Neotropical Ichthyology, 12(4): 747-753, 2014
Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia
DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-20140046
A new species of leafish Polycentrus Müller & Troschel, 1849
(Percomorpha: Polycentridae) from the rio Negro, Brazil
Daniel Pires Coutinho1 and Wolmar Benjamin Wosiacki2
A new species of Polycentrus is described from the rio Negro, in Brazil. It is distinguished from P. schomburgkii by
the presence of two dark postocular and one subocular band, all smaller than orbital diameter, blunt snout, isognathous
mouth, reduction of the serrations on the lower edge of the lacrimal-spines ranging from zero to two tiny spines at the
posterior end, intensely serrated edge of the interopercle, fully serrated posterior edge of the vertical arm of the preopercle,
presence of ive pungent opercular spines, subopercle broadly serrated along most of its posterior ventral edge, presence
of serrations dorsally on the posterior margin of the cleithrum, fourth ray of pectoral in reaching the vertical through
the anal-in origin, 19-21 predorsal scales, 19-20 scales on dorsal-in base, 12-14 scales on anal-in base, and absence of a
median opercular blotch.
Uma nova espécie de Polycentrus é descrita do rio Negro, Brasil. Distingue-se de P. schomburgkii por duas bandas
postoculares escuras e uma banda subocular menores do que o diâmetro do olho, focinho pontudo, boca isognata, cinco
espinhos operculares pungentes, borda posterior do braço vertical do pré-opérculo totalmente serrilhada, serrilhas ausente
na borda inferior do lacrimal ou duas pequenas serrilhas na margem posterior, subopercular amplamente serrilhada ao
longo da borda, cleitro com serrilhas na margem posterior do processo dorsal, interopercular com borda amplamente
serrilhada, quarto raio da nadadeira peitoral atingindo a vertical de origem da nadadeira anal, 19-20 escamas na base da
nadadeira dorsal, 12-14 escamas na base de nadadeira anal, 19-21 escamas pré-dorsais e ausência de mancha opercular.
Key words: New Taxon, Freshwater, Neotropic, Taxonomy, Systematics.
Introduction
locality information “Guiana”. The species has since been
reported from many coastal drainages from the state of
Amapá in Brazil, north to Trinidad and Tobago, and adjacent
Venezuela (Britz & Kullander, 2003). Three nominal
species have been synonymized with P. schomburgkii, viz.
Labrus punctatus Linnaeus (International Commission
on Zoological Nomenclature, 2000), P. tricolor Gill
(Britz & Kullander, 2003) from Trinidad, and Mesonauta
surinamensis Sauvage (Paepke, 1993) from Suriname.
The Expedição Permanente da Amazônia (EPA,
1967-1972) assembled a rich, still incompletely studied
material of ishes from the Amazon river basin. Among
material collected in the rio Negro we found specimens
of a new species of Polycentrus which differ considerably
from material collected along the Atlantic coast and it is
diagnosed and described herein.
The leafishes of the family Polycentridae includes two
South American genera, Polycentrus Müller & Troschel
and Monocirrhus Heckel, and two African genera,
Afronandus Meinken and Polycentropsis Boulenger, all
of them monotypic. All species are characterized by a
strongly compressed body, very large, protrusible gape and
a color pattern mimicking dead leaves, used to approach
prey ishes. (Liem, 1970; Britz & Kullander, 2003).
Polycentrus currently includes only P. schomburgkii
Müller & Troschel type species by monotypy. The species
was described irst briely (Müller & Troschel, 1849a), and
subsequently presented in more detail and with illustration
(Müller & Troschel, 1849b). The description is based on
a single specimen collected by Richard Schomburgk with
1
Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Profª. Cinobelina Elvas, Coordenação do Curso de Licenciatura Plena em Ciências Biológicas,
Rodovia BR-135, km 03, Planalto Horizonte, 64.900-000 Bom Jesus, PI. E-mail: dpcoutinho@ufpi.edu.br
2
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Caixa Postal 399, 66040-170, Belém, PA, Brazil. E-mail: wolmar@museu-goeldi.br. Send reprint
requests to WBW.
