Latest Articles from Zoosystematics and Evolution Latest 39 Articles from Zoosystematics and Evolution https://zse.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 03:26:50 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://zse.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Zoosystematics and Evolution https://zse.pensoft.net/ Taxonomic revision of Phoxinus minnows (Leuciscidae) from Caucasus, with description of a new narrow-ranged endemic species https://zse.pensoft.net/article/115696/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 291-308

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.115696

Authors: Oleg N. Artaev, Ilya S. Turbanov, Aleksey A. Bolotovskiy, Aleksandr A. Gandlin, Boris A. Levin

Abstract: Taxonomic revision of Phoxinus from the Caucasus revealed two distinct species. One species, P. colchicus, was known from eastern drainage of Black Sea, but was recorded also in the middle reach of the Kuban (Sea of Azov basin), for the first time. The Kuban population represents a genetically unique sub-lineage of P. colchicus. Its ancestors might have colonized the Kuban system through the event of ancient river capture. Another species inhabits only the Adagum River basin in the lower Kuban and represents a new narrow-ranged endemic species – Phoxinus adagumicus sp. nov. According to mtDNA phylogeny (COI and cytb), P. adagumicus sp. nov. represents deeply divergent and one of the two early branched lineages of the genus Phoxinus being distant to other species (min. p-distance = 0.074) including geographical neighbors – P. chrysoprasius from Crimean Peninsula and P. colchicus from the Caucasus. The new species differs from most Phoxinus species by frequently occurring single-row pharyngeal teeth (modal formula 5–4). The narrow geographic range (ca. 55 km in length and 15–20 km in width) and high anthropogenic load on local water systems suggests the new species is under threat and needs protection.

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Research Article Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:02:22 +0200
Bashimyzon cheni, a new genus and species of sucker loach (Teleostei, Gastromyzontidae) from South China https://zse.pensoft.net/article/116535/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 309-324

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.116535

Authors: Xiong Gong, E Zhang

Abstract: Bashimyzon, new genus, is here established for Erromyzon damingshanensis, and a new species of the genus is described from the You-Jiang of the Pearl River (=Zhu-Jiang in mandarin Chinese) basin in Guangxi Province, South China. This new genus has a small gill opening above the pectoral-fin base and short pectoral fins extending backwards short of pelvic-fin insertions, both characters combined to separate it from all currently-recognized gastromyzontid genera except Erromyzon and Protomyzon, but differs from the two genera in having a larger gap between the posterior edge of eye and the vertical through the pectoral-fin insertion and very small fleshy lobes posterior to the maxillary-barbel bases. It is further distinct from its most similar genus Erromyzon in having a relatively larger gill opening, fewer branched pectoral-fin rays folded against body, and more posteriorly placed pectoral fins with a shorter fin base. Bashimyzon cheni, new species, and B. damingshanensis, the single congeneric species, differ in number of lateral-line pored scales, body coloration, and cephalic contour, and also in substantial genetic divergence.

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Research Article Wed, 20 Mar 2024 10:26:16 +0200
Relationships and description of a new catfish species from Chapada Diamantina, the northernmost record of Trichomycterus s.s. (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/115564/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 223-231

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.115564

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Caio R. M. Feltrin, José L. O. Mattos, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: Psammocambeva exhibits the largest geographical distribution amongst the subgenera of Trichomycterus s.s., with its present northernmost represented by Trichomycterus tete, endemic to the upper Rio de Contas Basin in the Chapada Diamantina Region, north-eastern Brazil. Herein, we describe a new species recently collected in the Chapada Diamantina Region, but in the Rio Paraguaçu Basin, about 100 km north of the area inhabited by T. tete. A molecular phylogeny using one nuclear and two mitochondrial genes (2430 bp) supported the new species as sister to T. tete; both species are distinguished by colour patterns, morphometric data, relative position of dorsal and anal fins and osteological character states. The clade comprising the new species and T. tete, endemic to the semi-arid Caatinga biogeographical province, is supported as sister to a clade comprising species from the Rio Doce and Rio Paraíba do Sul Basins, in the Atlantic Forest biogeographical province. This study corroborated the Chapada Diamantina Region, a well-known mountainous biodiversity centre, as an important centre of endemism for trichomycterid catfishes.

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Research Article Wed, 6 Mar 2024 10:14:03 +0200
Two new species of the congrid eel genus Ariosoma (Anguilliformes, Congridae, Bathymyrinae) from Indian waters https://zse.pensoft.net/article/116611/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 119-128

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.116611

Authors: Paramasivam Kodeeswaran, Ayyathurai Kathirvelpandian, Dipanjan Ray, Anil Mohapatra, Thipramalai Thangappan Ajith Kumar, Chelladurai Raghunathan, Uttam Kumar Sarkar

Abstract: Two new species have been described from Indian waters, based on the materials collected from Kochi coast, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Mannar and West Bengal coast along the Bay of Bengal. Ariosoma gracile sp. nov. is described, based on five specimens collected from the landings at Kalamukku Fishing Harbour, Arabian Sea. The new species is characterised by longer tail, 55.3–58.7% TL; dorsal-fin origin above pectoral-fin base; no dark or whitish bands on dorsal surface of head, ventral extremities of lower jaw and mid-portion with minute dark pigmentation patch; anus positioned well before the middle of total length; SO canal with 4 pores; 0 or 3 pores on ST canal; pre-dorsal vertebrae 9; pre-anal vertebrae 49–54; total vertebrae 140–142. Ariosoma gracile sp. nov. is closely related to Ariosoma dolichopterum and Ariosoma emmae by sharing similar morphometrics and pre-anal vertebral counts. However, it differs by having more total pores (132–135 vs. 121–129 in A. dolichopterum, 123–126 in A. emmae); fewer pre-anal pores (43–46 vs. 47–51 in A. dolichopterum, 50–53 in A. emmae); more pre-dorsal pores (9 vs. 5–9 in A. dolichopterum, 4–6 in A. emmae). Another new species, Ariosoma kannani sp. nov. is described on the basis of two specimens (157–171 mm TL) from Gulf of Mannar and one specimen (201 mm TL) collected from Shankarpur Fish Landing Centre, West Bengal. This species is similar to Ariosoma megalops, but readily differs by having smaller eyes, smaller interorbital distance and exhibits 10.8% genetic divergence from A. megalops from the Taiwan waters.

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Research Article Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:00:11 +0200
Description of a new species of Phoxinus from the Ergene River (Aegean Sea Basin) in Türkiye (Actinopterygii, Leuciscidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/113467/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 101-110

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.113467

Authors: Esra Bayçelebi, İsmail Aksu, Davut Turan

Abstract: Phoxinus radeki, a new species, is described from the Ergene River (Aegean Sea Basin). It is distinguished from Phoxinus species in Türkiye and the adjacent area by having the scales of the breast, scaled but separated unscaled area anteriorly, short dark rectangular blotches along the lateral line between the lateral line and belly yellowish in both males and females, body depth dorsal fin origin 16–21% SL, caudal peduncle depth 8–10% SL. Additionally, molecular results demonstrated that the new species differed from its closest congeners with a mean genetic distance value of 3.08% (min. 2.82–max. 3.29) and moderately support values in cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene partial sequences (1064 bp.). Further, the species delimitation analysis identified the new species as a single MOTU independent of other Phoxinus species.

