening, anus just before mid-body, pre-anal length 45.7–47.4% TL, snout blunt and very short, 6.5–7.7 mm in HL, eye small, teeth serrated, uniserial, ethomovomerine teeth five on each side with one tooth on mid-point, vomerine with eight teeth in a series, jaw pores with white rim, anal-fin margin whitish, 3 pre-dorsal vertebrae, 56–59 pre-anal vertebrae, 139–150 total vertebrae.
Distribution: Indian Ocean: off Cuddalore Coast, Bay of Bengal, southeast coast of India. The species were collected at a depth of about 25–30 metres.
Etymology: The species is named “tamilnaduensis” with reference to the state Tamil Nadu from where it was collected.
Paramasivam Kodeeswaran, Ganesan Kantharajan, Anil Mohapatra, T. T. Ajith Kumar and Uttam Kumar Sarkar. 2023. A New Short Brown Unpatterned Moray Eel (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) from the southeast coast of India, Bay of Bengal. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 99(1): 253-260. DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.100461
==========================
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis
Kodeeswaran, Kantharajan, Mohapatra, Ajith Kumar & Sarkar, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.100461
Abstract
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov., a new species of short brown unpatterned moray, is described, based on four specimens ranging from 272–487 mm total length collected from the trawl bycatch landings at Mudasalodai fish landing centre, off Cuddalore coast, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India. The new species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: origin of dorsal fin at middle of rictus and gill opening, anus just before mid-body, series of lines of small dark spots present on head and a single line of black spot-on mid-line of body, jaw pores with white rim, anal-fin margin whitish, 3 pre-dorsal vertebrae, 56–59 pre-anal vertebrae and 139–150 total vertebrae. The new species differs from its known Indian water congeners by having series of lines of small dark spots present on the head and a single line of black spots on the mid-line of the body (vs. absent in all the three congeners in India), serrated teeth (vs. smooth), jaw pores with white rim (vs. black to brown in others) and higher vertebral count (139–150 vs. 134–138 in others). Our morphological and molecular analyses show that the new species forms a distinct clade from its congeners and these data support the status as a new species.
Key Words: Elopomorpha, molecular analyses, Tamil Nadu, unpatterned moray
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov.
holotype, NBFGR/MURGTAM, 487.8 mm TL, fresh colouration, collected from Mudasalodai fish landing centre, off Cuddalore, Bay of Bengal.
Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis sp. nov.
Proposed common name: Tamil Nadu brown moray
Diagnosis: A new species of a short brown unpatterned moray eel with the following combination of characters: series of lines of small dark spots present on head and a single line of black spots on mid-line of body, origin of dorsal fin at middle of rictus and gill opening, anus just before mid-body, pre-anal length 45.7–47.4% TL, snout blunt and very short, 6.5–7.7 mm in HL, eye small, teeth serrated, uniserial, ethomovomerine teeth five on each side with one tooth on mid-point, vomerine with eight teeth in a series, jaw pores with white rim, anal-fin margin whitish, 3 pre-dorsal vertebrae, 56–59 pre-anal vertebrae, 139–150 total vertebrae.
Distribution: Indian Ocean: off Cuddalore Coast, Bay of Bengal, southeast coast of India. The species were collected at a depth of about 25–30 metres.
Etymology: The species is named “tamilnaduensis” with reference to the state Tamil Nadu from where it was collected.
Paramasivam Kodeeswaran, Ganesan Kantharajan, Anil Mohapatra, T. T. Ajith Kumar and Uttam Kumar Sarkar. 2023. A New Short Brown Unpatterned Moray Eel (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) from the southeast coast of India, Bay of Bengal. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 99(1): 253-260. DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.100461
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DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5252.1.1
PUBLISHED: 2023-03-08
Review of Indo-West Pacific jawfishes (Opistognathus: Opistognathidae), with descriptions of 18 new species
TAXONOMYZOOGEOGRAPHYENDEMISMBEHAVIOROPISTOGNATHIDAEAbstractSixty species of jawfishes (Opistognathus) from the Indo-West Pacific are reported in an updated review, including descriptions of 18 new species: Opistognathus albomaculatus n.sp., O. asper n.sp., O. aurolineatus n.sp., O. bathyphilus n.sp., O. biporus n.sp., O. challenger n.sp., O. erdmanni n.sp., O. flavidus n.sp., O. helvolus n.sp., O. hyalinus n.sp., O. megalops n.sp., O. microspilus n.sp., O. nigripinnis n.sp., O. parvus n.sp., O. pholeter n.sp., O. triops n.sp., O. vigilax n.sp., and O. wassi n.sp.. Species accounts are provided for each species, including illustrations or color photographs, complete synonymies, specimens examined (or appropriate citation if previously published in detail), diagnosis, comparisons, etymology, and distribution maps. Geographic range extensions are reported for a number of species. An identification key is given for all species and frequency tables of important characters are also provided. The taxonomic status of Opistognathus inornatus and O. rosenbergii annulatus are discussed in detail but not completely resolved pending unavailable molecular data. Geographic variation is also described for Opistognathus adelus, O. albomaculatus n.sp., O. castelnaui, O. margaretae, O. variabilis, and O. vigilax n.sp. Many species are known only from holotypes and others from single localities, indicating how much more remains to be known about these jawfishes
==========================
PUBLISHED: 2023-03-08
Review of Indo-West Pacific jawfishes (Opistognathus: Opistognathidae), with descriptions of 18 new species
TAXONOMYZOOGEOGRAPHYENDEMISMBEHAVIOROPISTOGNATHIDAEAbstractSixty species of jawfishes (Opistognathus) from the Indo-West Pacific are reported in an updated review, including descriptions of 18 new species: Opistognathus albomaculatus n.sp., O. asper n.sp., O. aurolineatus n.sp., O. bathyphilus n.sp., O. biporus n.sp., O. challenger n.sp., O. erdmanni n.sp., O. flavidus n.sp., O. helvolus n.sp., O. hyalinus n.sp., O. megalops n.sp., O. microspilus n.sp., O. nigripinnis n.sp., O. parvus n.sp., O. pholeter n.sp., O. triops n.sp., O. vigilax n.sp., and O. wassi n.sp.. Species accounts are provided for each species, including illustrations or color photographs, complete synonymies, specimens examined (or appropriate citation if previously published in detail), diagnosis, comparisons, etymology, and distribution maps. Geographic range extensions are reported for a number of species. An identification key is given for all species and frequency tables of important characters are also provided. The taxonomic status of Opistognathus inornatus and O. rosenbergii annulatus are discussed in detail but not completely resolved pending unavailable molecular data. Geographic variation is also described for Opistognathus adelus, O. albomaculatus n.sp., O. castelnaui, O. margaretae, O. variabilis, and O. vigilax n.sp. Many species are known only from holotypes and others from single localities, indicating how much more remains to be known about these jawfishes
==========================
Nemateleotris lavandula • Synopsis of the ptereleotrine Goby Genus Nemateleotris (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae), with Description of A New Species from the western and central Pacific Ocean
A, N. helfrichi, underwater photograph from Rarotonga, Cook Islands; B, Nemateleotris lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Siaes Tunnel, Palau;
C, head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right) showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla; D, N. magnifica, underwater photograph from Bali;
E–F, N. decora, showing variability in colouration of the anterior body, underwater photograph from Fiji and the Maldives (the latter = N. exquisita sensu Randall & Connell, 2013) respectively.
Tea & Larson, 2023
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71;
twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Photographs by: A, P.Jaletzky; B, R. Spangler; C, Y.K. Tea; D, V. Chalias; E, J. Heard; F, M. Harada.
Abstract
Nemateleotris lavandula, new species, is described on the basis of the holotype from Augulupelu Reef, Palau, and twelve paratypes from across the western and central Pacific Ocean, including Fiji, Guam, Japan, and the Marshall Islands. The new species was previously confused with Nemateleotris helfrichi, but molecular analysis of mitochondrial COI reveals a difference of 1% in sequence data between both species, in addition to differences in morphometric measurements, live, and preserved colouration details. Both species are allopatric and do not overlap in distribution. The new species is readily separated from all congeners based on the following combination of characters: body lavender to lilac in life; maxilla unmarked, bright yellow in life; caudal fin truncate to weakly emarginate, unmarked, pale yellowish green in life; and snout, lower jaw, preopercle, and postorbital region bright yellow in life. We comment on the relationships among species of Nemateleotris, the taxonomic status of N. exquisita, and the doubtful identity of Zagadkogobius ourlazon. A revised key to species of Nemateleotris is provided.
Key words. dartfish, mesophotic, gobioid, Ptereleotrinae, Microdesminae
head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right)
showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla
A–C, Nemateleotris helfrichi; D–F, Nemateleotris lavandula, new species.
A, BPBM 11595, holotype, 43.3 mm SL, Tahiti, Society Islands; B, USNM 410981, 35.6 mm SL, Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia; C, ZRC 61811, 62.4 mm SL, aquarium specimen from the Cook Islands;
D, BPBM 10153, paratype (also paratype of N. helfrichi), 30.9 mm SL, Rigili Islet, Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands; E–F, ZRC 62990, paratypes, 36.1 mm SL and 29.8 mm SL respectively, aquarium specimens from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, Micronesia.
Photographs by: A, C, D, J.E. Randall; B, J.T. Williams; E, F, H.H. Tan.
Nemateleotris lavandula, new species
Lavender-blushed Dartfish
Diagnosis. Nemateleotris lavandula is most similar to N. helfrichi, sharing with it the following combination of characters and live colouration details to the exclusion of all other Nemateleotris: caudal fin truncate to weakly emarginate; dorsoposterior ctenoid scales with fewer than 10 ctenii; elevated portion of first dorsal fin blue on anterior edge; median fins pale yellowish green, caudal fin without any markings, outermost edge of second dorsal and anal fin tipped with a yellow or orange spot, one in each interradial membrane space; body lavender to lilac in life; pelvic fins black-tipped; dorsal edge of iris with a black mark at 1 o’clock position, sometimes continuing onto interorbital space as a short streak. It is readily separated from N. helfrichi and all other congeners based on the following: maxilla unmarked (bright yellow in life, pale tan in preservation); and snout, lower jaw, preopercle, and postorbital region bright yellow in life.
Etymology. The species is named lavandula, after the genus of Lavandula flowering plants which includes the ornamental herb lavender, in reference to its beautiful colouration in life. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
Species of Nemateleotris and their putative hybrids.
A, N. helfrichi, underwater photograph from Rarotonga, Cook Islands; B, N. lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Siaes Tunnel, Palau;
C, head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right) showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla; D, N. magnifica, underwater photograph from Bali;
E–F, N. decora, showing variability in colouration of the anterior body, underwater photograph from Fiji and the Maldives (the latter = N. exquisita sensu Randall & Connell, 2013) respectively;
G, putative N. magnifica × N. decora, underwater photograph from Izu Peninsula, Japan; H, putative N. magnifica × N. lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Okinoerabu Island, Japan.
==========================
A, N. helfrichi, underwater photograph from Rarotonga, Cook Islands; B, Nemateleotris lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Siaes Tunnel, Palau;
C, head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right) showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla; D, N. magnifica, underwater photograph from Bali;
E–F, N. decora, showing variability in colouration of the anterior body, underwater photograph from Fiji and the Maldives (the latter = N. exquisita sensu Randall & Connell, 2013) respectively.
Tea & Larson, 2023
RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71;
twitter.com/FishGuyKai
Photographs by: A, P.Jaletzky; B, R. Spangler; C, Y.K. Tea; D, V. Chalias; E, J. Heard; F, M. Harada.
Abstract
Nemateleotris lavandula, new species, is described on the basis of the holotype from Augulupelu Reef, Palau, and twelve paratypes from across the western and central Pacific Ocean, including Fiji, Guam, Japan, and the Marshall Islands. The new species was previously confused with Nemateleotris helfrichi, but molecular analysis of mitochondrial COI reveals a difference of 1% in sequence data between both species, in addition to differences in morphometric measurements, live, and preserved colouration details. Both species are allopatric and do not overlap in distribution. The new species is readily separated from all congeners based on the following combination of characters: body lavender to lilac in life; maxilla unmarked, bright yellow in life; caudal fin truncate to weakly emarginate, unmarked, pale yellowish green in life; and snout, lower jaw, preopercle, and postorbital region bright yellow in life. We comment on the relationships among species of Nemateleotris, the taxonomic status of N. exquisita, and the doubtful identity of Zagadkogobius ourlazon. A revised key to species of Nemateleotris is provided.
Key words. dartfish, mesophotic, gobioid, Ptereleotrinae, Microdesminae
head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right)
showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla
A–C, Nemateleotris helfrichi; D–F, Nemateleotris lavandula, new species.
A, BPBM 11595, holotype, 43.3 mm SL, Tahiti, Society Islands; B, USNM 410981, 35.6 mm SL, Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia; C, ZRC 61811, 62.4 mm SL, aquarium specimen from the Cook Islands;
D, BPBM 10153, paratype (also paratype of N. helfrichi), 30.9 mm SL, Rigili Islet, Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands; E–F, ZRC 62990, paratypes, 36.1 mm SL and 29.8 mm SL respectively, aquarium specimens from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, Micronesia.
Photographs by: A, C, D, J.E. Randall; B, J.T. Williams; E, F, H.H. Tan.
Nemateleotris lavandula, new species
Lavender-blushed Dartfish
Diagnosis. Nemateleotris lavandula is most similar to N. helfrichi, sharing with it the following combination of characters and live colouration details to the exclusion of all other Nemateleotris: caudal fin truncate to weakly emarginate; dorsoposterior ctenoid scales with fewer than 10 ctenii; elevated portion of first dorsal fin blue on anterior edge; median fins pale yellowish green, caudal fin without any markings, outermost edge of second dorsal and anal fin tipped with a yellow or orange spot, one in each interradial membrane space; body lavender to lilac in life; pelvic fins black-tipped; dorsal edge of iris with a black mark at 1 o’clock position, sometimes continuing onto interorbital space as a short streak. It is readily separated from N. helfrichi and all other congeners based on the following: maxilla unmarked (bright yellow in life, pale tan in preservation); and snout, lower jaw, preopercle, and postorbital region bright yellow in life.
Etymology. The species is named lavandula, after the genus of Lavandula flowering plants which includes the ornamental herb lavender, in reference to its beautiful colouration in life. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
Species of Nemateleotris and their putative hybrids.
A, N. helfrichi, underwater photograph from Rarotonga, Cook Islands; B, N. lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Siaes Tunnel, Palau;
C, head profiles of N. helfrichi (left) and N. lavandula, new species, (right) showing difference in colouration of the head and maxilla; D, N. magnifica, underwater photograph from Bali;
E–F, N. decora, showing variability in colouration of the anterior body, underwater photograph from Fiji and the Maldives (the latter = N. exquisita sensu Randall & Connell, 2013) respectively;
G, putative N. magnifica × N. decora, underwater photograph from Izu Peninsula, Japan; H, putative N. magnifica × N. lavandula, new species, underwater photograph from Okinoerabu Island, Japan.
==========================
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5254.4.2
PUBLISHED: 2023-03-14
Glyptothorax sardashtensis, a new species of torrent catfish from the upper Lesser Zab drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae)
PISCESCYTOCHROME C OXIDASE IFRESHWATER FISHMIDDLE EASTTAXONOMYAbstractGlyptothorax sardashtensis, new species, from the upper Lesser Zab in Iran, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by: a plain flank without black or brown blotches; a wide and round anterior margin of the medial pit in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; few, short median striae in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; three yellowish blotches arranged in a crescent-shaped arch on the nuchal plate in front of the dorsal-fin origin; no tubercles on the head and flank; and a short adipose fin. The new species is also distinguished by a minimum K2P sequence divergence of 2.16% in the mtDNA-COI barcode region from G. daemon and G. galaxias, its closest relatives. Glyptothorax kurdistanicus is re-discovered close to its type locality.
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PUBLISHED: 2023-03-14
Glyptothorax sardashtensis, a new species of torrent catfish from the upper Lesser Zab drainage in Iran (Teleostei: Sisoridae)
PISCESCYTOCHROME C OXIDASE IFRESHWATER FISHMIDDLE EASTTAXONOMYAbstractGlyptothorax sardashtensis, new species, from the upper Lesser Zab in Iran, is distinguished from its congeners in the Persian Gulf basin by: a plain flank without black or brown blotches; a wide and round anterior margin of the medial pit in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; few, short median striae in the thoracic adhesive apparatus; three yellowish blotches arranged in a crescent-shaped arch on the nuchal plate in front of the dorsal-fin origin; no tubercles on the head and flank; and a short adipose fin. The new species is also distinguished by a minimum K2P sequence divergence of 2.16% in the mtDNA-COI barcode region from G. daemon and G. galaxias, its closest relatives. Glyptothorax kurdistanicus is re-discovered close to its type locality.
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Euchiloglanis nami • A New Species of Euchiloglanis Regan, 1907 (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Vietnam
Euchiloglanis nami
Tran, Nguyen, Dang, Nguyen & Nguyen, 2023
Acta-Zoologica-Bulgarica.eu
Abstract
A new species of sisorid catfish of the genus Euchiloglanis is described from the Gam River, a tributary of the Red River in northern Vietnam. Euchiloglanis nami sp. n. differs from all the species placed in Euchiloglanis and Chimarrichthys by having elongated papilae on the ventral part of maxillary barbell. Euchiloglanis nami is distinguished from E. longibarbatus by having a wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation and the tip of the maxillary barbell reaching pectoral fin origin. The new species differs from E. davidi and E. kishinouyei by the depth of the caudal peduncle equal to 20.26–27.40 % of the caudalpeduncle length. It also differs from E. dorsoarcus by the anal-fin position being closer to the caudal-fin base than to the pelvic fin. From E. phongthoensis, it differs by the distance from the adipose-fin origin to the dorsal-fin insertion close to 50 % of the length of the adipose-fin base. In addition, E. nami differs from E. longus by having a wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation, shorter caudal peduncle (20.7 % SL), higher caudal peduncle depth (5.0 % SL), shorter distance between dorsal-fin insertion to adiposefin origin (14.8 % SL), shorter distance from snout to adipose-fin origin (57.4 % SL), shorter pelvic fins length (15.9 % SL) reaching the anus or a little beyond anus, longer adipose-fin base length (33.2 % SL) and narrower interorbital width (24.6 % SL). The new species is the first record of the genus Euchiloglanis in the Gam-Lo River system and is the third species in the genus from Vietnam.
Key words: Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., new species, Glyptosterminae, Black River, Gam River
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., HNUE-F00283, holotype, 142.3 mm SL; Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park; Cao Bang Prov., Vietnam. Dorsal, ventral and lateral views. Scale bar 10 mm.
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., HNUE-F00283, holotype, 142.3 mm SL; Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park; Cao Bang Prov., Vietnam. Dorsal, ventral and lateral views. Scale bar 10 mm.
Ventral profile of the head part of the holotype.
Ventral view of premaxillary tooth band of Euchiloglanis nami
collected from the Gam River of the Red River, northern Vietnam.
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n.
Diagnosis. Euchiloglanis nami sp. n. can be distinguished from congeners by the following unique combination of characteristics: D. i, 6; A. i, 4; P. i, 15–16; C. 16; wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation (Fig. 4); elongate and threadlike maxillary barbell with pointed tip reaching to pectoral fin origin; elongated papilae ventral part of maxillary barbell; anal-fin origin closer to caudalfin base than to pelvic-fin insertion; distance from adipose-fin origin to dorsal-fin insertion close to 50% of length of adipose-fin base; depth of caudal peduncle equal to 20.26–27.40% of length of caudal peduncle; shorter dorsal-fin insertion to adipose-fin origin (12.05–15.90% SL); shorter caudal-fin length (11.53–13.42% SL); longer adipose-fin base length (31.81–35.74% SL); adipose fin not connected with caudal-fin base; pelvic fins reaching anus or a little beyond anus; narrower interorbital width (20.97– 29.45% HL).
Etymology. The specific name is in honour of the young ichthyologist and our best friend Mr. Chu Hoang Nam. The species name is a noun in genitive case.
Hau Duc Tran, Duc Huu Nguyen, Huong Thanh Thi Dang, Huy Quang Nguyen and Nga Thi Nguyen. 2023. A New Species of Euchiloglanis Regan, 1907 (Actinopterygii: Sisoridae) from Vietnam. ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA [Acta Zool. Bulg.]. in press
https://Acta-Zoologica-Bulgarica.eu/articles
acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/2023/002608
==========================
Euchiloglanis nami
Tran, Nguyen, Dang, Nguyen & Nguyen, 2023
Acta-Zoologica-Bulgarica.eu
Abstract
A new species of sisorid catfish of the genus Euchiloglanis is described from the Gam River, a tributary of the Red River in northern Vietnam. Euchiloglanis nami sp. n. differs from all the species placed in Euchiloglanis and Chimarrichthys by having elongated papilae on the ventral part of maxillary barbell. Euchiloglanis nami is distinguished from E. longibarbatus by having a wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation and the tip of the maxillary barbell reaching pectoral fin origin. The new species differs from E. davidi and E. kishinouyei by the depth of the caudal peduncle equal to 20.26–27.40 % of the caudalpeduncle length. It also differs from E. dorsoarcus by the anal-fin position being closer to the caudal-fin base than to the pelvic fin. From E. phongthoensis, it differs by the distance from the adipose-fin origin to the dorsal-fin insertion close to 50 % of the length of the adipose-fin base. In addition, E. nami differs from E. longus by having a wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation, shorter caudal peduncle (20.7 % SL), higher caudal peduncle depth (5.0 % SL), shorter distance between dorsal-fin insertion to adiposefin origin (14.8 % SL), shorter distance from snout to adipose-fin origin (57.4 % SL), shorter pelvic fins length (15.9 % SL) reaching the anus or a little beyond anus, longer adipose-fin base length (33.2 % SL) and narrower interorbital width (24.6 % SL). The new species is the first record of the genus Euchiloglanis in the Gam-Lo River system and is the third species in the genus from Vietnam.
