Apistogramma salpinction, Kullander & Ferreira, 2005

Kullander, Sven O & Ferreira, Efrem J. G., 2005, Two new species of Apistogramma Regan (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the rio Trombetas, Pará State, Brazil, Neotropical Ichthyology 3 (3), pp. 361-371 : 367-370

Apistogramma salpinction , new species Figs. 4-8

Description. Based on holotype with comments on variation in paratypes. See Table 2 for summary of morphometric data, and Figs. 5-6 for general aspect.

Holotype. INPA 24507 . Adult male, 35.5 mm SL. Brazil, Estado do Pará, rio Trombetas drainage, swamp at Km 70 on margin of BR-163. 15 Oct 1985. E. Ferreira.

Paratypes. INPA 12649 (3) and NRM 37027(3), 3 males, 23.3- 29.8 mm SL, 3 females, 23.0-26.0 mm SL, collected with the holotype.

Diagnosis. A deep bodied (body depth 32.2-38.2% of SL) species reaching at least 35 mm SL. Most similar to species of the A. cacatuoides species group in having five dentary and two postlachrymal infraorbital lateralis canal pores, and produced anterior dorsal fin membranes and marginal caudal fin rays in males. Distinguished from all other species of Apistogramma by the color pattern, which includes a lateral band and abdominal stripes which are darker and have much lighter interspaces on the caudal peduncle, and which are extended onto the caudal fin base by a caudal spot divided into elongated blotches continuing the lateral band and upper two abdominal stripes, respectively.

Moderately deep (body depth 32.2-38.2 % SL). Predorsal and prepelvic contours about equally steep. Snout short, rounded. Maxilla extending to vertical from slightly posterior to anterior margin of orbit. Eye supralateral, its dorsal margin slightly distant from the predorsal contour. Preopercle serrated in 23.0 mm specimen; otherwise preopercle, supracleithrum and posttemporal smooth margined.

E1 row scales 22 (6), 23 (1). Cheek completely scaled, or naked only in anteroventral corner, with 3(7) horizontal scale rows. Predorsal scales 9-10. Prepelvic area scaled, with three scales anterior to tips of cleithra; prepelvic scales 9-10. Scales in transverse row, 9½, of which 7½ below upper lateral line. Circumpeduncular scale rows 16. Lateral line scales 14/5 (1), 14/7 (2) 15/6 (1), 15/7 (2), 16/6 (1), of which 12-15/3-5 tubed. Scales between upper lateral line and dorsal fin 2-2½ anteriorly, ½ posteriorly. Fins naked except caudal fin, which is scaled on basal ¼.

Lateral line canal system on the head ( Fig. 7 ) only examined in alcohol preserved specimens but obviously a full set of canals and foramina present, although with 2 instead of 3 postlachrymal infraorbital pores. Dentary with 5 pores; anguloarticular canal present, with anterior and posterior openings and corresponding skin pore, posterior pore separate from anteriormost preopercular; 6 preopercular pores; coronalis pore present; nasal with pores at each end, posterior obviously shared with frontal canal; frontal with 4 pores; lachrymal bone with 4 pores, posterior sharing anterior opening with first infraorbital; second infraorbital with anterior pore shared with first, and posterior pore close to caudal end of bone.

Dorsal fin in holotype with anterior lappets all relatively long, those of 4th to 6th spines appearing longest, corresponding in length to half or less than half length of corresponding spine; from 7th immediately relatively much shorter but extending well beyond tips of their spines. In 29.8 mm male lappets of 4th through 8th spines prolonged, but less than half length of corresponding spines, posterior lappets gradually relatively shorter. In smaller males, 23.3 and 23.7 mm no obvious lengthening of dorsal fin lappets; in females lappets short, rounded or truncate. Soft dorsal fin in two larger males pointed, with second ray extending to middle of caudal fin; in females pointed, but extending only slightly beyond caudal fin base; D. XIV.7 (1), XV.7 (5), XVI.6 (1). Soft anal fin pointed, in males with 3rd ray prolonged extending to beyond middle of caudal fin, in females reaching only to slightly beyond caudal fin base; A. III.4 (1), III.6 (5), III.7 (1). Caudal fin damaged in all specimens, chiefly from desiccation of distal portion. In holotype two middle caudal fin rays obviously shortest, length increasing to rays D4-5 dorsally and rays D4-5 ventrally, those rays much prolonged, forming long points nearly half length of rest of caudal fin. In smaller male 29.8 mm lower and middle rays damaged by a bite, in males 23.3 and 23.7 mm rays D4-5 apparently slightly longer than rest, but lower lobe damaged. In female 25.1 mm middle appearing truncate, and rays D4-5 and V4 are slightly prolonged; in female 26.0 mm ray V5 may be longer than remaining, and in female 23.0 mm caudal fin appearing truncate without prolonged rays. Caudal fin with 3 procurrent and 8 principal rays in each lobe. Pelvic fin pointed, first ray produced in males, extending to at most (in holotype) third anal spine; in females pointed, extending to vent. Pectoral fin rounded, extending almost to vertical from vent; P. 11 (3), 12 (4).

