Herichthys bartoni (Bean 1892)

Maza-Benignos, Mauricio De La & Lozano-Vilano, Ma. De Lourdes, 2013, Description of three new species of the genus Herichthys (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from eastern Mexico, with redescription of H. labridens, H. steindachneri, and H. pantostictus, Zootaxa 3734 (2), pp. 101-129 : 119-120

Herichthys bartoni (Bean 1892)

Figure 14

The following description is based on literature review as well as observations of live specimens both in aquaria and in the wild.

Lectotype: USNM 43765 Hauzteca (=Huasteca) Potosina, N. San Luis Potosí State, Mexico.

Paralectotypes: USNM 43765 (3 of 4) Hauzteca (=Huasteca) Potosina, N. San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

Diagnosis. Absence of a red–purple marking in the axil of pectoral fin. Breeding pigmentation consisting of dark 2/3rd ventral, pale color over 1/3rd of dorsum, and 9–12 conic teeth flanking the midline of the lower pharyngeal plate. Dorsal fin XIV–XV, 11. In addition, it is distinguished from all other species in the genus by a combination of the following characters: dorsal fin XIV–XV, 11; anal fin IV, 9. Lower and upper jaws equal in size, or lower jaw slightly projected past the upper jaw. Pelvic fins short, do not reach anal fin origin and do not extend past the pectoral fin

Description. Predorsal contour high, steep, and flattened at front, forming an angular depression before eye.

Forehead prominent; adult males develop a nuchal hump. Lower and upper jaws equal in size, or lower jaw slightly projects over the upper jaw. Álvarez (1970) mentions eye diameter 4.5–5.5 times HL. Body depth 2.3 and HL 2.7. Dorsal fin XIV–XV, 11; anal fin IV, 9, rarely V, 9 (Miller et al. 2005). Scales in longitudinal series 34; conic teeth present in every central row of lower pharyngeal plate with 9–12 teeth flanking midline; pelvic fins short, do not reach anal fin origin and do not extend past the pectoral fin (Miller et al. 2005). A pair of well-developed recurved fangs in the upper jaw, and a less-developed pair in lower jaw. Caudal fin subtruncate.

Coloration in preservative. No preserved material was examined.

Live colors. Base coloration gray to brownish. A horizontal line of black blotches extends from just behind the eye to a prominent black blotch at the base of the caudal fin.

Breeding pigmentation. Breeding pigmentation is distinctive from all other members of the genus: dark on the ventral 3/4th and pale on the dorsal 1/4th.

Geographical distribution. Upper Rio Verde and Media Luna at elevations between 1000 and 1100 masl.

Habitat and associates. H. bartoni inhabits Media Luna, a karstic warm spring that exists because of a tectonic ridge forming a hill SW of El Jabalí. Formerly, the spring emptied into Rio Viejo, which has been blocked and diverted for agricultural purposes. The species is sympatric with H. labridens and H. cf. carpintis , which was translocated into the Media Luna system (Artigas-Azas, 1996).

Vernacular names. Mojarra bicolor, Mojarra de Barton, Barton’s cichlid, Media Luna cichlid.

Conservation status. Endangered according to NOM 0 59 SEMARNAT 2010 and vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009.

Remarks. H. bartoni was described as Acara bartoni by Bean (1892). Meek (1904) considered H. labridens to be a synonym of H. bartoni . Meek’s description appears to be based on a composite of 3 or more species, probably H. bartoni , H. labridens , and H. pantostictus , as suggested by “sides of head usually with small dark dots,” a common trait in the last 2 species. However, the drawing by A.H. Baldwin shown in Meek’s work (Fig. 68, page 212) is of H. bartoni from the type USNM. 43765. Regan’s 1906–1908 narrative on H. bartoni matches most Herichthys sp. on the basis of the given morphometric traits; however, the “lower jaw slightly projecting” (prognathous) and “coloration as in H. steindachneri ” apparently refers to H. bartoni and possibly the drawing by A.H. Baldwin. Based on mitochondrial DNA, Concheiro-Pérez et al. (2006) recovered H. bartoni of Media Luna and H. bartoni of Rio Verde as sister taxa to a clade comprising H. pame sp. nov. of Rio Frio and H. pame sp. nov. of Rio Tamasopo. Hulsey et al. (2003) recovered H. bartoni of Media Luna as a sister species to H. labridens of Media Luna.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Herichthys bartoni (Bean 1982) collected from Media Luna Spring. Mauricio De la Maza-Benignos (~ 70 mm TL)