747
748
New species of Polycentrus
Materials and Methods
Morphometric and meristic data follow Kullander
(1983) and Kullander & Britz (2002). Measurements were
made point to point using a digital caliper, and recorded to
the tenth of a millimeter, with the following modiications:
body depth at anal-in origin– measured vertically from the
origin of the anal in to the most dorsal point of the body;
body depth at pelvic-in origin – measured vertically from
the origin of the pelvic in to the most dorsal point; lengths
of the bases of the dorsal and anal ins, divided into spinous
base length (distance from the base of the irst to the last
hard rays) and soft base length (distance between the base
of the irst and last rays). Standard length (SL) is presented
in mm, all other measurements are presented as proportions
of standard length, except subunits of head, presented as
proportions of head length (HL). Counts of the holotype are
indicated by an asterisk (*). The frequency of each count
is displayed in parentheses after the count. The pores of
the sensory system were identiied as in Kullander & Britz
(2002). The analysis of the bone and pores was based on
cleared and stained specimens following Taylor & Van
Dyke (1985) and radiographs obtained at NRM web-site
http://artedi.nrm.se/nrmish/imgsearch.php (lectotype of
Labrus punctatus) and with the apparatus Orion 100, 25
kv, 4 mA, 30 s. Osteological nomenclature follows Liem
(1970). For the color pattern description, the following
characters are proposed: postorbital bands – diagonal upper
and median horizontal bands, all originating from the
posterior margin of the orbit; suborbital band originating
from the inferior margin of the orbit; opercular spot for 3-5
sets of surrounding scales, darkly pigmented, forming two
or three spots on the opercle. Institutional abbreviations
are: ECFP, Estação Cientíica Ferreira Pena, Portel; IEPA,
Instituto de Pesquisas Cientíicas e Tecnológicas do Estado
do Amapá, Macapá; INPA, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa
da Amanônia, Manaus; MBUCV, Museo de Biologia de la
Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas; MCP, Museu
de Ciência e Tecnologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica
do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre; MPEG, Museu
Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém; MUSM, Museo de Historia
Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de Sam Marcos,
Lima; MZUSP, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de
São Paulo, São Paulo; NRM, Swedish Museum of Natural
History, Stockholm.
Polycentrus jundia, new species
Figs. 1 and 2A; Table 1
Holotype. MZUSP 54586, 28.3 mm SL, Brazil, Amazonas,
município de Iranduba, Paricatuba, rio Negro basin, lake
on the right bank of the rio Negro, 11 Nov 1972, Expedição
Permanente da Amazônia (EPA).
Paratypes. All from Brazil, Amazonas, município de Santa
Isabel do Rio Negro, rio Negro basin, collected by EPA.
MZUSP 62191, 1, 20.3 mm SL, lake channel in São João,
near Tapurucuara [= Santa Isabel do Rio Negro], 0°24’0”S
65°2’0”W, 23 Oct 1972. MPEG 29926, 3 (1 c&s), 19.224.9 mm SL; and MZUSP 55113, 3 (1 c&s), 15.7-19.6 mm
SL, igarapé in São João near Santa Isabel do Rio Negro,
0°24’0”S 65°2’0”W, 27 Oct 1972. MZUSP 59204, 1, 19.4
mm SL, igarapé in São João near Santa Isabel do Rio
Negro, 0°24’0”S 65°2’0”W, 23 Oct 1972. MZUSP 62169, 1,
10.5 mm SL, loodplain igarapé of the rio Negro, 0°24’0”S
65°2’0”W, 19 Oct 1972.
Fig. 1. Polycentrus jundia, new species, holotype, MZUSP 54586, 28.3 mm SL, Brazil, Amazonas State. Left lateral view.