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Research Article Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:00:09 +0200
The trouts of the Marmara and Aegean Sea drainages in Türkiye, with the description of a new species (Teleostei, Salmonidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/112557/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 87-99

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.112557

Authors: Davut Turan, Esra Bayçelebi, Sadi Aksu, Münevver Oral

Abstract: The taxonomic status of native trout species of the Marmara and Aegean Sea drainages is evaluated and three species, Salmo duhani, S. coruhensis and S. brunoi sp. nov., are recognized. Salmo brunoi, a new species, is described from the Nilüfer River, a tributary of the Susurluk River. It is distinguished by a general brownish body color in life; few black spots (fewer than 60) on the body, generally scattered on the back and the upper part of the flank, rarely in the median part; few (fewer than 40) and small (smaller than pupil) red spots on the body, scattered on the median part and lower half of the flank; a number of black and red spots not increasing with size in both sexes; a long adipose fin (adipose-fin height 8–9% SL); a short distance between adipose-fin and caudal-fin (12–14% SL); and a short anal fin (anal-fin height 12–15% SL). Salmo brunoi sp. nov. is separated from the rest of the Marmara and Aegean trouts of Anatolia based on genome-wide distributed 187.385 unlinked SNP markers. According to the best of the authors’ knowledge, whole genome data is used for the first time here to characterize a new species of trout.

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Research Article Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:00:08 +0200
Population variation of Diapoma pampeana (Characiformes, Characidae, Stevardiinae) from an isolated coastal drainage in Uruguay, with new records: comparing morphological and molecular data https://zse.pensoft.net/article/112778/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 69-85

DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.112778

Authors: James Anyelo Vanegas-Ríos, Wilson Sebastián Serra Alanís, María de las Mercedes Azpelicueta, Thomas Litz, Luiz Roberto Malabarba

Abstract: Diapoma pampeana was recently described to occur in the upper Negro basin in Uruguay and Brazil. An isolated population tentatively identified as D. pampeana from the Pando stream, a perturbed coastal drainage in Uruguay, is studied and compared under the light of morphological and molecular data to test if there is evidence to consider it as a separate species. New geographical records for the species are presented and included in the comparisons. The specimens analyzed were pooled into four groups: Pando, Santa Lucía, Middle Negro and Upper Negro. We analyzed 32 morphological characters using statistical procedures and recovered a COI-based phylogeny of different populations of D. pampeana to test if they may represent different species. Size-corrected PCA revealed that the Pando and Upper Negro groups are greatly diverging in both morphometric and meristic data along PC1 (mainly by the snout to dorsal-fin origin, dorsal to adipose-fin origins, number of longitudinal scales and predorsal scales). This deviating pattern was also obtained in a cluster analysis. The Santa Lucía and Middle Negro groups were found to be intermediate morphotypes. In contrast, molecular analyses revealed that the Pando and Upper Negro specimens resemble genetically and, thus, are placed together in the Neighbor-joining and Bayesian topologies, as part of a monophyletic Diapoma. We proposed that the Pando population, despite its deviating morphology observed, can be classified as D. pampeana. Therefore, this population constitutes a remarkable example of an isolated population that is morphologically divergent but genetically similar to the geographically most distant conspecific population.

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Research Article Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:00:07 +0200
Identification of the rare deep-dwelling goby Suruga fundicola Jordan & Snyder, 1901 (Gobiiformes, Gobiidae) from the Yellow Sea https://zse.pensoft.net/article/102345/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 99(2): 489-501

DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.102345

Authors: Changting An, Ang Li, Huan Wang, Busu Li, Kaiying Liu, Hongyue Sun, Shufang Liu, Zhimeng Zhuang, Richard van der Laan

Abstract: During the 2022 R/V cruises in the Yellow Sea, four goby specimens (51.2‒63.5 mm) were captured by using an Agassiz trawl at a water depth of about 70 meters. These specimens were identified as Suruga fundicola, mainly by the morphometric characters. Their identification was further confirmed by a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 12S and COI mtDNA genes. Considering that the four specimens were in good condition and that the original description is brief, a detailed description of the specimens is given. Moreover, the present study presents a preliminary analysis of its phylogenetic position within the Acanthogobius-lineage (Gobiidae). The discovery of this goby in the Yellow Sea enriches our knowledge of the fish diversity and distribution of this region, and sheds some light on the ecological habitat of these gobies.

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Research Article Thu, 5 Oct 2023 19:08:04 +0300
DNA barcoding of the genus Alburnoides Jeitteles, 1861 (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) from Anatolia, Turkey https://zse.pensoft.net/article/94333/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 99(1): 185-194

DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.94333

Authors: Halim Canoglu, Ismail Aksu, Davut Turan, Yusuf Bektas

Abstract: The present study investigated the ability of DNA barcoding to reliably identify the endemic freshwater species in Turkey, known as biodiversity hotspots. The barcode region (652 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) was used to barcode 153 individuals from 13 morphologically identified species of the genus Alburnoides. Based on the Kimura two-parameter (K2P) evolution model, the average interspecific distance (0.0595) was 31-fold higher than the average intraspecific distance (0.0019). There was a clear-cut barcode gap (0.0158–0.0187) between maximum intraspecific distance (A. tzanevi and A. velioglui) and minimum nearest-neighbour distance (A. freyhofi and A. kurui) for Anatolian Alburnoides species and a common genetic threshold of 0.0158 sequence divergence was defined for species delimitation. The multiple species delimitation methods (ABGD, ASAP, GMYC and bPTP) revealed a total of 11 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) for 13 morphospecies. Neighbour-joining (NJ), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) tree analysis indicated that all haplotypes were clustered into two major clades, which corresponded to eleven Alburnoides species clusters, with strong bootstrap support. Furthermore, all the specimens clustered in concurrence with the morpho-taxonomic status of the species, except for two species (A. coskuncelebii and A. emineae) that were morphologically differentiated, but showed overlap in variation for COI-based DNA barcode data with other species. Overall, present results identified that COI-based DNA barcoding is effective for species identification and cataloguing of genus Alburnoides in Turkey.

