Delalande Blenny

description

Description: Proportional measurements and counts in Table 3. Description based on literature and 58 non-type specimens. Body elongated. Head moderate, snout pointed, forehead steep; eye 23 – 35 % in head length; upper lip separated from snout by deep groove; jaws subequal with about 14 pairs of pointed, slightly curved teeth; a crescent patch of villiform teeth on vomer; palatine toothless; maxillary not reaching orbit; gill rakers on first arch 2 – 4 + 6 - 8; nasal cirrus simple or bifid (occasionally triple or quadruple, rarely absent), arising from posterior border of short tube of anterior nostril and often reaching to or beyond posterior nostril when depressed; supra orbital cirri branches 4 to 6 over each eye, its length equal or larger than half orbit diameter; nuchal cirri 12 – 18 on each comb, paired or with one cirrus less, 24 – 36 (often more than 30), the longest reaches beyond dorsal-fin origin; space between nuchal cirri combs often very narrow, contained 1.5 to ten times in comb´s base. Two or three pores from preopercular canal onto opercle. Pores on ventral side of head: 4 – 6 mental, 2 – 6 symphysial and 6 – 10 interopercular. Dorsal fin continuous, with three se

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

description

Portuguese (Brazilian) Name: Macaquinho comum (Figure 6 - B, Table 3)

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

diagnosis

Diagnosis: Malacoctenus delalandii is distinguished from its southwestern Atlantic congeners by the following combination of characters: Dorsal-fin rays XX, 9 – 11, rarely XIX or XXI; anal rays II, 17 – 21; pectoral-fin rays 14 or 15, rarely 13; length of third pelvic-fin ray contained 2.5 to 3.0 times in second pelvic-fin ray. Lateral-line scales 48 – 56. Total nuchal cirri 24 – 36. Pectoral-fin base and midline before dorsal-fin without scales; breast usually fully scaled in males, and usually naked in females. Two or three pores from preopercular canal onto opercle. Color pattern dominated by five to six, rarely seven, saddle-like bars on body, extending to spiny dorsal fin.

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

discussion

Remarks: Upon describing Malacoctenus aurolineatus and M. erdmani, Smith (1957) stated that M. delalandei (sic) has scales on the pre-pectoral area. However, Springer (1959 a), Springer & Gomon (1975), Williams (2003), and Wirtz (2014), stated that the aforementioned area (pectoral-fin base) has no scales, a statement that we agree with after examining 26 specimens. According to Eschmeyer et al. (2017), the original spelling, delalandii, is acceptable and delalandei is misspelled. Coloration. The color pattern varies considerably between individuals. Males are usually more brightly colored than females. Color in alcohol: Background varying from brown to tan, with five or six dark, rarely seven, irregular saddlelike bars on body, extending to spiny dorsal fin, rarely on fin-rayed dorsal fin. The saddles vary from dark to light brown and usually are not outlined by dark spots. The lower apices of the saddles are often somewhat constricted below the midline of the body. The interspaces below the midline of the body are rarely uniformly light, and usually have dark irregular patches and those with constricted lower apices of the saddles may form a horizontal row of large, irregular blo

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