Crenicichla punctata Hensel, 1870

Kullander, Sven O. & Santos de Lucena, Carlos A., 2006, A review of the species of Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Atlantic coastal rivers of southeastern Brazil from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul States, with descriptions of three new species, Neotropical Ichthyology 4 (2), pp. 127-146 : 142-144

Crenicichla punctata Hensel

Fig. 10

Crenicichla punctata Hensel, 1870: 57 (Type-locality: aus dem Guahyba bei PortoAlegre ... Bächen des Urwaldes … Waldbächen von der deutschen Colonie Sta. Cruz in Rio Grande do Sul).

Crenicichla polysticta Hensel, 1870: 58 (Type-locality: Rio Cadea des Urwaldes von Rio Grande do Sul).

Material examined. 67 specimens, 29.7–290.0 mm. Rio Grande do Sul: ZMB 7459 (1, 149.0 mm), rio Guaíba, mun. Porto Alegre, no date, R. Hensel, lectotype of Crenicichla punctata ; ZMB 32679 (1, 90.4 mm), rio Guaíba, mun. Porto Alegre, no date, R. Hensel, paralectotype of Crenicichla punctata ; ZMB 25151 (4, ca. 26.0– 28.5 mm), colonia Sta. Cruz, no date, R. Hensel, paralectotypes of Crenicichla punctata ; ZMB 7460 (2, not measured), colonia Sta. Cruz, no date, R. Hensel, paralectotypes of Crenicichla punctata ; ZMB 25127 (3, 75.1–132.9 mm), colonia Sta. Cruz, no date, R. Hensel, paralectotypes of Crenicichla punctata ; MCP 9689 (1, 111.1 mm), Ponta Grossa, lago Guaíba, mun. Porto Alegre; MCP 9947 (1, 96.8 mm), Ponta Grossa, lago Guaíba, mun. Porto Alegre; MCP 10921 (1, 113.3 mm), rio Ibicuí, near the mouth, mun. Itaqui; MCP 11120 (1, 130.3 mm), lago Guaíba at ilha do Junco, mun. Porto Alegre; MCP 13140 (2, 245.0–290.0 mm), lago Guaíba, near ilha do Junco, mun. Viamão; MCP 13510 (1, 199.6 mm), rio dos Sinos, mun. Santo Antônio da Patrulha; MCP 15034 (2, 78.5–115.8 mm), arroio Gaguas, mun. Feliz; MCP 15067 (3, 40.8–45.8 mm), arroio afluente do rio dos Sinos, mun. Sapiranga; MCP 15997 (2, 63.8– 70.8mm), lago Guaíba, praia de Itapuã, mun. Viamão; MCP 16625 (1, 66.8 mm), arroio Santa Bárbara, 12 km a oeste da Vila do Segredo, mun. Caçapava do Sul; MCP 16450 (5, 121.2– 176.9 mm), lago Guaíba at bridge of the Figueira, mun. Guaíba; MCP 14384 (1, 189.7 mm), lagoa Guaíba at Parque da Harmonia, mun. Porto Alegre; MCP 6871 (2, 83.7–92.0 mm), lago Guaíba, Ponta Grossa, mun. Porto Alegre; MCP 7914 (1, 76.4 mm), açude dos Garcia ( BR 116, km 56), mun. Barra do Ribeiro; MCP 9291 (1, 93.0 mm), arroio Paraíso, Rincão da Porta, mun. Cahoeira do Sul; MCP 9799 (2, 57.4–96.5 mm), arroio Sampaio, Cruzeiro do Sul; MCP 10540 (3, 212.0–223.0 mm), lago Guaíba at ponta do Jacaré, mun. Barra do Ribeiro; MCP 10601 (2, 95.0–100.0 mm), lago Guaíba, ilha do Junco, mun. Viamão, about 30° 20’40"S 51°2’29"W; MCP 11121 (6, 100.0– 156.8 mm), lago Guaíba; MCP 11224 (1, 133.0 mm), bridge over rio Caí, road São Sebastião do Caí/Bom Princípio; MCP 1244 (7, 101.0– 218.6mm), mouth of rio Telho into rio Jaguarão, mun. Jaguarão; MCP 11312 (3, one measured, 171.8 mm), lagoa Mirim; MCP 11362 (1, 35.4 mm), rio Caí at bridge on road Caxias- Porto Alegre; MCP 11363 (3, 29.7–34.0 mm), road to Pareci Novo, São Sebastião do Caí; MCP 13187 (2, 79.0–100.0 mm, cleared and stained), lago Guaíba, between Guaíba and Barra do Ribeiro; MCP 21264 (1, 125.0 mm), arroio da Gringa, rio Jacuí drainage.