Diagnosis. Polycentrus jundia is distinguished from P.
schomburgkii by: diagonal upper postorbital band being
shorter than orbital diameter (Fig. 2A) vs. longer (Fig. 2B);
presence of the median postorbital horizontal band (vs.
absence); subocular band being shorter than orbital diameter
(Fig. 2A) (vs. length of subocular band equal to or greater
than orbital diameter (Fig. 2B)); snout blunt (vs. protruding);
mouth isognathous (vs. prognathous); serrations absent on
749
D. P. Coutinho & W. B. Wosiacki
lower edge of lacrimal or two tiny serrations at the posterior
end (vs. 8-14 conspicuous serrations distributed throughout
the lower edge); posterior edge of vertical arm of preopercle
fully serrated (vs. smooth edge); presence of ive pungent
opercular spines, the three dorsalmost largest (vs. one or
two short spines); subopercle widely serrated along most
of the edge (vs. no serrations); cleithrum with serrations on
posterior dorsal margin (vs. no serrations); interopercle with
widely serrated edge (vs. clusters of three to ive serrations
along the edge of varying position between individuals);
fourth pectoral-in ray reaching vertical through anal-in
origin (vs. reaching vertical from spine III or IV of anal in);
lower number of scales on dorsal-in base 19-20 (vs. 26-31);
lower number of scales on anal-in base 12-14 (vs. 16-20); the
lower number of predorsal scales 19-21 (vs. 28-30); absence
of the median opercular blotch (vs. presence).
Description. Meristic and morphometric data are shown
in Table 1. Body ellipsoid in lateral view, slightly elongate;
noticeably compressed and ellipsoid in cross section at
median of body length. Dorsal proile convex in long
curve with upward slope in predorsal region, continuing in
downward convex arc along dorsal-in base to posteriormost
ray. Ventral proile almost straight from lower lip to isthmus,
posteriorly arched, slightly convex, from that point to analin origin, becoming slightly more pronounced from analin base to last ray. Caudal peduncle compressed, short,
deep; straight in both dorsal and ventral proiles.
Table 1. Morphometric data of Polycentrus jundia. SD =
Standard deviation. N=Number of specimens.
Holotype
Standard Length (mm)
28.3
Range
10.5
28.3
Mean
SD
N
19.3
4.7
10
Percents of Standard Length
Preanal distance
62.2
56.2
68.1
62.0
3.2
10
Prepelvic distance
40.9
40.0
46.3
42.4
2.0
10
Prepectoral distance
41.7
39.2
45.2
41.3
2.1
10
Predorsal distance
43.5
41.6
50.3
44.0
3.3
10
Length of spinous dorsalin base
55.1
47.5
57.0
51.5
3.0
10
Length of dorsal in base
with branched rays
7.4
7.0
9.2
8.1
0.8
10
Length of spinous analin base
31.8
29.4
36.4
32.8
2.4
10
Length of anal-in base
with branched rays
6.7
5.6
8.3
6.6
0.9
10
Pectoral-in length
20.1
9.3
20.1
15.7
3.4
10
Pelvic-in length
24.7
21.0
35.4
29.3
4.3
10
Caudal-peduncle depth
13.8
13.2
16.8
15.0
1.1
10
Body depth at anal origin
42.4
38.0
42.4
40.4
1.3
10
Body depth at pelvic origin
41.7
39.1
44.4
41.4
1.8
10
Head length
38.9
37.1
44.2
39.2
2.6
10
Percents of Head Length
Fig. 2. Left lateral view of the head of (A) Polycentrus jundia,
holotype, MZUSP 54586, 28.3 mm SL, and (B) Polycentrus
schomburgkii MPEG 3294, 1, 40.7 mm SL; (1) upper
postorbital diagonal band; (2) postorbital median horizontal
band; (3) suborbital diagonal band. Scale bars = 2 mm.
Snout length
22.7
15.9
22.7
19.5
2.2
10
Horizontal orbit diameter
30.9
29.2
40.9
34.5
3.8
10
Head width
55.4
50.5
63.8
56.0
4.5
10
Least interorbital distance
25.4
21.3
28.1
24.1
2.2
10
Head depth
95.4
76.6
100.9
89.9
7.4
10
Head in dorsal view, broad and rounded; obtuse in
lateral proile. Males in reproductive state with discrete
adipose gibbosity in occipital region. Snout broad, short,
obtuse. Mouth wide, protractile, terminal, isognathous,
and directed obliquely dorsally; anterior extremity at half
of head depth, bordered by thin lips.