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Research Article Mon, 6 Mar 2023 17:36:00 +0200
Species delimitation, molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of the sweetlips fish (Perciformes, Haemulidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/96386/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 99(1): 135-147

DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.96386

Authors: Ehsan Damadi, Faezeh Yazdani Moghaddam, Mehdi Ghanbarifardi

Abstract: The subfamily Plectorhinchinae (sweetlips) is composed of poorly-known species with high commercially and ecologically values that exhibit phenotypic plasticity and various morphologies. Few studies have assessed the validity of sweetlips, intergeneric relationships and evolutionary survey in this subfamily, which have not yet been resolved. This study investigated the DNA sequences of (1) the mitochondrial COI gene to delimit species, and (2) two mitochondrial (COI and Cyt b), and one nuclear (RAG1) markers to infer phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary and biogeographic history. The molecular results could differentiate Diagramma punctatum from the other species, but failed to distinguish D. labiosum as a distinct species with considerably lower genetic distances for the COI (0.53%) and Cyt b (0.51%) markers. However, additional taxonomic investigations are required to shed light on this issue. All previously described nominal species of sweetlips in the northwest Indian Ocean were found to be well supported. The monophyly of Plectorhinchus is not supported and Diagramma pictum and D. punctatum should be assigned to the genus Plectorhinchus. The biogeographic history of Plectorhinchinae likely originated in the Indo-Pacific ca. 34 Ma (30–39 Ma; late Eocene/ middle Oligocene) and subsequently colonised the Western Indian Ocean and the Central Indo-Pacific. Maximum diversification within the subfamily occurred from the middle Miocene to Pliocene, coinciding with dispersal and vicariance events. Diversification was probably driven by both biological and geographical factors.

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Research Article Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:15:02 +0200
Chromatic polymorphism in Trichomycterus albinotatus (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae), a mountain catfish from south-eastern Brazil and the role of colouration characters in trichomycterine taxonomy https://zse.pensoft.net/article/98341/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 99(1): 161-171

DOI: 10.3897/zse.99.98341

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo O. Mattos, Pedro F. Amorim, Beatrizz O. Mesquita, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: Colouration 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.

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Research Article Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:14:36 +0200
Redefinition of Heptapterus (Heptapteridae) and description of Heptapterus carmelitanorum, a new species from the upper Paraná River basin in Brazil https://zse.pensoft.net/article/89413/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 98(2): 327-343

DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.89413

Authors: Gabriel de Carvalho Deprá, Gastón Aguilera, Dario R. Faustino-Fuster, Axel M. Katz, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos

Abstract: A new diagnosis and a new classification of Heptapterus are provided and a new species, H. carmelitanorum, is described. Heptapterus is diagnosed by the following character combination: adipose fin confluent with the caudal fin; non-bifurcate caudal fin; anal-fin insertion posterior to vertical through adipose-fin insertion; 10–23 anal-fin rays; anal fin not confluent with caudal fin; and extremely elongate body, with a head length of 16.1–24.9%SL. Species included in Heptapterus are H. borodini, H. carmelitanorum, H. carnatus, H. exilis, H. hollandi, H. mandimbusu, H. mbya, H. mustelinus, H. ornaticeps, and H. qenqo. Some of the character states diagnosing H. carmelitanorum among its congeners are the anal-fin insertion less than one eye diameter posterior to a vertical through the adipose-fin insertion (vs. more than one eye diameter in all congeners); the isognathous mouth (vs. slightly to moderately retrognathous, except H. borodini); and the keel formed by ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays shallow, far from reaching anal-fin base (vs. keel formed by ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays deep, continuing almost to the anal-fin base, except in H. borodini and H. hollandi).

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Research Article Thu, 8 Sep 2022 10:46:06 +0300
Phylogenetic relationships of a new catfish of the genus Trichomycterus (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) from the Brazilian Cerrado, and the role of Cenozoic events in the diversification of mountain catfishes https://zse.pensoft.net/article/83109/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 98(1): 151-164

DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.83109

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, José Leonardo O. Mattos, Wagner M. S. Sampaio, Patrícia Giongo, Frederico B. de Almeida, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: The Brazilian Cerrado highlands shelter the headwaters of the three largest South American hydrographic basins, where a great species diversity is concentrated, but some biological groups are still insufficiently known. The focal taxa of this study are trichomycterid catfishes of the subgenus Cryptocambeva, genus Trichomycterus, endemic to mountain areas of south-eastern Brazil. The primary objective of this study is to test through a molecular phylogeny if a new species collected in streams of the upper Rio Paraná basin draining the Serra da Canastra is sister to T. macrotrichopterus, endemic to the upper Rio São Francisco at another facet of the Serra da Canastra, as suggested by morphological data. The analysis corroborated sister group relationships between these two species, besides supporting four main clades in Cryptocambeva, each of them endemic to distinct mountain regions. A time-calibrated analysis supported the divergence timing between the new species and T. macrotrichopterus at the Pliocene, which is chronologically compatible with the final period of intense fluvial configuration re-arrangement, when São Francisco headwater streams were captured by the Paraná basin. The new species herein described is similar to T. macrotrichopterus and distinguished from all other species of Cryptocambeva by having a long pectoral-fin filament. These two species are distinguished from each other by characteristics of the latero-sensory system, colour pattern and bone morphology.

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Research Article Mon, 23 May 2022 12:07:58 +0300
Pliocene-Pleistocene dispersal bring along low inter species diversity between Vimba species based on multilocus analysis https://zse.pensoft.net/article/76937/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 98(1): 65-75

DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.76937

Authors: Gökhan Kalaycı

Abstract: This study investigates phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships of Vimba species using mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) (1023 bp) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding region (652 bp) genes. Ninety-one samples from 36 populations for the cyt b gene and 67 samples from 20 populations for the COI were analyzed. We identified 29 haplotypes and calculated overall haplotype diversity as Hd: 0.907 ± 0.015 for cyt b. We also identified 13 COI haplotypes and calculated overall haplotype diversity as 0.826 ± 0.026 for this marker. The phylogenetic analysis of Vimba species reveals the presence of four clades, based on concatenated cyt b and COI sequences. The first and second clade consist of Vimba vimba Western lineage, and Vimba vimba Caspian lineage, while the third and fourth clade consist of Vimba mirabilis and Vimba melanops. Based on haplotype network analyses and phylogeographic inferences, the Vimba genus is monophyletic, and its species dispersed in the Pleistocene era.

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Research Article Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:04:28 +0200
A new catfish of the genus Trichomycterus from the Rio Paraíba do Sul Basin, south-eastern Brazil, a supposedly migrating species (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/72392/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 98(1): 13-21

DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.72392

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: A new species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus is described from the Rio Paraíba do Sul, south-eastern Brazil. This species exhibits some morphological character states that are unique amongst congeners, including a robust opercle and a long interopercle with numerous odontodes (50–60 opercular and 90–100 interopercular), a black bar on the basal portion of the caudal fin and a dark brown flank with a well delimited dorsal yellow stripe. It also exhibits some morphological traits that are uncommon amongst congeners, such as the presence of nine pectoral-fin rays. The presence of a shallow hyomandibular outgrowth and a ventrally expanded pre-opercular ventral flap suggests that this species is closely related to T. melanopygius, T. pradensis and T. tete. The new species also differs from T. melanopygius, T. pradensis and T. tete by having an emarginate caudal fin and a single median supra-orbital pore S6. Anecdotal evidence suggests that T. largoperculatus and T. pradensis have migratory habits, a condition not previously reported for eastern South American trichomycterines.