Key words: Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., new species, Glyptosterminae, Black River, Gam River
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., HNUE-F00283, holotype, 142.3 mm SL; Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park; Cao Bang Prov., Vietnam. Dorsal, ventral and lateral views. Scale bar 10 mm.
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n., HNUE-F00283, holotype, 142.3 mm SL; Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park; Cao Bang Prov., Vietnam. Dorsal, ventral and lateral views. Scale bar 10 mm.
Ventral profile of the head part of the holotype.
Ventral view of premaxillary tooth band of Euchiloglanis nami
collected from the Gam River of the Red River, northern Vietnam.
Euchiloglanis nami sp. n.
Diagnosis. Euchiloglanis nami sp. n. can be distinguished from congeners by the following unique combination of characteristics: D. i, 6; A. i, 4; P. i, 15–16; C. 16; wider premaxillary tooth band without indentation (Fig. 4); elongate and threadlike maxillary barbell with pointed tip reaching to pectoral fin origin; elongated papilae ventral part of maxillary barbell; anal-fin origin closer to caudalfin base than to pelvic-fin insertion; distance from adipose-fin origin to dorsal-fin insertion close to 50% of length of adipose-fin base; depth of caudal peduncle equal to 20.26–27.40% of length of caudal peduncle; shorter dorsal-fin insertion to adipose-fin origin (12.05–15.90% SL); shorter caudal-fin length (11.53–13.42% SL); longer adipose-fin base length (31.81–35.74% SL); adipose fin not connected with caudal-fin base; pelvic fins reaching anus or a little beyond anus; narrower interorbital width (20.97– 29.45% HL).
Etymology. The specific name is in honour of the young ichthyologist and our best friend Mr. Chu Hoang Nam. The species name is a noun in genitive case.
Hau Duc Tran, Duc Huu Nguyen, Huong Thanh Thi Dang, Huy Quang Nguyen and Nga Thi Nguyen. 2023. A New Species of Euchiloglanis Regan, 1907 (Actinopterygii: Sisoridae) from Vietnam. ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA [Acta Zool. Bulg.]. in press
https://Acta-Zoologica-Bulgarica.eu/articles
acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/2023/002608
==========================
Aborichthys uniobarensis • A New Species of River Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, Indiaia
Aborichthys uniobarensis
Nanda, Machahary, Tamang & Das. 2021
www.AJCB.in
facebook.com/DNGCZoology
Researchgate.net/publication/352984320
ABSTRACT
A new species of nemacheilid loach, Aborichthys uniobarensis, is described from the Senkhi stream, upper Brahmaputra basin in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. Aborichthys uniobarensis is distinguished from all congeners by the presence of 6–14 fused oblique bars along the dorso-lateral margin of the body, 21–28 oblique bars along the flank, vent closer to the snout tip than to the caudal fin base and caudal fin oval shaped with upper half more extended than lower.
Key words: Cypriniformes, Eastern Himalaya, Brahmaputra River, Northeastern, India
Aborichthys uniobarensis sp. nov., EBRC/ZSI/F 12607, holotype (male), 83.9 mm;
a, lateral, b, dorsal, and c, ventral views
Aborichthys uniobarensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Aborichthys uniobarensis is diagnosed from all congeners by the presence of 6–14 fused oblique bars along the dorso-lateral margin of the body (vs. rarely fused). Further, it chiefly differs from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 21–28 oblique bars on the body, dorsal and ventral adipose crests low, vent closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fn base, caudal fin oval shaped with upper half more extended than lower, and comprised of two concentric black to light brown bars in male.
Etymology: The species name is from the Latin unio means ‘fuse or meet‘, and barensis refer to vertical oblique bars along the body, in allusion to most of the paired bars dorsally fused. A noun in apposition.
Prasanta Nanda, Krima Queen Machahary, Lakpa Tamang and Debangshu Narayan Das. 2021. Aborichthys uniobarensis, A New Species of River Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 10(1); 3-9. DOI: 10.53562/ajcb.ASHI9566 www.AJCB.in/archive_july_21.php
https://doi.org/10.53562/ajcb.ASHI9566
facebook.com/DNGCZoology/posts/1359161704460360 Researchgate.net/publication/352984320_Aborichthys_uniobarensis_a_new_species_of_river_loach_from_Arunachal_Pradesh_India
==========================
Aborichthys uniobarensis
Nanda, Machahary, Tamang & Das. 2021
www.AJCB.in
facebook.com/DNGCZoology
Researchgate.net/publication/352984320
ABSTRACT
A new species of nemacheilid loach, Aborichthys uniobarensis, is described from the Senkhi stream, upper Brahmaputra basin in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. Aborichthys uniobarensis is distinguished from all congeners by the presence of 6–14 fused oblique bars along the dorso-lateral margin of the body, 21–28 oblique bars along the flank, vent closer to the snout tip than to the caudal fin base and caudal fin oval shaped with upper half more extended than lower.
Key words: Cypriniformes, Eastern Himalaya, Brahmaputra River, Northeastern, India
Aborichthys uniobarensis sp. nov., EBRC/ZSI/F 12607, holotype (male), 83.9 mm;
a, lateral, b, dorsal, and c, ventral views
Aborichthys uniobarensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Aborichthys uniobarensis is diagnosed from all congeners by the presence of 6–14 fused oblique bars along the dorso-lateral margin of the body (vs. rarely fused). Further, it chiefly differs from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 21–28 oblique bars on the body, dorsal and ventral adipose crests low, vent closer to the snout tip than to the caudal-fn base, caudal fin oval shaped with upper half more extended than lower, and comprised of two concentric black to light brown bars in male.
Etymology: The species name is from the Latin unio means ‘fuse or meet‘, and barensis refer to vertical oblique bars along the body, in allusion to most of the paired bars dorsally fused. A noun in apposition.
Prasanta Nanda, Krima Queen Machahary, Lakpa Tamang and Debangshu Narayan Das. 2021. Aborichthys uniobarensis, A New Species of River Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 10(1); 3-9. DOI: 10.53562/ajcb.ASHI9566 www.AJCB.in/archive_july_21.php
https://doi.org/10.53562/ajcb.ASHI9566
facebook.com/DNGCZoology/posts/1359161704460360 Researchgate.net/publication/352984320_Aborichthys_uniobarensis_a_new_species_of_river_loach_from_Arunachal_Pradesh_India
==========================
Hyneria udlezinye • A high Latitude Gondwanan Species of the Late Devonian tristichopterid Hyneria (Osteichthyes: Sarcopterygii) from South Africa
Hyneria udlezinye
Gess & Ahlberg, 2023
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281333
Painting by Maggie Newman
Abstract
We describe the largest bony fish in the Late Devonian (late Famennian) fossil assemblage from Waterloo Farm near Makhanda/Grahamstown, South Africa. It is a giant member of the extinct clade Tristichopteridae (Sarcopterygii: Tetrapodomorpha) and most closely resembles Hyneria lindae from the late Famennian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania, USA. Notwithstanding the overall similarity, it can be distinguished from H. lindae on a number of morphological points and is accordingly described as a new species, Hyneria udlezinye sp. nov. The preserved material comprises most of the dermal skull, lower jaw, gill cover and shoulder girdle. The cranial endoskeleton appears to have been unossified and is not preserved, apart from a fragment of the hyoid arch adhering to a subopercular, but the postcranial endoskeleton is represented by an ulnare, some semi-articulated neural spines, and the basal plate of a median fin. The discovery of H. udlezinye shows that Hyneria is a cosmopolitan genus extending into the high latitudes of Gondwana, not a Euramerican endemic. It supports the contention that the derived clade of giant tristichopterids, which alongside Hyneria includes such genera as Eusthenodon, Edenopteron and Mandageria, originated in Gondwana.
Systematic palaeontology
OSTEICHTHYES Huxley, 1880
SARCOPTERYGII Romer, 1955
TETRAPODOMORPHA Ahlberg, 1989
TRISTICHOPTERIDAE Cope, 1889
Diagnosis— Tetrapodomorph sarcopterygians with postspiracular bone present, vomers with long caudal process clasping the parasphenoid, circular scales with a median boss, and an elongate body with a trifurcate or rhombic caudal fin (modified from [3]).
HYNERIA Thomson, 1968
Type species— Hyneria lindae Thomson, 1968; Hyner, Pennsylvania, USA.
AM6540b and AM6528a, the two main blocks of the holotype of Hyneria udlezinye.
Each block also has a counterpart (not illustrated). A, AM6540b. Unlabelled bones all belong to a single large individual of the arthrodire placoderm Groenlandaspis riniensis [Long, et al. 1997]. B, AM6528a. This block also carries a jugal of the tetrapod Umzantsia amazana [Gess & Ahlberg, 2018] and a paranuchal of a small individual of Groenlandaspis riniensis.
Skull reconstruction of Hyneria udlezinye.
Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views, drawn from photographs of a three-dimensional model, scaled to the size of the holotype.
Abbreviations: An, anocleithrum; Ang, angular; Cl, clavicle; Cle, cleithrum; De, dentary; It, intertemporal; Ju, jugal; La, lacrimal; M.Pr, median postrostral; Mx, maxilla; Op, opercular; Pa, parietal; Pi, pineal; Po, postorbital; Pop, preopercular; Pospl, postsplenial; Pp-St-Ta, postparietal, supratemporal and tabular (sutures not visible); Qj, qudratojugal; Sop, subopercular; Sq, squamosal; Sur, surangular.
Hyneria udlezinye sp. nov.
"Probable eusthenopterid" [Gess & Hiller, 1995]
"Close to Eusthenodon" [Anderson, et al., 1999]
"Similar to Hyneria" [Gess & Coates, 2008]
"cf Hyneria" [Gess, 2011]
"Hyneria-like" [Gess & Whitfield, 2020]
Diagnosis--A very large tristichopterid, closely resembling Hyneria lindae but differing from it in the following respects: postparietal shield widening more strongly from anterior to posterior; lateral corner of tabular weakly developed; preopercular and lacrimal proportionally deeper; denticulated field on parasphenoid extends further anteriorly; subopercular more shallow; dentary fangs proportionately larger.
Etymology— an apposition, from isiXhosa ‘udlezinye’, meaning ‘one who eats others’, referring to the inferred predatory lifestyle of the species. IsiXhosa is the widely spoken indigenous language of south-eastern South Africa where the fossil locality is located.
Life reconstruction of the non-marine component of the Waterloo Farm biota. Hyneria udlezinye is shown together with the tetrapods Umzantsia amazana and Tutusius umlambo [Gess & Ahlberg, 2018], the placoderms Groenlandaspis riniensis and Bothriolepis africana [Long, et al., 1997], the coelacanth Serenichthys kowiensis [Gess & Coates, 2015], the lungfish Isityumzi mlomomde [Gess & Clemen, 2019], and a cyrtoctenid eurypterid.
Painting by Maggie Newman, copyright R. W. Gess.
Conclusion:
The largest osteichthyan member of the Waterloo Farm vertebrate assemblage, a predatory sarcopterygian with a probable maximum length of nearly three metres, proves to be a new species of the genus Hyneria. This genus is otherwise only recorded from the late Famennian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania. The new species, Hyneria udlezinye, differs from the type species Hyneria lindae in a number of minor but securely attested proportional characters relating to the skull roof, cheek, lower jaw and operculum. Hyneria now joins Eusthenodon and Langlieria as one of the derived, late, giant tristichopterids known from both Euramerica and Gondwana. The other confirmed members of this clade (Mandageria, Cabonnichthys and Edenopteron) are exclusively known from Gondwana. This strongly supports the contention that this clade represents a Gondwanan radiation [Olive, et al. 2020].
Hyneria udlezinye is the first tristichopterid to be recorded from a high palaeolatitude, all other members of the group coming from palaeoequatorial to mid-palaeolatitude localities. All previously recorded Gondwanan members of the derived tristichopterid clade come from Australia, leading Olive et al. [2020] to argue for an Australian origin for this clade. The new evidence from Waterloo Farm, however, suggests that a more general Gondwanan origin for this clade is highly likely. This once again demonstrates how inferences about biogeographical patterns have historically been skewed by a paucity of data from high-palaeolatitude localities. Such data can only come from Gondwana, as no continents extended into northern high latitudes during the Devonian. The Waterloo Farm lagerstätte provides a unique window into an almost unknown part of the Late Devonian world.
Robert W. Gess and Per E. Ahlberg. 2023. A high Latitude Gondwanan Species of the Late Devonian tristichopterid Hyneria (Osteichthyes: Sarcopterygii). PLoS ONE. 18(2): e0281333. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281333
==========================
Hyneria udlezinye
Gess & Ahlberg, 2023
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281333
Painting by Maggie Newman
Abstract
We describe the largest bony fish in the Late Devonian (late Famennian) fossil assemblage from Waterloo Farm near Makhanda/Grahamstown, South Africa. It is a giant member of the extinct clade Tristichopteridae (Sarcopterygii: Tetrapodomorpha) and most closely resembles Hyneria lindae from the late Famennian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania, USA. Notwithstanding the overall similarity, it can be distinguished from H. lindae on a number of morphological points and is accordingly described as a new species, Hyneria udlezinye sp. nov. The preserved material comprises most of the dermal skull, lower jaw, gill cover and shoulder girdle. The cranial endoskeleton appears to have been unossified and is not preserved, apart from a fragment of the hyoid arch adhering to a subopercular, but the postcranial endoskeleton is represented by an ulnare, some semi-articulated neural spines, and the basal plate of a median fin. The discovery of H. udlezinye shows that Hyneria is a cosmopolitan genus extending into the high latitudes of Gondwana, not a Euramerican endemic. It supports the contention that the derived clade of giant tristichopterids, which alongside Hyneria includes such genera as Eusthenodon, Edenopteron and Mandageria, originated in Gondwana.
Systematic palaeontology
OSTEICHTHYES Huxley, 1880
SARCOPTERYGII Romer, 1955
TETRAPODOMORPHA Ahlberg, 1989
TRISTICHOPTERIDAE Cope, 1889
Diagnosis— Tetrapodomorph sarcopterygians with postspiracular bone present, vomers with long caudal process clasping the parasphenoid, circular scales with a median boss, and an elongate body with a trifurcate or rhombic caudal fin (modified from [3]).
HYNERIA Thomson, 1968
Type species— Hyneria lindae Thomson, 1968; Hyner, Pennsylvania, USA.
AM6540b and AM6528a, the two main blocks of the holotype of Hyneria udlezinye.
Each block also has a counterpart (not illustrated). A, AM6540b. Unlabelled bones all belong to a single large individual of the arthrodire placoderm Groenlandaspis riniensis [Long, et al. 1997]. B, AM6528a. This block also carries a jugal of the tetrapod Umzantsia amazana [Gess & Ahlberg, 2018] and a paranuchal of a small individual of Groenlandaspis riniensis.
Skull reconstruction of Hyneria udlezinye.
Dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views, drawn from photographs of a three-dimensional model, scaled to the size of the holotype.
Abbreviations: An, anocleithrum; Ang, angular; Cl, clavicle; Cle, cleithrum; De, dentary; It, intertemporal; Ju, jugal; La, lacrimal; M.Pr, median postrostral; Mx, maxilla; Op, opercular; Pa, parietal; Pi, pineal; Po, postorbital; Pop, preopercular; Pospl, postsplenial; Pp-St-Ta, postparietal, supratemporal and tabular (sutures not visible); Qj, qudratojugal; Sop, subopercular; Sq, squamosal; Sur, surangular.
Hyneria udlezinye sp. nov.
"Probable eusthenopterid" [Gess & Hiller, 1995]
"Close to Eusthenodon" [Anderson, et al., 1999]
"Similar to Hyneria" [Gess & Coates, 2008]
"cf Hyneria" [Gess, 2011]
"Hyneria-like" [Gess & Whitfield, 2020]
Diagnosis--A very large tristichopterid, closely resembling Hyneria lindae but differing from it in the following respects: postparietal shield widening more strongly from anterior to posterior; lateral corner of tabular weakly developed; preopercular and lacrimal proportionally deeper; denticulated field on parasphenoid extends further anteriorly; subopercular more shallow; dentary fangs proportionately larger.
Etymology— an apposition, from isiXhosa ‘udlezinye’, meaning ‘one who eats others’, referring to the inferred predatory lifestyle of the species. IsiXhosa is the widely spoken indigenous language of south-eastern South Africa where the fossil locality is located.
Life reconstruction of the non-marine component of the Waterloo Farm biota. Hyneria udlezinye is shown together with the tetrapods Umzantsia amazana and Tutusius umlambo [Gess & Ahlberg, 2018], the placoderms Groenlandaspis riniensis and Bothriolepis africana [Long, et al., 1997], the coelacanth Serenichthys kowiensis [Gess & Coates, 2015], the lungfish Isityumzi mlomomde [Gess & Clemen, 2019], and a cyrtoctenid eurypterid.
Painting by Maggie Newman, copyright R. W. Gess.
Conclusion:
The largest osteichthyan member of the Waterloo Farm vertebrate assemblage, a predatory sarcopterygian with a probable maximum length of nearly three metres, proves to be a new species of the genus Hyneria. This genus is otherwise only recorded from the late Famennian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania. The new species, Hyneria udlezinye, differs from the type species Hyneria lindae in a number of minor but securely attested proportional characters relating to the skull roof, cheek, lower jaw and operculum. Hyneria now joins Eusthenodon and Langlieria as one of the derived, late, giant tristichopterids known from both Euramerica and Gondwana. The other confirmed members of this clade (Mandageria, Cabonnichthys and Edenopteron) are exclusively known from Gondwana. This strongly supports the contention that this clade represents a Gondwanan radiation [Olive, et al. 2020].
Hyneria udlezinye is the first tristichopterid to be recorded from a high palaeolatitude, all other members of the group coming from palaeoequatorial to mid-palaeolatitude localities. All previously recorded Gondwanan members of the derived tristichopterid clade come from Australia, leading Olive et al. [2020] to argue for an Australian origin for this clade. The new evidence from Waterloo Farm, however, suggests that a more general Gondwanan origin for this clade is highly likely. This once again demonstrates how inferences about biogeographical patterns have historically been skewed by a paucity of data from high-palaeolatitude localities. Such data can only come from Gondwana, as no continents extended into northern high latitudes during the Devonian. The Waterloo Farm lagerstätte provides a unique window into an almost unknown part of the Late Devonian world.
Robert W. Gess and Per E. Ahlberg. 2023. A high Latitude Gondwanan Species of the Late Devonian tristichopterid Hyneria (Osteichthyes: Sarcopterygii). PLoS ONE. 18(2): e0281333. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281333
==========================
Phylogenetic Relationships of the North American Catfishes (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae): Investigating the Origins and Parallel Evolution of the Troglodytic Species
Noturus, Prietella, Pylodictis, Satan, Trogloglanis, Ameiurus, Ictalurus
Phylogeographic sketch of extant Ictaluridae based on relationships supported in this study
in Janzen, Pérez-Rodríguez, Domínguez-Domínguez, Hendrickson, Sabaj & Blouin-Demers, 2023.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107746
Photos by D.A. Hendrickson, J. Krejca, Zara Environmental LLC., M.H. Sabaj, G.W. Sneegas and M.R. Thomas.
Highlights:
• The known cave species of Ictaluridae currently form a polyphyletic clade.
• A minimum of two cave invasions occurred by surface-dwelling ancestors.
• Two sister cave species likely resulted from subterranean dispersal between caves.
• Transient connectivity of aquifers acted as a sufficient barrier for speciation.
• Prietella species do not form a sister pair, indicating a need for reclassification.
Abstract
Insular habitats have played an important role in developing evolutionary theory, including natural selection and island biogeography. Caves are insular habitats that place extreme selective pressures on organisms due to the absence of light and food scarcity. Therefore, cave organisms present an excellent opportunity for studying colonization and speciation in response to the unique abiotic conditions that require extreme adaptations. One vertebrate family, the North American catfishes (Ictaluridae), includes four troglodytic species that inhabit the karst region bordering the western Gulf of Mexico. The phylogenetic relationships of these species have been contentious, and conflicting hypotheses have been proposed to explain their origins. The purpose of our study was to construct a time-calibrated phylogeny of Ictaluridae using first-occurrence fossil data and the largest molecular dataset on the group to date. We test the hypothesis that troglodytic ictalurids have evolved in parallel, thus resulting from repeated cave colonization events. We found that Prietella lundbergi is sister to surface-dwelling Ictalurus and that Prietella phreatophila + Trogloglanis pattersoni are sister to surface-dwelling Ameiurus, suggesting that ictalurids colonized subterranean habitats at least twice in evolutionary history. The sister relationship between Prietella phreatophila and Trogloglanis pattersoni may indicate that these two species diverged from a common ancestor following a subterranean dispersal event between Texas and Coahuila aquifers. We recovered Prietella as a polyphyletic genus and recommend P. lundbergi be removed from this genus. With respect to Ameiurus, we found evidence for a potentially undescribed species sister to A. platycephalus, which warrants further investigation of Atlantic and Gulf slope Ameiurus species. In Ictalurus, we identified shallow divergence between I. dugesii and I. ochoterenai, I. australis and I. mexicanus, and I. furcatus and I. meridionalis, indicating a need to reexamine the validity of each species. Lastly, we propose minor revisions to the intrageneric classification of Noturus including the restriction of subgenus Schilbeodes to N. gyrinus (type species), N. lachneri, N. leptacanthus, and N. nocturnus.
Keywords: Aquifer, Biogeography, Hypogean, Insular habitats, Speciation, Time-calibrated phylogeny
Phylogeographic sketch of extant Ictaluridae based on relationships supported in this study (solid lines) or inferred from previous ones (dashed line).
Branch lengths proportional to those in Fig. 2; circles denote common ancestor of respective genus. Distribution maps of epigean genera (gray) and hypogean species (red) derived from Burr et al. (2020).