Jaw teeth caniniform, erect, strongly linguad curved; 21- 28/ 22-25 in upper/lower jaw outer hemiseries. Outer row teeth slightly larger or subequal in size to inner row teeth. Outer row extending along entire jaw margin; inner row in upper jaw extending as far as outer row in holotype, but only to middle of jaw in paratypes, a few teeth anteriorly forming short middle row in two specimens; two inner rows in lower jaw, one symphysially, one extending to middle of jaw.

Gill rakers externally on first gill arch, one in angle and 1 (5), 2 (1), 3 (1) ceratobranchial gill rakers; gill rakers on lower pharyngeal tooth-plate 10 (2), 11 (2), 12 (1), 13 (1), 14 (1). Lower pharyngeal tooth-plate ( Fig. 8 ) slightly wider than long (length 77% of width), deeply emarginate posteriorly; 16+14 teeth in posterior row, 4 teeth in median row. Medioposterior teeth largest, teeth gradually decreasing in length rostrad and laterad; medioposterior teeth and teeth in two posterior transverse rows bicuspid, lateral and rostral teeth slender and unicuspid.

Vertebrae 12+12=24 (6), 12+13=25 (1). Hypurals 1-5 separate in 6 specimens; hypurals 3+4 fused in one specimen.

Color pattern in alcohol. All specimens are slightly discolored, but pattern of dark markings appearing only marginally affected. Ground color yellowish-whitish; top of head and dorsum brownish, sides lighter. No vertical bars. Sides with lateral band and abdominal stripes, which are indistinct anteriorly on side, more intensely pigmented posteriorly, particularly on caudal peduncle, where light interspaces are also more contrasted. Wide brownish lateral band from gill cleft to end of caudal peduncle, more intensely pigmented posteriorly, but then with lighter scale centers; running in E1 row and extending onto adjacent ¼ of row 0 and E2 scales; a light zone bordering band dorsally on caudal peduncle. Along middle of row 0 scales a light to white stripe present, which fades anteriorly on side. Along middle of E2 scales a white stripe present on caudal peduncle only. Overlapping ¼ of row 0 and H1 row scales, and of H1 and H2 row scales, indistinctly on overlapping ¼ of H2 and H3 row scales, are brown abdominal stripes, of which upper two joined by dark margins of H1 row scales on caudal peduncle.

Lateral spot as a trace or only slightly darker than lateral band, rounded, covering E1 scales 5-7 or 6-7 and parts of scales above.

Indistinct dark brown pigment patch representing supraorbital stripe close to orbital margin. Preorbital stripe brownish. Postorbital stripe brown, from orbit to lateral band. Dark brown suborbital stripe, of about same width as pupil diameter, extending caudoventrad, distally slightly ventrad curved, from between anterior pores of second infraorbital bone across lower portion of vertical limb of preopercle and onto opercle, preopercle and subopercle in the region where those bones meet. Dark brown spot at mandibular tip, immediately posterior to lower lip fold. Snout grayish. Dark brown spot dorsally at base of pectoral fin.

Dorsal fin anterior two or three membranes dark brown to blackish, rest of fin smoky with slightly darker lappets and a dark brown spot at base of each spine and ray, particularly intense and forming a nearly continuous blotch over bases of anterior soft rays, rest of fin immaculate. Anal fin with wide brown lower margin, otherwise brownish, inwardly hyaline, immaculate. Caudal spot in smaller specimens midbasal, dark brown, rounded; in larger specimens with whitish middle portion and intensified to form extensions of lateral band and upper two abdominal stripes; rest of fin dusky, with indicated vertical bars only in two small specimens; in two largest males and in females, a hyaline submarginal stripe dorsally, covering approximately rays D5-6 and interradial membrane. Pelvic fin in males with sparse black pigmentation on inner part of lateral aspect, rest of fin hyaline.