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Research Article Fri, 14 Jan 2022 11:05:05 +0200
Contribution to the trout of Euphrates River, with description of a new species, and range extension of Salmo munzuricus (Salmoniformes, Salmonidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/72181/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 97(2): 471-482

DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.72181

Authors: Davut Turan, İsmail Aksu, Münevver Oral, Cüneyt Kaya, Esra Bayçelebi

Abstract: In an effort to reveal the Euphrates trout taxonomy, the Karasu River, which is one of the eastern drainages of the river, was investigated and three independent populations were identified. Result revealed that two populations belonged to Salmo munzuricus, which was known only in Munzur River, while the other population belonged to an unnamed species. Salmo baliki, a new species, is described from the Murat River, a drainage of Euphrates River. It differs from Salmo species in adjacent water by the combination of the following characters: a grayish body; commonly one, rarely two pale black spots behind eye and on cheek; two to seven black spots on opercle; a few black spots on back and upper part of flank, missing on predorsal area; few to numerous large irregular-shaped red spots in median, upper and lower part of flank, surrounded by a large irregular-shaped white ring; the number of black and red spots not increasing in parallel with size; maxilla short and narrow; adipose-fin medium size, no or rarely one or two red spot its posterior edge; 107–118 lateral line scales; 24–28 scales rows between dorsal-in origin and lateral line; 18–22 scale rows between lateral line and anal–fin origin; maxilla length 7.7–9.1% SL in males, 8.2–9.6 in females. Finally, the genetic study of the Cyt b mitochondrial gene confirmed the morphological data, suggesting the separation of S. baliki from other Salmo species.

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Research Article Mon, 18 Oct 2021 11:41:23 +0300
The discovery of a microbialite-associated freshwater fish in the world’s largest saline soda lake, Lake Van (Turkey) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/62120/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 97(1): 181-189

DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.62120

Authors: Mustafa Akkuş, Mustafa Sarı, F. Güler Ekmekçi, Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu

Abstract: Lake Van is the largest saline soda lake in the world and one of the world’s few endorheic lakes of greater than 3,000 km2 surface area. Despite its huge size, no fish species have so far been known to permanently occur in this lake due to its extreme environmental conditions. Here, we report the discovery of a fish population that permanently inhabits some of the unique microbialites of the lake, at a maximum depth of 13 m and about 500 m offshore. We tested whether this is an undescribed species or a new occurrence of a known species. A molecular and morphological examination showed that the newly discovered fish represents an isolated population of Oxynoemacheilus ercisianus, the only nemacheilid loach native to the freshwater tributaries of the Lake Van endorheic basin. Our further hypotheses on the prediction that (a) stream fishes would have a more anterior placement of fins than lake fishes were supported; but, that (b) stream fishes would be more slender bodied than their lake conspecifics was not supported. The lake dwelling population also shows very small sequence divergence (0.5% K2P distance) to its stream dwelling conspecific in the mtDNA-COI barcode region. The notable morphological difference with minute molecular divergence implies that the newly discovered population might have lost its link to freshwater during desiccation and transgressional phases of the Lake Van, and has adapted to a life on the microbialites.

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Research Article Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:29:23 +0200
Filling distribution gaps: Two new species of the catfish genus Cambeva from southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/61006/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 97(1): 147-159

DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.61006

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Caio R. M. Feltrin, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: The fauna and flora of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest have been intensively inventoried since the 19th century, but some components of this rich biota are still poorly known, and some areas have been poorly sampled. Recent studies on a rich collection of mountain catfishes of the genus Cambeva have revealed a high diversity of species still undescribed in the region. Here we provide formal descriptions for two of these species, found in areas inserted in a broad gap of the presently known genus distribution. The first one is endemic to small coastal river basins of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil; it is tentatively placed in an intrageneric clade, also including C. castroi, C. davisi, C. guareiensis and C. zonata, by all sharing the presence of a flat small process on the dorsal margin of the quadrate, laterally overlapping metapterygoid and situated just posterior to the syncondrial joint between the metapterygoid and the quadrate. Phylogenetic relationships of the second new species, endemic to the Rio Itajaí-Mirim basin, are still obscure, but it shares a derived morphology of the mesethmoid with some species of the C. balios group. Although species of Cambeva have little external morphological variation when compared to other trichomycterine groups, the present study once more shows the importance of recording and using osteological characters to diagnose externally similar trichomycterine species.

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Research Article Tue, 2 Mar 2021 13:27:31 +0200
Distribution and diversity of fish from Seyhan, Ceyhan and Orontes river systems https://zse.pensoft.net/article/55837/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 96(2): 747-767

DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.55837

Authors: Esra Bayçelebi

Abstract: In this study, the current ichthyofauna of the Seyhan, Ceyhan and Orontes River drainages were presented and actual taxonomic positions of the species were assessed. Sixty-seven species belonging to 32 genera and 17 families of fishes were reported from these river drainages in Turkey and Syria. Acanthobrama centisquama and Tinca tinca could not be observed in the study area and Alburnus sellal and Esox lucius are recorded for the first time respectively in the Lake Gölbaşı (connected to the Ceyhan River) and Seyhan River.

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Research Article Thu, 19 Nov 2020 10:57:11 +0200
A new species from subtropical Brazil and evidence of multiple pelvic fin losses in catfishes of the genus Cambeva (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/56247/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 96(2): 715-722

DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.56247

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Caio R. M. Feltrin, Axel M. Katz

Abstract: A third pelvic-less species of Cambeva from river basins draining the Geral mountain range in southern Brazil is described. It is distinguished from other congeners lacking pelvic fin and girdle, C. pascuali and C. tropeiro, by having six pectoral-fin rays, 20–23 dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays, 15–20 opercular and 25–30 interopercular odontodes and a different colour pattern consisting of flank dark brownish-grey with two irregular horizontal rows of small pale yellow grey marks. Whereas available molecular evidence indicates that C. pascuali is more closely related to C. zonata, a species with well-developed pelvic fin, and C. tropeiro is more closely related to C. balios, another species also with well-developed pelvic fin; osteological data strongly suggest that the new species herein described is more closely related to C. diatropoporos than to other congeners. Therefore, this study indicates that the pelvic fin and pelvic-fin support have been lost independently in each of these three species of Cambeva, which corresponds to 11% of all describe species. This result highly contrasts with the closely-related trichomycterine genera Trichomycterus, in which only one in 50 species lost pelvic fin and girdle (0.2%) and Scleronema with all the nine included species having well-developed pelvic fin. These data suggest a stronger tendency to losing pelvic fin in Cambeva, but factors favouring this evolutionary event are still unknown.