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New species of Polycentrus
Dentigerous plate with villiform teeth on premaxilla
from anterior margin up to one quarter of ascending
process; villiform teeth on dentary from inner edge of
mandibular symphysis to angulo articular. Ascending
process of premaxilla half length of neurocranium. Absence
of dentigerous plates on parasphenoid, ectopterygoid,
basihyal and third hypobranchial.
Posterior tip of maxillary reaching vertical through
posterior border of orbit or slightly anteriorly. Ventral
margin of lacrimal smooth, single specimen with two tiny
serrations posteriorly. Horizontal process of preopercle
serrated, edge of ascending process with tiny serrations,
straight up to pore p5, convex between p5 and p6-7.
Two conspicuous spiny processes on posterodorsal edge
of opercle, dorsal to two or three serrations. Interopercle
with smooth ventral edge on anterior third, serrated
posteriorly. Subopercle with serrations at median region
of length, anterior and posterior regions smooth. Three or
four tiny serrations on posttemporal. Cleithrum serrated
(10 or 11 tiny serrations) on posterior dorsal margin.
Sensory canal system with tiny pores: angulo-articular
aa1 and 2, dentary d2-4, extrascapular ex3 and 4, frontal
f2 and 3, lacrimal l1-3, nasal n1 and 2, preopercle p1-5,
posttemporal po2, and pterotic pt2 and 3. Coronal and
infraorbital pores absent. Series of neuromasts bordering
infraorbital region. Lateral line restricted to single scale
posterior/ventral to posttemporal.
Scale series: predorsal, 19(1), 20(7) and 21*(1); vertical,
12(3), 14*(3) or 15(1); horizontal, 20(1), 21(2), 23*(3) or
24(1); circumpeduncular, 15(1) or 16*(4). Cycloid scales
in predorsal and ventral regions and anterior margin
of preopercle. Ctenoid scales on cheek, subopercular,
interopercular and opercular regions. Ctenoid scales
moderately large on posterior region of body.
Scale sheath on dorsal in present, free from base of in,
evident from spine IV, half to one scale deep on terminal
portion of in base, ending ventral to base of soft rays. Scale
sheath on anal in present, free from in base, one scale
deep, evident throughout extension.
Dorsal-in rays XVI.8*(8), XVI.7(1) or XV.9(1), origin
at posterior margin of opercular process and on insertion
of dorsal opercular bone, spine I shortest, equivalent to
one third of spine IV, which longest. First and last soft rays
unbranched; remaining soft rays branching once on distal
quarter.
Pectoral-in rays ii,11(1), 12(8) or 14*(1), fourth branched
longest; in reaching vertical through anal-in origin, edge
rounded, rays branching once on distal quarter. Pelvicin rays I,5, spine nearly straight, distal tip of in reaching
urogenital opening, second ray longest, reaching beyond
urogenital opening, proportionately shorter in females,
reaching beyond anal-in spine IV in male specimens.
Anal-in rays XII.6*(6), XI.6(2) or XII.5(2) rays, origin
at vertical through insertion of dorsal-in seven; distal tip
of soft rays reaching half length of caudal in. Insertion of
soft rays of dorsal and anal ins at 45°. Distal tip of soft
portions of dorsal and anal ins slightly tapered. Caudal in
subtruncate or slightly convex when expanded, dorsal and
ventral rays slightly shorter than central rays; caudal-in
rays I,7+7,i; not covered with scales.
Vertebrae, 11(2) preanal + 12(2) caudal. Pleural ribs 7(2).
Branchiostegal rays 6(2).
Dentary teeth 82-100 in one side, all sharp, short,
those near symphyseal region larger, gradually decreasing
posteriorly; teeth of symphysis in four irregular series on
large part of tooth-plate, teeth close to coronoid process in
two or one series. Premaxillary teeth about 150 in one side,
in ive irregular series, all sharp, short; medialmost teeth
larger, gradually decreasing posteriorly.
