Cichlid Fishes from the La Plata Basin. Part IV. Review of the Apistogramma Species, with Description of a New Species (Teleostei, Cichlidae)

Apistogramma inconspicua sp.n. is described from the Rio Candclaria in the Rio Guaporé drainage in Bolivia, and recorded also from Cáceres on the Rio Paraguay in Brazil. The new species is closely related to the Paraguayan species A. commbrae (Regan) and an undescribed species in the Guaporé drainage system. These species share a specialized feature in the colour pattern, viz. an expanded vertical bar on the caudal peduncle which it confluent with the caudal spot. The now presumably complete record of Paraguayan Apistogramma species allows an analytical key to be given. Of the additional species, A. borellii (Regan) and A. trifasciata (Eigenmann & Kennedy) represent two distinct lineages. Apistogramma pleurotaenia (Regan) is probably a La Plata basin species, although no localities are known, and its relationship remain obscure. The assemblage of Paraguayan Apistogramma species reflects the heterogeneity of the Paraguayan cichlid fauna as a whole.     

Four New Ladybug Species Belonging to Decadiomus Chapin (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Puerto Rico

While searching for native natural enemies attacking invasive insect pests in Puerto Rico, we found four undescribed ladybug species belonging to the Caribbean ladybug genus Decadiomus Chapin. In this article, we describe the following species from Puerto Rico: Decadiomus seini n. sp., Decadiomus ramosi n. sp., Decadiomus hayuyai n. sp., and Decadiomus martorelli n. sp. Illustrations of the dorsal habitus, shape of prosternal carinae, and drawings of male and female genitalia are presented. We also present a key for Diomini of Puerto Rico and discuss their importance as potential biocontrol agents.     

A new species of the genus Mekongina Fowler, 1937 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from South China

A new species of cyprinid fish, Mekongina lancangensis, is described from the upper Mekong River drainage in Southern Yunnan, China. The new species is distinguished from the other species of Mekongina occurring in the lower Mekong River drainage by possessing the following combination of characters: one pair of rostral barbels; two rows of tubercles irregularly scattered on the snout and cheeks, with two enlarged tubercles present at each side of anterior of the snout; 19–27 rostral marginal lappets; lateral line with 38–41 scales; 5·5 or 6·5 scales in transverse series from dorsal‐fin origin to lateral line; 18–20 circumpeduncular scales; snout length 31·9–36·9% head length; tip of depressed anal‐fin rays extending to the caudal‐fin base.     

广西高原鳅属鱼类一穴居新种记述

2003年1月,在广西壮族自治区天峨县红水河水系地下河采集到一批盲鱼标本。经鉴定,为高原鳅属Triplophysa一未经发表的新种。新种天峨高原鳅Triplophysa tianeensis sp．nov．与个旧盲高原鳅T．gejiuensis、石林盲高原鳅T．shilinensis、阿庐高原鳅T．aluensis和南丹高原鳅T．nandanensis相似;本新种腹鳍末端不达肛门,尾鳍分枝鳍条16,可进一步与个旧盲高原鳅和石林盲高原鳅(腹鳍末端达到肛门,尾鳍分枝鳍条14-15)相区别;本新种背鳍起点位于体之中点、腹鳍起点之后,肛门紧靠臀鳍起点,可进一步与阿庐高原鳅(背鳍起点靠近吻端、位于腹鳍起点之前,肛门距臀鳍起点仍有一段距离)相区别。本新种与同分布于红水河水系的南丹高原鳅Triplophysa nandanensis Lan et al.较为相似;但二者区别明显：新种背鳍分枝鳍条7、胸鳍分枝鳍条9、腹鳍分枝鳍条6、背鳍外缘平截、背鳍起点位于腹鳍起点之后,后者背鳍分枝鳍条8、胸鳍分枝鳍条10～11、腹鳍分枝鳍条7、背鳍外缘凹入、背鳍起点位于腹鳍起点之前;此外,新种的穴居特征更为显著：眼极度退化、头长为眼径16．8—32．8(25．0)倍、部分个体无色素斑且各鳍无斑点,而南丹高原鳅眼小、头长为眼径4．7～9．0(7．5)倍、体和头背侧密布云状斑且各鳍均具点状斑。     