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Research Article Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:43:16 +0200
Genetic evidence for the recognition of two allopatric species of Asian bronze featherback Notopterus (Teleostei, Osteoglossomorpha, Notopteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/51350/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 96(2): 449-454

DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.51350

Authors: Sébastien Lavoué, Siti Zafirah Ghazali, Jamsari Amirul Firdaus Jamaluddin, Siti Azizah Mohd Nor, Khaironizam Md. Zain

Abstract: The fish genus Notopterus Lacepède, 1800 (Notopteridae) currently includes only one species, the Asian bronze featherback Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769). This common freshwater species is widely distributed in the Oriental region, from the Indus basin in the west, the Mekong basin in the east and Java Island in the south. To examine the phylogeographic structure of N. notopterus across its range, we analysed 74 publicly available cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences, 72 of them determined from known-origin specimens, along with four newly-determined sequences from Peninsular Malaysian specimens. We found that N. notopterus is a complex of two allopatric species that diverge from each other by 7.5% mean p-distance. The first species is endemic to South Asia (from Indus basin to Ganga-Brahmaputra system), whereas the distribution of the second species is restricted to Southeast Asia. The exact limit between the distributions of these two species is not known, but it should fall somewhere between the Ganga-Brahmaputra and Salween basins, a region already identified as a major faunal boundary in the Oriental region. The name N. notopterus is retained for the Southeast Asian species, while the name Notopterus synurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) should be applied to the South Asian species. A comparative morphological study is needed to reveal the degree of morphological differentiation between the two species.

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Short Communication Wed, 1 Jul 2020 16:18:03 +0300
A new psammophilic species of the catfish genus Ammoglanis (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) from the Amazon River basin, northern Brazil https://zse.pensoft.net/article/48952/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 96(1): 67-72

DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.48952

Authors: Elisabeth Henschel, Pedro H. N. Bragança, Filipe Rangel-Pereira, Wilson J. E. M. Costa

Abstract: Ammoglanis obliquus sp. nov., a minute catfish species reaching a maximum adult size of 15.5 mm, is described from the Rio Preto da Eva drainage in the central Brazilian Amazon. It is distinguished from all of its congeners in possessing an exclusive combination of character states, including the presence and number of premaxillary and dentary teeth, number of interopercular and opercular odontodes, presence of cranial fontanel, number of dorsal-fin rays, number of anal-fin rays, number of caudal-fin rays, number of pelvic-fin rays, number of pectoral-fin rays, absence of pelvic splint, antorbital morphology, and absence of supraorbital and autopalatine morphology. It is considered to be a member of a clade also including A. pulex and A. amapaensis due to the unique oral, antorbital, and autopalatine morphology. Ammoglanis obliquus is regarded as more closely related to A. pulex than to any other congener, as both species exhibit a similar colour pattern, an absence of the metapterygoid, and the presence of two finger-like projections on the chin region.

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Research Article Tue, 18 Feb 2020 08:52:32 +0200
A new species of Aphyocharax Günther, 1868 (Characiformes, Characidae) from the Maracaçumé river basin, eastern Amazon https://zse.pensoft.net/article/36788/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 95(2): 507-516

DOI: 10.3897/zse.95.36788

Authors: Pâmella Silva de Brito, Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Luis Fernando Carvalho-Costa, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni

Abstract: A new species of Aphyocharax is described from the Maracaçumé river basin, eastern Amazon, based on morphological and molecular data. The new species differs from all its congeners, mainly by possessing the upper caudal-fin lobe longer than the lower one in mature males, and other characters related to teeth counts, colour pattern, and body depth at dorsal-fin origin. In addition, the new species is corroborated by a haplotype phylogenetic analyses based on the Cytochrome B (Cytb) mitochondrial gene, where its haplotypes are grouped into an exclusive lineage, supported by maximum posterior probability value, a species delimitation method termed the Wiens and Penkrot analysis (WP).

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Research Article Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:43:06 +0300
The paleoichthyofauna housed in the Colección Nacional de Paleontología of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México https://zse.pensoft.net/article/35435/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 95(2): 429-452

DOI: 10.3897/zse.95.35435

Authors: Kleyton Magno Cantalice, Alejandra Martínez-Melo, Violeta Amparo Romero-Mayén

Abstract: Fishes are a paraphyletic group composed by craniates except for the four-limbed clade Tetrapoda. This group was the only vertebrate representative until the Devonian but now comprises almost half of the vertebrate species, dominating nearly all aquatic environments. The fossil record is the key to understand the ancient paleobiodiversity and the patterns that lead the modern fish fauna, and paleontological collections play a fundamental role in providing accommodation, maintenance, and access to the specimens and their respective metadata. Here we present a systematic checklist of fossil fishes housed in the type collection of the Colección Nacional de Paleontología which is located at the Instituto de Geología of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Currently housed in the type collection are 14 chondrichthyan specimens, belonging to two superorders, five orders, seven families, 10 genera, and five nominal species, and 361 osteichthyan specimens, belonging to eight orders, nine families, nine genera, and 26 nominal species. These fossils come from 32 localities and 15 geological units, which range temporally from the Jurassic to the Pleistocene. The paleoichthyofauna housed in the type collection of the Colección Nacional de Paleontología is remarkable for its singularity and reveals new insights about the origin and diversification of many groups of fishes. The recovery and curation of this fossil material indicates that knowledge of Mexican fossil fish diversity and its role in understanding lower vertebrate evolution are just emerging and reaffirms the importance of the biological and paleontological collections to the future biodiversity research.

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Research Article Fri, 30 Aug 2019 10:05:43 +0300
A new cryptic species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin, 1908 (Characiformes, Characidae) from the Eastern Amazon, revealed by integrative taxonomy https://zse.pensoft.net/article/34069/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 95(2): 345-360

DOI: 10.3897/zse.95.34069

Authors: Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva de Brito, Leonardo Manir Feitosa, Luis Fernando Carvalho Costa, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni

Abstract: Hyphessobrycon caru sp. nov. is described based on five different and independent methods of species delimitation, making the hypothesis of this new species supported by an integrative taxonomy perspective. This new species has a restricted distribution, occurring just in the upper Pindaré river drainage, Mearim river basin, Brazil. It is a member of the rosy tetra clade, which is characterized mainly by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on dorsal fin and absence of a midlateral stripe on the body. Hyphessobrycon caru sp. nov. is distinguished from the members of this clade mainly by the shape of its humeral spot, possessing few irregular inconspicuous vertically arranged chromatophores in the humeral region, or sometimes a very thin and inconspicuous humeral spot, and other characters related to teeth count, and color pattern. The phylogenetic position of the new species within the rosy tetra clade was based on molecular phylogenetic analysis using sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit 1. In addition, a new clade (here termed Hyphessobrycon micropterus clade) within the rosy tetra clade is proposed based on molecular data, comprising H. caru sp. nov., H. micropterus, H. piorskii, and H. simulatus, and with H. caru sp. nov. and H. piorskii recovered as sister species. Our results suggest cryptic speciation in the rosy tetra clade and, more specifically, in the H. micropterus clade. We recommend the use of integrative taxonomy for future taxonomic revisions and species descriptions when dealing with species complexes and groups containing possible cryptic species.