Photos by D.A. Hendrickson (Prietella lundbergi), J. Krejca, Zara Environmental LLC. (Prietella phreatophila), M.H. Sabaj (Noturus, Pylodictis), G.W. Sneegas (Satan, Trogloglanis) and M.R. Thomas (Ameiurus, Ictalurus).
Francesco H. Janzen, Rodolfo Pérez-Rodríguez, Omar Domínguez-Domínguez, Dean A. Hendrickson, Mark H. Sabaj and Gabriel Blouin-Demers. 2023. Phylogenetic Relationships of the North American Catfishes (Ictaluridae, Siluriformes): Investigating the Origins and Parallel Evolution of the Troglodytic Species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 107746. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107746
==========================
Noturus, Prietella, Pylodictis, Satan, Trogloglanis, Ameiurus, Ictalurus
Phylogeographic sketch of extant Ictaluridae based on relationships supported in this study
in Janzen, Pérez-Rodríguez, Domínguez-Domínguez, Hendrickson, Sabaj & Blouin-Demers, 2023.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107746
Photos by D.A. Hendrickson, J. Krejca, Zara Environmental LLC., M.H. Sabaj, G.W. Sneegas and M.R. Thomas.
Highlights:
• The known cave species of Ictaluridae currently form a polyphyletic clade.
• A minimum of two cave invasions occurred by surface-dwelling ancestors.
• Two sister cave species likely resulted from subterranean dispersal between caves.
• Transient connectivity of aquifers acted as a sufficient barrier for speciation.
• Prietella species do not form a sister pair, indicating a need for reclassification.
Abstract
Insular habitats have played an important role in developing evolutionary theory, including natural selection and island biogeography. Caves are insular habitats that place extreme selective pressures on organisms due to the absence of light and food scarcity. Therefore, cave organisms present an excellent opportunity for studying colonization and speciation in response to the unique abiotic conditions that require extreme adaptations. One vertebrate family, the North American catfishes (Ictaluridae), includes four troglodytic species that inhabit the karst region bordering the western Gulf of Mexico. The phylogenetic relationships of these species have been contentious, and conflicting hypotheses have been proposed to explain their origins. The purpose of our study was to construct a time-calibrated phylogeny of Ictaluridae using first-occurrence fossil data and the largest molecular dataset on the group to date. We test the hypothesis that troglodytic ictalurids have evolved in parallel, thus resulting from repeated cave colonization events. We found that Prietella lundbergi is sister to surface-dwelling Ictalurus and that Prietella phreatophila + Trogloglanis pattersoni are sister to surface-dwelling Ameiurus, suggesting that ictalurids colonized subterranean habitats at least twice in evolutionary history. The sister relationship between Prietella phreatophila and Trogloglanis pattersoni may indicate that these two species diverged from a common ancestor following a subterranean dispersal event between Texas and Coahuila aquifers. We recovered Prietella as a polyphyletic genus and recommend P. lundbergi be removed from this genus. With respect to Ameiurus, we found evidence for a potentially undescribed species sister to A. platycephalus, which warrants further investigation of Atlantic and Gulf slope Ameiurus species. In Ictalurus, we identified shallow divergence between I. dugesii and I. ochoterenai, I. australis and I. mexicanus, and I. furcatus and I. meridionalis, indicating a need to reexamine the validity of each species. Lastly, we propose minor revisions to the intrageneric classification of Noturus including the restriction of subgenus Schilbeodes to N. gyrinus (type species), N. lachneri, N. leptacanthus, and N. nocturnus.
Keywords: Aquifer, Biogeography, Hypogean, Insular habitats, Speciation, Time-calibrated phylogeny
Phylogeographic sketch of extant Ictaluridae based on relationships supported in this study (solid lines) or inferred from previous ones (dashed line).
Branch lengths proportional to those in Fig. 2; circles denote common ancestor of respective genus. Distribution maps of epigean genera (gray) and hypogean species (red) derived from Burr et al. (2020).
Photos by D.A. Hendrickson (Prietella lundbergi), J. Krejca, Zara Environmental LLC. (Prietella phreatophila), M.H. Sabaj (Noturus, Pylodictis), G.W. Sneegas (Satan, Trogloglanis) and M.R. Thomas (Ameiurus, Ictalurus).
Francesco H. Janzen, Rodolfo Pérez-Rodríguez, Omar Domínguez-Domínguez, Dean A. Hendrickson, Mark H. Sabaj and Gabriel Blouin-Demers. 2023. Phylogenetic Relationships of the North American Catfishes (Ictaluridae, Siluriformes): Investigating the Origins and Parallel Evolution of the Troglodytic Species. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 107746. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107746
==========================
Systematics and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of the Enigmatic Late Jurassic Shark Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918 with Comments on the Shark–Ray Sister Group Relationship
Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918
in Jambura, Villalobos-Segura, Türtscher, Begat, ... et Kriwet, 2023.
DOI: 10.3390/d15030311
Abstract
The Late Jurassic elasmobranch Protospinax annectans is often regarded as a key species to our understanding of crown group elasmobranch interrelationships and the evolutionary history of this group. However, since its first description more than 100 years ago, its phylogenetic position within the Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) has proven controversial, and a closer relationship between Protospinax and each of the posited superorders (Batomorphii, Squalomorphii, and Galeomorphii) has been proposed over the time. Here we revise this controversial taxon based on new holomorphic specimens from the Late Jurassic Konservat-Lagerstätte of the Solnhofen Archipelago in Bavaria (Germany) and review its skeletal morphology, systematics, and phylogenetic interrelationships. A data matrix with 224 morphological characters was compiled and analyzed under a molecular backbone constraint. Our results indicate a close relationship between Protospinax, angel sharks (Squatiniformes), and saw sharks (Pristiophoriformes). However, the revision of our morphological data matrix within a molecular framework highlights the lack of morphological characters defining certain groups, especially sharks of the order Squaliformes, hampering the phylogenetic resolution of Protospinax annectans with certainty. Furthermore, the monophyly of modern sharks retrieved by molecular studies is only weakly supported by morphological data, stressing the need for more characters to align morphological and molecular studies in the future.
Keywords: phylogenetics; elasmobranch evolution; calibration fossil; molecular backbone constraint; hypnosqualea; Mesozoic; Solnhofen Archipelago; Konservat-Lagerstätte
New fossil skeletal material of Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918 examined in this study.
(A) PBP-SOL-8007; (B) MB 14-12-22-1; (C) UMN uncatalogued; (D) JME-SOS 3386; (E,F) FSM 727.
Abbreviations: bp, basal plate; dfs, dorsal fin spine; sne, supraneuralia; vc, vertebral column.
Environmental reconstruction of the Tithonian (Late Jurassic) Solnhofen Archipelago, showing Protospinax annectans in association with the Late Jurassic ray Asterodermus platypterus.
Patrick L. Jambura, Eduardo Villalobos-Segura, Julia Türtscher, Arnaud Begat, Manuel Andreas Staggl, Sebastian Stumpf, René Kindlimann, Stefanie Klug, Frederic Lacombat, Burkhard Pohl, John G. Maisey, Gavin J. P. Naylor and Jürgen Kriwet. 2023. Systematics and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of the Enigmatic Late Jurassic Shark Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918 with Comments on the Shark–Ray Sister Group Relationship. Diversity. 15(3); 311. DOI: 10.3390/d15030311
(the Special Issue: Evolution and Diversity of Fishes in Deep Time)
==========================
Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918
in Jambura, Villalobos-Segura, Türtscher, Begat, ... et Kriwet, 2023.
DOI: 10.3390/d15030311
Abstract
The Late Jurassic elasmobranch Protospinax annectans is often regarded as a key species to our understanding of crown group elasmobranch interrelationships and the evolutionary history of this group. However, since its first description more than 100 years ago, its phylogenetic position within the Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) has proven controversial, and a closer relationship between Protospinax and each of the posited superorders (Batomorphii, Squalomorphii, and Galeomorphii) has been proposed over the time. Here we revise this controversial taxon based on new holomorphic specimens from the Late Jurassic Konservat-Lagerstätte of the Solnhofen Archipelago in Bavaria (Germany) and review its skeletal morphology, systematics, and phylogenetic interrelationships. A data matrix with 224 morphological characters was compiled and analyzed under a molecular backbone constraint. Our results indicate a close relationship between Protospinax, angel sharks (Squatiniformes), and saw sharks (Pristiophoriformes). However, the revision of our morphological data matrix within a molecular framework highlights the lack of morphological characters defining certain groups, especially sharks of the order Squaliformes, hampering the phylogenetic resolution of Protospinax annectans with certainty. Furthermore, the monophyly of modern sharks retrieved by molecular studies is only weakly supported by morphological data, stressing the need for more characters to align morphological and molecular studies in the future.
Keywords: phylogenetics; elasmobranch evolution; calibration fossil; molecular backbone constraint; hypnosqualea; Mesozoic; Solnhofen Archipelago; Konservat-Lagerstätte
New fossil skeletal material of Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918 examined in this study.
(A) PBP-SOL-8007; (B) MB 14-12-22-1; (C) UMN uncatalogued; (D) JME-SOS 3386; (E,F) FSM 727.
Abbreviations: bp, basal plate; dfs, dorsal fin spine; sne, supraneuralia; vc, vertebral column.
Environmental reconstruction of the Tithonian (Late Jurassic) Solnhofen Archipelago, showing Protospinax annectans in association with the Late Jurassic ray Asterodermus platypterus.
Patrick L. Jambura, Eduardo Villalobos-Segura, Julia Türtscher, Arnaud Begat, Manuel Andreas Staggl, Sebastian Stumpf, René Kindlimann, Stefanie Klug, Frederic Lacombat, Burkhard Pohl, John G. Maisey, Gavin J. P. Naylor and Jürgen Kriwet. 2023. Systematics and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of the Enigmatic Late Jurassic Shark Protospinax annectans Woodward, 1918 with Comments on the Shark–Ray Sister Group Relationship. Diversity. 15(3); 311. DOI: 10.3390/d15030311
(the Special Issue: Evolution and Diversity of Fishes in Deep Time)
==========================
Nemacheilus pullus, a new species of loach from central Laos (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)
Maurice Kottelat
Abstract.
Nemacheilus pullus, new species, is described from the Nam Ngiep and Nam Xan watersheds, Mekong drainage, in central Laos. It was earlier misidentified as N. platiceps. It is distinguished from congeners in having an incomplete lateral line, with 23–57 pores, reaching between verticals of pelvic-fin origin and of anus; anterior nare at tip of a short tube; body plain yellowish grey in life in adults; a conspicuous suborbital flap in males; small tubercles on anterior pectoral-fin rays and on flank. It was found in habitats with moderate flow, usually small streams, on mud to stone bottoms. An informal platiceps group is recognised, including N. platiceps, N. cac
website DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2023-0009
==========================
Maurice Kottelat
Abstract.
Nemacheilus pullus, new species, is described from the Nam Ngiep and Nam Xan watersheds, Mekong drainage, in central Laos. It was earlier misidentified as N. platiceps. It is distinguished from congeners in having an incomplete lateral line, with 23–57 pores, reaching between verticals of pelvic-fin origin and of anus; anterior nare at tip of a short tube; body plain yellowish grey in life in adults; a conspicuous suborbital flap in males; small tubercles on anterior pectoral-fin rays and on flank. It was found in habitats with moderate flow, usually small streams, on mud to stone bottoms. An informal platiceps group is recognised, including N. platiceps, N. cac
website DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2023-0009
==========================
New species of Rhyacoglanis (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the upper rio Tocantins basin
Oscar Akio ShibattaLenice Souza-ShibattaABOUT THE AUTHORSAbstractA new species of Rhyacoglanis from the upper rio Tocantins basin is described based on morphological and molecular data. The new species differs from the congeners by its color pattern, caudal fin shape, hypural bones fusion pattern, pectoral-fin spine shape, and barcode sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). In this study, two putative monophyletic groups of Rhyacoglanis are proposed based on morphology, one consisting of species with a short post-cleithral process and caudal fin with rounded lobes, Rhyacoglanis epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae, and the other with a longer post-cleithral process and caudal fin with pointed lobes, R. annulatus, R. paranensis, R. pulcher, R. seminiger, and the new species described herein.
Keywords:
Biodiversity; Bumblebee catfish; Ostariophysi; Systematics; Taxonomy
INTRODUCTIONPseudopimelodidae Fernández-Yépez & Antón, 1966 is a small family of Neotropical catfishes with 54 known species (Shibatta et al., 2021a,b). It comprises six genera, distributed in the subfamilies Pseudopimelodinae (CruciglanisOrtega-Lara & Lehmann, 2006, Pseudopimelodus Bleeker, 1858, and Rhyacoglanis Shibatta & Vari, 2017) and Batrocoglaninae (Batrochoglanis Gill, 1858, Lophiosilurus Steindachner, 1876, and Microglanis Eigenmann, 1912) (Shibatta et al., 2021; Silva et al., 2021).
Rhyacoglanis comprises six species: R. annulatus Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. epiblepsis Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. paranensis Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. pulcher (Boulenger, 1887); R. rapppydanielae Shibatta, Rocha & Oliveira, 2021, and R. seminiger Shibatta & Vari, 2017. The genus can be identified by the following morphological characters: small size (maximum known size of 89.2 mm standard length – SL), premaxillary dentigerous plate posterolaterally pointed, lateral line elongated, lateral region of the head with rounded shape depigmented area, body with dark brown vertical bars, and caudal fin with dark brown band usually confluent midlaterally with the dark brown bar on the caudal peduncle (Shibatta, Vari, 2017). The monophyly of Rhyacoglanis is corroborated by morphological and molecular analyses (Shibatta, Vari, 2017; Shibatta et al., 2021; Silva et al., 2021).
Rhyacoglanis is distributed in the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, Paraguay, and lower rio Tocantins basins (Shibatta, Vari, 2017; Shibatta et al., 2021). Microglanis maculatus Shibatta, 2014 is the only species of Pseudopimelodidae described from the upper rio Tocantins basin. This region is considered highly endemic and has 27 (52.9%) of the 51 threatened fish species in the entire rio Tocantins-Araguaia basin (Chamon et al., 2022). The new species of Rhyacoglanis described herein reinforces the endemicity of fishes in the basin.
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Oscar Akio ShibattaLenice Souza-ShibattaABOUT THE AUTHORSAbstractA new species of Rhyacoglanis from the upper rio Tocantins basin is described based on morphological and molecular data. The new species differs from the congeners by its color pattern, caudal fin shape, hypural bones fusion pattern, pectoral-fin spine shape, and barcode sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). In this study, two putative monophyletic groups of Rhyacoglanis are proposed based on morphology, one consisting of species with a short post-cleithral process and caudal fin with rounded lobes, Rhyacoglanis epiblepsis and R. rapppydanielae, and the other with a longer post-cleithral process and caudal fin with pointed lobes, R. annulatus, R. paranensis, R. pulcher, R. seminiger, and the new species described herein.
Keywords:
Biodiversity; Bumblebee catfish; Ostariophysi; Systematics; Taxonomy
INTRODUCTIONPseudopimelodidae Fernández-Yépez & Antón, 1966 is a small family of Neotropical catfishes with 54 known species (Shibatta et al., 2021a,b). It comprises six genera, distributed in the subfamilies Pseudopimelodinae (CruciglanisOrtega-Lara & Lehmann, 2006, Pseudopimelodus Bleeker, 1858, and Rhyacoglanis Shibatta & Vari, 2017) and Batrocoglaninae (Batrochoglanis Gill, 1858, Lophiosilurus Steindachner, 1876, and Microglanis Eigenmann, 1912) (Shibatta et al., 2021; Silva et al., 2021).
Rhyacoglanis comprises six species: R. annulatus Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. epiblepsis Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. paranensis Shibatta & Vari, 2017; R. pulcher (Boulenger, 1887); R. rapppydanielae Shibatta, Rocha & Oliveira, 2021, and R. seminiger Shibatta & Vari, 2017. The genus can be identified by the following morphological characters: small size (maximum known size of 89.2 mm standard length – SL), premaxillary dentigerous plate posterolaterally pointed, lateral line elongated, lateral region of the head with rounded shape depigmented area, body with dark brown vertical bars, and caudal fin with dark brown band usually confluent midlaterally with the dark brown bar on the caudal peduncle (Shibatta, Vari, 2017). The monophyly of Rhyacoglanis is corroborated by morphological and molecular analyses (Shibatta, Vari, 2017; Shibatta et al., 2021; Silva et al., 2021).
Rhyacoglanis is distributed in the Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná, Paraguay, and lower rio Tocantins basins (Shibatta, Vari, 2017; Shibatta et al., 2021). Microglanis maculatus Shibatta, 2014 is the only species of Pseudopimelodidae described from the upper rio Tocantins basin. This region is considered highly endemic and has 27 (52.9%) of the 51 threatened fish species in the entire rio Tocantins-Araguaia basin (Chamon et al., 2022). The new species of Rhyacoglanis described herein reinforces the endemicity of fishes in the basin.
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Ophichthys terricolus, a new species of hypogean swamp eel from Cachar, Assam (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae)
Reihe: Ichthyological Exploration of FreshwatersReceived 8 December 2022
Revised 10 January 2023
Accepted 28 January 2023
Published 16 February 2023
ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FE426F8B-F0BE-4112-98BE-500A1547C872
German National Library URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023021616584314426720
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1189
Ophichthys terricolus, a new species of hypogean swamp eel from Cachar, Assam (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) Ralf Britz*, **, Ariane Standing**, David J. Gower** and Rachunliu G. Kamei**, *** A new species of swamp eel, Ophichthys terricolus, is described from Assam, India. The new species closely resembles the common Ophichthys cuchia but differs from this species by having fewer abdominal vertebrae (79-80 vs. 95-100), a longer preanal and shorter postanal region, and a wider and higher posterior part of the body. Introduction Swamp eels of the family Synbranchidae are a small group of eel-like percomorphs with currently at least 24 valid species, distributed in South and Central America, West Africa, large parts of Asia, as well as Australia (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976; Bailey & Gans, 1998; Gopi, 2002; Favorito et al., 2005; Kottelat, 2013; Britz et al., 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020a, 2020b, 2021, 2022). Swamp eels are peculiar among teleosts because they lack pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, anal, and usually also caudal fins (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976). Synbranchids also have highly vascularised accessory air-breathing organs in combination with strikingly modified vascular systems to exploit atmospheric oxygen (Hyrtl, 1858; Liem, 1961; Samuel, 1963; Rosen & Greenwood, 1976). To date, 11 species of synbranchids have been recorded from India, of which six are restricted to the Western Ghats area of southern India, four occur only in the north of the country (Britz et al., 2018, 2020b), and one, the brackish water Ophisternon bengalense, along coastal areas of India. Among these, the northern Indian species Ophichthys cuchia has a wide distribution ranging from Pakistan, through northern India, the North Eastern Region (NER) of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh to Myanmar (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976; Menon, 1999). This species has recently established non-native reproducing populations in the USA (Jordan et al., 2020; Best et al., 2022). Ichthyologists traditionally search for fishes using nets, and not through soil-digging surveys, but in the recent past, burrowing, semi-terrestrial synbranchid eels have been found by herpeto- *
==========================
Reihe: Ichthyological Exploration of FreshwatersReceived 8 December 2022
Revised 10 January 2023
Accepted 28 January 2023
Published 16 February 2023
ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FE426F8B-F0BE-4112-98BE-500A1547C872
German National Library URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023021616584314426720
DOI: 10.23788/IEF-1189
Ophichthys terricolus, a new species of hypogean swamp eel from Cachar, Assam (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) Ralf Britz*, **, Ariane Standing**, David J. Gower** and Rachunliu G. Kamei**, *** A new species of swamp eel, Ophichthys terricolus, is described from Assam, India. The new species closely resembles the common Ophichthys cuchia but differs from this species by having fewer abdominal vertebrae (79-80 vs. 95-100), a longer preanal and shorter postanal region, and a wider and higher posterior part of the body. Introduction Swamp eels of the family Synbranchidae are a small group of eel-like percomorphs with currently at least 24 valid species, distributed in South and Central America, West Africa, large parts of Asia, as well as Australia (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976; Bailey & Gans, 1998; Gopi, 2002; Favorito et al., 2005; Kottelat, 2013; Britz et al., 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020a, 2020b, 2021, 2022). Swamp eels are peculiar among teleosts because they lack pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, anal, and usually also caudal fins (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976). Synbranchids also have highly vascularised accessory air-breathing organs in combination with strikingly modified vascular systems to exploit atmospheric oxygen (Hyrtl, 1858; Liem, 1961; Samuel, 1963; Rosen & Greenwood, 1976). To date, 11 species of synbranchids have been recorded from India, of which six are restricted to the Western Ghats area of southern India, four occur only in the north of the country (Britz et al., 2018, 2020b), and one, the brackish water Ophisternon bengalense, along coastal areas of India. Among these, the northern Indian species Ophichthys cuchia has a wide distribution ranging from Pakistan, through northern India, the North Eastern Region (NER) of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh to Myanmar (Rosen & Greenwood, 1976; Menon, 1999). This species has recently established non-native reproducing populations in the USA (Jordan et al., 2020; Best et al., 2022). Ichthyologists traditionally search for fishes using nets, and not through soil-digging surveys, but in the recent past, burrowing, semi-terrestrial synbranchid eels have been found by herpeto- *
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Checklist of the Fishes of the Kundelungu National Park (Upper Congo Basin, DR Congo): Species Diversity and Endemicity of a Poorly Known Ichthyofauna
by
Emmanuel Abwe
1,2,3,
Jos Snoeks
3,4,
Bauchet Katemo Manda
1,3,
Pacifique Kiwele Mutambala
1,
Lewis Ngoy Kalumba
1,
Pedro H. N. Bragança
3
Abstract
The fish diversity of the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), one of the seven national parks of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has never been thoroughly studied. This first checklist is presented based on a literature compilation and the study of historical (1939–1969) and recent collections (2012–2017). A total of 96 taxa are reported, including 64 native described species, one introduced species (Poecilia reticulata), 13 new species that await formal description and 18 possibly new species that require further investigation to verify their status. These taxa represent 39 genera and 17 families from the KNP including its Buffer Zone (BZ). Only six taxa, including five endemics, are known from the Core Zone on the Kundelungu Plateau (1300–1700 m alt.). At lower altitudes (800–1100 m), in the Annex Zone, 71 taxa, including 17 endemics, were found. Finally, 50 taxa, including 13 endemics and one introduced species, are known from its BZ. The fish fauna of the KNP is threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and habitat degradation due to mining pollution, and deforestation for agriculture on the river banks. The present study provides the much needed baseline data for the protection and conservation planning of this fish fauna, for which conservation suggestions are formulated.
