Serranus (Paracentropristis) pulcher Wirtz and Iwamoto, 2016

Iwamoto, Tomio & Wirtz, Peter, 2018, A Synopsis of the Eastern and Central Atlantic Combers of the Genus Serranus (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Serranidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65 (1), pp. 1-39 : 22-25

Serranus (Paracentropristis) pulcher Wirtz and Iwamoto, 2016

Figures 18–21

Serranus sp. Kuiter, 2004:162 figs. A–D ( São Tomé Comber; photographs taken by Peter Wirtz in São Tomé) Serranus pulcher Wirtz and Iwamoto, 2016:192–199 , figs. 1–15 ( São Tomé e Príncipe; 1–30 m).

DIAGNOSIS.— D X,12; P 15, rarely 14 or16; A III,7; gill rakers 6–9+12–14 (19–23 total); pored lateral-line scales 42–49; circumpeduncular scales 22–24; scales below origin of first dorsal fin 5–6. Caudal fin truncate, the upper lobe slightly produced, lower lobe rounded. Dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins scaly near base. Anterior nostril tubelike, rim low anteriorly but rising to a high narrow flap posteriorly, with 4–6 long cirri at distal tip; posterior nostril a simple opening lacking a raised rim. Seven or eight transverse bands on body; lips red with dark bands; a short moustache-like red streak behind end of maxillary, running across hind margin of dentary and almost meeting opposite streak at midventral line and enclosing ivory-white of mandibular rami; another red diagonal streak running from upper edge of maxillary, across lower edge of preopercle, across interopercle and branchiostegal rays, to base of pelvic fin, and enclosing white of preopercle, interopercle and chest.

DESCRIPTION.— Body relatively slender to moderately deep and compressed, width over pectoral bases about half of HL, greatest body depth about 2.7– 3.2 in SL and less than HL, which is about 2.4– 2.6 in SL. Dorsal and ventral profiles gently curved from tip of snout to caudal fin. Snout shorter in length than orbit diameter; both substantially more than interorbital width. Lower jaw projecting slightly beyond upper jaw; maxilla extending to below posterior half of pupil. Anterior nostril tubular, the rim posteriorly elevated into a high narrow flap with 4–6 long slender cirri at distal tip; posterior nostril lacking raised rim. Opercular spines three, the uppermost small and often obscure, middle spine longest. Preopercle margin serrated with flattened spines, those at angle largest.

Premaxillary teeth in narrow band, the outer series spaced and slightly enlarged; one or more large canines at anterior end. Dentary with a band of small teeth flanked by a series of slightly enlarged outer teeth that become larger posteriorly. Vomerine tooth band broadly V-shaped, each arm followed by narrow band of small palatine teeth. First four to five spines of dorsal fin graduated, the 3 rd to 5 th spines longest, the spines following subequal; the soft rays slightly higher than longest spines, the 3 rd to 5 th ray longest; a slight notch in fin profile. Anal fin relatively high, its posterior tip somewhat pointed; spines shorter than soft rays, the first spine more than half length of second and third spines, the second spine longer and stouter than the others. Pectoral fin broad-based, its origin about on same vertical as that of dorsal and pelvic fins; the tip of pectoral fin extends to, or almost to, anus, that of pelvic fin falls short of anus, both fins falling well short of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin truncate; dorsal lobe slightly pointed, ventral lobe rounded at tip.

Scales ctenoid, body fully covered; head naked over snout, interorbital, suborbital region, outer margin of preopercle and over subopercle. Small scales on interradial membranes of dorsal fin, mostly confined to basal one-fourth to one-half of soft rays, but a few on membrane between spines. Anal and caudal fins also with small scales at base, but on caudal fin, scales extending more distally. Scales on pectoral fin limited to immediate base of fin.

