Pristolepis rubripinnis, Britz, Ralf, Kumar, Krishna & Baby, Fibin, 2012

Britz, Ralf, Kumar, Krishna & Baby, Fibin, 2012, Pristolepis rubripinnis, a new species of fish from southern India (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Pristolepididae), Zootaxa 3345, pp. 59-68 : 60-62

Pristolepis rubripinnis new species

Figure 1

Holotype. CRG—SAC 2012.2.1, 98.2 mm SL; India: Kerala: Pamba river near Edathua, 9°21´52ʹ N 76° 28ʹ 38ʹ E; Fibin Baby & Krishna Kumar, 0 3 Feb. 2012.

Paratypes. CRG—SAC 2012.2.2–9, 9, 50.2–107.5 mm SL; same data as holotype. CMK 8821, 4, 115.9- 128.6 mm SL; India: Kerala: 4 km east of Chalakudy, approx. 22 km west and downstream of Panamkulam; R. Pethiyagoda, 19 March 1992.

Diagnosis. Pristolepis rubripinnis differs from all other congeners by its colour pattern. It shows orange red soft dorsal, soft anal and caudal fins, and a yellow to orange pelvic fin. It differs further from its south Indian congener P. marginata and the Sundaic P. g roo ti i in having 4–5 scales above the lateral line (vs. 3) and 10 scales below it (vs. 9) and from P. fasciata in the absence of prominent bars on the body.

Description. For general appearance see Figure 1 . Morphometric data are provided in Table 1 and fin-ray and scale counts are presented in Table 2 .

Body oval in outline, strongly laterally compressed. Depth 1.8–2.1 times in SL, body width 2.7–3.5 times in its depth. Dorsal contour rising steeply from snout towards nape, convex along dorsum, abruptly attenuated at caudal peduncle. Ventral contour steep and slightly convex up to pelvic-fin base, then almost straight to anal-fin base and strongly attenuated at caudal peduncle.

Head large, 2.3–2.6 times in SL, pointed towards snout. Eye inserted in anterior half of head. Posterior naris a round opening, anterior naris at end of short tube. Mouth comparatively small, maxilla ending at vertical through anterior margin of pupil. Opercle with two spines posteriorly, lower longer and stronger. Preopercle posteroventral edge serrated, with up to 20 serrae extending some distance anteriorly along the ventral edge and dorsally along the posterior edge.

Anterior base of spinous dorsal fin above base of pelvic fin and both slightly behind vertical through anterior base of pectoral fin. Adpressed pectoral fin reaching 10th scale row. Pelvic fin when depressed not reaching anus.

Scales relatively large with numerous cteni in posterior field, small to tiny scales on chest, at base of pectoral fin, around bases of soft dorsal and anal fins, and on posteriormost part of caudal peduncle, extending onto the bases of fin rays on dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Twenty predorsal scales. Lateral line interrupted, dorsal branch with 20–22 scales extending from shoulder girdle in a dorsally convex longitudinal line to vertical through base of anterior anal-fin rays, ventral branch with 9–10 scales forming a horizontal line from base of second dorsal-fin spine to base of caudal fin and from there in a ventrally curved line onto base of caudal fin; overlap between dorsal and ventral branches three to four scales. Four to five scales between dorsal branch of lateral line and base of middle of spinous dorsal fin; 10 scales between dorsal branch and anterior base of spinous anal fin. Five rows of small scales between ventral rim of orbit and ventral edge of preopercle.

Vertebrae 13 + 12 = 25 in all specimens.

Coloration. In preservative ( Fig. 1 ). Background colour grayish olive, darker on back, becoming lighter towards belly, turning to light beige on belly. Most scales in abdominal region below dorsal lateral line with a crescentic black mark at base of scale. Pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins, as well as soft-ray parts of dorsal and anal fins translucent whitish.

In life, after capture ( Fig. 2 ). Background colour olive green, darker on the back, lighter towards belly. Yellowish green marks present on head, expressed as a postorbital stripe originating from posterior orbit directed posterodorsally and extending up to posterodorsal corner of opercle. Second stripe in supraorbital position originating from orbit and extending dorsally in a curved line to the nape. Suborbital area also with a yellowishgreen longitudinal mark. Six or seven irregular zigzagging and interrupted yellowish greenish bars along the body up to caudal peduncle. These yellowish green marks on the head and body represent the fright coloration and are not expected to be present in the normal coloration. A black spot above fleshy base of pectoral fin covered partly by it. Scales along middle of the body mostly below lateral line from above pectoral fin base to vertical through anterior base of anal fin with prominent black crescentic mark at base. In juveniles all fins with an orange reddish sheen, soft parts of dorsal and anal fins, distal two-thirds of caudal fin orange red, pelvic fins yellowish to orange, pectoral fins greenish with a red tinge. In larger specimens orange-reddish tinge of spinous dorsal fin and bases of soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins replaced by greenish colour, only distal parts of soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins still orange red.

Distribution. This species is currently known from the Pamba and Chalakudy rivers in Kerala, southwestern India. ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. From the Latin words ruber, -a, -um, red, and pinna, wing, an adjective, given here in reference to the orange red fins.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pristolepis rubripinnis, holotype, CRG—SAC 2012.2. 1, 98.2 mm SL, Pamba river at Edathua, Kerala, India.

FIGURE 2. Live colouration of Pristolepis rubripinnis, holotype CRG—SAC 2012.2. 1, 98.2 mm SL, Pamba river at Edathua, Kerala, India. Photo taken right after capture, note that yellowish green marks on head and body represent fright colouration.

FIGURE 3. Map of collection localities of Pristolepis rubripinnis. Cross marks type locality.