Keywords:
anthropogenic impacts; Endemism; Kundelungu Plateau; new species
1. IntroductionThe Kundelungu National Park (KNP) was created in 1970 to protect its abundant large mammal wildlife [1,2]. The park is located in the Haut Katanga Province, in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). The protected area was extended from 2200 km2 to 7600 km2 in 1975, and now encompasses 2200 km2 of Core Zone (CZ), located entirely on the Kundelungu Plateau (KP) and its immediate buttress region, and an Annex Zone (AZ) of 5400 km2 covering most of the middle Lufira River Valley. These two zones correspond to the KNP sensu stricto; here referred to as KNP. However, the KNP is surrounded by a poorly defined Buffer Zone (BZ), which may extend at some places up to about 50 km beyond the outer limit of the two previous zones [1,2] (Figure 1). These three distinct protection/conservation zones together are referred to as the KNP sensu lato (s.l.). Towards its north-western border, the KNP is connected to the Upemba National Park via the Lubudi-Sampwe hunting area [2], and together they form the Upemba-Kundelungu Complex [3].
==========================
by
Emmanuel Abwe
1,2,3,
Jos Snoeks
3,4,
Bauchet Katemo Manda
1,3,
Pacifique Kiwele Mutambala
1,
Lewis Ngoy Kalumba
1,
Pedro H. N. Bragança
3
Abstract
The fish diversity of the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), one of the seven national parks of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has never been thoroughly studied. This first checklist is presented based on a literature compilation and the study of historical (1939–1969) and recent collections (2012–2017). A total of 96 taxa are reported, including 64 native described species, one introduced species (Poecilia reticulata), 13 new species that await formal description and 18 possibly new species that require further investigation to verify their status. These taxa represent 39 genera and 17 families from the KNP including its Buffer Zone (BZ). Only six taxa, including five endemics, are known from the Core Zone on the Kundelungu Plateau (1300–1700 m alt.). At lower altitudes (800–1100 m), in the Annex Zone, 71 taxa, including 17 endemics, were found. Finally, 50 taxa, including 13 endemics and one introduced species, are known from its BZ. The fish fauna of the KNP is threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and habitat degradation due to mining pollution, and deforestation for agriculture on the river banks. The present study provides the much needed baseline data for the protection and conservation planning of this fish fauna, for which conservation suggestions are formulated.
Keywords:
anthropogenic impacts; Endemism; Kundelungu Plateau; new species
1. IntroductionThe Kundelungu National Park (KNP) was created in 1970 to protect its abundant large mammal wildlife [1,2]. The park is located in the Haut Katanga Province, in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). The protected area was extended from 2200 km2 to 7600 km2 in 1975, and now encompasses 2200 km2 of Core Zone (CZ), located entirely on the Kundelungu Plateau (KP) and its immediate buttress region, and an Annex Zone (AZ) of 5400 km2 covering most of the middle Lufira River Valley. These two zones correspond to the KNP sensu stricto; here referred to as KNP. However, the KNP is surrounded by a poorly defined Buffer Zone (BZ), which may extend at some places up to about 50 km beyond the outer limit of the two previous zones [1,2] (Figure 1). These three distinct protection/conservation zones together are referred to as the KNP sensu lato (s.l.). Towards its north-western border, the KNP is connected to the Upemba National Park via the Lubudi-Sampwe hunting area [2], and together they form the Upemba-Kundelungu Complex [3].
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Checklist of the fish fauna of the Munim River Basin, Maranhão, north-eastern Brazil
Lucas O. Vieira, Diego S. Campos, Rafael F. Oliveira, Josie South, Marcony S. P. Coelho, Maurício J. S. Paiva, Pedro H. N. Bragança, Erick C. Guimarães, Axel M. Katz, Pâmella S. Brito, Jadson P. Santos, Felipe P. OttoniAbstractBackgroundThe Maranhão State harbours great fish diversity, but some areas are still undersampled or little known, such as the Munim River Basin in the northeast of the State. This lack of knowledge is critical when considering anthropogenic impacts on riverine systems especially in the face of major habitat destruction. These pressing threats mean that a comprehensive understanding of diversity is critical and fish checklists extremely relevant. Therefore, the present study provides a checklist of the fish species found in the Munim River Basin, Maranhão State, north-eastern Brazil, based on collected specimens.
New informationA total of 123 species were recorded for the Munim River Basin, with only two non-native species, Oreochromis niloticus and Colossoma macropomum, showing that the fish assemblage has relatively high ecological integrity. In addition, 29 species could not be identified at the species level, indicating the presence of species that are probably new to science in the Basin. A predominance of species belonging to the fish orders Characiformes and Siluriformes, with Characidae being recovered as the most species-rich family (21 species) agrees with the general pattern for river basins in the Neotropical Region. The total fish diversity was estimated by extensive fieldwork, including several sampling gears, carried out in different seasons (dry and rainy) and exploring different environments with both daily and nocturnal sampling, from the Basin's source to its mouth. A total of 84 sites were sampled between 2010 and 2022, resulting in 12 years of fieldwork. Fish assemblages were distinct in the Estuary and Upper river basin sections and more similar in the Lower and Middle sections indicating environmental filtering processes. Species were weakly nested across basin sections, but unique species were found in each section (per Simpsons Index). High variability of species richness in the Middle river basin section is likely due to microhabitat heterogeneity supporting specialist fish communities.
bit.ly/3EbOYl4
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Lucas O. Vieira, Diego S. Campos, Rafael F. Oliveira, Josie South, Marcony S. P. Coelho, Maurício J. S. Paiva, Pedro H. N. Bragança, Erick C. Guimarães, Axel M. Katz, Pâmella S. Brito, Jadson P. Santos, Felipe P. OttoniAbstractBackgroundThe Maranhão State harbours great fish diversity, but some areas are still undersampled or little known, such as the Munim River Basin in the northeast of the State. This lack of knowledge is critical when considering anthropogenic impacts on riverine systems especially in the face of major habitat destruction. These pressing threats mean that a comprehensive understanding of diversity is critical and fish checklists extremely relevant. Therefore, the present study provides a checklist of the fish species found in the Munim River Basin, Maranhão State, north-eastern Brazil, based on collected specimens.
New informationA total of 123 species were recorded for the Munim River Basin, with only two non-native species, Oreochromis niloticus and Colossoma macropomum, showing that the fish assemblage has relatively high ecological integrity. In addition, 29 species could not be identified at the species level, indicating the presence of species that are probably new to science in the Basin. A predominance of species belonging to the fish orders Characiformes and Siluriformes, with Characidae being recovered as the most species-rich family (21 species) agrees with the general pattern for river basins in the Neotropical Region. The total fish diversity was estimated by extensive fieldwork, including several sampling gears, carried out in different seasons (dry and rainy) and exploring different environments with both daily and nocturnal sampling, from the Basin's source to its mouth. A total of 84 sites were sampled between 2010 and 2022, resulting in 12 years of fieldwork. Fish assemblages were distinct in the Estuary and Upper river basin sections and more similar in the Lower and Middle sections indicating environmental filtering processes. Species were weakly nested across basin sections, but unique species were found in each section (per Simpsons Index). High variability of species richness in the Middle river basin section is likely due to microhabitat heterogeneity supporting specialist fish communities.
bit.ly/3EbOYl4
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Two new species of miniature tetras of the fish genus Priocharax from the Rio Juruá drainage, Acre, Brazil (Teleostei: Characiformes: Characidae)
Authors: George M.T. Mattox https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-472X gmattox@ufscar.br, Ralf Britz, Camila S. Souza, André L.S. Casas, Flávio C.T. Lima, and Claudio OliveiraAUTHORS INFO & AFFILIATIONS
Publication: Canadian Journal of Zoology
10 February 2023
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2022-0136
Data is empt
Canadian Journal of Zoology
AbstractTwo new miniature tetra species of the Neotropical characid genus Priocharax Weitzman and Vari, 1987 are described, raising the known species diversity to seven. Both species occur in the Rio Juruá system, Cruzeiro do Sul municipality, Acre State, Brazil. Priocharax toledopizae sp. nov. occurs in streams flowing to the lower Rio Moa, a tributary of Rio Juruá, and is distinguished from congeners by a combination of presence of claustrum and infraorbitals 1 and 2, absence of infraorbital 3, and presence of five branched pelvic-fin rays. Priocharax marupiara sp. nov. is known from Igarapé Canela Fina, tributary of Rio Juruá, and is diagnosed by a combination of fewer maxillary teeth (21–27 vs. 27–58 in remaining species), fewer branched anal-fin rays (18–23 vs. 22–27 in two species) and colour pattern. Both species differ from each other in the general body shape: Priocharax toledopizae is more robust with deep body and Priocharax marupiara more elongate. DNA barcode data support the specific distinctness of the two new species and that of the other five species in the genus. We describe a remarkable sexual dimorphism of the pelvic girdle of Priocharax toledopizae in which the pelvic musculature is enlarged forming a pedicel for the fin in mature males. Most localities where these species were found suffer from significant degradation mainly due to litter accumulation and suppression of the riparian forest, raising concerns about their conservation status.Get full access to this articleView all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
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Authors: George M.T. Mattox https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-472X gmattox@ufscar.br, Ralf Britz, Camila S. Souza, André L.S. Casas, Flávio C.T. Lima, and Claudio OliveiraAUTHORS INFO & AFFILIATIONS
Publication: Canadian Journal of Zoology
10 February 2023
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2022-0136
Data is empt
Canadian Journal of Zoology
AbstractTwo new miniature tetra species of the Neotropical characid genus Priocharax Weitzman and Vari, 1987 are described, raising the known species diversity to seven. Both species occur in the Rio Juruá system, Cruzeiro do Sul municipality, Acre State, Brazil. Priocharax toledopizae sp. nov. occurs in streams flowing to the lower Rio Moa, a tributary of Rio Juruá, and is distinguished from congeners by a combination of presence of claustrum and infraorbitals 1 and 2, absence of infraorbital 3, and presence of five branched pelvic-fin rays. Priocharax marupiara sp. nov. is known from Igarapé Canela Fina, tributary of Rio Juruá, and is diagnosed by a combination of fewer maxillary teeth (21–27 vs. 27–58 in remaining species), fewer branched anal-fin rays (18–23 vs. 22–27 in two species) and colour pattern. Both species differ from each other in the general body shape: Priocharax toledopizae is more robust with deep body and Priocharax marupiara more elongate. DNA barcode data support the specific distinctness of the two new species and that of the other five species in the genus. We describe a remarkable sexual dimorphism of the pelvic girdle of Priocharax toledopizae in which the pelvic musculature is enlarged forming a pedicel for the fin in mature males. Most localities where these species were found suffer from significant degradation mainly due to litter accumulation and suppression of the riparian forest, raising concerns about their conservation status.Get full access to this articleView all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
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Acanthopagrus oconnorae • A New Species of Seabream (Perciformes: Sparidae) from the Red Sea
Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann,
in Pombo-Ayora, Peinemann, Williams, He, Lin, Iwatsuki, Bradley & Berumen, 2022.
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147
Researchgate.net/publication/361611221
Abstract
A new species of sparid fish, Acanthopagrus oconnorae, is described based on 11 specimens collected in the shallow (0–1 m depth) mangrove-adjacent sandflats of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: second anal-fin spine 12.8%–16.6% of standard length (SL); 3½ scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 5.7%–6.7% of SL; eyes positioned at the anterior edge of the head, often forming a weakly convex break in an otherwise gently curved head profile, when viewed laterally; caudal fin light yellow with black posterior margin (approximately half of fin); anal fin dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent. The most similar species to A. oconnorae is Acanthopagrus vagus, which differs by the presence of a w-shaped anterior edge of the scaled predorsal area, a more acute snout and black streaks on the inter-radial membranes of the anal fin. Phylogenetic placement and species delimitation of A. oconnorae are discussed based on COI, CytB and 16S sequences. It is hypothesized that ecology and behaviour explain how this species avoided detection despite its likely occurrence in coastal areas of the Red Sea with historically high fishing pressure.
Keywords: biodiversity, new species, phylogeny, Red Sea, seabream, Sparidae, taxonomy
(a) Freshly collected holotype of Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov., CAS-ICH 247294, 222.7 mm SL (standard length), from the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea.
(b) Holotype of A. oconnorae sp. nov. after preservation in formalin. The posterior margin of the preopercle and opercle turns darkish or blackish, and yellowish portions of pectoral, anal and pelvic fins turn hyaline after preservation.
Photos: L. Pombo-Ayora
Species of Acanthopagrus similar to Acanthopagrus oconnorae currently known from the Western Indian Ocean region.
(a) Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov. [CAS-ICH 247299, 185.8 mm SL (standard length), Thuwal, Red Sea]. (b) Acanthopagrus sheim (168.3 SL, Dammam fish market). (c) Acanthopagrus vagus (200 mm SL, Kosi Bay, South Africa; specimen not retained). Note the differences in the colouration of the dorsal fin and anal fin. See Table 2 for detailed morphometric comparisons.
Photos: (a, b) L. Pombo-Ayora, (c) Bruce Mann
Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A. oconnorae is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: dorsal fin XI, 11; anal fin III, 8; 4½ scale rows above lateral line; 3½ scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 6%–7% of SL; body moderately deep (40%–45% of SL); head length 29%–32% of SL; second anal-fin spine 13%–17% of SL; anal fin yellowish grey or dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent; caudal fin light yellow with a broad black posterior margin (approximately half of the fin); vertical bands on body absent or weak (four horizontal scale rows wide, if present); conspicuous black spot on the upper base of pectoral fin; diffuse black blotch at the origin of lateral line covering the upper part of the cleithrum (Figure 4).
Distribution and habitat: Currently this species is known from the mangrove-adjacent sandflats and mangrove-encircled pools of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, in the central Red Sea. All specimens were caught in very close proximity to the mangrove habitat. All the trapped specimens were captured on sandflat shelves with very shallow water (maximum 1 m depth at high tide) near coastal stands of mangroves (Avicennia marina). Individuals of A. oconnorae appear to commonly utilize a specific type of habitat, co-occurring with A. berda, R. haffara, Pomadasys argenteus, Gerres longirostris, Monodactylus argenteus, Albula glossodonta and Crenimugil crenilabis.
Etymology: A. oconnorae is named in honour of Winefride Bradley (née O'Connor), botanist, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. D.D.C.B., her son, first noted several of the distinctive features of this fish in specimens caught while leisure fishing, and he provided a caudal-fin clipping for initial genetic analysis. D.D.C.B. collected the first specimen (CAS-ICH 247295) analysed in this study.
Common name: The following common name is proposed: Bev Bradley's Bream, after D.D.C.B.'s wife, Mrs. Beverley Bradley.
Lucía Pombo-Ayora, Viktor N. Peinemann, Collin T. Williams, Song He, Yu Jia Lin, Yukio Iwatsuki, Donal D. C. Bradley and Michael L. Berumen. 2022. Acanthopagrus oconnorae, A New Species of Seabream (Sparidae) from the Red Sea. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147
Researchgate.net/publication/361611221_Acanthopagrus_oconnorae_a_new_species_of_Sparidae_from_the_Red_Sea
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Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann,
in Pombo-Ayora, Peinemann, Williams, He, Lin, Iwatsuki, Bradley & Berumen, 2022.
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147
Researchgate.net/publication/361611221
Abstract
A new species of sparid fish, Acanthopagrus oconnorae, is described based on 11 specimens collected in the shallow (0–1 m depth) mangrove-adjacent sandflats of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: second anal-fin spine 12.8%–16.6% of standard length (SL); 3½ scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 5.7%–6.7% of SL; eyes positioned at the anterior edge of the head, often forming a weakly convex break in an otherwise gently curved head profile, when viewed laterally; caudal fin light yellow with black posterior margin (approximately half of fin); anal fin dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent. The most similar species to A. oconnorae is Acanthopagrus vagus, which differs by the presence of a w-shaped anterior edge of the scaled predorsal area, a more acute snout and black streaks on the inter-radial membranes of the anal fin. Phylogenetic placement and species delimitation of A. oconnorae are discussed based on COI, CytB and 16S sequences. It is hypothesized that ecology and behaviour explain how this species avoided detection despite its likely occurrence in coastal areas of the Red Sea with historically high fishing pressure.
Keywords: biodiversity, new species, phylogeny, Red Sea, seabream, Sparidae, taxonomy
(a) Freshly collected holotype of Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov., CAS-ICH 247294, 222.7 mm SL (standard length), from the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea.
(b) Holotype of A. oconnorae sp. nov. after preservation in formalin. The posterior margin of the preopercle and opercle turns darkish or blackish, and yellowish portions of pectoral, anal and pelvic fins turn hyaline after preservation.
Photos: L. Pombo-Ayora
Species of Acanthopagrus similar to Acanthopagrus oconnorae currently known from the Western Indian Ocean region.
(a) Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov. [CAS-ICH 247299, 185.8 mm SL (standard length), Thuwal, Red Sea]. (b) Acanthopagrus sheim (168.3 SL, Dammam fish market). (c) Acanthopagrus vagus (200 mm SL, Kosi Bay, South Africa; specimen not retained). Note the differences in the colouration of the dorsal fin and anal fin. See Table 2 for detailed morphometric comparisons.
Photos: (a, b) L. Pombo-Ayora, (c) Bruce Mann
Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A. oconnorae is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: dorsal fin XI, 11; anal fin III, 8; 4½ scale rows above lateral line; 3½ scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 6%–7% of SL; body moderately deep (40%–45% of SL); head length 29%–32% of SL; second anal-fin spine 13%–17% of SL; anal fin yellowish grey or dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent; caudal fin light yellow with a broad black posterior margin (approximately half of the fin); vertical bands on body absent or weak (four horizontal scale rows wide, if present); conspicuous black spot on the upper base of pectoral fin; diffuse black blotch at the origin of lateral line covering the upper part of the cleithrum (Figure 4).
Distribution and habitat: Currently this species is known from the mangrove-adjacent sandflats and mangrove-encircled pools of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, in the central Red Sea. All specimens were caught in very close proximity to the mangrove habitat. All the trapped specimens were captured on sandflat shelves with very shallow water (maximum 1 m depth at high tide) near coastal stands of mangroves (Avicennia marina). Individuals of A. oconnorae appear to commonly utilize a specific type of habitat, co-occurring with A. berda, R. haffara, Pomadasys argenteus, Gerres longirostris, Monodactylus argenteus, Albula glossodonta and Crenimugil crenilabis.
Etymology: A. oconnorae is named in honour of Winefride Bradley (née O'Connor), botanist, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. D.D.C.B., her son, first noted several of the distinctive features of this fish in specimens caught while leisure fishing, and he provided a caudal-fin clipping for initial genetic analysis. D.D.C.B. collected the first specimen (CAS-ICH 247295) analysed in this study.
Common name: The following common name is proposed: Bev Bradley's Bream, after D.D.C.B.'s wife, Mrs. Beverley Bradley.
Lucía Pombo-Ayora, Viktor N. Peinemann, Collin T. Williams, Song He, Yu Jia Lin, Yukio Iwatsuki, Donal D. C. Bradley and Michael L. Berumen. 2022. Acanthopagrus oconnorae, A New Species of Seabream (Sparidae) from the Red Sea. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147
Researchgate.net/publication/361611221_Acanthopagrus_oconnorae_a_new_species_of_Sparidae_from_the_Red_Sea
==========================
Parotocinclus pukuixe • A New Species of Parotocinclus (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the rio Pardo basin, Bahia State, Brazil, with comments on the sexually dimorphic traits of the nares and olfactory lamellae
Parotocinclus pukuixe
Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235
Researchgate.net/publication/364156336
Abstract
A new species of Parotocinclus is described from lower rio Pardo basin, Bahia, Brazil. The new species differs from the majority of its congeners by the presence of a rudimentary or vestigial adipose fin, restricted to one to three small unpaired plates on the typical location of the fin. The new species differs from congeners that lack a well-developed adipose fin, and also from various other congeners, by a series of features including the absence of unicuspid accessory teeth and abdomen completely covered by plates similar in size. Additionally, mature males of the new species possess hypertrophied and a higher number of olfactory lamellae, when compared to similar-sized or even larger females. Hypertrophied and higher number of olfactory lamellae in males is shared with the congeners from the north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion examined to the feature.
Keywords: Cascudinho, north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion, sexual dimorphism, Siluriformes, taxonomy
Parotocinclus pukuixe, holotype. MZUSP 126858, 36.4 mm LS, female,
Brazil, Bahia State, Camacan, Fazenda Tupinambá, rio Braço do Sul, tributary of rio Panelão, ..., 200 m a.s.l., 18 Out 2013, A. M. Zanata, T. Ramos, L. Oliveira & T. Duarte
Parotocinclus pukuixe, new species
Etmology: The specific name derives from the word ‘pukuixê’, from the Pataxohã language used by the native Pataxó Indigenous tribe. The Pataxó tribe historically occupies the south and extreme south coastal areas of Bahia State. Pukuixê means ‘the first’ and is used herein in allusion to the species being the first of the genus having the rio Pardo as its type locality. A noun in apposition.