Color highly variable: in a fresh specimen from São Tomé Island (CAS 227751, 56.6 mm SL) dorsal aspects of head and body grayish brown to olive, this color extending down sides of head onto entire surface of opercle and most of preopercle but not interopercle and jaws; on body the ground color extends to mid-lateral line, below which the color becomes whitish to reddish and is dissected by seven or eight broad, red or brownish vertical bands that originate along dorsal outline of body and extend dorsally onto base of dorsal fin and ventrally to, or near, ventral outline. A faint brownish longitudinal stripe runs from upper lobe of opercle just above mid-lateral line to caudal fin base. Upper and lower lips deep red, but marked with dark bluish-gray bands and spots; lower lip with few faint bands or spots. A prominent red diagonal stripe from upper edge of maxillary, across interopercle, branchiostegal rays, and chest to base of pelvic fin. A short tapered moustache-like red streak behind end of maxilla, running across hind margin of dentary and almost meeting opposite streak at median-ventral line (see Fig. 18 ). Two other diffuse diagonal red streaks behind lower half of opercle extend onto pectoral-fin base. Branchiostegal rays, gular membrane, ramus of lower jaw, chest, and antero-ventral parts of belly white except where marked by red streaks. Soft dorsal and anal fins dark grey-brown with small orange spots that form narrow, broken, diagonal to horizontal lines on fins. Pectoral fin clear with orange tint. Pelvic fins dusky with small orange spots; caudal fin yellow on upper and lower lobes, membrane between rays clear with small orange spots that form vertical lines on tail.

In a photograph of a 35.3 mm SL specimen (CAS 227758) ( Fig. 19 ) from Príncipe (Isla Santana), brownish color of sides of head interrupted by four or five thin, horizontal to slightly diagonal, reddish to orange lines; orange spots scattered on top of head and on snout. Vertical bands on body with dark squarish blocks mid-laterally. Anal and soft dorsal fins dark; spinous dorsal paler with red spots at base where body bands meet fin; tips of spines red. Ivory-white of gular and branchiostegal membranes, interopercle, and chest bordered by prominent dark-red streaks. Pelvic fins overall clear to light dusky with brownish-yellow rays.

A fish from Príncipe ( Fig. 20 ) shows a prominent, broad, brownish–red, broken midlateral stripe extending from midorbit to middle of caudal fin, bordered above and below by irregular white stripes, the dorsum with broad brownish patches between white patches, and the ventral aspects of the body a solid dark red.

In a photograph ( Fig. 21 ) of an individual from Príncipe, ground color orange with bold white stripes bordering a dark midlateral stripe that originates behind eye and extends to base of caudal fin; top of head, suborbital region, and snout dark gray with orange spots and vermiculations. In preserved specimens <40 mm SL, midlateral stripe most prominent and other markings rather obscure. This color morph appears to predominate in Príncipe, where the species is quite common (Luiz Rocha, pers. comm. 2015).

Size: To 9 cm TL.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION.— Hard bottoms (rock, gravel, coral rubble, or marl) from about 1 m depth (juveniles) to at least 30 m. São Tomé e Príncipe, off Ghana and Gabon, and probably more widely along Gulf of Guinea mainland.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED (9 spec.).— São Tomé e Príncipe : CAS 227754 (4, 37.2–60. 2 mm SL); Príncipe Is. , nw side of Bom Bom Is.; 1°41ʹ44ʺN, 7°24ʹ0.3ʺE; 48 ft [14.6 m]; collectors J.E. McCosker, D. Catania; 20 Jan. 2009 . CAS 227753 (1, 58.5 mm SL); 1°41ʹ09.3ʺN, 7°28ʹ07.6ʺE; 40 ft [12.2 m]; collectors J.E. McCosker, D. Catania; 23 Jan. 2009 . CAS 227751 (1, 56.6 mm SL); Kia Reef ; 0°25ʹ0.01ʺN, 6°48ʹE; 25–40 ft [7.6–12. 2 m]; collectors J.E. McCosker, D. Catania, J-L. Testori; 11 Jan. 2009 . CAS 227755 (1, 54.8 mm SL); Kia Reef ; 0°21ʹ37.1ʺN, 6°43ʹ08.5ʺE; 45–72 ft [13.7–21. 9 m]; collectors J.E. McCosker, D. Catania, J-L. Testori; 11 Jan. 2009 . CAS 227756 (2, 59.3–60. 4 mm SL); São Tomé Is., Batalleo ; 0°22ʹ05.7ʺN, 6°45ʹ41.6ʺE; collectors J.E. McCosker, D. Catania, E. Milson; 13 Jan. 2009 .

Figures

FIGURE 18. Serranus pulcher from São Tomé Island showing color pattern on chin and throat. Photo by Peter Wirtz.

FIGURE19. Serranus pulcher A freshly collected specimen (paratype, CAS 227758, 36.3 mm SL) from Santana Islet, São Tomé. Photograph by David Catania.

FIGURE 20. Serranus pulcher from Príncipe Island. Photograph by by Luiz Rocha.

FIGURE 21. Serranus pulcher. A different-colored morph from Príncipe Island. Photograph by Luiz Rocha.