Pharyngeal lower tooth-plate, paired, dorsoventrally
compressed with long posterior process and moderate
anterior process; around 60 short teeth similar in size,
slightly curved latero-posteriorly, posterior medial slightly
larger, irregularly distributed, not in rows (Fig 3).
Fig. 3. Lower pharyngeal tooth-plate of Polycentrus jundia,
in occlusal view, MZUSP 55113, paratype. Scale bar = 1
mm.
Sexual dimorphism. Presence of discrete adipose gibbosity
between the occipital and coronal region in males, absent
in females. Vent of gravid females yellowish in individuals
preserved in alcohol.
Color in alcohol. Ground color light brown with dark
brown, diffuse chromatophores forming longitudinal series
of dark spots, surrounded by pale spots. Scales usually
lighter at focus, with darker submarginal pigmentation.
Upper postorbital diagonal band black or dark brown,
located postero-dorsally, ascending from orbital margin
parallel to predorsal proile towards posttemporal, formed
by contiguous points variably coalescing, forming a short
band. Postorbital median horizontal band black or dark
brown, postero-medial, horizontal, originating at orbital
margin, formed by two adjacent blotches, gradually
becoming lighter onto preopercle, continuing posteriorly
as two points forming rounded spot on proximal medial
region of opercle. Suborbital diagonal band, inconspicuous,
751
D. P. Coutinho & W. B. Wosiacki
postero-ventral, inclined ventrally towards prepelvic
region, formed by scattered chromatophores onto ive
to seven scales. Preorbital band inconspicuous, brown,
located antero-dorsally, extending from lacrimal towards
dentary. A single blotch, not sharply deined, dorsally to
dorsal extremity of opercle; a little blotch, few sharp, close
to posterior extremity of opercle; a little blotch, few sharp,
at posterior border of cleithrum, close to pectoral-in base.
Region between preopercle and posterior margin of orbit
paler than background. Humeral blotch brown, circular or
irregular. Juveniles (below 20.0 mm SL) with four vertical,
inconspicuous bars originating beneath spines I-III, V-VII,
IX-XI, XIII-XV; bars absent in adults (larger than 20.1 mm
SL).
Base of dorsal-in spines dark brown, distal margin
whitish or hyaline, ive or six notorious brown spots onto
rays IV and XII, intervening membrane of branched rays
hyaline, rays outlined by row of dark chromatophores.
Intervening membranes of anal-in spiny portion dark
brown, distal margin with a narrow whitish or hyaline
border, intervening membranes of branched rays hyaline,
with distinct dark spot at base of rays 1-4, rays 1-7 outlined
by single row of dark chromatophores.
Pelvic in dark brown, distal margin with narrow,
whitish or hyaline border, pale rays opaque distally.
Intervening membranes of pectoral-in rays hyaline; rays
ii/12-14 outlined by single row of black chromatophores.
Caudal in mostly hyaline with tiny brown chromatophores
outlining all rays, black chromatophores, and sparse
scattered pigmentation onto intervening membranes.
Etymology. The epithet “jundia” comes from the Tupi
word “jundiá” meaning “head with spine”, and refers to the
large amount of serrations present on the head bones of the
new species. Treated here as a noun in apposition.
Distribution. Polycentrus jundia is known from loodplain
igarapés of the lower and upper rio Negro (Fig. 4).
Fig. 4. Map of north of South America. Black circles are
collection sites of Polycentrus jundia, new species; 1= type
locality. Black triangles are distribution of Polycentrus
schomburgkii. Some points may represent more than one
locality.
Discussion
The allocation of Polycentrus jundia in the present
genus is justiied by the color pattern shared with P.
schomburgkii formed by longitudinal series of dark spots,
surrounded by pale spots (vs. marbled pattern without
horizontal series of points in Monocirrhus); the number of
spines on anal in, 11-13 (vs. four in Afronandus, or 9-12 in
Polycentropsis – Nelson, 2006); a single perforated scale
on upper lateral line (vs. ive or six in Polycentropsis or
perforated scales absent in Afronandus – Berra, 2001);
preopercle serrations small and directed ventrally (vs.
conspicuously developed and directed antero-ventrally
in Afronandus – Liem, 1970: ig. 18); the number of analin pterygiophores (16 or 17 vs. nine in Afronandus, and
23 or 24 in Monocirrhus); the absence of mandibular
barbel (vs. barbel present in Monocirrhus), the absence of
scales on caudal in base (vs. ¾ of caudal in with scales
in Monocirrhus); the serrations present on border of
ventral interopercle (vs. absent in Monocirrhus); and the
lack of posterior lateral line (vs. occasionally present in
Monocirrhus).