Females different from males in having anterior half of lateral side of pelvic fin black; quite some pigmentation on chest but no blotch, and an intense black midventral stripe extending back to anal fin.

Geographical distribution Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 4 ), a very large swamp at Km 70 on the margin of BR- 163.

Ecology and habitat. The type locality is a large swamp, with mud bottom. At the time of sampling it was very shallow, in some places not more than 5 cm deep. The swamp probably has a connection to the igarapé Caxipacoré during the high water season, and during the dry season it dries out.

Etymology. Salpinctes (σαλπιγτηϕ), Greek noun meaning trumpeter, with the diminutive suffix - ion; in allusion to the type locality drainage, the Trombetas (Portuguese for trumpets), and the small body size. To be treated as a noun in apposition.

Relationships. Apistogramma salpinction is similar to species of the A. cacatuoides species group ( A. cacatuoides Hoedeman , A. juruensis Kullander , and A. luelingi Kullander ), also showing pronounced sexual dimorphism, including produced dorsal fin lappets and long caudal fin streamers in males, and two postlachrymal infraorbital pores. The slightly ventrad curved distal portion of the suborbital stripe and the relatively inconspicuous midlateral spot are also shared.

Apistogramma salpinction is similar to A. cacatuoides , A. juruensis and A. luelingi in possessing well developed abdominal stripes, but unlike in those species, there is no obvious sexual dimorphism in the appearance of the stripes, considered a synapomorphy of the A. cacatuoides species group by Kullander (1986) and Kullander & Staeck (1988), and also instead of being most intense on the sides of the abdomen, the stripes of A. salpinction become most intense on the caudal peduncle.

Other species of the A. cacatuoides species group possess spotted soft unpaired fins, whereas those fins are immaculate in A. salpinction . Males of A. luelingi and A. cacatuoides usually present hyaline spots situated dorsally in the caudal fin and across rays, but in A. salpinction there is a submarginal hyaline stripe parallel to rays and present in both sexes.

Apistogramma arua , from the rio Arapiuns, may also belong to the A. cacatuoides group. Males possess prolonged anterior dorsal fin lappets and dorsal and ventral streamers in the caudal fin and relatively large mouths, similar to A. cacatuoides , A. luelingi , and A. juruensis . The color pattern of the sides of the abdomen is different from that of both A. salpinction and other species of the A. cacatuoides group, including a blackish or brown area anteriorly on the side behind the pectoral fin base and partially confluent vertical bars of the same color extending down from the lateral band, leaving contrasting whitish spaces as light blotches along the lateral band, and there is no sexual dimorphism in the abdominal color pattern.

A truncate to slightly emarginate caudal fin shape in females has been noted for A. luelingi , A. cacatuoides , A. bitaeniata ( Kullander, 1986: 171, 181 193) and A. martini Römer et al. ( Koslowski, 2002: 243, A. sp. “Leierschwanz”), but except in the last-mentioned species the marginal streamers are much shorter than in males. The development of caudal fin streamers and elongated lappets may to some extent be size related in Apistogramma , as those characters are best developed in large males well past the maximum size of females.

Figures

Fig. 4. Collecting sites of Apistogramma angayuara and A. salpinction plotted on a map of the lower rio Trombetas drainage.

Fig. 5. Apistogramma salpinction, holotype, INPA 24507, adult male, 35.5 mm SL. Brazil, rio Trombetas drainage, swamp at Km 70 on margin of BR-163.

Fig. 6. Apistogramma salpinction, paratype, NRM 37027, female, 25.1 mm SL. Brazil, rio Trombetas drainage, swamp at Km 70 on margin of BR-163.

Fig. 7. Apistogramma salpinction, paratype, NRM 37027, 25.1 mm SL, pattern of lateralis openings on head.Arrows point to coronalis pore and anterior dentary pores hidden from view.

Fig. 8. Apistogramma salpinction, paratype, NRM 37027, 23.3 mm SL, lower pharyngeal toothplate in occlusal aspect.