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Research Article Wed, 12 Jun 2019 09:16:34 +0300
Phylogeny and species delimitation based on molecular approaches on the species of the Australoheros autrani group (Teleostei, Cichlidae), with biogeographic comments https://zse.pensoft.net/article/31658/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 95(1): 49-64

DOI: 10.3897/zse.95.31658

Authors: Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, José L. O. Mattos, Axel M. Katz, Pedro H.N. Bragança

Abstract: Three distinct and independent molecular-based species delimitation analyses were performed among the species and populations included within the Australoheros autrani group, based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b: a tree-based method proposed by Wiens and Penkrot (WP), a Character-based DNA Barcoding (CBB) and coalescent species delimitation method termed the Bayesian Implementation of the Poisson tree processes (bPTP). The congruence of WP and CBB delimited 11 independent lineages (species), while the bPTP delimited just nine lineages. We did not favour any of the methods, and we considered the possibility of two slightly variant scenarios. A time-calibrated phylogenetic analysis is proposed based on the predominant congruence of the results of these three species delimitation methods herein applied. The monophyly of the A. autrani species group was highly supported with maximum node support value and diagnosed by 11 nucleotide substitutions. The sister clade of the A. autrani species group is the clade comprising A. sp. Timbé do Sul and A. minuano. The phylogenetic analysis supports three main clades within the A. autrani species group, supported by maximum node support value, with the Southern Mata Atlântica clade as the most basal clade. Divergence time estimates indicate that the diversification of the Australoheros originated during the early Neogene, but only in the late Neogene did the processes of diversification in the southeast and north regions occur. Diversification within the Australoheros autrani species group occurred synchronically for the three main clades during the beginning of the Quaternary. It is demonstrated that molecular characters are valuable tools for species recognition, particularly in speciose groups with inconspicuous or difficult to record morphological characters. The resulting phylogeny of the Australoheros autrani group is highly compatible with the geological and biogeographic scenarios proposed for the Neogene and Quarternary shaping of the extant river basins of eastern Brazil. Despite the origin of the A. autrani group being dated to the late Miocene, species level diversification occurred in the Pleistocene and was probably driven by headwater capture events and sea-level fluctuations.

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Research Article Wed, 13 Feb 2019 09:43:21 +0200
Austrolebias queguay (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae), a new species of annual killifish endemic to the lower Uruguay river basin https://zse.pensoft.net/article/29115/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 547-556

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.29115

Authors: Wilson S. Serra, Marcelo Loureiro

Abstract: In this article we describe a new species of the annual fish genus Austrolebias from the lower Uruguay river basin. The fusion of the urogenital papilla to the first anal fin ray in males and the pigmentation pattern, indicates a close relationship with the clade formed by A. bellottii, A. melanoorus, and A. univentripinnis. The new species can be differentiated from those by the following combination of characters: presence of well-defined light bands contrasting with the sides of the body, the distal portion of the anal fin dark gray, pelvic fins dark bluish green and bases united at about 50–80% on their medial margins, pectoral fins with iridescent blue sub-marginal band, and general coloration of body bluish green. The new species can only be found in wetlands of the Queguay river, an area included in the Uruguayan protected areas system and represents so far the only annual fish species endemic to the lower Uruguay river basin.

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Research Article Thu, 22 Nov 2018 15:40:21 +0200
Multigene analysis of the catfish genus Trichomycterus and description of a new South American trichomycterine genus (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/29872/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 557-566

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.29872

Authors: Axel Makay Katz, Maria Anais Barbosa, José Leonardo de Oliveira Mattos, Wilson José Eduardo Moreira da Costa

Abstract: Trichomycterus comprises about 170 valid species, but its monophyly has been challenged in the last decades. Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses comprehending mitochondrial genes COI and CYTB and nuclear genes GLYT, MYH6 and RAG2 from 71 Trichomycterinae terminal taxa and eight outgroups were performed. The analyses highly supports a clade containing Trichomycterus nigricans, the type species of the genus, and several other congeners endemic to eastern and northeastern Brazil, herein considered as the genus Trichomycterus, the sister clade the southern Brazil and adjacent areas clade; the latter clade comprises two subclades, one comprising species of the genus Scleronema and another comprising species previously placed in Trichomycterus, herein described as a new genus. Cambeva gen. n. is distinguished from all other trichomycterines by the presence of a bony flap on the channel of the maxillo-dentary ligament, the interopercle shorter than the opercle, a deep constriction on the basal portion of the antero-dorsal arm of the quadrate, absence of teeth in the coronoid process of the dentary, the maxilla shorter than the premaxilla, the cranial fontanel extending from the the medial posterior of frontal to the medial region of supraoccipital, and absence of the postorbital process of the sphenotic-prootic-pterosphenoid.

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Research Article Thu, 22 Nov 2018 10:11:41 +0200
Diversity and conservation of seasonal killifishes of the Hypsolebias fulminantis complex from a Caatinga semiarid upland plateau, São Francisco River basin, northeastern Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/29718/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 495-504

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.29718

Authors: Wilson J.E.M. Costa, Pedro F. Amorim, José Leonardo O. Mattos

Abstract: A high concentration of endemic species of seasonal killifishes has been recorded for a small area encompassing the highland plateaus associated with the upper section of the Carnaúba de Dentro River drainage and adjacent drainages of the middle section of the São Francisco River basin, northeastern Brazil. The present study is primarily directed to the taxonomy of the H. fulminantis species complex in this region, and describes habitat decline and extirpation of natural killifish populations recorded in field studies between 1993 and 2017. Both morphological characters and molecular species delimitation methods using single-locus models (GMYC and bPTP) support recognition of two closely related endemic species, H. fulminantis and H. splendissimus Costa, sp. n. The new species is distinguished from other congeners of the H. fulminantis complex by having a red pectoral fin in males, well-developed filamentous rays on the tips of the dorsal and anal fins in adult males, and the second proximal radial of the dorsal fin between the neural spines of the 8th and 9th vertebrae in males. Most recent field inventories indicated possible local extinction of populations of H. fulminantis and H. splendissimus in the studied area, but additional field studies should be made in other parts of the upper Carnaíba de Dentro River basin to evaluate the current conservation status of these species.

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Research Article Thu, 15 Nov 2018 09:17:30 +0200
Taxonomic status of Aphyocharax avary Fowler, 1913, Aphyocharax pusillus Günther, 1868 and Chirodon alburnus Günther, 1869 (Characiformes, Characidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/28201/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 393-399

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28201

Authors: Pâmella Silva de Brito, Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Axel Makay Katz, Nivaldo Magalhães Piorski, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni

Abstract: The obscure taxonomic histories of three species of Aphyocharax (A. alburnus, A. avary and A. pusillus) are revised, based on both morphological and literature data. Aphyocharax avary is resurrected as a valid species and removed from synonymy with A. alburnus. Based on examinations of type specimens, A. alburnus is considered a junior synonym of A. pusillus.