Diagnosis. An elongate, large sized species of the C. lacustris group. Similar to C. maculata and different from C. tingui , C. iguapina , and C. lacustris in having a row of about five dark blotches along middle of side, slightly separated from upper lateral line, followed by two often contiguous blotches, or forming a band, continuing blotch row on caudal peduncle. A pattern of irregularly distributed dark spots on flanks present in both sexes, but may be absent in breeding females. Different from C. maculata in presence of small dark spots on side of head, vs. absent. From remaining species in the C. lacustris group, C. punctata differs by absence of narrow vertical bars vs. present except in C. iguassuensis , and by presence of small dark spots on side of head of males vs. absence.

Description. Based primarily on specimens over 100 mm. Largest male 290.0 mm, largest female 225.0 mm.Measurements given in Table 3 , counts in Tables 4-8 . See Fig. 10 for general aspect.

Comparatively deep bodied, depth 19.0-26.3% SL. Head about as deep as wide or slightly deeper than wide. Caudal peduncle longer than deep. Snout moderately long, rounded when viewed from above, pointed in lateral view. Lower jaw prognathous. Ascending premaxillary process reaching to 1/3 of orbit. Maxilla reaching to vertical from anterior margin of orbit or, in large specimens, not quite so far. Upper lip moderately thick, folds not continuous but cutting into symphyseal narrow thickening. Postlabial skin fold margin rounded. Orbit supralateral, not visible from below, chiefly in anterior half of head. Nostrils dorsolateral, about halfway between orbit and margin of postlabial skin fold and with low tubular margin but no anterior marginal skin flap. Preopercle regularly serrated.

Flank scales strongly ctenoid. All scales on head, anteriorly on back, along dorsal fin base, on chest, and belly below line from lower edge of pectoral axilla to anal fin origin and along anal fin base cycloid. Predorsal scales small, superficially embedded in skin, extending forward to transverse frontal lateralis canal. Prepelvic scales very small, superficially em- 54155 (117.0 mm), some scales missing; holotype of C. dorsocellata ; 3 includes lectotype of C. mucuryna MZUSP 2526 (113.3 mm). bedded in skin. Cheek fully scaled or narrowly naked ventrally and anteroventrally; 6-9 scales rows below eye, embedded in skin. Interopercle naked. Circumpeduncular scale rows 12-13 dorsally, 11-14 ventrally (total 24-27, including lateral lines).

Scales between upper lateral line and dorsal fin 7-11 anteriorly, 4-5 posteriorly; scale rows between lateral lines 3. Anterior upper lateral line scales slightly larger and more elongate than adjacent scales, remaining lateral line scales nearly same size as adjacent scales; three scales impinging on each scale of anterior part, two on each scale of posterior part of upper lateral line; 2 scales impinging on each scale of lower lateral line. Dorsal, anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins without scales. Caudal fin squamation concave, marginally extending to middle of fin.

First dorsal spine about 1/3-1/4 length of last; spines increasing in length to last but subequal from about 10 th. Soft part of dorsal fin pointed, reaching to about base of caudal fin or slightly beyond. Soft anal fin with subacuminate tip, not reaching to caudal fin base. Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fin rounded, reaching halfway to anal fin origin. Pelvic fin inserted well posterior to vertical from pectoral axilla, with acuminate tip, second ray longest, reaching halfway to anal fin origin; anterior rays and margin slightly thickened.

All teeth pointed, slightly recurved. Outer row teeth distinctly larger than inner teeth and larger anteriorly than posteriorly. Upper jaw anteriorly with 4-5 inner rows; all teeth inclinable or depressible. Lower jaw anteriorly with 3 inner rows; all teeth inclinable or depressible.

Microbranchiospines present externally on 2 nd to 4 th arches.