Dario E. Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022. A New Species of Parotocinclus (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the rio Pardo basin, Bahia State, Brazil, with comments on the sexually dimorphic traits of the nares and olfactory lamellae. Journal of Fish Biology. 101(6); 1582-1590. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235
Researchgate.net/publication/364156336_A_new_species_of_Parotocinclus_from_the_rio_Pardo_basin_Bahia_State_Brazil
==========================
Parotocinclus pukuixe
Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235
Researchgate.net/publication/364156336
Abstract
A new species of Parotocinclus is described from lower rio Pardo basin, Bahia, Brazil. The new species differs from the majority of its congeners by the presence of a rudimentary or vestigial adipose fin, restricted to one to three small unpaired plates on the typical location of the fin. The new species differs from congeners that lack a well-developed adipose fin, and also from various other congeners, by a series of features including the absence of unicuspid accessory teeth and abdomen completely covered by plates similar in size. Additionally, mature males of the new species possess hypertrophied and a higher number of olfactory lamellae, when compared to similar-sized or even larger females. Hypertrophied and higher number of olfactory lamellae in males is shared with the congeners from the north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion examined to the feature.
Keywords: Cascudinho, north-eastern Mata Atlântica freshwater ecoregion, sexual dimorphism, Siluriformes, taxonomy
Parotocinclus pukuixe, holotype. MZUSP 126858, 36.4 mm LS, female,
Brazil, Bahia State, Camacan, Fazenda Tupinambá, rio Braço do Sul, tributary of rio Panelão, ..., 200 m a.s.l., 18 Out 2013, A. M. Zanata, T. Ramos, L. Oliveira & T. Duarte
Parotocinclus pukuixe, new species
Etmology: The specific name derives from the word ‘pukuixê’, from the Pataxohã language used by the native Pataxó Indigenous tribe. The Pataxó tribe historically occupies the south and extreme south coastal areas of Bahia State. Pukuixê means ‘the first’ and is used herein in allusion to the species being the first of the genus having the rio Pardo as its type locality. A noun in apposition.
Dario E. Silva-Junior and Angela M. Zanata. 2022. A New Species of Parotocinclus (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the rio Pardo basin, Bahia State, Brazil, with comments on the sexually dimorphic traits of the nares and olfactory lamellae. Journal of Fish Biology. 101(6); 1582-1590. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15235
Researchgate.net/publication/364156336_A_new_species_of_Parotocinclus_from_the_rio_Pardo_basin_Bahia_State_Brazil
==========================
27 December 2022Two new hypogean species of Triplophysa (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the River Yangtze drainage in Guizhou, China
Fei Liu, Zhi-Xuan Zeng, Zheng Gong
Author Affiliations +
J. of Vertebrate Biology, 71(22062):22062.1-14 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25225/jvb.22062
AbstractTwo hypogean species of genus Triplophysa are herein described from two subterranean tributaries of the River Yangtze drainage in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China. Triplophysa wudangensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 5.1-6.5% HL; interorbital width 33.1-35.8% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 34. Triplophysa qingzhenensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 2.1-4.4% HL; interorbital width 25.1-30.4% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7-8, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 36. Molecular phylogenetic analysis supported the validity of these two new species and indicated their close relationship with Triplophysa rosa.
IntroductionThe genus Triplophysa Rendahl is a large group of loaches in the family Nemacheilidae of order Cypriniformes, which comprises over 180 valid species or subspecies distributed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent regions (Zhu 1989, Eschmeyer et al. 2022). Species of Triplophysa are further subdivided into two groups based on their living habits and life-history traits: the epigean group and the hypogean group. Till now, 33 hypogean species of Triplophysa have been described, mainly found in the limestone caves or underground rivers of karst areas in southwestern China (Lan et al. 2013, Zhang et al. 2020, Chen et al. 2021, Deng et al. 2022). Meanwhile, the monophyly of both ecological groups of Triplophysa was also supported by recent phylogenetic analyses (Chen & Peng 2019, Chen et al. 2021).
Guizhou Province is located in southwestern China and has been recognised as a hotspot for cavefishes (Zhao & Zhang 2009). Nine hypogean species related to Triplophysa have been described in Guizhou Province, of which six are now valid, namely T. nasobarbatula Wang & Li, 2001 and T. zhenfengensis Wang & Li, 2001, T. longliensis Ren, Yang & Chen, 2012, T. guizhouensis Wu, He, Yang & Du, 2018, T. baotianensis Li, Liu, Li & Li, 2018, T. sanduensis Chen & Peng, 2019. Notably, all of the known Triplophysa species from Guizhou were captured from the River Pearl drainage. In addition, a recent ichthyological survey yielded two hypogean species of Triplophysa from the River Wujiang, a tributary of the upper River Yangtze in Guizhou Province, which could not be assigned to any of the other recorded species and are herein described as new species.
==========================
Fei Liu, Zhi-Xuan Zeng, Zheng Gong
Author Affiliations +
J. of Vertebrate Biology, 71(22062):22062.1-14 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25225/jvb.22062
AbstractTwo hypogean species of genus Triplophysa are herein described from two subterranean tributaries of the River Yangtze drainage in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China. Triplophysa wudangensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 5.1-6.5% HL; interorbital width 33.1-35.8% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 34. Triplophysa qingzhenensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 2.1-4.4% HL; interorbital width 25.1-30.4% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7-8, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 36. Molecular phylogenetic analysis supported the validity of these two new species and indicated their close relationship with Triplophysa rosa.
IntroductionThe genus Triplophysa Rendahl is a large group of loaches in the family Nemacheilidae of order Cypriniformes, which comprises over 180 valid species or subspecies distributed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent regions (Zhu 1989, Eschmeyer et al. 2022). Species of Triplophysa are further subdivided into two groups based on their living habits and life-history traits: the epigean group and the hypogean group. Till now, 33 hypogean species of Triplophysa have been described, mainly found in the limestone caves or underground rivers of karst areas in southwestern China (Lan et al. 2013, Zhang et al. 2020, Chen et al. 2021, Deng et al. 2022). Meanwhile, the monophyly of both ecological groups of Triplophysa was also supported by recent phylogenetic analyses (Chen & Peng 2019, Chen et al. 2021).
Guizhou Province is located in southwestern China and has been recognised as a hotspot for cavefishes (Zhao & Zhang 2009). Nine hypogean species related to Triplophysa have been described in Guizhou Province, of which six are now valid, namely T. nasobarbatula Wang & Li, 2001 and T. zhenfengensis Wang & Li, 2001, T. longliensis Ren, Yang & Chen, 2012, T. guizhouensis Wu, He, Yang & Du, 2018, T. baotianensis Li, Liu, Li & Li, 2018, T. sanduensis Chen & Peng, 2019. Notably, all of the known Triplophysa species from Guizhou were captured from the River Pearl drainage. In addition, a recent ichthyological survey yielded two hypogean species of Triplophysa from the River Wujiang, a tributary of the upper River Yangtze in Guizhou Province, which could not be assigned to any of the other recorded species and are herein described as new species.
==========================
Coradion calendula, a new butterflyfish from Australia (Teleostei: Chaetodontidae). Matsunuma, Mizuki; Matsumoto, Tatsuya; Motomura, Hiroyuki; Seah, Ying Giat; Jaafar, Tun Nurul Aimi Mat
The new butterflyfish, Coradion calendula, is described on the basis of 44 specimens collected off Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and north Queensland, Australia. The new species is most similar to Coradion chrysozonus, with which it shares IX dorsal-fin spines, a single ocellated spot on the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal-fin, and a single dark band on the frontal surface of the thorax. The new species is distinguished from C. chrysozonus by slightly higher ranges of dorsal-fin soft rays 28–32, mode 29 (vs. 27–30, mode 28) and anal-fin soft rays 20–22, mode 21 (vs. 18–21, mode 20); an orange band on the caudal peduncle in fresh specimens (lost after preservation) with a saddle-like blackish dorsal streak (vs. a broad brown -to-black circumpeduncular band in both fresh and preserved specimens); a sharply pointed pelvic fin with an almost straight posterior contour when spread (vs. a rounded pelvic fin with an expanded posterior contour); and a dark band on each interopercle joining on the ventral midline, with their anterior margins forming a sharply pointed “V” in ventral view (vs. separated by a relatively wide interspace). Despite well-defined morphological and coloration differences, the mtDNA difference between the two species was relatively low, 0.8–1.9% (mean 1.3%) and 2.9–7.5% (mean 4.8%) pairwise sequence difference in COI and control region genes, respectively. Morphological and color-pattern characters and mtDNA lineage were not concordant in some specimens from northern Australia, where the two species overlap, suggesting that the two species hybridize at their common biogeographic borders.
==========================
The new butterflyfish, Coradion calendula, is described on the basis of 44 specimens collected off Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and north Queensland, Australia. The new species is most similar to Coradion chrysozonus, with which it shares IX dorsal-fin spines, a single ocellated spot on the soft-rayed portion of the dorsal-fin, and a single dark band on the frontal surface of the thorax. The new species is distinguished from C. chrysozonus by slightly higher ranges of dorsal-fin soft rays 28–32, mode 29 (vs. 27–30, mode 28) and anal-fin soft rays 20–22, mode 21 (vs. 18–21, mode 20); an orange band on the caudal peduncle in fresh specimens (lost after preservation) with a saddle-like blackish dorsal streak (vs. a broad brown -to-black circumpeduncular band in both fresh and preserved specimens); a sharply pointed pelvic fin with an almost straight posterior contour when spread (vs. a rounded pelvic fin with an expanded posterior contour); and a dark band on each interopercle joining on the ventral midline, with their anterior margins forming a sharply pointed “V” in ventral view (vs. separated by a relatively wide interspace). Despite well-defined morphological and coloration differences, the mtDNA difference between the two species was relatively low, 0.8–1.9% (mean 1.3%) and 2.9–7.5% (mean 4.8%) pairwise sequence difference in COI and control region genes, respectively. Morphological and color-pattern characters and mtDNA lineage were not concordant in some specimens from northern Australia, where the two species overlap, suggesting that the two species hybridize at their common biogeographic borders.
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On Sunday 11th June the Ryedale A.S. will be holding an Open Event in the Main Hall of Pickering Memorial Hall, N. Yorks., YO18 8AA. We have the hire from 9.00a.m to 3.00p.m.
The Event will take the form of a Mini-Open Show and Sales Tables.
The Show will consist of 10 Classes covering the full range of coldwater and tropical freshwater fishes. YAAS rules and standards apply. Entry fee 20p per exhibit.
The Sales Tables are for spare fish and aquatic items only. Should you wish to register a table, at a fee of £10, please message me ASAP.
Further details to follow.
Looking forward to your company..
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The Event will take the form of a Mini-Open Show and Sales Tables.
The Show will consist of 10 Classes covering the full range of coldwater and tropical freshwater fishes. YAAS rules and standards apply. Entry fee 20p per exhibit.
The Sales Tables are for spare fish and aquatic items only. Should you wish to register a table, at a fee of £10, please message me ASAP.
Further details to follow.
Looking forward to your company..
==========================
The world’s largest cave fish from Meghalaya, Northeast India, is a new species, Neolissochilus pnar (Cyprinidae, Torinae)
Neelesh Dahanukar, Remya L. Sundar, Duwaki Rangad, Graham Proudlove, Rajeev RaghavanAbstractThe world’s largest subterranean fish was discovered in 2019, and was tentatively identified as a troglomorphic form of the golden mahseer, Tor putitora. Detailed analyses of its morphometric and meristic data, and results from molecular analyses now reveal that it is a new species of the genus Neolissochilus, the sister taxon of Tor. We formally describe the new species as Neolissochilus pnar, honouring the tribal communities of East Jaintia hills in Meghalaya, Northeast India, from where it was discovered. Neolissochilus pnar possesses a number of characters unique among species of Neolissochilus, with the exception of the similarly subterranean N. subterraneus from Thailand. The unique characters that diagnose N. pnar from all epigean congeners comprise highly reduced eye size to complete absence of externally visible eyes, complete lack of pigmentation, long maxillary barbels, long pectoral-fin rays, and scalation pattern. Neolissochilus pnar is distinguished from the hypogean N. subterraneus, the type locality of which is a limestone cave ~2000 kms away in Central Thailand, by a lesser pre-pelvic length (47.8–49.4 vs. 50.5–55.3 %SL), a shorter caudal peduncle (16.1–16.8 vs. 17.8–23.7 %SL), and shorter dorsal fin (17.4–20.8 vs. 21.5–26.3 %SL). In addition, Neolissochilus pnar is also genetically and morphologically distinct from its close congeners with a raw genetic divergence of 1.1–2.7% in the COI gene with putative topotype of N. hexastichus and 2.1–2.6% with putative topotype of N. hexagonolepis.
==========================
Neelesh Dahanukar, Remya L. Sundar, Duwaki Rangad, Graham Proudlove, Rajeev RaghavanAbstractThe world’s largest subterranean fish was discovered in 2019, and was tentatively identified as a troglomorphic form of the golden mahseer, Tor putitora. Detailed analyses of its morphometric and meristic data, and results from molecular analyses now reveal that it is a new species of the genus Neolissochilus, the sister taxon of Tor. We formally describe the new species as Neolissochilus pnar, honouring the tribal communities of East Jaintia hills in Meghalaya, Northeast India, from where it was discovered. Neolissochilus pnar possesses a number of characters unique among species of Neolissochilus, with the exception of the similarly subterranean N. subterraneus from Thailand. The unique characters that diagnose N. pnar from all epigean congeners comprise highly reduced eye size to complete absence of externally visible eyes, complete lack of pigmentation, long maxillary barbels, long pectoral-fin rays, and scalation pattern. Neolissochilus pnar is distinguished from the hypogean N. subterraneus, the type locality of which is a limestone cave ~2000 kms away in Central Thailand, by a lesser pre-pelvic length (47.8–49.4 vs. 50.5–55.3 %SL), a shorter caudal peduncle (16.1–16.8 vs. 17.8–23.7 %SL), and shorter dorsal fin (17.4–20.8 vs. 21.5–26.3 %SL). In addition, Neolissochilus pnar is also genetically and morphologically distinct from its close congeners with a raw genetic divergence of 1.1–2.7% in the COI gene with putative topotype of N. hexastichus and 2.1–2.6% with putative topotype of N. hexagonolepis.
==========================
Kyonemichthys rumengani (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) is Sister Taxon to the Pipefish Genus Urocampus: Genetic and Morphological Evidence
Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007
in Hanahara, Tanimoto & Shirakawa, 2022.
DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.27.293
twitter.com/Species_Divers
Abstract
A single female specimen (25.6 mm in standard length) of the thread-like Indo-Pacific pygmy syngnathid Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007 was collected from fringing reef at eight meters depth from Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago of southern Japan. It represents the first specimen of this species to be housed in a museum fish collection in Japan, where for the first time it is available for molecular analysis. We assessed the morphological hypothesis that previously suggested Kyonemichthys Gomon, 2007 is allied with the Indo-Pacific pygmy pipehorse genera Acentronura Kaup, 1853 and Idiotropiscis Whitley, 1947 based on similar characteristics of the head angled slightly ventrally from the abdominal axis, dermal appendages, and flexible tail lacking a caudal fin. However, Kyonemichthys differs from these genera in having a dorsal-fin origin on the tail versus the trunk, a characteristic shared by two Indo-Pacific pipefish genera: the morphologically similar Urocampus Günther, 1870 and the distinct worm-like Siokunichthys Herald, 1953. We therefore investigated the evolutionary relationships of K. rumengani within Syngnathidae based on the genetic divergence of the mitochondrial CO1 gene (uncorrected p-distances) and a phylogenetic hypothesis generated from the analysis of three partial mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, and CO1). Genetic analyses demonstrated that Kyonemichthys and Urocampus are closely related and form a strongly supported clade that excludes the phylogenetically distant Acentronura, Idiotropiscis, and Siokunichthys. Furthermore, morphological comparisons of K. rumengani with members of Urocampus revealed numerous synapomorphies distinct from the pygmy pipehorses, including meristic characters, trunk and tail ridge configurations, placement of dorsal fin on the tail, and shape of the prehensile tail. Therefore, based on the genetic and morphological characteristics, we suggest that Kyonemichthys is sister to Urocampus and is allied with pipefishes rather than with pygmy pipehorses. In addition, the Japanese standard name “Hari-youji” was proposed for K. rumengani.
Keywords: marine fish, pygmy pipehorse, CO1, phylogeny, taxonomy, Indo-Pacific
Photograph of preserved specimen of Kyonemichthys rumengani (OCF-P 10439, 25.6mm SL) collected from Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands.
Aquarium photograph of Kyonemichthys rumengani (OCF-P 10439, 25.6mm SL).
Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007
[New standard Japanese name: Hari-youji]
Nozomi Hanahara, Miyako Tanimoto and Naoki Shirakawa. 2022. Kyonemichthys rumengani (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) is Sister Taxon to the Pipefish Genus Urocampus: Genetic and Morphological Evidence. Species Diversity. 27(2); 293-299. DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.27.293
twitter.com/Species_Divers/status/1580838206064693249
==========================
Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007
in Hanahara, Tanimoto & Shirakawa, 2022.
DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.27.293
twitter.com/Species_Divers
Abstract
A single female specimen (25.6 mm in standard length) of the thread-like Indo-Pacific pygmy syngnathid Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007 was collected from fringing reef at eight meters depth from Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago of southern Japan. It represents the first specimen of this species to be housed in a museum fish collection in Japan, where for the first time it is available for molecular analysis. We assessed the morphological hypothesis that previously suggested Kyonemichthys Gomon, 2007 is allied with the Indo-Pacific pygmy pipehorse genera Acentronura Kaup, 1853 and Idiotropiscis Whitley, 1947 based on similar characteristics of the head angled slightly ventrally from the abdominal axis, dermal appendages, and flexible tail lacking a caudal fin. However, Kyonemichthys differs from these genera in having a dorsal-fin origin on the tail versus the trunk, a characteristic shared by two Indo-Pacific pipefish genera: the morphologically similar Urocampus Günther, 1870 and the distinct worm-like Siokunichthys Herald, 1953. We therefore investigated the evolutionary relationships of K. rumengani within Syngnathidae based on the genetic divergence of the mitochondrial CO1 gene (uncorrected p-distances) and a phylogenetic hypothesis generated from the analysis of three partial mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, and CO1). Genetic analyses demonstrated that Kyonemichthys and Urocampus are closely related and form a strongly supported clade that excludes the phylogenetically distant Acentronura, Idiotropiscis, and Siokunichthys. Furthermore, morphological comparisons of K. rumengani with members of Urocampus revealed numerous synapomorphies distinct from the pygmy pipehorses, including meristic characters, trunk and tail ridge configurations, placement of dorsal fin on the tail, and shape of the prehensile tail. Therefore, based on the genetic and morphological characteristics, we suggest that Kyonemichthys is sister to Urocampus and is allied with pipefishes rather than with pygmy pipehorses. In addition, the Japanese standard name “Hari-youji” was proposed for K. rumengani.
Keywords: marine fish, pygmy pipehorse, CO1, phylogeny, taxonomy, Indo-Pacific
Photograph of preserved specimen of Kyonemichthys rumengani (OCF-P 10439, 25.6mm SL) collected from Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands.
Aquarium photograph of Kyonemichthys rumengani (OCF-P 10439, 25.6mm SL).
Kyonemichthys rumengani Gomon, 2007
[New standard Japanese name: Hari-youji]
Nozomi Hanahara, Miyako Tanimoto and Naoki Shirakawa. 2022. Kyonemichthys rumengani (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) is Sister Taxon to the Pipefish Genus Urocampus: Genetic and Morphological Evidence. Species Diversity. 27(2); 293-299. DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.27.293
twitter.com/Species_Divers/status/1580838206064693249
==========================
ESR
Endangered Species Research
ESR 50:17-30 (2023) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01216
Estimating the population size and habitat quality of the Endangered fish Tlaloc hildebrandi in Mexico
Miriam Soria-Barreto1,2, Alfonso A. González-Díaz2,*, Rocío Rodiles-Hernández2, Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García3
1Cátedra CONACYT - El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, CP 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
2Colección de Peces, Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, CP 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
3Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, Mexico
*Corresponding author: agonzalez@ecosur.mx
ABSTRACT: The Chiapas killifish Tlaloc hildebrandi is an Endangered and endemic fish that inhabits wetlands, mountain streams, and rivers in Chiapas, Mexico. This species is considered vulnerable due to accelerated human population growth in its distribution range and the species’ low genetic diversity. To evaluate the conservation status of the species, we assessed habitat quality and estimated the population size of the remnant populations in the Amarillo River subbasin using the capture-mark-recapture technique. Our results showed substantial levels of habitat perturbation in the Amarillo River subbasin, including water pollution with a high presence of coliforms, the presence of exotic species, and modified habitat quality, which has resulted in a decrease in population sizes and the extirpation of certain populations. Our estimates of the population sizes of T. hildebrandi based on the Jolly-Seber model showed dramatically low population sizes, ranging from 93 to 208 fish across sites. Gross population sizes varied temporally, and the location of these populations in isolated sites may increase demographic stochasticity. To preserve some of these populations, urgent conservation and management activities must be implemented. We suggest the establishment of conservation areas for the species in the Fogótico River (which has the best water quality and habitat conditions) and habitat restoration in the protected areas of La Kisst and María Eugenia Mountain Wetlands, where populations of T. hildebrandi could be reintroduced. Finally, we propose the implementation of ex situ conservation programs to maintain genetic diversity and prevent local extinctions of the most vulnerable populations.
