Ophidion holbrookii Putnam, 1874

Rotundo, Matheus Marcos, Caires, Rodrigo Antunes, Oliveira, Claudio, Kuranaka, Mariana, Figueiredo-Filho, Jessé Miranda De & Marceniuk, Alexandre Pires, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Ophidion holbrookii Putnam, 1874 (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) species complex, with description of a new species from Brazil, Zootaxa 5318 (2), pp. 237-252 : 240-244

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.4

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F09F585-B93C-4674-B2EB-FA3995DF13B3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8169567

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/392187F4-FFA6-FF94-D68B-01ABFDBFFA01

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Ophidion holbrookii Putnam, 1874
status

 

Ophidion holbrookii Putnam, 1874 View in CoL View at ENA

Figs. 1–4 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 and Table 3 View TABLE 3

Ophidium holbrookii Putnam, 1874: 340 View in CoL (original description; United States, Florida, Key West ; holotype unknown).

Ophidion holbrookii View in CoL . — Jordan & Gilbert, 1883: 793 (fish synopsis; listed).— Rose 1961: 280–308 (anatomy of swim bladder and vertebrae; sexual dimorphism).— Cohen & Nielsen 1978: 16 (NOAA Technical Reports: listed).— Robins & Ray, 1986: 99 (Atlantic coast fishes; plate 16; short description).—Valdez & Aguillera, 1987: 62 (Fishes of Venezuela; short description and illustration; perla).–Gomez-Soto & Contreras—Balderas, 1988: 12 (fauna del laguna Madre de Tamaulipas, Mexico, first record; listed).– Smith, 1997: 361 (short description; distribution).— McEachran & Fechhelm, 1998: 748 (Fishes of Gulf of Mexico; description; drawing).— Castro-Aguirre et al. (1999): 164 (fishes of Mexico; listed).— Nielsen et al., 1999: 41 (FAO Fisheries Synopses; short description; illustration; senior synonymy of O. beani View in CoL Jordan & Gilbert, 1883).— Leopold, 2004: 87 (Fishes of Guyana; brotule de banc; short description).— Nielsen & Robins, 2002: 972 (FAO Species Identification Guide, Living Marine Species of Western Central Atlantic; diagnosis; short description; drawing; senior synonymy of O. beani View in CoL Jordan & Gilbert, 1883).— Lea & Robins, 2003: 7 (description of four new western Atlantic Ophidion View in CoL species; comparison).—Garrido-Linares, & Acero. 2006: 297 ( Ophidiiformes View in CoL of Colombian Caribbean; listed).— Caires et al. in Marceniuk et al., 2021: 198 (Fishes of Northern Brazilian coast; description; photograph).

Ophidium graellsi View in CoL (not of Poey, 1861).— Jordan & Gilbert, 1882: 301 (fishes from Pensacola).— Jordan & Gilbert 1883: 953 (fish synopsis; listed).

Ophidium beani View in CoL Jordan & Gilbert, 1883: 143 (original description; type locality, United States, Florida, off Pensacola; Syntypes: USNM 30868).— Jordan, 1885: 126 (Catalog of fishes on North America; listed).— Jordan & Evermann, 1898: 2487 (fishes of North and Middle America; description).

Ophidion sp. —Arai in Uyeno et al., 1983: 223 (Fishes trawled off Suriname and French Guiana; description; photograph).— Lea & Robins, 2003: 7 (comment of Arai’s image; re-identified as O. holbrookii View in CoL ).

Holotype: MCZ 34010 About MCZ , formerly BSNH 1117 View Materials , (138 mm SL), Key West, Florida, U.S.A., 1872, coll. C.J. Maynard.

