Bramidae

Carvalho-Filho, Alfredo, Marcovaldi, Guy, Sampaio, Cláudio L. S., Paiva, Isabel G. & Duarte, Luiz A. G., 2009, First report of rare pomfrets (Teleostei: Bramidae) from Brazilian waters, with a key to Western Atlantic species, Zootaxa 2290, pp. 1-26 : 24

Key to Western Atlantic species of Bramidae :

Adapted from Mead (1972), Tomás et al. (1988), Smith (1991), Thompson (2003), and McEachran & Fechhelm (2005), and added with the new data of the present paper. The key does not include Collybus drachme Snyder, 1904 , reported from Cuba by Claro and Parenti (2001), probably a misidentification with a Brama species; C. drachme is a synonym of the tropical Indo-Pacific Brama orcini Cuvier, 1831 ( Mead, 1972; Mundy, 2005).

1a. Dorsal and anal fins broadly expanded, no scales along rays of these fins; median fins can be depressed into sheathed groove formed by modified scales ............................................................................................................ (2).

1b. Dorsal and anal fins not broadly expanded, scales along at least part of the length of the rays; no modified sheath at base of median fins .................................................................................................................................................. (5).

2a. Anterior dorsal and anal fin rays thickened; modified sheath at dorsal fin base extends forward onto snout. .............. ................................................................................................................................................................... Pteraclis (3).

2b. Anterior dorsal and anal fin rays similar with no distinct thickening; modified sheath not extended forward beyond dorsal fin insertion ............................................................................................................................... Pterycombus (4).

3a. Branchiostegal rays 7; dorsal fin origin before eye ................... Pteraclis aesticola ( Jordan & Snyder, 1901), FIG 13.

3b. Branchiostegal rays 8; dorsal fin origin above posterior half of eye. Pteraclis carolinus Valenciennes, 1833 , FIG 14.

4a. Small specimens (ca. 100 mm) with longest dorsal and anal rays shorter than half SL; lateral line absent in adults ... ......................................................................................................... Pterycombus petersii (Hilgendorf, 1878) , FIG 15.

4b. Small specimens (ca. 100 mm) with longest dorsal and anal rays longer than half SL; lateral line present in adults .. ...................................................................................................................... Pterycombus brama Fries, 1837 , FIG 16.

5a. Transverse precaudal grooves well developed ........................................................................................................ (6).

5b. Transverse precaudal grooves absent....................................................................................................................... (8).

6a. Body rounded, depth 48 to 61% of SL; snout blunt; pelvic fins short, 7 to 9% of SL ................................................... ................................................................................. Taractichthys longipinnis (Lowe, 1843) , FIGS. 17 and 18 A–D .

6 b. Body more elongate, depth 36 to 45% of SL; snout pointed; pelvic fins longer, 13 to 19% of SL .......... Taractes (7).

7a. Caudal peduncle with prominent lateral keel ........................ Taractes rubescens ( Jordan & Evermann, 1887), FIG 9.

7b. Caudal peduncle smooth, without lateral keel ..................................................... Taractes asper Lowe, 1843 , FIG 22.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Stomach contents of Eumegistus brevorti caught off Bahia, Northeast Brazil: 1. Cephalopoda, Spirulidae, Spirula spirula.

FIGURE 13. Pteraclis aesticola MZUSP 61590, 59.7 mm SL.

FIGURE 15. Pterycombus petersii MZUSP 61586, 65.2 mm SL.

FIGURE 4 - B. Young adult, about 23 cm SL, of Eumegistus illustris from the Pacific Ocean, showing the same whitetipped dorsal and anal fin lobes and caudal fin with black central rays as the Atlantic species, and the rows of keeled scales on caudal peduncle. Photograph by NMFS Pacific Islands Region Observer Program, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

FIGURE 16. Pterycombus brama MZUSP 61623, 84.2 mm SL.

FIGURE 17 Taractichthys longipinnis MZUSP 78303, 29.3 mm SL.

FIGURE 22. Taractes asper, about 45 cm SL, recently collected from Hawaii. Photograph by NMFS Pacific Islands Region Observer Program, Honolulu, Hawaii.

FIGURE 18 A & B Taractichthys longipinnis, adult male, 472.4 mm SL, caught off Praia do Forte, Bahia, Northeast Brazil.

FIGURE 18 C & D Taractichthys longipinnis, UF 168739, young, 50.0 mm SL, from Bahamas.

FIGURE 9. 1. Taractes rubescens, male, 487 mm SL, caught at 600 m depth off Praia do Forte, caught off Bahia, Northeast Brazil: 2 and 4. Caudal peduncle’s keel. 3. Dorsal fin.