Endangered Species Research
ESR 50:17-30 (2023) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01216
Estimating the population size and habitat quality of the Endangered fish Tlaloc hildebrandi in Mexico
Miriam Soria-Barreto1,2, Alfonso A. González-Díaz2,*, Rocío Rodiles-Hernández2, Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García3
1Cátedra CONACYT - El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, CP 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
2Colección de Peces, Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, CP 29290, Chiapas, Mexico
3Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, Mexico
*Corresponding author: agonzalez@ecosur.mx
ABSTRACT: The Chiapas killifish Tlaloc hildebrandi is an Endangered and endemic fish that inhabits wetlands, mountain streams, and rivers in Chiapas, Mexico. This species is considered vulnerable due to accelerated human population growth in its distribution range and the species’ low genetic diversity. To evaluate the conservation status of the species, we assessed habitat quality and estimated the population size of the remnant populations in the Amarillo River subbasin using the capture-mark-recapture technique. Our results showed substantial levels of habitat perturbation in the Amarillo River subbasin, including water pollution with a high presence of coliforms, the presence of exotic species, and modified habitat quality, which has resulted in a decrease in population sizes and the extirpation of certain populations. Our estimates of the population sizes of T. hildebrandi based on the Jolly-Seber model showed dramatically low population sizes, ranging from 93 to 208 fish across sites. Gross population sizes varied temporally, and the location of these populations in isolated sites may increase demographic stochasticity. To preserve some of these populations, urgent conservation and management activities must be implemented. We suggest the establishment of conservation areas for the species in the Fogótico River (which has the best water quality and habitat conditions) and habitat restoration in the protected areas of La Kisst and María Eugenia Mountain Wetlands, where populations of T. hildebrandi could be reintroduced. Finally, we propose the implementation of ex situ conservation programs to maintain genetic diversity and prevent local extinctions of the most vulnerable populations.
Cryptocoryne esquerionii (Araceae) • A remarkable New Species discovered by A Citizen Scientist in Zamboanga Peninsula, southwestern Philippines
Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso,
in Naive, Reagan, Wongso & Jacobsen, 2023.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.03892
facebook.com/ArciiNaive
Abstract
A species new to science, Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso from the island of Mindanao is herein described and illustrated. It differs significantly from all other Cryptocoryne species by its yellow, colliculate spathe with a long acuminate apex. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, geographical distribution information and a provisional conservation status are provided. The discovery of this new endemic species further highlights the importance of the citizen science in exploring and conserving the Philippine biodiversity.
Keywords: aroids, Cryptocoryne, Mindanao, Philippines, Zamboanga del Norte
Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso
Mark Arcebal K. Naive, Joseph T. Villanueva Reagan, Suwidji Wongso and Niels Jacobsen. 2023. Cryptocoryne esquerionii (Araceae), A remarkable New Species discovered by A Citizen Scientist in Zamboanga Peninsula, southwestern Philippines. Nordic Journal of Botany. e03892. DOI: 10.1111/njb.03892
facebook.com/ArciiNaive/posts/882120626270888
==========================
Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso,
in Naive, Reagan, Wongso & Jacobsen, 2023.
DOI: 10.1111/njb.03892
facebook.com/ArciiNaive
Abstract
A species new to science, Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso from the island of Mindanao is herein described and illustrated. It differs significantly from all other Cryptocoryne species by its yellow, colliculate spathe with a long acuminate apex. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, geographical distribution information and a provisional conservation status are provided. The discovery of this new endemic species further highlights the importance of the citizen science in exploring and conserving the Philippine biodiversity.
Keywords: aroids, Cryptocoryne, Mindanao, Philippines, Zamboanga del Norte
Cryptocoryne esquerionii Naive & Wongso
Mark Arcebal K. Naive, Joseph T. Villanueva Reagan, Suwidji Wongso and Niels Jacobsen. 2023. Cryptocoryne esquerionii (Araceae), A remarkable New Species discovered by A Citizen Scientist in Zamboanga Peninsula, southwestern Philippines. Nordic Journal of Botany. e03892. DOI: 10.1111/njb.03892
facebook.com/ArciiNaive/posts/882120626270888
==========================
Horaglanis populi • Evolution in the Dark: Unexpected Genetic Diversity and Morphological Stasis in the Blind, Aquifer-dwelling Catfish Horaglanis (Siluriformes: Clariidae)
Horaglanis populi
Raghavan, Sundar, Arjun, Britz & Dahanukar, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e98367
twitter.com/LabRajeev
Abstract
The lateritic aquifers of the southern Indian state of Kerala harbour a unique assemblage of enigmatic stygobitic fishes which are encountered very rarely, only when they surface during the digging and cleaning of homestead wells. Here, we focus on one of the most unusual members of this group, the catfish Horaglanis, a genus of rarely-collected, tiny, blind, pigment less, and strictly aquifer-residing species. A six-year exploratory and citizen-science backed survey supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals novel insights into the diversity, distribution and population structure of Horaglanis. The genus is characterized by high levels of intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergence, with phylogenetically distinct species recovered above a 7.0% genetic-distance threshold in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. Contrasting with this deep genetic divergence, however, is a remarkable stasis in external morphology. We identify and describe a new cryptic species, Horaglanis populi, a lineage that is the sister group of all currently known species. All four species are represented by multiple haplotypes. Mismatch distribution reveals that populations have not experienced recent expansions.
Keywords: Cryptic species, groundwater, Kerala, molecular ecology, stygobitic, subterranean
A Horaglanis populi in life. B Typical laterite rock showing tiny pores. C Homestead lateritic dug-out well in Kerala – habitat of Horaglanis.
Horaglanis populi holotype (KUFOS.F.2022.101, 32.5 mm standard length) in A life and B–F immediately after preservation.
A, B Lateral view; C ventral view; D dorsal view; E lateral view of head; F ventral view of head.
Horaglanis populi, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A species of Horaglanis as evidenced by the absence of eyes and pigment, a blood-red body in life, a highly reduced pectoral fin in which only a shortened spine is present, an elongate body with long dorsal and anal fins extending to the base of the caudal peduncle, and four pairs of well-developed barbels. Genetically, Horaglanis populi forms a distinct clade, the sister group to the other three congeners (Fig. 2), from which it differs by a genetic uncorrected p distance of 13.8–17.4% in the COI gene, and between 12.3–14.0% in the cyt b gene. Specifically, H. populi differs from all three known species in the barcoding gene (Supplementary Table S4) in positions 106 (C vs. T), 115 (T vs. C), 142 (T vs. C), 171 (G vs. A), 183 (T vs. C), 216 (A vs. C or T), 234 (C vs. T), 237 (G vs. A), 265 (T vs. G), 270 (C vs. A), 312 (A vs. C or T), 324 (A vs. C), 325 (T vs. C) 330 (G. vs. A or T), 350 (G vs. T), 363 (T vs. G), 421 (C vs. G), 448 (C vs. T), 481 (G vs. T), 489 (C vs. T), 496 (A vs. G), 517 (c vs. T), 528 (G vs. T), 533 (G vs. A), 538 (A vs. C), 539 (A vs. G), 542 (T vs. C), 565 (T vs. A), 576 (G vs. T or C), 597 (A vs. C), 618 (C vs. T), 633 (G vs. A) and 636 (C vs. T).
Etymology: The species name populi, genitive of the Latin noun populus = people, honours the invaluable contributions made by interested members of the public in the southern Indian state of Kerala, helping to document the biodiversity of subterranean and groundwater systems, including the discovery of this new species.
Rajeev Raghavan, Remya L. Sundar, C.P. Arjun, Ralf Britz and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2023. Evolution in the Dark: Unexpected Genetic Diversity and Morphological Stasis in the Blind, Aquifer-dwelling Catfish Horaglanis. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 57-74. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e98367
twitter.com/LabRajeev/status/1618264051393650693
==========================
Horaglanis populi
Raghavan, Sundar, Arjun, Britz & Dahanukar, 2023
DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e98367
twitter.com/LabRajeev
Abstract
The lateritic aquifers of the southern Indian state of Kerala harbour a unique assemblage of enigmatic stygobitic fishes which are encountered very rarely, only when they surface during the digging and cleaning of homestead wells. Here, we focus on one of the most unusual members of this group, the catfish Horaglanis, a genus of rarely-collected, tiny, blind, pigment less, and strictly aquifer-residing species. A six-year exploratory and citizen-science backed survey supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals novel insights into the diversity, distribution and population structure of Horaglanis. The genus is characterized by high levels of intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergence, with phylogenetically distinct species recovered above a 7.0% genetic-distance threshold in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. Contrasting with this deep genetic divergence, however, is a remarkable stasis in external morphology. We identify and describe a new cryptic species, Horaglanis populi, a lineage that is the sister group of all currently known species. All four species are represented by multiple haplotypes. Mismatch distribution reveals that populations have not experienced recent expansions.
Keywords: Cryptic species, groundwater, Kerala, molecular ecology, stygobitic, subterranean
A Horaglanis populi in life. B Typical laterite rock showing tiny pores. C Homestead lateritic dug-out well in Kerala – habitat of Horaglanis.
Horaglanis populi holotype (KUFOS.F.2022.101, 32.5 mm standard length) in A life and B–F immediately after preservation.
A, B Lateral view; C ventral view; D dorsal view; E lateral view of head; F ventral view of head.
Horaglanis populi, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A species of Horaglanis as evidenced by the absence of eyes and pigment, a blood-red body in life, a highly reduced pectoral fin in which only a shortened spine is present, an elongate body with long dorsal and anal fins extending to the base of the caudal peduncle, and four pairs of well-developed barbels. Genetically, Horaglanis populi forms a distinct clade, the sister group to the other three congeners (Fig. 2), from which it differs by a genetic uncorrected p distance of 13.8–17.4% in the COI gene, and between 12.3–14.0% in the cyt b gene. Specifically, H. populi differs from all three known species in the barcoding gene (Supplementary Table S4) in positions 106 (C vs. T), 115 (T vs. C), 142 (T vs. C), 171 (G vs. A), 183 (T vs. C), 216 (A vs. C or T), 234 (C vs. T), 237 (G vs. A), 265 (T vs. G), 270 (C vs. A), 312 (A vs. C or T), 324 (A vs. C), 325 (T vs. C) 330 (G. vs. A or T), 350 (G vs. T), 363 (T vs. G), 421 (C vs. G), 448 (C vs. T), 481 (G vs. T), 489 (C vs. T), 496 (A vs. G), 517 (c vs. T), 528 (G vs. T), 533 (G vs. A), 538 (A vs. C), 539 (A vs. G), 542 (T vs. C), 565 (T vs. A), 576 (G vs. T or C), 597 (A vs. C), 618 (C vs. T), 633 (G vs. A) and 636 (C vs. T).
Etymology: The species name populi, genitive of the Latin noun populus = people, honours the invaluable contributions made by interested members of the public in the southern Indian state of Kerala, helping to document the biodiversity of subterranean and groundwater systems, including the discovery of this new species.
Rajeev Raghavan, Remya L. Sundar, C.P. Arjun, Ralf Britz and Neelesh Dahanukar. 2023. Evolution in the Dark: Unexpected Genetic Diversity and Morphological Stasis in the Blind, Aquifer-dwelling Catfish Horaglanis. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 57-74. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e98367
twitter.com/LabRajeev/status/1618264051393650693
==========================
Pyrolycus jaco • A New Deep-sea Eelpout of the Genus Pyrolycus (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) associated with A Hydrothermal Seep on the Pacific Margin of Costa Rica
Pyrolycus jaco
Frable, Seid, Bronson & Møller, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5230.1.5
Abstract
A new species of the zoarcid genus Pyrolycus Machida & Hashimoto, 2002, Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., is described from a hydrothermal seep environment named Jacó Scar in the eastern Pacific of Costa Rica. Four specimens were collected in 2018 between 1746–1795 m among tubeworm colonies around the seep. The new species is differentiated from its two western Pacific congeners by having a shorter head, snout, jaw, and pectoral fins. It is further diagnosed by having three postorbital pores and two occipital pores. Molecular sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene are provided and are the first for the genus. The character states indicating miniaturization in this species are discussed. This is the first vertebrate species known from this composite reducing ecosystem and is the fourth hydrothermally-associated zoarcid from the eastern Pacific.
Key words: Jacó Scar, Lycodinae, methane seep, Reducing ecosystem, Zoarcoidei
Holotype of Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., SIO 20-41, 107+ mm SL, Jacó Scar, Costa Rica
A) freshly collected; B) in preservation, note caudal region removed by collectors; C) superimposition of radiograph over fresh image to estimate vertebral count. Scale bar= 20 mm.
Live images of Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., not collected, living among Lamellibrachia barhami and Escarpia spicata colonies.
Photo credit: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A species of Pyrolycus differentiated from its congeners with the following combination of characters: five suborbital bones (vs. six) with 5 pores, occipital pores 2, postorbital pores 3, vertebrae 23 + ~57 = ~80, vomerine and palatine teeth present, total gill rakers 2–3+13–15= 16–17, pectoral fin rays 14–15, upper jaw short 33.9–42.4% HL and snout short 21.3–24.3% HL. It is specifically separated from Pyrolycus moelleri in having fewer precaudal vertebrae and total vertebrae, palatine teeth present (vs. absent), three postorbital pores (vs. two) and 14–15 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 13–14). And from P. manusanus by having two occipital pores (1-0-1 vs. one, 0-1-0), more gill rakers, fewer vomerine teeth, more palatine teeth, fewer pectoral-fin rays, a larger eye diameter, and a narrower gill slit.
Etymology. Named for the type locality and only known habitat, the Jacó Scar site on the Pacific Costa Rica margin, which itself is named in honor of the nearby coastal district of Jacó, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Name treated as an appositional noun.
Habitat and distribution. Specimens were collected or observed in association with colonies of the tubeworms Lamellibrachia barhami and Escarpia spicata at depths of 1604–1854 m exclusively at Jacó Scar.
Benjamin W. Frable, Charlotte A. Seid, Allison W. Bronson and Peter Rask Møller. 2023. A New Deep-sea Eelpout of the Genus Pyrolycus (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) associated with A Hydrothermal Seep on the Pacific Margin of Costa Rica. Zootaxa. 5230(); 79-89. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5230.1.5
==========================
Pyrolycus jaco
Frable, Seid, Bronson & Møller, 2023
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5230.1.5
Abstract
A new species of the zoarcid genus Pyrolycus Machida & Hashimoto, 2002, Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., is described from a hydrothermal seep environment named Jacó Scar in the eastern Pacific of Costa Rica. Four specimens were collected in 2018 between 1746–1795 m among tubeworm colonies around the seep. The new species is differentiated from its two western Pacific congeners by having a shorter head, snout, jaw, and pectoral fins. It is further diagnosed by having three postorbital pores and two occipital pores. Molecular sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene are provided and are the first for the genus. The character states indicating miniaturization in this species are discussed. This is the first vertebrate species known from this composite reducing ecosystem and is the fourth hydrothermally-associated zoarcid from the eastern Pacific.
Key words: Jacó Scar, Lycodinae, methane seep, Reducing ecosystem, Zoarcoidei
Holotype of Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., SIO 20-41, 107+ mm SL, Jacó Scar, Costa Rica
A) freshly collected; B) in preservation, note caudal region removed by collectors; C) superimposition of radiograph over fresh image to estimate vertebral count. Scale bar= 20 mm.
Live images of Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov., not collected, living among Lamellibrachia barhami and Escarpia spicata colonies.
Photo credit: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Pyrolycus jaco sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A species of Pyrolycus differentiated from its congeners with the following combination of characters: five suborbital bones (vs. six) with 5 pores, occipital pores 2, postorbital pores 3, vertebrae 23 + ~57 = ~80, vomerine and palatine teeth present, total gill rakers 2–3+13–15= 16–17, pectoral fin rays 14–15, upper jaw short 33.9–42.4% HL and snout short 21.3–24.3% HL. It is specifically separated from Pyrolycus moelleri in having fewer precaudal vertebrae and total vertebrae, palatine teeth present (vs. absent), three postorbital pores (vs. two) and 14–15 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 13–14). And from P. manusanus by having two occipital pores (1-0-1 vs. one, 0-1-0), more gill rakers, fewer vomerine teeth, more palatine teeth, fewer pectoral-fin rays, a larger eye diameter, and a narrower gill slit.
Etymology. Named for the type locality and only known habitat, the Jacó Scar site on the Pacific Costa Rica margin, which itself is named in honor of the nearby coastal district of Jacó, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Name treated as an appositional noun.
Habitat and distribution. Specimens were collected or observed in association with colonies of the tubeworms Lamellibrachia barhami and Escarpia spicata at depths of 1604–1854 m exclusively at Jacó Scar.
Benjamin W. Frable, Charlotte A. Seid, Allison W. Bronson and Peter Rask Møller. 2023. A New Deep-sea Eelpout of the Genus Pyrolycus (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) associated with A Hydrothermal Seep on the Pacific Margin of Costa Rica. Zootaxa. 5230(); 79-89. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5230.1.5
==========================
Sinocyclocheilus longicornus (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), a new species of microphthalmic hypogean fish from Guizhou, Southwest China
Cheng Xu, Tao Luo, Jia-Jun Zhou, Li Wu, Xin-Rui Zhao, Hong-Fu Yang, Ning Xiao, Jiang Zhou
Full paper at:- bit.ly/3wcWLL2
AbstractSinocyclocheilus longicornus sp. nov. is described from the Pearl River basin in Hongguo Town, Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, Southwest China. Based on the presence of the long horn-like structure on the back of the head, Sinocyclocheilus longicornus sp. nov. is assigned to the Sinocyclocheilus angularis species group. Sinocyclocheilus longicornus sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of morphological characters: (1) presence of a single, relatively long horn-like structure on the back of the head; (2) pigmentation absent; (3) reduced eyes; (4) dorsal-fin rays, ii, 7; (5) pectoral-fin rays, i, 13; (6) anal-fin rays, iii, 5; (7) pelvic-fin rays, i, 7; (8) lateral line pores 38–49; (9) gill rakers well developed, nine on first gill arch; and (10) tip of adpressed pelvic fin not reaching anus.
Keywordscave fish, morphology, taxonomy, phylogeny
IntroductionThe golden-line fish genus Sinocyclocheilus Fang, 1936, is endemic to China, and is mainly distributed in the karst areas of Southwest China, including Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hubei provinces (Zhao and Zhang 2009; Jiang et al. 2019). The narrow distribution, morphological similarities, and morphological adaptations to cave environments, such as the degeneration or loss of eyes and body scales, have made classification of the genus difficult and often controversial (Chu and Cui 1985; Shan and Yue 1994; Wang et al. 1995; Wang and Chen 1998; Wang et al. 1999; Wang and Chen 2000; Xiao et al. 2005; Mao et al. 2021, 2022; Wen et al. 2022). A phylogenetic study based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (Cyt b) showed that all members of Sinocyclocheilus clustered as a monophyletic group, divided into four species groups, namely the S. jii, S. angularis, S. cyphotergous, and S. tingi groups (Zhao and Zhang 2009). However, phylogenetic studies based on restriction site–associated DNA sequencing and mitochondrial genome reconstruction suggest that the S. angularis and S. cyphotergous species groups are not monophyletic (Xiang 2014; Liu 2018; Mao et al. 2021, 2022; Wen et al. 2022). Sinocyclocheilus comprises 76 valid species, of which 71 species are grouped into five species groups (Table 1).
Table 1.
Download as
CSV
XLSXList of 76 currently recognized species of the genus Sinocyclocheilus endemic to China and references. Recognized species modified from Jiang et al. (2019).