Non type specimens. United States: UF 124058 (1, 188.6 mm SL, female), 34°6’0.000” N / 77°46’12.000” W, North Carolina, 02 Sep. 1959, coll. R / V Silver Bay ; GoogleMaps UF 28320 (1, 200.2 mm SL), 33°27’36.000” N / 78°6’36.000” W, North Carolina, 22 Jun. 1968, coll. J. Gillikin et al.; GoogleMaps UF 180111 (1, 159.0 mm SL, female), 31°10’48.000” N / 81°20’60.000” W, Georgia, 30 May 1961, coll. F. Blossoms; GoogleMaps UF 37849 (7, 269.3, 247.2, 243.4 mm SL, all male, 229.3, 222.9, 199.2, 205.6 mm SL, all female), 29°32’24.000” N / 87°39’36.000” W, Alabama, 30 Jun. 1983, coll. G. Burgess; GoogleMaps CAS 216613 About CAS (4), 30°15’57.600” N / 81°15’0.000” W, Florida, 29 Oct. 1973, coll. R / V Dolphin; GoogleMaps UF 37487 (1, 131 mm SL), 24°37’60.000” N / 82°28’0.000” W, Florida, 18 Apr 1980, coll. G. Burgess; GoogleMaps UF 185151 (1, 207.4 mm SL, female), Gulf of Mexico, Florida , 29 Jan. 1963, no collection data. GoogleMaps Mexico: UF 232191 (1, 246.4 mm SL, male), 22°15’36.000” N / 89°2’60.000” W, Yucatan, 13 Dec. 1952, coll. R / V Oregon. GoogleMaps Puerto Rico: UF 221855 (1, 214.7 mm SL, male), 18°6’0.000” N / 67°22’48.000” W. GoogleMaps Colombia: UF 221832 (9, 218.4 mm SL, male, 192.5, 193.8, 160.8, 171.5, 190.8 mm SL, all female, 186.7, 173.9, 177.3, unsexed), 11°57’36.000” N / 72°28’48.000” W. GoogleMaps Guyana: UF 205082 (1, 191.5 mm SL, female), 7°39’36.000” N / 57°33’36.000” W, 31 Aug. 1958, coll. R / V Oregon. GoogleMaps Suriname: UF 167743 (1, 198.8 mm SL, male), 6°57’36.000” N / 55°52’48.000” W, 26 Jun. 1972, coll. R / V Oregon II; GoogleMaps UF 232193 (1, 205.1 mm SL, male), 6°55’48.000” N / 56°18’36.000” W, 29 Jan. 1974, coll. R / V Oregon II GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Ophidion holbrookii is distinguished from its western Atlantic congeners as follows: from O. antipholus by the rear of skull not outlined in dark pigment ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. rear of skull broadly outlined in dark pigment), the absence of a dark streak along the lateral line ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. may have a dark streak along the lateral line); from O. dromio by having 59–66 vertebrae (vs. 67–69, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ); from O. grayi by the absence of irregular rows on body (vs. 2 irregular rows of dark brown spots, upper row from top of the body to lateral line, lower row from lateral line down, Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ), the absence of dark brown spots on head and dorsal fin (vs. top of head and dorsal fin with scattered dark brown spots; from O. guianense by rocker bone present (vs. absent); 97–107 anal-fin rays, rarely 96 (vs. 91–96, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), 4 rakers on lower gill arch (vs. 5–6, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ); from O. josephi by having 116–137 dorsal-fin rays (vs. 138–146, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), 96–107 anal-fin rays (vs. 114–121, Table 2 View TABLE 2 ), without dark spots on body ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. 3 rows of dark spots along body); from O. lagochila by having 2 rudiments on upper gill arch (vs. 3), rear of top of the head not outlined in black ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. outlined in black), juvenile without a dark streak along the lateral line (vs. with a dark streak along the lateral line); from O. marginatum by having 116–137 dorsal-fin rays (vs. 147–158, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), 96–107 anal-fin rays (vs. 118–124, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), body and lateral line without dark stripes ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. with 2–3 dark stripes along its body and one at lateral line); from O. puck by having 59–66 vertebrae (vs. 70, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), 13–16 preanal vertebrae (vs. 17–18, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ); from O. robinsi by lacking dark brown spots ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. with dark brown spots); from O. selenops by having 96–107 anal-fin rays (vs. 123–129, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ), the absence of a dark line along top of back before dorsal fin ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) (vs. with a dark line along top of back before dorsal fin); from O. zavalai n. sp. by caudal-fin length 2.9–7.7 (vs. 0.7–2.8, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ); and 11.7–15.3 of postorbital length (vs. 8.4–11.2, Table 3 View TABLE 3 ) in specimens less than 230 mm SL.

Description. Meristic and morphometric characters given in Table 3 View TABLE 3 . Body moderately compressed, elongate with tapering tail. Head moderately broad, not depressed, bones firm in touch. Scales elongate, not overlapping, present on flanks and belly, about 30 to 40 scales transversely across trunk above beginning of anal fin, about 150 to 170 scales in transversal rows from pectoral base to caudal fin base. Pectoral fin variably long and pointed, usually shorter than postorbital distance; pelvic-fin origin below orbit anterior margin, longest ray not reaching pectoral-fin base. Head without scales, except on predorsal region to supratemporal canal. Anterior nostril as small tube over upper lip, posterior nostril slender, oval, over horizontal imaginary line through mid-eye. Snout triangular, slightly shorter than eye diameter. Eye large, oval, slightly elongated, lens well developed. Upper jaw ends just below mid-eye to posterior margin of orbit, rear upper jaw border partially covered by infraorbital regions in young specimens, exposed in adults; 3–4 rows of villiform teeth on jaws, larger on outer series, 3–4 rows of villiform teeth on vomer, palatines long with 3 rows of villiform teeth. Opercular and nasal spines absent. Upper branch of first gill arch with 2 knob-like rakers, lower branch with 4–7 short rakers. Head canals: supraorbital 2, infraorbital 3, supratemporal 4, preopercle to lower jaw 5.