广西华缨鱼属鱼类一新种记述

在整理华缨鱼属标本时发现,1993年9月在广西壮族自治区天峨县红水河水系地下河采集到的一批标本为一个未经发表的新种,新种订名为大眼华缨鱼(Sinocrossocheilus megalophthalmus)。其下咽齿2行,可与下咽齿3行的7种华缨鱼相区别,而与属内同样具2行下咽齿的贵州华缨鱼(S.guizhouensis)、小口华缨鱼(S.microstomatus)和宽唇华缨鱼(S.labiatus)亲缘关系较近。但:(1)新种胸鳍中点上方无黑斑,背鳍分枝鳍条7,腹鳍分枝鳍条7,背鳍前鳞15—16,眼大,头长为眼径2·5—3·1倍,眼径为头宽44·7%—57·8%,吻须后伸至前后鼻孔之间或眼前缘,口角须后伸至眼前缘至眼中之间或眼中至眼后缘之间,体长为尾柄高8·9—10·7倍,头长为吻长2·5—3·7倍,可与贵州华缨鱼(胸鳍中点上方有一明显黑斑,背鳍分枝鳍条8,腹鳍分枝鳍条8,背鳍前鳞12—14,头长为眼径4·0—5·0倍,眼径为头宽16·6%—20·7%,吻须后伸不达后鼻孔后缘,口角须后伸至眼前缘,体长为尾柄高7·2—8·2倍,头长为吻长1·9—2·2倍)相区别;(2)新种背鳍前鳞15—16,侧线鳞39—40,侧线上鳞4·5—5·5,背鳍分枝鳍条7,鳃耙13,腹鳍末端伸达肛门,眼径为头宽44·7%—57·8%,可与宽唇华缨鱼(背鳍前鳞22,侧线鳞42—45,侧线上鳞6·5,背鳍分枝鳍条8,鳃耙10,腹鳍末端不达肛门,眼径为头宽23·3%—30·0%)相区别;(3)新种与同水系的小口华缨鱼在鳍条数、侧线鳞、体色、斑纹等方面最为相似,但新种围尾柄鳞14/16,眼大,头长为眼径2·5—3·1倍,腹鳍末端伸达肛门,口角须后伸至眼前缘至眼中之间或眼中至眼后缘之间,吻皮边缘深裂成小穗,背鳍起点距吻端较距尾鳍基为近,背鳍长大于头长,体长为尾柄长4·8—5·9倍,头长为吻长2·5—3·7倍,尾柄长为尾柄高1·6—2·1倍,可与之(围尾柄鳞12,眼小,头为眼径4·4—4·6倍,腹鳍末端不达肛门,口角须伸达眼下方,吻皮边缘不开裂或开裂不明显,背鳍起点距吻端等于距尾鳍基,背鳍条约等于头长,体长为尾柄长6·1—6·4倍,头长为吻长2·1—2·4倍,尾柄长为尾柄高1·4—1·5倍)相区别。     

Acheilognathus changtingensis sp. nov., a new species of the cyprinid genus Acheilognathus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Southeastern China based on morphological and molecular evidence

A new species of the bitterling genus Acheilognathus, Acheilognathus changtingensis sp. nov., was recently discovered from Changting County in Hanjiang River, Fujian Province, Southeastern China. It can be diagnosed by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with three simple and 15 (occasionally 14) branched fin rays, anal fin with three simple and 12 (occasionally 11) branched fin rays; dorsal fin pale and anal fin slightly pale; white spots on anal-fin rays forming a transverse band, and anal fin margined with white band in males. Its unique characters are the many dispersed black spots on the dorsal, anal, pelvic, caudal fins, and on the head. Using the mitochondrial cytochrome Jb gene as a molecular marker, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees of A. changtingensis sp. nov. and other species in Acheilognathus to confirm its taxonomic status and study its speciation. Analyses of both morphological and molecular data consistently indicated the taxonomic status of the present new species. The results also show that A. changtingensis sp. nov. and Acheilognathus macropterus are sister species that diverged about 14.50 MYA by geographical isolation.     

Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov., a new bitterling from South Korea (Cyprinidae, Acheilognathinae)

A new bitterling, Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov., is described on the basis of 31 specimens from five localities included in the Namhan River system, South Korea. The new species is distinguished from other Rhodeus species by the following combination of characters: branched dorsal fin rays 9–10 (mode 9); branched anal fin rays 9–11 (mode 10); longest simple ray of dorsal fin strong and stiff, distally segmented; pelvic fin rays i, 6–7; iris of males blackish; dorsal and anal fins of males grayish in breeding season; karyotype with 2n = 48 (8m + 20sm + 20st). Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov. is similar to Rhodeus sericeus sericeus in the number of pelvic fin and branched dorsal fin rays and the melanophores present on the dorsal fin membrane, but differs from the latter in having a greater body depth, more branched anal fin rays, fewer vertebrae, a lower number of scales in the lateral series, and differing male nuptial coloration. Received: June 30, 2000 / Revised: February 21, 2001 / Accepted: March 6, 2001     

中国贵州省穴居盲鳅一新种(鲤形目,爬鳅科)

记述了采集于贵州省荔波县佳荣镇水井湾溶洞(25°28’N,108°06’E)适应洞穴环境的鳅类1新种:佳荣盲高原鳅Triplophysa jiarongensis sp.nov.。新种与之前记录的7种分布于西江水系的高原鳅(阿庐高原鳅、个旧盲高原鳅、长须盲高原鳅、巨头高原鳅、邱北盲高原鳅、石林盲高原鳅和天峨高原鳅)同属典型洞穴鱼类,都具有一系列与洞穴环境有关的适应性特征。新种与本属其它种类的区别主要为:胸鳍长,后伸达腹鳍起点;尾鳍微凹形;体表色素退化,光滑裸露无鳞;背鳍截形,起点位于腹鳍起点略后方;腹鳍后伸盖过泄殖孔;臀鳍截形;尾柄上下缘存在脂状鳍褶;背鳍分支鳍条8;臀鳍分支鳍条6;胸鳍分支鳍条11;脊椎骨总数4+34;眼完全退化,外观无痕迹;鳔前室被骨质鳔囊包裹,后室发达膨大呈游离膜质鳔。此外还介绍了其栖息地概况和部分生态学信息。     

辽宁中华弓鳍鱼(Sinamia)一新种

记述了辽宁西部九佛堂组和义县组中华弓鳍鱼一新种:辽宁中华弓鳍鱼Sinamia liaoningensis,并与该属的其他种进行了比较.新材料具有中华弓鳍鱼科的3个定义特征:单一的顶骨,三对额外肩胛骨和膜质翼耳骨短并与顶骨等长,无疑应归入该科.新种的后眶下骨较小,背鳍长大,鳞片菱形,因此,归入中华弓鳍鱼属.辽宁中华弓鳍鱼在以下几个方面不同于中华弓鳍鱼的5个已知种:体型短粗,吻骨较短,鼻骨近四方形,围眶骨较多(6),前鳃盖骨强烈弯曲,背鳍条较少(18),尾鳍条较多(16),臀鳍鳍基起点到鱼体背缘的鳞列较多(32),鳞片后缘不具锯齿,尾鳍具有纤维状的角质鳍条.     

Two new Australian species of the Paraulopus nigripinnis complex (Aulopiformes: Paraulopidae)

Two new species, Paraulopus longianalis n.sp. and Paraulopus melanostomus n.sp., are described from western and southern Australian waters. Both are referable to the Paraulopus nigripinnis group of Sato and Nakabo (2002b, 2003) in having 4.5–5.5 scales above the lateral line, supraocular ridges and large adult body size, but differ from other species of the group in having two rows of cheek scales. Paraulopus longianalis is characterized by a deep anal fin in males, tiny adipose dorsal fin and supraocular ridges extending nearly to the predorsal scales, and P. melanostomus is most easily distinguished by its black buccal cavity and relatively broad, depressed head. A key to the six described species in the P. nigripinnis group is provided.     