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Short Communication Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:53:21 +0300
A new miniature cryptic species of the seasonal killifish genus Spectrolebias from the Tocantins River basin, central Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/28085/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 359-368

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.28085

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa, Pedro F. Amorim

Abstract: The miniature seasonal killifish Spectrolebias costae, first described for the middle Araguaia River basin, has been also recorded from two areas in the middle Tocantins River basin, from where male specimens exhibit some differences in their colour pattern. Analyses directed to species delineation (GMYC and bPTP), using a fragment of the mitochondrial gene COI, strongly support two species, S. costae from the Araguaia River basin and a new species from the Tocantins River basin. Spectrolebias gracilis sp. n. is described on the basis of specimens collected from two localities separated by about 530 km, Canabrava River floodplains near Alvorada do Tocantins and Tocantins River floodplains near Palmeirante. Field inventories were unsuccessful in finding additional populations in the region, which is attributed to the high environmental degradation, including several large dams that have permanently inundated typical killifish habitats. Spectrolebias gracilis is member of a clade also including S. costae, S. inaequipinnatus, and S. semiocellatus, diagnosed by having the dorsal and anal fins in males with iridescent dots restricted to their basal portion, caudal fin in males hyaline, and caudal-fin base with two pairs of neuromasts. Within this clade, a single miniaturisation event is supported for the most recent common ancestor of the subclade comprising S. costae and S. gracilis, which differ from other congeners by reaching only about 20 mm standard length as maximum adult size.

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Research Article Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:49:23 +0300
Three new species of the ‘ Geophagus’ brasiliensis species group from the northeast Brazil (Cichlidae, Geophagini) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/22685/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 325-337

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22685

Authors: José L.O. Mattos, Wilson J.E.M. Costa

Abstract: Morphological characters and phylogenetic trees generated by analyses of segments of two mitochondrial genes cytochrome b and cytochrome c oxidase I support recognition of three new species of the ‘Geophagus’ brasiliensis species group from coastal basins of northeast Brazil. All new species were diagnosed by exclusive morphological characters and exclusive nucleotide transformations. Geophagus rufomarginatus sp. n., from the Rio Buranhém Basin, is distinguished from all other species of the group by dorsal-fin lappets with red edges, the presence of longitudinal series of small light blue spots between the anal-fin spines and rays, and non-denticulated gill-rakers; it is closely related to G. brasiliensis and G. iporangensis. Geophagus multiocellus sp. n., from the Rio de Contas Basin, is distinguished from all other species of the group by having small pale blue spots with minute bright blue dots at their centres, that are often vertically coalesced to form short bars on the caudal fin. Geophagus santosi sp. n., from the Rio Mariana Basin, is distinguished from all other species of the group by having blue stripes parallel to the dorsal and anal fin rays on their longest portions. Geophagus multiocellus and G. santosi belong to the same clade of G. itapicuruensis. The clade composed by the Rio Paraguaçu Basin species was recovered as the sister group of the other species of the ‘G.’ brasiliensis species group.

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Research Article Fri, 6 Jul 2018 08:50:43 +0300
Unrecognized biodiversity in a world’s hotspot: three new species of Melanorivulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from tributaries of the right bank of the Rio Paraná basin, Brazilian Cerrado https://zse.pensoft.net/article/24406/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 263-280

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.24406

Authors: Matheus V. Volcan, Francisco Severo-Neto, Luis Esteban K. Lanés

Abstract: The genus Melanorivulus presents a wide geographical distribution in the Neotropical region. Among Melanorivulus, the M. pictus species group has currently 18 species distributed in the Brazilian Cerrado, mainly in the upper Rio Paraná basin, with some species occurrences in the upper Rio Araguaia and Tocantins. In the present study, we describe three new Melanorivulus species, belonging to the M. pictus species group from different drainages of the right bank of the Rio Paraná basin in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. These new species are easily distinguished from the others by their unique colour patterns. Melanorivulus interruptus is distinguished from all species of the M. pictus group by the presence of oblique chevron-like red bars interrupted, mainly on the midline of the flank in males; while M. ivinhemensis by the yellow colouration of the caudal fin with thin red bars arranged only in the median region of the fin in males. Melanorivulus amambaiensis is distinguished from all species of the M. pictus species group by having an orange anal fin or sometimes more reddish-orange with distal margin grey or dark grey and chevron-like bars along the body, distinctly branched ventrally forming an inverted Y-shape in males. The high diversity of the Melanorivulus species with high levels of endemism demands the development of conservation strategies to avoid the loss of their vulnerable habitats in the Cerrado biome. We expect presence of more species of the M. pictus species group also along the lower reaches of the tributaries of the Rio Paraná. Additionally a dichotomic identification key of the M. pictus species group is provided.

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Research Article Wed, 18 Apr 2018 11:32:19 +0300
A new species of Charax (Ostariophysi, Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil https://zse.pensoft.net/article/22106/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(1): 83-93

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.22106

Authors: Erick Cristofore Guimarães, Pâmella Silva De Brito, Beldo Rywllon Abreu Ferreira, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni

Abstract: Charax awa sp. n. is herein described from the Rio Mearim, Rio Munim and Rio Turiaçu basins, three coastal river basins of northeastern Brazil located between the Rios Gurupi and Parnaíba basins. These have a complex and still poorly known biogeographic history. This region is ecologically extremely relevant since it comprises three of the main Brazilian biomes, as well as, transition zones between them: Amazônia, Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga. Therefore, this area has faunal and floristic representatives of these three biomes, which makes it particularly relevant in terms of ecology, biodiversity and conservation. Charax awa sp. n. possesses a relatively small orbital diameter (22.1–28.5 % HL), what distinguishes it from most of its congeners, except from C. notulatus and C. caudimaculatus. It differs from C. caudimaculatus by a longer snout, and from C. notulatus by the number of scales around the caudal peduncle, as well as by the number of vertebrae. The new species herein described differs from its geographically closely distributed congeners, C. leticiae, C. niger, and C. pauciradiatus mainly by the relative horizontal orbital diameter. It is a “small-eyed” species. In addition, C. awa sp. n. can be distinguished from C. leticiae by having a maxilla extending to the vertical line posterior to the pupil, near the posterior orbital margin and by having a lower humeral spot distance. It can be distinguished from C. pauciradiatus by more scale rows from the pelvic-fin origin to the lateral line and more scale rows from the dorsal-fin origin to the lateral line and it differs from C. niger by having more transverse scale rows in space from the humeral spot to the supracleithrum. In addition, it differs from C. pauciradiatus and C. niger by the absence of bony hooks on anal and pelvic-fins rays of adult males.