IDSpeciesSpecies groupProvinceRiverReference
1S. altishoulderus (Li & Lan, 1992)S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLi and Lan 1992
2S. anatirostris Lin & Luo, 1986S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLin and Luo 1986
3S. angularis Zheng & Wang, 1990S. angularis groupGuizhouBeipanjiang RiverZheng and Wang 1990
4S. aquihornes Li & Yang, 2007S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2007
5S. bicornutus Wang & Liao, 1997S. angularis groupGuizhouBeipanjiang RiverWang and Liao 1997
6S. brevibarbatus Zhao, Lan & Zhang, 2009S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverZhao et al. 2009
7S. broadihornes Li & Mao, 2007S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi and Mao 2007
8S. convexiforeheadus Li, Yang & Li, 2017S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverYang et al. 2017
9S. hyalinus Chen & Yang, 1994S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverChen et al. 1994
10S. jiuxuensis Li & Lan, 2003S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLi et al. 2003c
11S. flexuosdorsalis Zhu & Zhu, 2012S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverZhu and Zhu 2012
12S. furcodorsalis Chen, Yang & Lan, 1997S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverChen et al. 1997
13S. mashanensis Wu, Liao & Li, 2010S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverWu et al. 2010
14S. rhinocerous Li & Tao, 1994S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi and Tao 1994
15S. simengensis Li, Wu, Li & Lan, 2018S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverWu et al. 2018
16S. tianeensis Li, Xiao & Luo, 2003S. angularis groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLi et al. 2003d
17S. tianlinensis Zhou, Zhang, He & Zhou, 2004S. angularis groupGuangxiNanpanjiang RiverZhou et al. 2004
18S. tileihornes Mao, Lu & Li, 2003S. angularis groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverMao et al. 2003
19S. zhenfengensis Liu, Deng, Ma, Xiao & Zhou, 2018S. angularis groupGuizhouBeipanjiang RiverLiu et al. 2018
20S. anshuiensis Gan, Wu, Wei & Yang, 2013S. microphthalmus groupGuizhouHongshuihe RiverGan et al. 2013
21S. microphthalmus Li, 1989S. microphthalmus groupGuizhouHongshuihe RiverLi 1989
22S. aluensis Li & Xiao, 2005S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2005; Zhao and Zhang 2013
23S. angustiporus Zheng & Xie, 1985S. tingi groupGuizhou; YunnanBeipanjiang River; Nanpanjiang RiverZheng and Xie 1985
24S. anophthalmus Chen & Chu, 1988S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverChen et al. 1988a Zhao and Zhang 2009
25S. grahami (Regan, 1904)S. tingi groupYunnanJinshajiang RiverRegan 1904; Zhao and Zhang 2009
26S. guishanensis Li, 2003S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2003a
27S. huaningensis Li, 1998S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 1998
28S. huizeensis Cheng, Pan, Chen, Li, Ma & Yang, 2015S. tingi groupYunnanNiulanjiang RiverCheng et al. 2015
29S. bannaensis Li, Li & Chen, 2019S. tingi groupYunnanLuosuojiang RiverLi et al. 2019
30S. maculatus Li, 2000S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverZhao and Zhang 2009
31S. maitianheensis Li,1992S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1992
32S. malacopterus Chu & Cui, 1985S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverChu and Cui 1985
33S. longifinus Li, 1998S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 1998
34S. longshanensis Li & Wu, 2018S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2018
35S. macrocephalus Li,1985S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1985
36S. lateristriatus Li,1992S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1992
37S. purpureus Li, 1985S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1985
38S. qiubeiensis Li, 2002S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2002b
39S. qujingensis Li, Mao & Lu, 2002S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2002c
40S. robustus Chen & Zhao, 1988S. tingi groupGuizhouNanpanjiang RiverChen et al. 1988b
41S. wumengshanensis Li, Mao, Lu & Yan, 2003S. tingi groupYunnanPanlonghe RiverLi et al. 2003a
42S. xichouensis Pan, Li, Yang & Chen, 2013S. tingi groupYunnanPanlonghe RiverPan et al. 2013
43S. tingi Fang, 1936S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverFang, 1936; Zhao and Zhang 2009
44S. yangzongensis Chu & Chen, 1977S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverWu 1977; Zhao and Zhang 2009
45S. yimenensis Li & Xiao, 2005S. tingi groupYunnanYuanjiang RiverLi et al. 2005
46S. oxycephalus Li, 1985S. tingi groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1985
47S. brevis Lan & Chen, 1992S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverChen and Lan 1992
48S. cyphotergous (Dai, 1988)S. cyphotergous groupGuizhouHongshuihe RiverDai 1988; Huang et al. 2017
49S. donglanensis Zhao, Watanabe & Zhang, 2006S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverZhao et al. 2006
50S. dongtangensis Zhou, Liu & Wang, 2011S. cyphotergous groupGuizhouLiujiang RiverZhou et al. 2011
51S. huanjiangensis Wu, Gan & Li, 2010S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverWu et al. 2010
52S. hugeibarbus Li, Ran & Chen, 2003S. cyphotergous groupGuizhouLiujiang RiverLi et al. 2003b
53S. gracilicaudatus Zhao & Zhang, 2014S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverWang et al. 2014
54S. lingyunensis Li, Xiao & Lu, 2000S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLi et al. 2000
55S. longibarbatus Wang & Chen, 1989S. cyphotergous groupGuizhou; GuangxiLiujiang RiverWang and Chen 1989
56S. luopingensis Li & Tao, 2002S. cyphotergous groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi et al. 2002a
57S. macrolepis Wang & Chen, 1989S. cyphotergous groupGuizhou; GuangxiLiujiang RiverWang and Chen 1989
58S. macrophthalmus Zhang & Zhao, 2001S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiHongshuihe RiverZhang and Zhao 2001
59S. macroscalus Li, 1992S. cyphotergous groupYunnanNanpanjiang RiverLi 1992
60S. multipunctatus (Pellegrin, 1931)S. cyphotergous groupGuizhou; GuangxiWujiang River; Liujiang River; Hongshuihe RiverPellegrin 1931; Zhao and Zhang 2009
61S. punctatus Lan & Yang, 2017S. cyphotergous groupGuizhou; GuangxiLiujiang River; Hongshuihe RiverLan et al. 2017
62S. ronganensis Luo, Huang & Wen, 2016S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverLuo et al. 2016
63S. xunlensis Lan, Zhan & Zhang, 2004S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverLan et al. 2004
64S. yaolanensis Zhou, Li & Hou, 2009S. cyphotergous groupGuizhouLiujiang RiverZhou et al. 2009
65S. yishanensis Li & Lan, 1992S. cyphotergous groupGuangxiLiujiang RiverLi and Lan 1992
66S. sanxiaensis Jiang, Li, Yang & Chang, 2019S. cyphotergous groupHubeiYangtze RiverJiang et al. 2019
67S. brevifinus Li, Li & Mayden, 2014S. jii groupGuangxiHejiang RiverLi et al. 2014
68S. guanyangensis Chen, Peng & Zhang, 2016S. jii groupGuangxiGuijiang RiverChen et al. 2016
69S. guilinensis Ji, 1985S. jii groupGuangxiGuijiang RiverZhou 1985; Zhao and Zhang 2009
70S. huangtianensis Zhu, Zhu & Lan, 2011S. jii groupGuangxiHejiang RiverZhu et al. 2011
71S. jii Zhang & Dai, 1992S. jii groupGuangxiGuijiang RiverZhang and Dai 1992
72S. gracilis Li, 2014No assignmentGuangxiGuijiang RiverLi and Li 2014
73S. pingshanensis Li, Li, Lan & Wu, 2018No assignmentGuangxiLiujiang RiverWu et al. 2018
74S. wenshanensis Li,Yang, Li & Chen, 2018No assignmentYunnanPanlonghe RiverYang et al. 2018
75S. wui Li & An, 2013No assignmentYunnanMingyihe RiverLi and An 2013
76S. luolouensis Lan, 2013No assignmentGuangxiHongshuihe RiverLan et al. 2013Species of Sinocyclocheilus have variably developed eyes and horn-like structures on the back of the head. Eye morphology includes normal, microphthalmic, and anophthalmic conditions (Mao et al. 2021). Normal-eyed and microphthalmic species are distributed from eastern Guangxi through southern Guizhou to eastern Yunnan, and eyeless species are mainly distributed in the Hongshuihe river basin in northern Guangxi and the Nanpanjiang river basin in eastern Yunnan (Mao et al. 2021). It may be absent, short, long, or single and forked. The horn-like structure is present mainly in species of the S. angularis and S. microphthalmus species groups (Zhao and Zhang 2009; Mao et al. 2021; Wen et al. 2022). These horned species are distributed in the Nanpanjiang, Beipanjiang, and Hongshuihe river basins of the upper Pearl River.
==========================
New meeting venue for Southend, Leigh & District Aquarist Society
Our first meeting at new venue went well -don`t have to walk for miles to get to old hall -that`s if you can find parking that not in the next county! Loads of space within a few yards of the venue!
Still got to get organised and figure out what to do with all the books in our old cupboard.
Next meeting will be the second Tuesday in February, the 14th at 8.00pm
The address is:- Benfleet Cricket & Social Club, Manor Road,Benfleet, SS7 4PA
==========================
Our first meeting at new venue went well -don`t have to walk for miles to get to old hall -that`s if you can find parking that not in the next county! Loads of space within a few yards of the venue!
Still got to get organised and figure out what to do with all the books in our old cupboard.
Next meeting will be the second Tuesday in February, the 14th at 8.00pm
The address is:- Benfleet Cricket & Social Club, Manor Road,Benfleet, SS7 4PA
==========================
The First BLA event of the year is being held in Bristol at the Hengrove Community Hall.
This is to be the first of 4 events the BLA will be organising for 2023.
Bristol is a venue we haven’t been to for a very long time.
We are comining to Bristol as it has the benefit of the M4 and M5 motorways, this makes it more accessible for those who wish to attend from the London areas, Wales, the South west, and the Midlands areas.
Put the date in your diary
April 23rd 2023
Hengrove Community Centre
Fortfield Road
Bristol
BS14 9NX
Further events being planned are: -
Basingstoke - June 18th 2023
Carlisle - July 2023 (date TBC)
Midland area - Autumn 2023 (date TBC)
==========================
This is to be the first of 4 events the BLA will be organising for 2023.
Bristol is a venue we haven’t been to for a very long time.
We are comining to Bristol as it has the benefit of the M4 and M5 motorways, this makes it more accessible for those who wish to attend from the London areas, Wales, the South west, and the Midlands areas.
Put the date in your diary
April 23rd 2023
Hengrove Community Centre
Fortfield Road
Bristol
BS14 9NX
Further events being planned are: -
Basingstoke - June 18th 2023
Carlisle - July 2023 (date TBC)
Midland area - Autumn 2023 (date TBC)
==========================
Knodus ytuanama • A New Rheophilic Species of Knodus Eigenmann (Characiformes: Characidae: Stevardiinae) from the upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós basin, Chapada dos Parecis, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Knodus ytuanama
Ferreira & Ohara, 2022
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/366920030
Abstract
Knodus ytuanama, new species, is described from the upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós drainage, Amazon basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The new species differs from its congeners by presenting the interradial membranes of the caudal fin thickened, forming folds, and also differs from most congeners by the presence of a dark, wide midlateral stripe extending from the posterior margin of opercle to the middle caudal-fin rays, the absence of a humeral blotch in adults, and by having four rows of scales between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin, among another features. We also provide a discussion on the presence of membranous flaps on the fins as an adaptation for living in fast-water environments in Knodus ytuanama n. sp. as well as in a congener, K. tiquiensis.
Key words: Knodus tiquiensis, Diapomini, Amazon Basin, rheophily
Knodus ytuanama, holotype, CPUFMT 7756, 81.2 mm SL:
Brazil, Mato Grosso, Comodoro, rio Mutum.
Knodus ytuanama INPA 59847, paratypes, 83.2 mm SL (upper) and 75.7 mm SL (lower), immediately after capture.
Knodus ytuanama, new species
Etymology. The specific epithet ytuanama derives from the Tupi language, from the words ytu, waterfall, andanama, friend, and it refers to the fast-flowing habitat of the new species. A noun in apposition.
Type locality of Knodus ytuanama, rio Mutum near road BR-174, affluent of upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós basin, Comodoro, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Katiane M. Ferreira and Willian Massaharu Ohara. 2022. A New Rheophilic Species of Knodus Eigenmann (Characiformes: Characidae: Stevardiinae) from the upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós basin, Chapada dos Parecis, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Zootaxa. 5227(3); 365-377
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/366920030_A_new_species_of_Knodus_from_the_upper_rio_Juruena_Mato_Grosso_Brazil
==========================
Knodus ytuanama
Ferreira & Ohara, 2022
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/366920030
Abstract
Knodus ytuanama, new species, is described from the upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós drainage, Amazon basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The new species differs from its congeners by presenting the interradial membranes of the caudal fin thickened, forming folds, and also differs from most congeners by the presence of a dark, wide midlateral stripe extending from the posterior margin of opercle to the middle caudal-fin rays, the absence of a humeral blotch in adults, and by having four rows of scales between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin origin, among another features. We also provide a discussion on the presence of membranous flaps on the fins as an adaptation for living in fast-water environments in Knodus ytuanama n. sp. as well as in a congener, K. tiquiensis.
Key words: Knodus tiquiensis, Diapomini, Amazon Basin, rheophily
Knodus ytuanama, holotype, CPUFMT 7756, 81.2 mm SL:
Brazil, Mato Grosso, Comodoro, rio Mutum.
Knodus ytuanama INPA 59847, paratypes, 83.2 mm SL (upper) and 75.7 mm SL (lower), immediately after capture.
Knodus ytuanama, new species
Etymology. The specific epithet ytuanama derives from the Tupi language, from the words ytu, waterfall, andanama, friend, and it refers to the fast-flowing habitat of the new species. A noun in apposition.
Type locality of Knodus ytuanama, rio Mutum near road BR-174, affluent of upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós basin, Comodoro, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Katiane M. Ferreira and Willian Massaharu Ohara. 2022. A New Rheophilic Species of Knodus Eigenmann (Characiformes: Characidae: Stevardiinae) from the upper rio Juruena, rio Tapajós basin, Chapada dos Parecis, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Zootaxa. 5227(3); 365-377
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.3.5
Researchgate.net/publication/366920030_A_new_species_of_Knodus_from_the_upper_rio_Juruena_Mato_Grosso_Brazil
==========================
14 December 2022
Synchiropus flavistrigatus, a new species of dragonet from the tropical eastern Atlantic (Teleostei: Callionymidae)
Ronald Fricke, Francesc Ordines, Sergio Ramírez-Amaro
Author Affiliations +
Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History, 5(2): (2022). https://doi.org/10.18476/2022.874590
AbstractA new species of dragonet, Synchiropus flavistrigatus sp. n. from the eastern tropical Atlantic, is described on the basis of 15 specimens. The new species is characterised within the subgenus Yerutius Whitley, 1931 by having 8 rays in the second dorsal fin (the last divided at its base), 8 anal-fin rays (the last divided at its base), 20–21 pectoral-fin rays, a single upper unbranched pectoral-fin ray, 1–2 curved dorsal points on the upper margin of the preopercular spine (additional to the main tip), length of first spine of first dorsal fin in male 12.8–15.9% of standard length, in female 14.5–15.4%; caudal-fin length in male 27.7–32.2% of standard length, in female 25.5–27.9%; length of last ray of second dorsal fin in male 18.2–21.6% of standard length; length of last ray of anal fin in male 14.6–17.1% of standard length, in female 13.5–15.1%; second dorsal fin and caudal fin with oblique yellow bars in both sexes; anal fin with a distal dark streak in both sexes. We also provide molecular information, based on two mitochondrial fragments (COI and 12s rRNA), that clearly supports the morphological results confirming that S. flavistrigatus sp. n. corresponds to a new species, distinct from S. phaeton (Günther, 1861). The new species is compared with other species of the subgenus.
Eine neue Leierfischart, Synchiropus flavistrigatus sp. n. aus dem tropischen Ostatlantik, wird anhand von 15 Exemplaren beschrieben. Die neue wird innerhalb der Untergattung Yerutius Whitley, 1931 durch folgende Merkmale charakterisiert: 8 Strahlen in der zweiten Rückenflosse (der letzte an der Basis geteilt), 8 Strahlen in der Afterflosse (der letzte an der Basis geteilt), 20–21 Brustflossenstrahlen, ein einziger Brustflossenstrahl oben unverzweigt, 1–2 gebogene Spitzen auf der dorsalen Seite des Präoperkulardorns (zusätzlich zur Hauptspitze), Länge des ersten Strahls der ersten Rückenflosse beim Männchen 12.8–15.9% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 14.5–15.4%; Schwanzflossenlänge beim Männchen 27.7–32.2% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 25.5–27.9%; Länge des letzten Strahls der zweiten Rückenflosse beim Männchen 18.2–21.6% der Standardlänge; Länge des letzten Strahls der Afterflosse beim Männchen 14.6–17.1% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 13.5–15.1%; zweite Rückenflosse und Schwanzflosse bei beiden Geschlechtern mit gelben Schrägstreifen; Afterflosse bei beiden Geschlechtern distal mit einem dunklen Streifen. Eine molekulare Untersuchung basierend auf zwei mitochondrialen Fragmenten (COI und 12s rRNA) unterstützt die morphologischen Befunde und bestätigt, daß es sich bei S. flavistrigatus sp. n. um eine neue Art handelt, die sich von S. phaeton (Günther, 1861) deutlich unterscheidet. Die neue Art wird mit anderen Arten der Untergattung verglichen.
IntroductionDragonets of the family Callionymidae (Pisces: Teleostei) are a group of benthic living fishes occurring in the upper 900 metres of all temperate, subtropical and tropical oceans of the world, with a few species found in estuarine and freshwater habitats. They are characterised by a depressed body, a triangular head when seen from above, large eyes situated dorsally on the head, the presence of a preopercular spine bearing additional points and/or serrae, gill opening reduced to a small pore, swimbladder absent, two dorsal fins, the first with thin, flexible spines, the second with soft rays, and jugular pelvic fins which are separated from each other but each connected with the pectoral-fin base by a membrane.
The Indo-Pacific species of the family were revised by Fricke (1983a), who distinguished 126 valid species from the area. Fricke (2002), in a checklist of the callionymid fishes of the world, listed a total of 182 valid species in 10 genera. Subsequently, 16 additional species and one new genus were described [Callionymus kanakorum Fricke, 2006 and Protogrammus antipodum Fricke, 2006 from New Caledonia (Fricke 2006), the genus Tonlesapia with Tonlesapia tsukawakii Motomura & Mukai, 2006 from Cambodia (Motomura & Mukai 2006), T. amnica Ng & Rainboth, 2011 from Vietnam (Ng & Rainboth 2011), Synchiropus tudorjonesi Allen & Erdmann, 2012 from Papua, Indonesia (Allen & Erdmann 2012), Callionymus profundus Fricke & Golani, 2013 from the northern Red Sea (Fricke & GOLANI 2013), Callionymus madangensis Fricke, 2014 from Papua New Guinea (Fricke 2014), Diplogrammus paucispinis Fricke & Bogorodsky in Fricke, Bogorodsky & Mal, 2014 from the eastern Red Sea (Fricke et al. 2014a), Callionymus omanensis Fricke, Jawad & Al-Mamry, 2014 from the northwestern Indian Ocean (Fricke et al. 2014b), Protogrammus alboranensis Fricke, Ordines, Farias & García-Ruiz, 2016 from the southwestern Mediterranean Sea (Farias et al. 2016), Callionymus alisae Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016a), Callionymus petersi Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016b), Synchiropus novaehiberniensis Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016c), Synchiropus sycorax Tea & Gill, 2016 from the Philippines (Tea & Gill 2016), Callionymus boucheti Fricke, 2017 from New Ireland (Fricke 2017), Callionymus vietnamensis Fricke & Vo, 2018 from Vietnam (Fricke & VO 2018)]; Synchiropus apricus (McCulloch, 1926) was removed from the synonymy of Synchiropus phasis (Günther, 1880) by Gomon & Yearsley (2008), and Eleutherochir mccaddeni Fowler, 1941 was removed from the synonymy of E. opercularis (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837) by Yoshigou et al. (2006), bringing the worldwide total to 201 species in the family (Fricke et al. 2022a).
The genus Yerutius Whitley, 1931 was originally described by Whitley (1931: 115) based on Callionymus apricus McCulloch, 1926 as the type species (by original designation). The type species was synonymised with Synchiropus phasis (Günther, 1880) by Fricke (1983a: 572; 2002: 63), but removed from synonymy and resurrected by Gomon & Yearsley (2008) (see above). Species of Yerutius were classified by Nakabo (1982) in the genus Foetorepus Whitley, 1931.
Fricke (1981: 26) defined the subgenus Synchiropus (Yerutius) within the genus Synchiropus Gill, 1859, which equalled part of the genus Foetorepus (not Whitley, 1931) of Nakabo (1982), and included two species, S. phasis (Günther, 1880) (Fricke 1981) from southern Australia and New Zealand and S. atrilabiatus (Garman, 1899) from the eastern Pacific. Fricke (2002: 102) distinguished seven species in this subgenus, also including Synchiropus agassizii (Goode & Bean, 1888) from the western Atlantic, S. dagmarae Fricke, 1985 from the southwestern Atlantic, S. goodenbeani (Nakabo & Hartel, 1999) from the northwestern Atlantic, S. phaeton (Günther, 1861) from the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and S. valdiviae (Trunov, 1981) from Walvis Ridge, southeastern Atlantic.
Species of the complex live on deep soft bottoms; they usually do not bury in the substrate but are well camouflaged due to their cryptic colouration. Callionymid fishes typically occur in harem groups, with one male controlling a larger home range and living together with several females. Spawning usually takes place around dusk; the courting pair ascends and releases the eggs well above the ground, following a complex courtship behaviour where the spreading of the first dorsal fin or flashing blue ‘lights’ (iridescent blue spots) are frequent motor patterns. The eggs and larvae are pelagic; during transition into juveniles they shift to a benthic lifestyle (Fricke et al. 2014b).
In a revision of the Synchiropus agassizii species complex, Fricke (1985: 247) noted that the tropical West African form of S. phaeton seemed different and might be based on a different taxon, but that its formal recognition and description would have needed more material. During the cruise Bissau 2019 in November/December 2019, several specimens of this new species were collected, as well as two additional specimens collected in Angola by Research Vessel “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen” in 2003; the new species is described, and the subgeneric complex reviewed, in the present paper.
==========================
Synchiropus flavistrigatus, a new species of dragonet from the tropical eastern Atlantic (Teleostei: Callionymidae)
Ronald Fricke, Francesc Ordines, Sergio Ramírez-Amaro
Author Affiliations +
Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History, 5(2): (2022). https://doi.org/10.18476/2022.874590
AbstractA new species of dragonet, Synchiropus flavistrigatus sp. n. from the eastern tropical Atlantic, is described on the basis of 15 specimens. The new species is characterised within the subgenus Yerutius Whitley, 1931 by having 8 rays in the second dorsal fin (the last divided at its base), 8 anal-fin rays (the last divided at its base), 20–21 pectoral-fin rays, a single upper unbranched pectoral-fin ray, 1–2 curved dorsal points on the upper margin of the preopercular spine (additional to the main tip), length of first spine of first dorsal fin in male 12.8–15.9% of standard length, in female 14.5–15.4%; caudal-fin length in male 27.7–32.2% of standard length, in female 25.5–27.9%; length of last ray of second dorsal fin in male 18.2–21.6% of standard length; length of last ray of anal fin in male 14.6–17.1% of standard length, in female 13.5–15.1%; second dorsal fin and caudal fin with oblique yellow bars in both sexes; anal fin with a distal dark streak in both sexes. We also provide molecular information, based on two mitochondrial fragments (COI and 12s rRNA), that clearly supports the morphological results confirming that S. flavistrigatus sp. n. corresponds to a new species, distinct from S. phaeton (Günther, 1861). The new species is compared with other species of the subgenus.
Eine neue Leierfischart, Synchiropus flavistrigatus sp. n. aus dem tropischen Ostatlantik, wird anhand von 15 Exemplaren beschrieben. Die neue wird innerhalb der Untergattung Yerutius Whitley, 1931 durch folgende Merkmale charakterisiert: 8 Strahlen in der zweiten Rückenflosse (der letzte an der Basis geteilt), 8 Strahlen in der Afterflosse (der letzte an der Basis geteilt), 20–21 Brustflossenstrahlen, ein einziger Brustflossenstrahl oben unverzweigt, 1–2 gebogene Spitzen auf der dorsalen Seite des Präoperkulardorns (zusätzlich zur Hauptspitze), Länge des ersten Strahls der ersten Rückenflosse beim Männchen 12.8–15.9% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 14.5–15.4%; Schwanzflossenlänge beim Männchen 27.7–32.2% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 25.5–27.9%; Länge des letzten Strahls der zweiten Rückenflosse beim Männchen 18.2–21.6% der Standardlänge; Länge des letzten Strahls der Afterflosse beim Männchen 14.6–17.1% der Standardlänge, beim Weibchen 13.5–15.1%; zweite Rückenflosse und Schwanzflosse bei beiden Geschlechtern mit gelben Schrägstreifen; Afterflosse bei beiden Geschlechtern distal mit einem dunklen Streifen. Eine molekulare Untersuchung basierend auf zwei mitochondrialen Fragmenten (COI und 12s rRNA) unterstützt die morphologischen Befunde und bestätigt, daß es sich bei S. flavistrigatus sp. n. um eine neue Art handelt, die sich von S. phaeton (Günther, 1861) deutlich unterscheidet. Die neue Art wird mit anderen Arten der Untergattung verglichen.