Rocker bone with sickle to semicircular, half-doughnut shape, dorsal profile semicircular, ventral profile with anterior arm triangular or with ventral margin slightly blunt, rear arm with ventral margin rounded to truncate or slightly indented. Concavity between arms gentle to semicircular, more so on largest specimens. Swim bladder carrot-like, pointed on rear portion, with two small, fringed anterior horns, sulcus present on ventral portion. Rocker bone abuts anterior portion of the bladder.

Color in preserved specimens. Tan to brownish on upper third and head, beige to light tan elsewhere, paler on belly, sometimes darker along lateral line and anal fin base; eye lens dark, cornea dusky, darker on upper margin. Pectoral fin dusky or yellow, pelvic fin dirty whitish or dusky, dorsal and anal fins dusky with slender black distal margins, sometimes with dark area following distal lines in caudal fin base. Young specimens lighter in color, with dark areas less evident. Specimens may be light tan due to preservation.

Morphological variation. No significant variation was found in the development of Ophidion holbrookii from 131 to 269 mm SL ( Table 3 View TABLE 3 ).

Sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism has been observed in the dorsal profile of the head in adult males and females of O. holbrookii . Males exhibit a straight, strongly inclined dorsal profile, whereas in females this profile is slightly rounded (see Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Radiographs of examined specimens show variation for the rocker bone and parapophyses of anterior vertebrae described for males and females of O. zavalai n. sp. (see Zavala-Camin & Rotundo 2011), as described by Rose (1961) in specimens captured by shrimp trawlers in the Dry Tortugas west of Key West, Florida ( USA).

Distribution and habitat. Ophidion holbrookii is found in soft bottom associated coastal marine habitats. It can be found from the east coast of the United States to Suriname, including throughout Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).

Remarks. Until recently, Catalog of Fishes stated that whereabouts of the holotype of O. holbrookii were unknown ( Fricke et al. 2022). The confusion regarding the status of holotype arose from the fact that Putnam deposited the type specimen in Boston Society of Natural History (catalog number 1117), but this collection was later merged to Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (MCZ), a condition confirmed by A. Wilkinson, MCZ. The catalog number of the holotype of O. holbrookii is MCZ 34010, and the type specimen is in good condition ( Fig. 2a View FIGURE 2 ), although its swim bladder and rocker bone were extracted by Putnam and later included with the specimen.

Ophidion holbrookii has been diagnosed by being tan without markings, except for a dark edge to edge to the dorsal and anal fins, by the presence of the rocker bone, the form the gas bladder, 4 developed rakers on the lower gill arch and long pelvic rays, the longer of the two extending to a point under or nearly under the pectoral-fin base, however, some of the characters listed may apply to more than one species sensu Arai (1983) and Lea & Robins (2003). Additionally, Lea & Robins (2003) diagnosed O. holbrookii with dorsal profile from the tip of snout to tip of nape straight rather than convex, however, this trait shows sexual variation, common in adult males ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). The synonymy of Ophidion holbrookii and Ophidion beani Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 is supported by the shape of a long gas bladder ( Lea & Robins 2003).

R

Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile

V

Royal British Columbia Museum - Herbarium

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Order

Ophidiiformes

Family

Ophidiidae

Genus

Ophidion

Loc

Ophidion holbrookii Putnam, 1874

Rotundo, Matheus Marcos, Caires, Rodrigo Antunes, Oliveira, Claudio, Kuranaka, Mariana, Figueiredo-Filho, Jessé Miranda De & Marceniuk, Alexandre Pires 2023
2023
Loc

Ophidion sp.

Lea, R. N. & Robins, C. R. 2003: 7
Uyeno, T. & Matsuura, K. & Fujii, E. 1983: 223
1983
Loc

Ophidion holbrookii

Leopold, M. 2004: 87
Lea, R. N. & Robins, C. R. 2003: 7
Nielsen, J. G. & Robins, C. R. 2002: 972
Castro-Aguirre, J. L. & Espinosa Perez, H. & Schmitter-Soto, J. J. 1999: 164
Nielsen, J. G. & Cohen, D. M. & Markle, D. F. & Robins, C. R. 1999: 41
McEachran, J. D. & Fechhelm, J. D. 1998: 748
Smith, C. L. 1997: 361
Robins, C. R. & Ray, G. C. 1986: 99
Cohen, D. M. & Nielsen, J. G. 1978: 16
Rose, J. A. 1961: 280
Jordan, D. S. & Gilbert, C. H. 1883: 793
1883
Loc

Ophidium graellsi

Jordan, D. S. & Gilbert, C. H. 1883: 953
1883
Loc

Ophidium beani

Jordan, D. S. & Evermann, B. 1898: 2487
Jordan, D. S. 1885: 126
Jordan, D. S. & Gilbert, C. H. 1883: 143
1883
Loc

Ophidium holbrookii

Putnam, F. W. 1874: 340
1874
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