Coloration in alcohol. Snout and dorsal surface of head anterior to predorsal squamation gray. Lower jaw, cheeks, and un-

derside of head yellowish or whitish. Dark brown preorbital strip from eye to tip of lower jaw. Dark brown postorbital stripe form eye to opercular tip, usually restricted to dark blotch between eye and preopercle. In few specimens pale blotch on posttemporal and also pale triangular spots on extrascapular series. Black suborbital stripe narrow, extending to middle or 4/ 5 distance to preopercle, proximally entire, distally or for most of length with pigmentation on scale centers deeper.

Both sexes with sides, dorsum, dorsal and anal fins covered with numerous irregularly distributed dark spots, all smaller than pupil. Spot pattern extends onto nape and sides of head, including gill cover and posterior half of cheek. Spots sometimes absent from head and most of body sides in females, probably as part of breeding color pattern.

Five wide dark vertical bars extending down from dorsal fin base, all except first and occasionally fifth divided into two bars. Bars ending in row of dark brown, usually slightly vertically extended or square blotches running between upper lateral line scales and E1 row, with two often contiguous blotches continuing row on caudal peduncle. Blotches vary in number, depending on whether divided like vertical bars or bridging two vertical bars

Dorsal fin in breeding females smoky with wide darker margin, sometimes with distinct light submarginal stripe. Some females with large black, slightly horizontally extended spot between dorsal spines 13 th- 18 th or 12 th- 17 th, in one female very large dark spot between spines 14 and 20 and continuing on the soft rays; spot narrowly margined by hyaline zone. Soft portion of dorsal fin sometimes with few dark dots. In males, non-breeding females, and young, dorsal fin grayish with 3 (anteriorly) to 5 (posteriorly) irregular rows of dark spots.

Anal fin grayish; in large males with numerous dark spots on posterior membranes; in young specimens and females only few dark spots distally. Pelvic fins whitish. Breeding females with immaculate caudal fin or only few dark dots. In males caudal fin vividly patterned with dark dots except posterodistally. Caudal spot black, rounded, situated between rays D1 and D4, and margined by light ring. Lateral line scales light with dark dot distally.

Small specimens up to 34.0 mm with dark band along middle of side, continuing postorbital stripe to caudal fin base. From this band 6-10 dark vertical bars extending dorsally to dorsal fin base or dorsal margin of caudal peduncle. Nuchal markings conspicuous, including two dark spots anterior to extrascapular series. Posttemporal spot black and conspicuous. Lateral spotting hardly evident and concentrated to lateral band area; spots absent from head. In specimens 47.0 mm, few dark spots appear on opercle; specimens over 60 mm with well evident spots on head.

Stomach contents. Stomachs examined contained mollusc shells (bivalves) (MCP 11121, 149.6 mm) and aquatic insect larvae (MCP 13510, 199.6 mm).

Geographical distribution. Laguna dos Patos system, including the lagoa Mirim basin ( Fig. 6 ).

Notes. Crenicichla punctata was redescribed by Lucena & Azevedo (1989), who included C. polysticta in the synonymy. Although they did not comment further on this act, in so doing they acted as first revisers (ICZN, Art. 24), giving the name C. punctata priority over C. polysticta .

Neither Lucena &Azevedo (1989) or we have examined the type series of C. polysticta . Hensel goes into such detail that we see no reason to doubt its identity with C. punctata . One of the syntypes, ZMB 7461, was figured by Ploeg (1991: fig. 160) and fully agrees with C. punctata . Although Ploeg (1991: 12) states that the specimen (ZMB 7461) figured by him as C. polysticta is the ‘single known specimen’ and labels it holotype, it is clear from Hensel’s description that it is based on the large specimen, 225 mm, and one smaller specimen of 120 mm. The other syntypes cannot be located in the ZMB collection (H.-J. Paepke, in litt., 13 Sep 1996). Ploeg (1991) included C. punctata in C. lacustris and figured the syntype, ZMB 7459 ( Ploeg 1991: fig. 154), designated as lectotype of C. punctata by Lucena &Azevedo (1989: 90). Crenicichla punctata is most similar to C. maculata and compared with that species above.

Figures

Fig. 6. Collecting localities of Crenicichla iguapina, C. tingui, C. maculata, and C. punctata in the coastal rivers of southeastern Brazil. Most important rivers are: 1. Rio Jacui (part of the laguna dos Patos System); 2. Rio Itajaí-Açu; and 3. Rio Ribeira de Iguape. A symbol may cover more than one collecting site.