IntroductionDragonets of the family Callionymidae (Pisces: Teleostei) are a group of benthic living fishes occurring in the upper 900 metres of all temperate, subtropical and tropical oceans of the world, with a few species found in estuarine and freshwater habitats. They are characterised by a depressed body, a triangular head when seen from above, large eyes situated dorsally on the head, the presence of a preopercular spine bearing additional points and/or serrae, gill opening reduced to a small pore, swimbladder absent, two dorsal fins, the first with thin, flexible spines, the second with soft rays, and jugular pelvic fins which are separated from each other but each connected with the pectoral-fin base by a membrane.
The Indo-Pacific species of the family were revised by Fricke (1983a), who distinguished 126 valid species from the area. Fricke (2002), in a checklist of the callionymid fishes of the world, listed a total of 182 valid species in 10 genera. Subsequently, 16 additional species and one new genus were described [Callionymus kanakorum Fricke, 2006 and Protogrammus antipodum Fricke, 2006 from New Caledonia (Fricke 2006), the genus Tonlesapia with Tonlesapia tsukawakii Motomura & Mukai, 2006 from Cambodia (Motomura & Mukai 2006), T. amnica Ng & Rainboth, 2011 from Vietnam (Ng & Rainboth 2011), Synchiropus tudorjonesi Allen & Erdmann, 2012 from Papua, Indonesia (Allen & Erdmann 2012), Callionymus profundus Fricke & Golani, 2013 from the northern Red Sea (Fricke & GOLANI 2013), Callionymus madangensis Fricke, 2014 from Papua New Guinea (Fricke 2014), Diplogrammus paucispinis Fricke & Bogorodsky in Fricke, Bogorodsky & Mal, 2014 from the eastern Red Sea (Fricke et al. 2014a), Callionymus omanensis Fricke, Jawad & Al-Mamry, 2014 from the northwestern Indian Ocean (Fricke et al. 2014b), Protogrammus alboranensis Fricke, Ordines, Farias & García-Ruiz, 2016 from the southwestern Mediterranean Sea (Farias et al. 2016), Callionymus alisae Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016a), Callionymus petersi Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016b), Synchiropus novaehiberniensis Fricke, 2016 from New Ireland (Fricke 2016c), Synchiropus sycorax Tea & Gill, 2016 from the Philippines (Tea & Gill 2016), Callionymus boucheti Fricke, 2017 from New Ireland (Fricke 2017), Callionymus vietnamensis Fricke & Vo, 2018 from Vietnam (Fricke & VO 2018)]; Synchiropus apricus (McCulloch, 1926) was removed from the synonymy of Synchiropus phasis (Günther, 1880) by Gomon & Yearsley (2008), and Eleutherochir mccaddeni Fowler, 1941 was removed from the synonymy of E. opercularis (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837) by Yoshigou et al. (2006), bringing the worldwide total to 201 species in the family (Fricke et al. 2022a).
The genus Yerutius Whitley, 1931 was originally described by Whitley (1931: 115) based on Callionymus apricus McCulloch, 1926 as the type species (by original designation). The type species was synonymised with Synchiropus phasis (Günther, 1880) by Fricke (1983a: 572; 2002: 63), but removed from synonymy and resurrected by Gomon & Yearsley (2008) (see above). Species of Yerutius were classified by Nakabo (1982) in the genus Foetorepus Whitley, 1931.
Fricke (1981: 26) defined the subgenus Synchiropus (Yerutius) within the genus Synchiropus Gill, 1859, which equalled part of the genus Foetorepus (not Whitley, 1931) of Nakabo (1982), and included two species, S. phasis (Günther, 1880) (Fricke 1981) from southern Australia and New Zealand and S. atrilabiatus (Garman, 1899) from the eastern Pacific. Fricke (2002: 102) distinguished seven species in this subgenus, also including Synchiropus agassizii (Goode & Bean, 1888) from the western Atlantic, S. dagmarae Fricke, 1985 from the southwestern Atlantic, S. goodenbeani (Nakabo & Hartel, 1999) from the northwestern Atlantic, S. phaeton (Günther, 1861) from the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and S. valdiviae (Trunov, 1981) from Walvis Ridge, southeastern Atlantic.
Species of the complex live on deep soft bottoms; they usually do not bury in the substrate but are well camouflaged due to their cryptic colouration. Callionymid fishes typically occur in harem groups, with one male controlling a larger home range and living together with several females. Spawning usually takes place around dusk; the courting pair ascends and releases the eggs well above the ground, following a complex courtship behaviour where the spreading of the first dorsal fin or flashing blue ‘lights’ (iridescent blue spots) are frequent motor patterns. The eggs and larvae are pelagic; during transition into juveniles they shift to a benthic lifestyle (Fricke et al. 2014b).
In a revision of the Synchiropus agassizii species complex, Fricke (1985: 247) noted that the tropical West African form of S. phaeton seemed different and might be based on a different taxon, but that its formal recognition and description would have needed more material. During the cruise Bissau 2019 in November/December 2019, several specimens of this new species were collected, as well as two additional specimens collected in Angola by Research Vessel “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen” in 2003; the new species is described, and the subgeneric complex reviewed, in the present paper.
==========================
Conjectures and refutations: Species diversity and phylogeny of Australoheros from coastal rivers of southern South America (Teleostei: Cichlidae)
==========================
- Published: December 9, 2022
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261027
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Material and methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Supporting information
- Acknowledgments
- References
==========================
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5219.4.2
PUBLISHED: 2022-12-12
A new species of Hypostomus Lacepède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Mearim River basin, northeastern Brazil
==========================
PUBLISHED: 2022-12-12
A new species of Hypostomus Lacepède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Mearim River basin, northeastern Brazil
- RAFAEL FERREIRA DE OLIVEIRA+
- ERICK CRISTOFORE GUIMARÃES+
- PÂMELLA SILVA DE BRITO+
- FELIPE POLIVANOV OTTONI+
==========================
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5219.2.5
PUBLISHED: 2022-12-08
Exostoma dhritiae, a new sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Brahmaputra River drainage, Arunachal Pradesh, India
PISCESSISORIDAEEXOSTOMASIANG RIVERBRAHMAPUTRA DRAINAGEAbstractA new species of sisorid catfish of the genus Exostoma is described from the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. The new species, Exostoma dhritiae, can be distinguished from congeners by the condition of the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base, the degree of tuberculation on the dorsal surface of the head, and the shape of striae on the anterolateral surface of lips. Further, it is distinguished by the morphometric data for the body depth at the anus, maxillary barbel length, adipose fin base length, caudal peduncle length, caudal peduncle depth and the number of branched pectoral-fin rays. It is the twentieth reported species of Exostoma.
==========================
PUBLISHED: 2022-12-08
Exostoma dhritiae, a new sisorid catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Brahmaputra River drainage, Arunachal Pradesh, India
PISCESSISORIDAEEXOSTOMASIANG RIVERBRAHMAPUTRA DRAINAGEAbstractA new species of sisorid catfish of the genus Exostoma is described from the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. The new species, Exostoma dhritiae, can be distinguished from congeners by the condition of the posterior extremity of the adipose-fin base, the degree of tuberculation on the dorsal surface of the head, and the shape of striae on the anterolateral surface of lips. Further, it is distinguished by the morphometric data for the body depth at the anus, maxillary barbel length, adipose fin base length, caudal peduncle length, caudal peduncle depth and the number of branched pectoral-fin rays. It is the twentieth reported species of Exostoma.
==========================
KILLI - DATA SERIES, 2022, Vermeulen, description Rivulus adrianae
Killi-Data Series 2022 [20 pages, as a print, ISBN 978-2-9547546-2-8, as a PDF document, ISBN 978-2-9547546-3-5]
Killi-Data Series 2022, 4-19, 10 figs.
Rivulus adrianae, a new species of the aplocheiloid killifish genus Rivulus (s.l.), (Cyprinodontiformes; Rivulidae), from Sipaliwini River, Courantyne River basin, Sipaliwini District, South-Western Suriname.
Vermeulen, F.B.M.
Abstract :
A new species in the family Rivulidae, Rivulus adrianae, is described from a small creek, tributary of the Sipaliwini River, drainage of the Courantyne River in remote Southwestern Suriname. The new species differs from other group members by the bright gold markings on the lateral sides and the absence of the ocellus in males and females. Rivulus adrianae n. sp. also differs by the lack of a longitudinal striped pattern of red spots, typical of most congeners.
zoobank.org:pub:94C825D4-0718-498D-AB14-C3310C42E51C
==========================
Killi-Data Series 2022 [20 pages, as a print, ISBN 978-2-9547546-2-8, as a PDF document, ISBN 978-2-9547546-3-5]
Killi-Data Series 2022, 4-19, 10 figs.
Rivulus adrianae, a new species of the aplocheiloid killifish genus Rivulus (s.l.), (Cyprinodontiformes; Rivulidae), from Sipaliwini River, Courantyne River basin, Sipaliwini District, South-Western Suriname.
Vermeulen, F.B.M.
Abstract :
A new species in the family Rivulidae, Rivulus adrianae, is described from a small creek, tributary of the Sipaliwini River, drainage of the Courantyne River in remote Southwestern Suriname. The new species differs from other group members by the bright gold markings on the lateral sides and the absence of the ocellus in males and females. Rivulus adrianae n. sp. also differs by the lack of a longitudinal striped pattern of red spots, typical of most congeners.
zoobank.org:pub:94C825D4-0718-498D-AB14-C3310C42E51C
==========================
The Complete Genome Sequences of 38 Species of Elephantfishes (Mormyridae, Osteoglossiformes)Rose Peterson ,John Sullivan ,Stacy Pirro
mormyridaegenome
•https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56077biogenomes
Peterson, Rose, John Sullivan, and Stacy Pirro. 2022. “The Complete Genome Sequences of 38 Species of Elephantfishes (Mormyridae, Osteoglossiformes).” Biodiversity Genomes, November. https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56077.
Save article as...▾
Data Sets/Files (1)
AbstractWe present the complete genome sequences of 38 species of elephantfishes from 20 genera. Illumina sequencing was performed on genetic material from single wild-caught individuals. The reads were assembled using a de novo method followed by a finishing step. The raw and assembled data is publicly available via Genbank.
IntroductionThe Mormyridae are a family of weakly electric freshwater fish found over most of Africa, with the exception of the Sahara, northernmost Mahgreb and southernmost Cape provinces. They are an important food source in Africa’s inland regions where they are often the most abundant fish available (Sullivan and Lavoué 2022).
Elephantfishes possess organs that generate weak electric fields, and electroreceptors that can sense nearby objects and prey as distortions to their self-produced detect the electric fields generated by prey in low visibility conditions (Carlson et al. 2019).
We present the complete genome sequences of 38 species of elephantfishes from 20 genera. Tissue samples were obtained from preserved museum specimens.
MethodsDNA extraction was performed using the Qiagen DNAeasy genomic extraction kit using the standard process. A paired-end sequencing library was constructed using the Illumina TruSeq kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The library was sequenced on an Illumina Hi-Seq platform in paired-end, 2 × 150 bp format. The resulting fastq files were trimmed of adapter/primer sequence and low-quality regions with Trimmomatic v0.33 (Bolger, Lohse, and Usadel 2014). The trimmed sequence was assembled by SPAdes v2.5 (Bankevich et al. 2012) followed by a finishing step using Zanfona (Kieras, O’Neill, and Pirro 2021).
Results and Data AvailabilityAll data, including raw reads and assembled genome sequence, is available via Genbank.
taxnamespecimen_voucherraw_read_datagenomeBoulengeromyrus knoepffleriCUMV 81643-2254SRR8717394JABJVO000000000
Brevimyrus nigerCUMV 94596SRR8717240JAABNY000000000
Brienomyrus brachyistiusCUMV 89979SRR8717393JAODOV000000000
Brienomyrus longianalisAMNH 257030SRR8717273JABJVP000000000
Campylomormyrus numeniusCUMV 97364SRR8717166JAODOW000000000
Campylomormyrus tamanduaCUMV 87879SRR8717220JABJVQ000000000
Cryptomyrus ogoouensisCUMV 98155SRR8717184JAOYFF000000000
Cyphomyrus discorhynchusCUMV 82809SRR8717165JABJVS000000000
Cyphomyrus wilverthiAMNH 253525SRR8717167JAODKV000000000
Genyomyrus donnyiCUMV 96735SRR8794244JAODJT000000000
Gnathonemus echidnorhynchusCUMV 96186SRR8794645 JAODJU000000000
Gnathonemus longibarbisCUMV 90412SRR8794644JAODJV000000000
Hippopotamyrus longilateralisSAIAB 78793SRR9215643JAOXXE000000000
Hippopotamyrus pictusCUMV 94598SRR8793730JAODLC000000000
Hyperopisus bebeCUMV 91467SRR8794911JAODJW000000000
Isichthys henryiCUMV 84650-2051SRR8794571 JAODJX000000000
Ivindomyrus marcheiCUMV 83105SRR8794910JAODJY000000000
Ivindomyrus opdenboschiCUMV 83107SRR8795503JAODJZ000000000
Marcusenius schilthuisiaeCUMV 87790SRR8794570JAODKA000000000
Marcusenius ussheriCUMV 97730SRR8794646JAODKB000000000
Mormyrops attenuatusCUMV 88155SRR8844661JAODKC000000000
Mormyrops boulengeriCUMV 87730SRR8844538JAODLD000000000
Mormyrops zanclirostrisCUMV 96834SRR8844858JAODKD000000000
Mormyrus hasselquistiiCUMV 94650SRR9055927JAODKE000000000
Mormyrus iriodesAMNH 263510SRR9056052JAAGVU000000000
Mormyrus lacerdaSAIAB 87199SRR9215603 JAABNX000000000
Mormyrus proboscirostrisCUMV 96245SRR8844651JAODKF000000000
Myomyrus macropsAMNH 231025SRR6399006JAODKG000000000
Myomyrus pharaoCUMV 96474SRR9214507JAODKH000000000
Paramormyrops hopkinsiCUMV 89281-5497SRR9214432JAODKI000000000
Petrocephalus microphthalmusCUMV 97508SRR6399355JAODKK000000000
Petrocephalus schoutedeniCUMV 97510SRR9214420JAODKL000000000
Petrocephalus sullivaniCUMV 79700SRR6410432JAODKM000000000
Petrocephalus zakoniCUMV 87787SRR9214598 JAODKN000000000
Pollimyrus isidoriCUMV 97714SRR9215378JABFDZ000000000
Pollimyrus plagiostomaCUMV 96188SRR9214508JABFEA000000000
Stomatorhinus ivindoensisCUMV 92286SRR9214431JABFEB000000000
Stomatorhinus walkeriCUMV 95160SRR9214424JAODUD000000000DiscussionThese published data have already been used in recent publications on mormyrid phylogenomics and taxonomy (Peterson et al. 2022; Sullivan et al. 2022) and will serve a resource for future studies of this group of fishes.
FundingFunding was provided by Iridian Genomes, grant# IRGEN_RG_2021-1345 Genomic Studies of Eukaryotic Taxa.
Submitted: November 21, 2022 EDT
Accepted: November 21, 2022 EDT
==========================
mormyridaegenome
•https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56077biogenomes
Peterson, Rose, John Sullivan, and Stacy Pirro. 2022. “The Complete Genome Sequences of 38 Species of Elephantfishes (Mormyridae, Osteoglossiformes).” Biodiversity Genomes, November. https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56077.
Save article as...▾
Data Sets/Files (1)
- 32 views
- 3 pdf downloads
AbstractWe present the complete genome sequences of 38 species of elephantfishes from 20 genera. Illumina sequencing was performed on genetic material from single wild-caught individuals. The reads were assembled using a de novo method followed by a finishing step. The raw and assembled data is publicly available via Genbank.
IntroductionThe Mormyridae are a family of weakly electric freshwater fish found over most of Africa, with the exception of the Sahara, northernmost Mahgreb and southernmost Cape provinces. They are an important food source in Africa’s inland regions where they are often the most abundant fish available (Sullivan and Lavoué 2022).
Elephantfishes possess organs that generate weak electric fields, and electroreceptors that can sense nearby objects and prey as distortions to their self-produced detect the electric fields generated by prey in low visibility conditions (Carlson et al. 2019).
We present the complete genome sequences of 38 species of elephantfishes from 20 genera. Tissue samples were obtained from preserved museum specimens.
MethodsDNA extraction was performed using the Qiagen DNAeasy genomic extraction kit using the standard process. A paired-end sequencing library was constructed using the Illumina TruSeq kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The library was sequenced on an Illumina Hi-Seq platform in paired-end, 2 × 150 bp format. The resulting fastq files were trimmed of adapter/primer sequence and low-quality regions with Trimmomatic v0.33 (Bolger, Lohse, and Usadel 2014). The trimmed sequence was assembled by SPAdes v2.5 (Bankevich et al. 2012) followed by a finishing step using Zanfona (Kieras, O’Neill, and Pirro 2021).
Results and Data AvailabilityAll data, including raw reads and assembled genome sequence, is available via Genbank.
taxnamespecimen_voucherraw_read_datagenomeBoulengeromyrus knoepffleriCUMV 81643-2254SRR8717394JABJVO000000000
Brevimyrus nigerCUMV 94596SRR8717240JAABNY000000000
Brienomyrus brachyistiusCUMV 89979SRR8717393JAODOV000000000
Brienomyrus longianalisAMNH 257030SRR8717273JABJVP000000000
Campylomormyrus numeniusCUMV 97364SRR8717166JAODOW000000000
Campylomormyrus tamanduaCUMV 87879SRR8717220JABJVQ000000000
Cryptomyrus ogoouensisCUMV 98155SRR8717184JAOYFF000000000
Cyphomyrus discorhynchusCUMV 82809SRR8717165JABJVS000000000
Cyphomyrus wilverthiAMNH 253525SRR8717167JAODKV000000000
Genyomyrus donnyiCUMV 96735SRR8794244JAODJT000000000
Gnathonemus echidnorhynchusCUMV 96186SRR8794645 JAODJU000000000
Gnathonemus longibarbisCUMV 90412SRR8794644JAODJV000000000
Hippopotamyrus longilateralisSAIAB 78793SRR9215643JAOXXE000000000
Hippopotamyrus pictusCUMV 94598SRR8793730JAODLC000000000
Hyperopisus bebeCUMV 91467SRR8794911JAODJW000000000
Isichthys henryiCUMV 84650-2051SRR8794571 JAODJX000000000
Ivindomyrus marcheiCUMV 83105SRR8794910JAODJY000000000
Ivindomyrus opdenboschiCUMV 83107SRR8795503JAODJZ000000000
Marcusenius schilthuisiaeCUMV 87790SRR8794570JAODKA000000000
Marcusenius ussheriCUMV 97730SRR8794646JAODKB000000000
Mormyrops attenuatusCUMV 88155SRR8844661JAODKC000000000
Mormyrops boulengeriCUMV 87730SRR8844538JAODLD000000000
Mormyrops zanclirostrisCUMV 96834SRR8844858JAODKD000000000
Mormyrus hasselquistiiCUMV 94650SRR9055927JAODKE000000000
Mormyrus iriodesAMNH 263510SRR9056052JAAGVU000000000
Mormyrus lacerdaSAIAB 87199SRR9215603 JAABNX000000000
Mormyrus proboscirostrisCUMV 96245SRR8844651JAODKF000000000
Myomyrus macropsAMNH 231025SRR6399006JAODKG000000000
Myomyrus pharaoCUMV 96474SRR9214507JAODKH000000000
Paramormyrops hopkinsiCUMV 89281-5497SRR9214432JAODKI000000000
Petrocephalus microphthalmusCUMV 97508SRR6399355JAODKK000000000
Petrocephalus schoutedeniCUMV 97510SRR9214420JAODKL000000000
Petrocephalus sullivaniCUMV 79700SRR6410432JAODKM000000000
Petrocephalus zakoniCUMV 87787SRR9214598 JAODKN000000000
Pollimyrus isidoriCUMV 97714SRR9215378JABFDZ000000000
Pollimyrus plagiostomaCUMV 96188SRR9214508JABFEA000000000
Stomatorhinus ivindoensisCUMV 92286SRR9214431JABFEB000000000
Stomatorhinus walkeriCUMV 95160SRR9214424JAODUD000000000DiscussionThese published data have already been used in recent publications on mormyrid phylogenomics and taxonomy (Peterson et al. 2022; Sullivan et al. 2022) and will serve a resource for future studies of this group of fishes.
FundingFunding was provided by Iridian Genomes, grant# IRGEN_RG_2021-1345 Genomic Studies of Eukaryotic Taxa.
Submitted: November 21, 2022 EDT
Accepted: November 21, 2022 EDT
==========================
Clarias monsembulai • A New Species of Air-Breathing Catfish (Siluriformes: Clariidae: Clarias) from Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
B, Clarias monsembulai Bernt & Stiassny, 2022
A, Clarias buthupogon Sauvage, 1879
DOI: 10.1206/3990.1
digitallibrary.AMNH.org
Abstract
A new species of air-breathing catfish, Clarias monsembulai, is des
B, Clarias monsembulai Bernt & Stiassny, 2022
A, Clarias buthupogon Sauvage, 1879
DOI: 10.1206/3990.1
digitallibrary.AMNH.org
Abstract
A new species of air-breathing catfish, Clarias monsembulai, is des