Two New Species of Prismatolaimus de Man, 1880 (Nemata: Prismatolaimidae) in Southern Chile

Two new species of Prismatolaimus are described from Orange Bay, Hoste Island, Chile. Prismatolaimus novoporus sp. n. is distinguished by its females being 1.08-1.28 mm long and monovarial with a long postvulvar sac, and having a long tail (c'' = 21.5-32.2); males have 11-20 supplements confined to the posterior part of the body. Prismatolaimus chilensis sp. n. is distinguished by its amphidelphic reproductive system, short tail (c'' = 9.5), V = 63.4; males have 23 supplements reaching up to the neck region. A well-developed dorsal body pore behind the cardia connected with an apparently glandular organ is reported in P. novoporus sp. n. Function of the organ is unknown, and it is not a general feature in the genus. The generic diagnosis of Prismatolaimus is emended and keys to species, both females and males, are presented. The systematic position of Prismatolaimus is discussed, and it is judged to be the only genus of Prismatolaimidae. Also, it is concluded that Prismatolaimidae and Bastianidae represent two sister taxa in Araeolaimida or Leptolaimina.     

A new cave-dwelling loach, Triplophysa macrocephala (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Balitoridae), from Guangxi, China

A new cave-dwelling species, Triplophysa macrocephala sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from a karst cave in Renguang village, Lihu Town, Nandan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: pectoral fin not reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; caudal fin forked; body smooth or scaleless; dorsal-fin origin anterior to pelvic-fin origin, edge of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with eight branched rays; anal fin with five branched rays; eye small and vestigial; lower jaw arched with a median notch; air-bladder wrapped in bony capsule, lateral enlarged, posterior chamber of air-bladder degenerated.     

Petrocephalus boboto and Petrocephalus arnegardi,two new species of African electric fish (Osteoglossomorpha,Mormyridae) from the Congo River basin

A specimen of the African weakly electric fish genus Petrocephalus (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae) collected in the Congo River at Yangambi, Orientale Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, is described as a new species. Petrocephalus boboto sp. n. can be distinguished from other Central African species of Petrocephalus by a combination of the following characteristics: three distinct black spots on the body, one at the origin of the pectoral fin, one at the origin of the caudal fin and one below the anterior base of the dorsal fin; Nakenrosette and Khelrosette electroreceptor clusters distinct on head but Augenrosette cluster reduced in size; 23 branched dorsal rays, 34 branched anal rays, and electric organ discharge waveform triphasic. Petrocephalus boboto sp. n. most closely resembles the holotype of Petrocephalus binotatus but is easily distinguished from it by its smaller mouth. A comparative molecular analysis including 21 other Petrocephalus species shows Petrocephalus boboto sp. n. to be genetically distinctive and to represent a deep lineage in the genus. Two specimens of Petrocephalus collected at Yangambi are morphologically similar and genetically closely related to specimens previously assigned to Petrocephalus binotatus, collected in the northwestern Congo River basin within Odzala-Kokua National Park, Republic of the Congo. This prompts us to formally describe a new species from these collections, Petrocephalus arnegardi sp. n., that, although similar to the holotype of Petrocephalus binotatus, can be distinguished from it by its smaller mouth and shorter interorbital width.     

A New Family, Genus, and Seven New Species of Entodiniomorphida (Protozoa) from the Gut of African Rhinoceros

ABSTRACT. This report deals with a group of ciliated protozoa with short ciliary bands found mainly in the cecum of black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis (Linnaeus, 1758), and white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum (Burchell, 1817) from southern Africa. A new genus, Rhinozeta , based on the sum total of the characteristics of seven new related species is described. The species described are R. rhinozeta n. sp., R. triciliata n. sp., R. caecalis n. sp., R. addoensis n. sp., R. cristata n. sp., R. multiplatus n. sp., and R. unilaminatus n. sp. The specific features of the new genus make it incompatible with any of the known families of the Order Entodiniomorphida containing the ciliates present in the digestive tract of herbivorous mammals. This merits the creation of a new family, the Rhinozetidae.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acheilognathus striatus</Emphasis> (Family: Cyprinidae), a new bitterling species from the lower Yangtze River,China

