Hypsolebias gongobira, Abrantes & Ramos & Bento & Lima, 2023

Abrantes, Yuri Gomes, Ramos, Telton Pedro Anselmo, Bento, Diego De Medeiros & Lima, Sergio Maia Queiroz, 2023, Molecular delimitation of the seasonal killifishes of the Hypsolebias antenori species group (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae), with description of two new species from the Caatinga coastal basins, northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 5389 (5), pp. 545-562 : 549-552

Hypsolebias gongobira , new species

( Figs. 2 and 3 , Table 1 )

Simpsonichthys antenori (not Tulipano): Costa, 2007: 97 [comparative material, MNRJ 19478 : Brazil, Ceará, Aquiraz , road BR-116, km 30] .

Holotype. MNRJ 54900 , male, 44.8 mm SL: Brazil, Ceará State, Aquiraz Municipality, temporary pool near rio Pacoti , 03°53’48” S 38°24’17” W, S.M.Q. Lima, T. P.A. Ramos, A.B.A. Bennemann & Y.G. Abrantes, 13 Jun 2021.

Paratypes. MZUSP 129607 , 1 male, 25.0 mm SL, 3 females, 22.2–23.5 mm SL; UFRN 5847, 1 male, 34.5 mm SL; UFRN 6029, 1 male, 30.9 mm SL, 1 female, 35.5 mm SL (c&s); same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. Hypsolebias gongobira is distinguished from all other species of the H. antenori species-group by presenting a higher number of longitudinal series scales (33 vs. 27–31). Additionally, it is distinguished from the remaining species of the group, except H. coamazonicus , H. martinsi and H. antenori , by the absence of vertical grey bars on body side in males, visible in live specimens (vs. presence); it differs from H. faouri by the presence of a reduced number of opaque white dots on body in males (vs. numerous iridescent blue dots); it differs from H. nudiorbitatus by having lower number of neuromasts in preopercular series (15 vs. 18); and from H. igneus by presenting lower number of transverse series scales (12 vs. 14), and short filaments on anal fin in adult males (vs. long filaments). It is distinguished from the closest related species, H. coamazonicus , H. martinsi and H. antenori by having fewer rows of scales in caudal peduncle series (14 vs. 16); four short black filaments at tip of dorsal and anal fins in males (vs. 1–2 in H. antenori and H. martinsi , 3 in H. coamazonicus ); fewer pelvic fin rays (5 vs. 6); contact organs absent in lateral body and between pectoral-fin rays, except in H. martinsi (vs. present). It additionally differs from H. martinsi by having higher number of dorsal-fin rays (22–23 vs. 20), and anal-fin rays (23–24 vs. 20), in males. It differs from H. coamazonicus by sides of body light brownish grey in males (vs. light bluish grey), and lower number of preopercular neuromasts (15 vs. 17–18). The new species differs from H. antenori by color of caudal fin (dark green vs. yellowish green), of distal stripe on caudal fin (opaque blue vs. metallic blue); presence of iridescent transverse scales in males (vs. absence); head depth in males (68.2–86.8% HL vs. 98.4–117.3%); head width (53.7–62.2% HL vs. 74.7–78.4%); and snout length (16.2–26.2% HL vs. 12.5–14.7%).

Description. Morphometric data presented in Table 1 . Largest male examined 44.8 mm SL; largest female examined 35.5 mm SL. Body relatively deep, laterally compressed, greatest body depth at pelvic-fin base. Head narrow, elliptical shaped in lateral view. Relatively long jaws, teeth numerous, conical, irregularly arranged; outer teeth large, inner teeth small and numerous. Vomerine teeth absent. Snout blunt. Eyes positioned on upper lateral portion of head.

Dorsal profile slightly convex from snout to end of dorsal-fin base, slightly convex or straight on caudal peduncle. Ventral profile convex from lower jaw to end of anal-fin base, approximately straight on caudal peduncle. Urogenital papilla cylindrical in males, moderately long, pocket-shaped urogenital opening in females, slightly overlapping anal-fin origin. Dorsal and anal fin pointed with filaments in males and rounded in females. Tip of both dorsal and anal fins with four short filamentous rays in males; filaments absent in females. Caudal fin subtruncate in males, rounded in females. Pectoral fin long, elliptical to slightly pointed, posterior tip reaching vertical between base of 6th and 7th anal-fin rays in males, reaching urogenital papilla in females. Pelvic fin pointed, without interspace. Tip of pelvic fin reaching base of second and third anal-fin rays in males and reaching urogenital papilla in females.

Dorsal-fin origin on vertical through anal fin in males; anal-fin origin on vertical through base of 3rd dorsal-fin ray in males. Dorsal-fin origin posterior to anal-fin origin in females, on vertical through base of 5th anal-fin ray. Anal-fin origin at pleural rib of 7th vertebra in males, and pleural rib of 8th vertebra in females. Dorsal-fin rays 22–23 in males, 16–18 in females; anal-fin rays 23–24 in males, 21–23 in females; caudal-fin rays 22–24; pectoral-fin rays 12–13; pelvic-fin rays 5.