The distribution pattern of Polycentrus jundia on the
lower and upper Rio Negro is disjunct from its congener
(P. schomburgkii), occurring in the mouth of the Río
Orinoco, on Trinidad and Tobago, in coastal rivers of the
Guiana shield, and in coastal rivers in near the mouth
of the Amazon (Brazil), including the Ilha de Marajó. A
similar pattern of distribution was observed by Vari (1988)
among Curimatidae (Characiformes) groups, and proposed
nine areas of endemism for South America. Thus, the
distribution of Polycentrus jundia is contained within the
center of endemism “Amazon” (sensu Vari, 1988), whereas
the distribution of P. schomburgkii is contained within the
area of endemism “Guianas” (sensu Vari, 1988), reaching
the mouth of the río Orinoco, in the area of endemism
“Orinoco”, north, to the opposite extremity, south, occurs
at the mouth of the rio Amazonas that shares the mouth of
the rio Tocantins. Some genera share disjunct distribution
of species involving both the rio Negro and Amazon basins.
The genus Osteoglossum Cuvier (Osteoglossiformes)
is composed of O. ferreirai Kanazawa, restricted to the
rio Negro (Kanazawa, 1966; Ferraris, 2003), and its
congener, O. bicirrhosum (Cuvier), which occurs in the
rio Amazonas, rio Oiapoque and coastal rivers of the
Guianas. The cichlid genus Apistogramma Regan, with
more than 60 valid species (Kullander & Ferreira , 2005),
has seven species (about 10%) restricted to the rio Negro
(Kullander, 2003). There are other patterns of distribution,
such as that of Corydoras La Cepède (Callichthyidae),
with over 12 species restricted to the rio Negro (Britto &
Lima, 2003). Considering the high number of ish species
restricted to the rio Negro, it is clear that this drainage is
a large area that requires further efforts on taxonomic and
biogeographic studies in order to understand the processes
that may have caused his high endemic biodiversity.
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New species of Polycentrus
The two most distinctive characteristics observed
in Polycentrus jundia are the presence of serrations
on the posterior edge of the subopercle and, also, on the
posterior edge of the dorsal process of the cleithrum (Fig.
2). The subopercle of Polycentrus jundia is drop-shaped
with a digitiform process anteriorly facing the edge of
the lower portion, very similar to that illustrated in Liem
(1970; ig. 19). However, part of the ventral and posterior
border of the bone is notoriously covered with serrations
in both juvenile and adult individuals. Considering that
Polycentrus schomburgkii, as well as the other species
of the Polycentridae (Monocirrhus polyacanthus Heckel,
Afronandus sheljuzhkoi Meinken and Polycentropsis
abbreviata Boulenger) lack a serrated subopercle, the
presence of this characteristic in Polycentrus jundia can be
hypothesized as an autapomorphy. It is worth mentioning
that the serrated edge of the ctenoid scales may possibly,
be confused with the smooth edge of the subopercle that
occurs in Polycentrus schomburgkii.
The general aspect of the cleithrum of Polycentrus jundia
is sigmoidal with the dorsal part expanded posteriorly,
as described and illustrated by Liem (1970: ig. 26 for
Polycentropsis abbreviata and ig. 38 for M. polyacanthus).
However, in Polycentrus jundia it is slightly less sinuous
and the dorsal part is slightly wider, with its posterior border
featuring serrations along most of its length, present in all
small and large specimens. All specimens of Polycentrus
schomburgkii, M. polyacanthus and Polycentropsis
abbreviata analyzed had a smooth posterior dorsal edge of
the cleithrum, conirming the condition illustrated by Liem
(1970). Specimens of A. sheljuzhkoi were not examined in
this study and Liem (1970) did not illustrate the cleithrum
of that species. However, it is possible that the presence
of serrations on the cleithrum of Polycentrus jundia is an
autapomorphy.