A new species of bitterling, Acheilognathus striatus sp. nov., is described on the basis of 57 specimens collected from the lower Yangtze River in Jiangxi Province, China. It can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combined characters: a pair of relatively long barbels, slightly longer than half of eye diameter; dorsal fin with three simple and 8–9 branched fin rays, anal fin with three simple and 7–8 branched fin rays; a black longitudinal stripe on body from the base of caudal peduncle, distinctly reaching anteriorly to the vertical line from the origin of dorsal fin, broader in males than in females; a scale distance between the longitudinal stripe and lateral line below the origin of dorsal fin; dorsal and anal fin margined with black band in males.     

A new stichaeid fish of the genusAlectrias from Mutsu Bay,northern Japan

Alectrias mutsuensis sp. nov. is described on specimens collected from Mutsu Bay, Aomori Pref. This new species is rather deep dweller compared to other species of the genus, living on muddy bottoms, about 20 to 40 meters deep, and is diagnosed by the following characters: dermal crest on head reaching to occipital region; distance between end of dermal crest and dorsal fin origin less than eye diameter; end of anal fin separated from caudal fin; anterior dorsal spines before anal origin, slender and flexible; epaxial hypurals mostly fused into a single plate. A key to all nine species belonging to the subfamily Alectriinae is presented.     

A new deep‐water chimaerid species, Hydrolagus lusitanicus n. sp., from off mainland Portugal with a proposal of a new identification key for the genus Hydrolagus(Holocephali: Chimaeridae) in the north‐east Atlantic

A new chimaerid species closely related to Hydrolagus pallidus is described from 13 specimens captured on the Portuguese continental slope (north‐east Atlantic) by commercial longliners at depths of c . 1600 m. The new species is large‐bodied with a rose to light brown body colouration. Hydrolagus lusitanicus n.sp. presents a combination of external morphological characters that allow it to be clearly differentiated from its congeners, in particular, the ratios of pectoral fin length: pectoral fin width and pelvic fin length: pelvic fin width; in having a serrated posterior edge of the dorsal spine; a high number of ridges in the dental plates. Additionally in males, there are differences on the shape and number of hooks in the frontal tenacula, on the number of spines in the prepelvic tenacula and on the length of the pectoral fin margin.     

Antigonias (Antigonia, Caproidae) of the Western Indian Ocean: 2. Species with eight spiny rays in the dorsal fin

Six species of Antigonia with eight spiny rays in the dorsal fin inhabit the western part of the Indian Ocean. Three of them are described in this paper as new. They are all characterized by relatively not deep body of oval shape. A. ovalis sp. n., distributed in the central part of the ocean is characterized by the deepest body and small scales. A. quiproqua sp. n. from the Saya de Malha bank, has increased number of gill rakers; A. socotrae sp. n., from a slope of Sokotra, possesses a longer head. In addition to these, two other species can be encountered in this area: A. saya, widely distributed in the central part, and A. gr. capros, characteristic of the periphery of the tropical zone (South Africa, Walters Shoals).     

New species of Pogonophryne (Pisces, Artedidraconidae) from the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica

A new species of notothenioid fish, Pogonophryne bellingshausenensis n. sp., is described from the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica. The new species belongs to the dorsally-spotted “mentella” group of the genus and is characterized by having a short (about 13% SL) mental barbel with a short (about 16% of barbel length), narrow (barely wider than the stalk), and relatively inconspicuous terminal expansion composed of short, irregular, fingerlike processes. Compared to most other dorsally-spotted species of Pogonophryne (“barsukovi”, “marmorata”, and “mentella” groups), P. bellingshausenensis has a relatively wide (about 7% SL) interorbital region. An unspotted patch on the median dorsal surface of the head, posterior to the posttemporal ridges and anterior to the first dorsal fin, has not been observed previously in any dorsally-spotted species. The holotype was collected at 1,947 m, one of the deepest records for any species of Pogonophryne. A revised key to the ten species of the “mentella” group of Pogonophryne is also provided.