Cephalic neuromasts: supraorbital 15–17, parietal 3, anterior rostral 1, posterior rostral with one lateral neuromast and one middle neuromast, infraorbital 3+18–20, preorbital 4–3, otic 2, post-otic 4, supratemporal 1, median opercular 1, ventral opercular 3, preopercular 15, mandibular 12–13, lateral mandibular 6–7, and paramandibular 1. No contact organs on fins. One neuromast on each scale of lateral line. Two neuromasts on caudal-fin base. Frontal squamation E-patterned; E-scales overlapping medially; no row of scales anterior to H-scale; longitudinal series of scales 30–33; transverse series of scales 12; scale rows around caudal peduncle 14. Total vertebrae 28.

Coloration in life. Males: Sides of body light grey brownish, with iridescent white scales on anterior dorsal portion of flank; opaque white dots on latero-posterior portion of body and caudal peduncle. Venter pale orange. Opercular region pale golden. Iris dark yellow, with vertical dark gray bar. Dorsal fin dark green with large white dots over whole fin. Four short black filaments on tips of dorsal and anal fins. Anal fin dark green with broad yellowish orange stripe on subdistal margin and broad black stripe on distal margin; white spots on entire fin, with greater concentration on posterior region. Caudal fin dark green with white dots; distal margin opaque light blue. Pectoral fin hyaline. Pelvic fin orange with distal black stripe.

Females: Sides of body light grey, with iridescent golden on anterior medial portion of flank; 6–7 faint light gray bars; 3 black spots anterocentral portion of flank; 4 irregularly arranged black spots on caudal peduncle. Venter pale orange. Opercular region golden. Infraorbital region pale purple. Iris light yellow, with vertical dark gray bar. Fins hyaline.

Coloration in alcohol. Males: Sides of body light brown. Venter light yellow. Opercular region pale yellow. Iris white. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins dark brown, with white dots. Pelvic fin light brown. Pectoral fins hyaline with black distal margin. Females: Sides of body pale yellow, with 4–6 gray bars. Three black spots on anterocentral portion of flank. Venter pale yellow. Opercular region pale yellow. Iris white, with gray bar vertical in center of eye. Fins hyaline.

Distribution. Hypsolebias gongobira is only known from its type locality, a temporary pool in the floodplain of the rio Pacoti coastal microbasin located 0.6 km west of the main channel, and about 200 m south of the rio Pacoti Environmental Protection Area, at the margin of the CE-040 road that leads to the municipality of Aquiraz, Ceará State, Brazil ( Figs. 1 and 4 ). This small coastal drainage is fully within the Caatinga vegetation domain.

Habitat and ecological notes. The temporary pool had an area of 384 m ², located at an altitude of 5 m and distant 4.6 km from the Atlantic Ocean. The surface of the water was covered by a dense layer of aquatic plants. The predominant species were Echinodorus sp. and Nymphaea sp. on the surface, while the surrounding vegetation was composed of carnaúbas Copernicia prunifera Miller. The water was muddy and the depth varied between 0.8 m to 1 m, with muddy bottom ( Fig. 4 ). Hypsolebias gongobira was found in syntopy with another seasonal killifish, H. longignatus , classified as ‘vulnerable’ on Brazil’s endangered species list (ICMBio, 2018).

Etymology. The name “ gongobira ” refers to a divine entity of nature revered for its hunting and fishing skills, known from the candomblé of Angola and Congo. According to religious myths of Angola, it was Gongobira who populated all the dark water lagoons with colorful fishes ( Simas & Rufino 2019). He is also considered the son of the waters and the forests, as well as the owner of abundance and beauty. A noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of northeastern Brazil showing the distribution of the Hypsolebias antenori species-group. Stars represent type localities, and circles indicate sampled localities. Hypsolebias bonita new species in pink, H. antenori in red, H. gongobira new species in orange (syntopic with H. longignatus), H. martinsi in yellow, H. coamazonicus in green, H. faouri in light blue, H. igneus in dark blue, and H. nudiorbitatus in purple. Dark blue lines represent hydrographic basins of the Caatinga ecoregions, Maranhão-Piauí (MAPE), Mid-Northeastern Caatinga (MNCE), Northeastern Atlantic Forest (NAFE) São Francisco (SFRE).

FIGURE 2. Hypsolebias gongobira new species, MNRJ 54900, male, holotype, 44.8 mm SL: Brazil, Ceará, Aquiraz, rio Pacoti basin.

FIGURE 3. Hypsolebias gongobira new species, MZUSP 129607, female, paratype, 35 mm SL: Brazil, Ceará, Aquiraz, rio Pacoti basin.

FIGURE 4. Type-locality of Hypsolebias gongobira new species, Brazil, Ceará, Aquiraz, rio Pacoti basin.