Phalloceros alessandrae, Lucinda, 2008

Lucinda, Paulo Henrique Franco, 2008, Systematics and biogeography of the genus Phalloceros Eigenmann, 1907 (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae: Poeciliinae), with the description of twenty-one new species, Neotropical Ichthyology 6 (2), pp. 113-158 : 139-140

Phalloceros alessandrae , new species

Figs. 32 , 33

Phalloceros sp. n. N Lucinda & Reis (2005).

Holotype. MCP 30402, flooded areas on margins of road PR 340, approximately 25 o 26’S 48 o 43’W, Antonina, Paraná, Brazil, 11 Dec 1991, E. Grando Jr. & A.A.M. Cordeiro .

Paratypes. BRAZIL. Paraná. MCP 25561, 3/1*, collected with the holotype. MCP 27005, 2/1*, Antonina, rio Dois de Fevereiro, 25 º 18’33"S 48 º 44’32"W, Jul 1994, F. Popazoglo.

Diagnosis. Phalloceros alessandrae can be distinguished from its congeners but P. megapolos , P. spiloura , P. malabarbai , P. anisophallos , P. buckupi , P. uai , P. lucenorum , P. pellos , and P. reisi by (1) the female urogenital papilla curved to the right, located laterally [142-1] (vs. slightly left turned and with a lateral ramus [142-2] or straight located along midventral line [142-0]); and (2) border of the anal aperture in contact with the first anal-fin ray or very close to it (vs. separated from first anal-fin ray by the female urogenital papilla).

Phalloceros alessandrae can be distinguished from P. megapolos by the gonopodial appendix normally developed (vs. greatly expanded in wing like expansions); and from P. spiloura , P. anisophallos , P. buckupi , P. uai , P. lucenorum , P. pellos , and P. reisi by (1) the halves of gonopodial paired appendix slender, not sickle like, and similar to each other (vs. sickle like and different from each other), bearing a medial corner (vs. medial corner absent); and (2) hooks on both halves of gonopodial paired appendix (vs. right half hook absent). Phalloceros alessandrae can be distinguished from P. malabarbai by (1) gonopodial appendix straight at the distal tip (vs. strongly arched at the distal tip); (2) distal portion straight and oblique forming a 45 º angle with the vertical axis (vs. distal portion bent upward); and (3) left and right halves coalescent at the base (vs. halves free not coalescent at the base) ( Fig. 33 ).

Description. Morphometric data in Tables 5 and 6 . Range of SL: 22.1 to 24.7 mm (females), 17.5 mm (male). Dorsal-fin rays: 8* [6]. Branched pectoral-fin rays: 6 [1], 7* [1]. Pelvic-fin rays: 5* [2] (males), 5 [4] (females). Anal-fin rays of females: 10 [2], 11 [2]. Anal-fin rays of males: 9* [2]. Branched caudal-fin rays: 10* [1], 11 [4], 12 [1]. Predorsal scales: 14* [2], 15 [2]. Longitudinal series of scales: 28 [1], 29* [4], 30 [1]. Series of scales around caudal peduncle: 16* [6]. Transverse series of scales: 7* [6]. Serrae on R4p: 10* [1], 11 [1]. Vertebrae: 32 [1]. Female urogenital papilla right curved, located laterally. Border of anal aperture in contact with first anal-fin ray or very close to it. Halves of gonopodial paired appendix slender, not sickle like, and similar to each other, bearing medial corner. Hook on both halves of gonopodial paired appendix. Hooks large downward directed and located at corner of gonopodial appendix. Gonopodial appendix long and straight at distal tip. Distal portion straight and oblique forming 45 º angle with vertical axis. Left and right halves coalescent at base ( Fig. 33 )

Color in alcohol. Eye silvery grey with greenish brown pupil. Ground color pale brown, darker in upper half. Border of scales and subjacent skin replete with brown chromatophores, more concentrated at short distance from scale border, conferring reticulate pattern to body sides, mainly on upper half. Brown chromatophores scattered through whole body, more concentrated on dorsal portion, mainly on head, snout, opercle, and ventral surface of mandible. Lateral dark brown spot located between 17 th and 19 th scale of longitudinal series. Lateral spot corresponding approximately in size to one scale. Light brown bars along flanks inconspicuous or absent. Dorsal-fin membrane bearing dark band of chromatophores on distal border of dorsal fin. Dark band of chromatophores near dorsal-fin base. Pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins hyaline. Dark brown line along R3.

Etymology. The specific epithet alessandrae (n. f. gen. sg.) comes from Alessandra. Phalloceros alessandrae is named after my wife Alessandra M. V. Lucinda.

Distribution. Phalloceros alessandrae is known from flooded areas on margins nearby Antonina (Paraná, Brazil) and rio Dois de Fevereiro, which flows into the Baía de Paranaguá ( Fig. 18 ).

Figures

Fig. 32. Phalloceros alessandrae. (A) Holotype, male, 17.5 mm SL, MCP 30402, flooded areas on margins of road PR 340, Antonina, Paraná, Brazil; (B) paratype, female, MCP 25561, 22.1 mm SL, collected with the holotype.

Fig. 33. Gonopodium tip of Phalloceros alessandrae, MCP 30402.R3, R4a, R4p, R5a, R5p indicate gonopodial rays. Scale bar 1 mm.

Fig. 18. Collection localities of Phalloceros elachistos (fivepointed star, 1), P. leptokeras (triangle, 2), P. aspilos (circle, 3), P. alessandrae (inverted triangle, 4), and P. megapolos (square, 5). Some symbols represent more than one lot or locality. Numbers represent type localities. The inset is the range of the genus.