Rusty Scaly Blenny

description

Description: Proportional measurements and counts in Table 2. Description based on the holotype, thirteen paratypes and 67 non-type specimens. Body elongated. Head moderate, snout pointed, forehead steep; eye 24 – 36 % in head length; upper lip separated from snout by deep groove; jaws subequal with about 11 pairs of pointed, slightly curved teeth; a crescent patch of villiform teeth on vomer; palatines toothless; maxillary not reaching orbit; gill rakers on first arch 3 - 4 + 7 – 8; nasal cirrus simple or bifid (rarely triple or quadruple), arising from posterior border of short tube of anterior nostril and often reaching to or beyond posterior nostril when depressed; supra orbital cirri 3 or 4 (rarely 2 or 5) over each eye, its length equal or larger than half eye diameter; nuchal cirri 6 – 8 (rarely 5) on each comb, paired or with one cirrus less, 12 – 15 (rarely 11 or 16) in total, the longest reaching beyond dorsal-fin origin; space between nuchal cirri combs contained 0.66 to three times in comb´s base. One pore from preopercular canal onto opercle, rarely absent. Pores on ventral side of head: 2 – 4 mental, 3 – 4 symphysial and 6 – 8 interopercular. Dorsal fin continuous, wi

Review of the genus Malacoctenus (Actinopterygii: Labrisomidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic, with description of two new species

description

Proposed Portuguese (Brazilian) Name: Macaquinho ferrugem (Figures 3 - 4, Table 2) urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 3 A 09 F 3 D 3 - 2 F 1 B- 4 B 35 - B 72 C- 4429 EF 44 E 67 F Synonymy (in part):

Review of the genus Malacoctenus (Actinopterygii: Labrisomidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic, with description of two new species

diagnosis

Diagnosis: Malacoctenus zaluari sp. n. can be distinguished from its southwestern Atlantic congeners by the following combination of characters: Dorsal rays XX, 11 or 12, rarely XXI or 10; anal rays II, 19 – 21; pectoral rays 14; length of third pelvic ray contained 2.5 to 3.0 times in second pelvic-fin ray. Lateral-line scales 51 – 53. Total nuchal cirri 12 – 16. Pre-dorsal scales present; pre-pectoral scales, when present, considerably smaller than scales on body; breast usually fully scaled on males, often naked on females. One pore, rarely absent, from preopercular canal onto opercle. Color pattern dominated by five or six saddle-like bars on body, not extending on dorsal fin; upper lip usually with two thin white bands often extending to snout.

Review of the genus Malacoctenus (Actinopterygii: Labrisomidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic, with description of two new species

distribution

Distribution and habitat: Malacoctenus zaluari sp. n. is known from the Brazilian coastline from Maranhão (Parcel Manoel Luiz) to Santa Catarina States, and is associated with shallow reefs and tide pools, usually in clear waters where it feeds on small benthic invertebrates. This labrisomid is abundant in Northeastern Brazil (Maranhão to Bahia), and while still abundant in the northern part of Southeastern Brazil (Espírito Santo), it is uncommon southwards in the Southeast (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), and increasingly rare southwards to Paraná and Santa Catarina States. In southern Brazil, it is often confused with Malacoctenus delalandii, a species that usually lives in shallow rocky shores among algae, as well as mangroves and even in low salinity waters.

Review of the genus Malacoctenus (Actinopterygii: Labrisomidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic, with description of two new species