On the preopercle of the analyzed specimens of
Polycentrus schomburgkii, the ventral margin of the
horizontal arm predominates with discontinuous serrations,
separated by spaces occupied by the pores of the sensory
canal of the preoperculo-mandibular laterosensory
branch, located more frequently on the ventral margin
and, occasionally, anterior to the margin, not interrupting
the marginal serrations. The posterior edge of the vertical
arm of the preopercle in Polycentrus schomburgkii is
smooth and serrations are absent in all specimens analyzed,
similar to that described and illustrated by Liem (1970,
ig. 19). Polycentrus jundia shares with P. schomburgkii
the serrations on the ventral edge of the horizontal arm,
although it is notoriously distinguished from this species by
presenting minute serrations along the entire posterior edge
of the vertical arm. The presence of such serrations on the
posterior border of the preopercle is shared with Afronandus
sheljuzhkoi (Liem, 1970, ig. 18) among the Polycentridae.
A striking feature of Polycentrus schomburgkii shared
with Polycentropsis abbreviata is the presence of serrations
on the lacrimal, as already mentioned in the original
description of Müller & Troschel (1849a). Invariably,
all small to large specimens have 8-15 serrations on the
lower edge of the lacrimal, directed ventrally, occasionally
interrupted by pores of the infraorbital branch of the sensory
canal. In Polycentrus jundia these are most frequently
absent, although two tiny serrations close to the posterior
end of the lacrimal were observed in a single specimen.
The interopercle of Polycentrus schomburgkii,
illustrated by Liem (1970, ig. 19), shows the ventral edge
with discontinuous serrations. Although slightly different,
serrations on the interopercle of the specimens analyzed of
that species were observed to be variably distributed, being
restricted to the anterior portion of the horizontal ventral
edge, discontinuous, or completely absent. In Polycentrus
jundia, the serrations extend along the entire horizontal
ventral edge.
The postorbital median horizontal band of Polycentrus
jundia, also present in Monocirrhus, is not shared with
Polycentrus schomburgkii, nor with the individuals of
Polycentropsis analyzed.
As noted above, the shared characters identiied
and analyzed in this work are satisfactorily congruent
to allocate Polycentrus jundia in this genus. However,
the characters are incongruent for understanding the
relationships between the genera of Polycentridae. Relations
within Polycentridae were analyzed by Britz (1997), which
estimated that the neotropical polycentrids (Polycentrus
and Monocirrhus) comprise a monophyletic group, sister
of Polycentropsis (West African) based on the analyzes
of the egg surface structure and larval cement glands, not
involving morphological analysis. Therefore, to understand
the relationships of the genera of Polycentridae is required
a more comprehensive and detailed analysis, beyond the
scope of this proposal.
Comparative Material. Monocirrhus polyacanthus. Brazil.
Amapá. MCP 42808, 1, 49.2 mm SL, Mazagão, córrego Itaubal.
MPEG 9057, 8, 48.3-56.4 mm SL, Chaves, igarapé Miri. Amazonas.
MPEG 4053, 1, 71.8 mm SL, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, rio Tiquié,
cachoeira, 1 km from the aldeia São João. MPEG 16053, 1, 49.8
mm SL, Maués, rio Paraconi, rio Madeira. MZUSP 7377, 2, 23.7
and 29.2 mm SL, Maués, igarapé Limãozinho, rio Madeira. Pará.
MPEG 8310, 1, 58.9 mm SL, Bragança, rio Chumucuí. MPEG
11922, 4, 56.7-76.3 mm SL, Benevides, igarapé Taiassuí. MPEG
11924, 7, 45.3-77.2 mm SL, Benevides, igarapé Itá. MZUSP 8427,
3, 35.9-54.6 mm SL, Alter do Chão, igarapé Jacundá, rio Tapajós.
