Leptolebias splendens, (MYERS, 1942)

Costa, Wilson J. E. M., 2008, Monophyly and taxonomy of the Neotropical seasonal killifish genus Leptolebias (Teleostei: Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae), with the description of a new genus, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 153 (1), pp. 147-160 : 155-156

LEPTOLEBIAS SPLENDENS ( MYERS, 1942)

Gynopoecilus [misprint of Cynopoecilus ] sandrii Faria & Muller, 1937: 98 [name suppressed for purposes of priority and placed on Official Index & Opinion 1762; type locality, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, in small ponds in shady places near streams that contain abundant water during winter, but that dry out completely in the dry season (temporary pools close to the old road Rio-Petrópolis, near Imbariê, Município de Duque de Caxias, Estrela river drainage, Guanabara bay basin, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, about 22°37′S, 43°12′W); syntypes lost].

Cynolebias splendens Myers, 1942: 110 [type locality: water holes or ponds along base of the Serra do Petropolis (serra de Petrópolis), State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (temporary pools close to the old road Rio-Petrópolis, near Imbariê, Município de Duque de Caxias , Estrela river drainage, Guanabara bay basin, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, about 22°37′S, 43°12′W); holotype, CAS (SU) 36527].

Material examined: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro: CAS ( SU) 36528, three paratypes ; MNRJ 8514 , 23 ; MNRJ 11302 , 1 ; base of Serra de Petrópolis , MNRJ 11413 , 3 (1c&s) ; MZUSP 38443 , 2 (c&s) ; Citrolândia , Magé .

Diagnosis: Distinguished from all congeners by having some unique colour patterns in males: flank red with zigzag-shaped bright-blue bars (vs. no similar colour pattern), unpaired fins red with brightblue vermiculate marks (vs. no similar colour pattern), broad distal golden stripe on dorsal fin (vs. no similar dorsal-fin stripe), and a red spot on posterior portion of iris (vs. spot absent).

Remarks: Redescribed by Costa & Lacerda (1988).

Distribution: Estrela and Roncador river basins: two small, isolated basins draining into Guanabara bay, Rio de Janeiro state, south-eastern Brazil ( Fig. 5 ).

Habitat and conservation: Leptolebias splendens was a common fish in the Estrela river basin until 1944 (A. L. Carvalho and H. S. Lopez, pers. comm.), when the region still contained well-preserved forests near and along the old road Rio–Petrópolis. After this time, both the forest and L. splendens disappeared. It was rediscovered 41 years later in temporary pools within a well-preserved forest belonging to a group of Brazilian scouts (Costa & Lacerda, 1988), in the Roncador river basin. However, although the forest is still well preserved today, L. splendens has not been found since 1987. Part of the stream draining the forest was diverted to a neighbouring fish farm, which apparently altered the water levels of aquatic bodies in the forest. Leptolebias splendens may now be extinct.

Figures

Figure 5. Geographical distribution of Leptolebias in Rio de Janeiro state, south-eastern Brazil: 1, L. marmoratus, L. splendens, and L. opalescens; 2, L. marmoratus and L. opalescens; 3, L. splendens; 4, L. citrinipinnis.