Noronha Scaly Blenny

description

Description: Proportional measurements and counts in Table 1. Description based on the holotype, thirteen paratypes and 202 non-type specimens. Body elongated. Head moderate, snout pointed, forehead steep; eye 2436 % in head length; upper lip separated from snout by deep groove; jaws subequal with about 13 pairs of pointed, slightly curved teeth; a crescent patch of villiform teeth on vomer; palatine toothless; maxillary barely reaches orbit; gill rakers on first arch 2 - 4 + 6 - 8; nasal cirrus simple or bifid, arising from posterior border of short tube of anterior nostril and not reaching posterior nostril when depressed; supra orbital cirri branches 3 or 4 over each eye, the longest lesser than or equal to orbital diameter; nuchal cirri 5 – 7 (rarely 8) on each comb, paired or with one cirrus less, 10 – 14 (rarely 15 or 16) in total, the longest barely reaching dorsal-fin origin; space between nuchal cirri combs contained 0.8 to three times in comb´s base. Two pores, rarely one, from preopercular canal onto opercle. Pores on ventral side of head: 3 – 4 mental, 1 – 2 symphysial and 4 – 8 interopercular. Dorsal fin continuous, with three sections: first three spines decrease in l

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

description

Proposed Portuguese (Brazilian) Name: Macaquinho de Noronha (Figures 1 – 2, Table 1) urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 87 ABE 0 E 8 - 5 A 91 - 4988 - 842 C-E 4 D 13907 F 07 F Synonymy (in part):

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

diagnosis

Diagnosis: Malacoctenus lianae sp. n. is distinguished from its southwestern Atlantic congeners by the following combination of characters: Dorsal rays XX, 11 or 12, rarely XVIII, XIX or XXI and 13; anal rays II, 19 – 21; pectoral rays 14 or 15, rarely 13; length of third pelvic-ray contained 2.0 to 2.5 times in second pelvic-fin ray. Lateral line scales 54 – 63, exceptionally 65 – 68 (see remarks). Total nuchal cirri 10 – 16. Pre-dorsal and pre-pectoral scales present, considerably smaller than scales on body; breast usually fully scaled in males, and usually naked in females. Two pores, rarely one, extend from preopercular canal onto opercle. Color pattern dominated by five to six, rarely seven, saddle-like bars on body, not extending on dorsal fin; two large, conspicuous, somewhat square bright white (in life) blotches usually restricted to upper lip.

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

discussion

Remarks: Specimens from Rocas Atoll presents some noteworthy meristic differences from that of Fernando de Noronha. Anal-fin soft rays mainly 19 – 20 in samples from Rocas Atoll, and 20 – 21 from Fernando de Noronha; none of the specimens examined by us from Rocas Atoll have 21 anal-fin rays, and none from Fernando de Noronha have 19 rays. Seven specimens in a single sample from Rocas Atoll (MZUSP 48890) have 65 (1), 66 (3), 67 (2), and 68 (1) lateral-line scales; all other 19 specimens examined from Rocas have 59 – 63, but none of 117 specimens from Noronha have more than 58 lateral-line scales. At first glance these differences, as well as some differences in coloration, would indicate that the two populations could represent two species, but this is not supported by molecular markers (Dias et al., 2019). Thus, the two populations may be in the process of incipient speciation. The 61 specimens examined from St. Peter´s Rocks have 19 – 21 anal-fin rays and 55 – 57 lateral-line scales, agreeing partially with Fernando de Noronha population. Coloration. The color pattern varies considerably between individuals. Males are usually brightly colored, with reddish, rusty, or orangish pat

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