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Research Article Thu, 1 Feb 2018 09:14:13 +0200
Three new species of the killifish genus Melanorivulus from the Rio Paraná Basin, central Brazilian Cerrado (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/21321/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(1): 17-27

DOI: 10.3897/zse.94.21321

Authors: Wilson J.E.M. Costa

Abstract: Three new species of Melanorivulus are described from the upper and middle Rio Paraná Basin, central Brazilian Cerrado. These species are members of the M. pictus species group, endemic to central Brazilian plateaus and adjacent areas, and are easily diagnosed by colour pattern characters, but their relationships with other congeners of the group are still uncertain. Melanorivulus proximus sp. n., from the middle Rio Aporé drainage, and M. nigromarginatus sp. n., from the Rio Corrente drainage, are possibly more closely related to other species endemic to streams draining the slopes of the Caiapó range, whereas M. linearis sp. n., from the upper Rio Pardo drainage, middle Rio Paraná Basin, is considered more closely related to M. egens, a species also endemic to this part of the Basin. This study corroborates the high diversity of species of Melanorivulus in the central Brazilian Cerrado plateaus repeatedly reported in previous studies, indicating once more that different species are often found restricted to short segments of the same river drainage. The intense habitat loss recorded in recent years combined to the high species diversity limited to specific Cerrado freshwater ecosystems, the veredas, indicates that species of Melanorivulus endemic to this part of the Brazilian Cerrado are highly threatened with extinction.

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Research Article Tue, 2 Jan 2018 14:04:00 +0200
Description of two endangered new seasonal killifish species of the genus Cynolebias from the São Francisco River basin, Brazilian Caatinga (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/20906/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(2): 333-341

DOI: 10.3897/zse.93.20906

Authors: Wilson J. E. M. Costa

Abstract: Two new species of Cynolebias are described from temporary pools of the Verde Grande River drainage, São Francisco basin, in the semiarid Caatinga, a phytogeographical province of northeastern Brazil. Cynolebias elegans sp. n., a member of the C. gilbertoi group, is considered as the smallest species of the genus, reaching about 38 mm of standard length; it is distinguished from all other species of the group by the long unpaired fins, relative position of anal fin and vertebrae, and morphometric data. Cynolebias gorutuba sp. n. belongs to the Cynolebias zeta-clade, a group of large species supposedly feeding on smaller sympatric seasonal killifishes; it differs from other species of the group by the female colour pattern, relative position of dorsal fin and vertebrae, and cephalic neuromast pattern. Both species herein described were not found in recent collecting trips, after their habitats had been drastically modified, and are also possibly highly endangered if not already extinct. Field data relative to gradual habitat decline in the type locality region of C. elegans indicate that after pools lose the dense vegetation that provides shelter to small species, these species such as C. elegans become exposed to larger sympatric predatory species and are extirpated. These data support the hypothesis that small seasonal killifish species specialised in living within marginal shaded areas of temporary pools are more susceptible to environmental changes than other congeners.

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Research Article Thu, 12 Oct 2017 15:27:09 +0300
Reproduction and development of the asian bronze featherback Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769) (Osteoglossiformes, Notopteridae) in captivity https://zse.pensoft.net/article/13341/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(2): 299-324

DOI: 10.3897/zse.93.13341

Authors: Honesty Yanwirsal, Peter Bartsch, Frank Kirschbaum

Abstract: Experimental data demonstrate that the environmental factors decreasing conductivity, slight variation of temperature, and water level have no influence on gonad development or courtship behavior in Notopterus notopterus. Spawning occurs during day time at a temperature of 25–28 °C. Newly spawned 3.8–4 mm adhesive eggs are guarded by the male until hatching. The egg envelope has external spiraling ridges, which are centered round the micropyle. Hatching occurs within 168–204 hours depending on temperature and even with some variability at 27°C constant incubation temperature. Exogenous feeding then starts on day 17 with a total length of 16.2 mm and yolk-sac remnants still present. The larval period lasts until day 36. Dark brown stripes appear on the body as one of the characteristic pigment patterns of juvenile N. notopterus at day 70 with a total length of around 34 mm, replacing the dotted pigment pattern of larvae and early juveniles. Later again a spectacular color change to uniformly gold-bronze coloration occurs. The genital papilla can macroscopically be recognized at day 80. Sexual maturity of N. notopterus in captivity as indicated by courtship behavior is first observed in 30-month old specimens of both sexes of the F1 generation with a total length of around 275 mm in males and 230 mm in females, whereas this might occur at smaller size in the P generation and in natural environment. Generally, in N. notopterus the embryonic period lasts longer and the onset of the larval period starts much delayed as compared to a typical indirect or saltatory development. The larval period before onset of the juvenile period with its spectacular color changes, shows few discernible stages of morphological development. It is immediately a pterygiolarva with the jaws, branchial arches, most fins differentiated, a distinct pigmentation pattern and the mouth opened during the embryonic and free embryonic phases.

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Research Article Wed, 12 Jul 2017 10:18:42 +0300
Redescription of Moenkhausia megalops (Eigenmann, 1907), a widespread tetra from the Amazon basin (Characiformes, Characidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/10837/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(2): 255-264

DOI: 10.3897/zse.93.10837

Authors: Isabel M. Soares, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Ricardo C. Benine

Abstract: Moenkhausia currently comprises 90 valid species and represents one of the very species-rich genera in Characidae. Most of these species need to be revised since their original descriptions are out-of-date and are uninformative. In this sense, Moenkhausia megalops is redescribed based on the examination of the holotype and additional specimens from drainages of the Amazon basin and the type locality. The species is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: a conspicuous boot-shaped humeral spot, ventrally curved to anterior region of the body, followed by a second inconspicuous vertically elongated humeral spot; a dark longitudinal midlateral stripe on body extending from immediately posterior to the second humeral spot to the middle caudal-fin rays; a dark blotch on the upper caudal-fin lobe; and teeth with seven cusps on inner series of premaxilla and dentary.

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Research Article Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:16:46 +0300
Redescription of Nothobranchius lucius and description of a new species from Mafia Island, eastern Tanzania (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) https://zse.pensoft.net/article/11041/ Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(1): 35-44

DOI: 10.3897/zse.93.11041

Authors: Wilson J.E.M. Costa

Abstract: Examination of specimens listed in the original description of Nothobranchius lucius revealed that they belong to two species. Nothobranchius lucius is redescribed based on the type series and other specimens collected in the type locality area, the Kibasira Swamp area, Rufiji River basin, Tanzania, at elevations between 250 and 300 m. Nothobranchius insularis sp. n. is described on the basis of specimens collected in the north part of Mafia Island, Tanzania, at about 10–15 m elevation. Nothobranchius lucius and N. insularis are considered closely related species based on the shared presence of long jaws; caudal fin, in males, with a broad dark grey to black band on its posterior margin; black dots over the whole flank, in females; metapterygoid curved, with its middle and dorsal portions separated from the sympletic by a broad interspace; and posterior process of the quadrate shorter than the ventral length of the quadrate without process. Characters useful to distinguish them include premaxillary dentition, caudal fin shape, colour pattern of flank and unpaired fins in females, fin length, and number of neuromasts of the posterior section of the anterior supraorbital series. Both species are members of a group that also includes N. elongatus, N. hengstleri, N. interruptus, N. jubbi, N. krammeri, and N. melanospilus, which are all diagnosed by the presence of two neuromasts in the anterior section of the anterior supraorbital series.

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Research Article Mon, 16 Jan 2017 16:57:48 +0200