MZUSP 63742, 6, 28.1-40.5 mm SL, igarapé Candiru-Mirim.
MZUSP 63749, 9, 29.0-43.1 mm SL, Aveiro, igarapé Açú, rio
Tapajós. Rondônia. MCP 39105, 1, 67.3 mm SL, Guajará-mirim,
igarapé Bananaeiras, rio Madeira. Peru. Loreto. MCP 37383, 1,
60.0 mm SL, Jenaro Herrera, Quebrada Salomé. MUSM 4475, 5,
40.0-43.72 mm SL, Maynas, Iquitos río Ucayali. Polycentropsis
abbreviate. Beni. Plateau, Lagbe, rio Iguid. MZUSP 84549, 1,
62.3 mm SL, bridge over the river Iguid, road RNIE1. MZUSP
84794, 6, 12.3-41.8 mm SL, rio Iguid, near the old train station
Gbokoutou. MZUSP 84577, 6, 24.8-34.0 mm SL, Zou, swamp in
D. P. Coutinho & W. B. Wosiacki
the village Locoli. Polycentrus schomburgkii. Brazil. Amapá.
IEPA 1893, 29, 13.3-29.4 mm, lago Pracuúba. IEPA 2666, 54,
25.5-34.3 mm SL, Tartarugalzinho, rio Flechal. MPEG 3294, 1,
40.7 mm SL, rio Amapá, município de Amapá, looded savannas.
Pará. MPEG 7578, 1, 33.0 mm, Ponta de Pedras, igarapé São
Domingos, rio Quiã-Paranã. MPEG 9912, 1, 29.1 mm, Barcarena,
Vila dos cabanos, igarapé Caripi-açu. MPEG 10403, 7, 28.932.6 mm SL, 1 C&S, 32.6 mm SL, Melgaço, igarapé Santa
Rosa. MPEG 11258, 1, 16.5 mm, Melgaço, lago Cacuri-Estação
Cientíica Ferreira Penna. MPEG 29925, 33, 5 c&s, 14.8-32.2
mm, Barcarena, ilha Trambioca, stream at road to the beach at
Cirituba. Suriname. Para. MZUSP 65447, 3, 22.5-40.4 mm SL,
Coropina creek, tributary of the rio Suriname, bathing resort
Republiek. Paramaribo. MZUSP 65421, 1, 34.2 mm SL, channel,
Leonsberg. MZUSP 76390, 2, 34.8 and 42.0 mm SL, road Henri
Fernandes, near the sea. Venezuela. Monagas. MBUCV-V
13275, 4, 17.6-31.1mm SL, laguna El Guatero, Barrancas. Sucre.
MBUCV-V 12271, 2, 26.2 and 34.2 mm SL, Acequia de Leandro,
S of Guaraunos. MBUCV-V 22454, 4, 18.9-37.2 mm SL, Caribe
Basin, Turuepano, Ajies, small channel from canal Ajies, about
3 km S of Village Ajies. MBUCV-V 35626, 4, 16.9-42.8 mm SL,
rio Orinoco drainage, Guiria, Quebrada tributary of La Laguna
Salineta.
Acknowledgments
We thank CAPES for the scholarship and funding
through the National Program of Academic Cooperation
- PROCAD-NF. 23038.042984/2008-30. We are grateful
to André Netto-Ferreira for comments and suggestions
on the manuscript. We also thank the following curators
and technicians of the collections for allowing access and
loaning material: Margarete Lucena e Carlos Lucena (MCP),
Lúcia Py-Daniel (INPA), José Lima e Osvaldo Oyakawa
(MZUSP), Cecile Gama (IEPA), Hernán Ortega and
Jessica Espino (MUSM-Lima), Homero Sanchez (IAAPIquitos), Francisco Provenzano (MBUCV). We thank Sven
Kullander (NRM) for providing images of the lectotype of
P. schomburgkii. WBW thanks the Conselho Nacional de
Desenvolvimento Cientíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the
continuous support (process # 304754/2011-0).
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Submitted August 23, 2013
Accepted September 17, 2014 by Paulo Lucinda
Published December 27, 2014
754
New species of Polycentrus