Labrisomidae

Hastings, Philip A. & Springer, Victor G., 2009, Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei), Zootaxa 2120, pp. 3-14 : 10

Labrisomidae

15) Malacoctenus . Malacoctenus hubbsi hubbsi Springer was described from specimens collected throughout the Gulf of California and along the southwestern coast of Baja California (type locality: Isla San Pedro Martir). Malacoctenus hubbsi polyporosus Springer was based on specimens collected from southern Mexico near Mazatlán southward to Acapulco including the Islas Tres Marias (type locality: Isla Venado, Mazatlán). The forms differ in number of symphysial pores (1-3, usually 1 or 3 in hubbsi versus 2-10, usually 5-7 in polyporosus ), number of lateral line scales (51-61, usually 54-58 in hubbsi versus 49-56, usually 50-53 in polyporosus ), and number of anal-fin rays ( Springer, 1959). These differences warrant recognition of them as separate species.

16) Malacoctenus . Malacoctenus margaritae margaritae (Fowler) was described based on specimens from Saboga, Islas Perlas, Panama and subsequently also recorded from Costa Rica ( Springer, 1959). Malacoctenus margaritae mexicanus Springer was described based on specimens from the Gulf of California southward to Acapulco, Mexico (type locality: Bahia Santa Inez). Springer (1959) reported differences in number of symphysial pores (1-4, usually 2-4 in margaritae versus 1-4, usually 1 in mexicanus ), number of scales between the anterior lateral line and the dorsal contour (3-4, usually 3 in margaritae versus 4-5, usually 4 in mexicanus ), length of the third pelvic-fin ray (shorter in margaritae ), and coloration (body marking considerably more distinct in mexicanus ). These differences warrant recognition of these as separate species.

17) Malacoctenus . Malacoctenus zonifer zonifer ( Jordan & Gilbert), described based on specimens from Mazatlán, occurs from the southern Gulf of California southward to Oaxaca including the Islas Tres Marias ( Springer, 1959). Malacoctenus zonifer sudensis Springer was described based on specimens from south of this region, from Nicaragua to Ecuador (type locality: Saboga, Islas Perlas, Panama). These forms were distinguished based on numbers of symphysial pores (numbers increase with size in both, but more pores present in zonifer of a given size), gill rakers (9-12, usually 10-11 in zonifer versus 10-13, usually 11-12 in sudensis ) and total anal-fin elements (19-22, usually 21-22 in zonifer versus 20-23, usually 22 in sudensis ) and on several aspects of coloration that are better developed in sudensis . This form has dark pigment on the interspinal membrane of the first dorsal fin, spots on the gular fold, two spots ventrally on the opercle and spots on the anal fin of males, all of which are lacking or weakly expressed in zonifer ( Springer, 1959) . These striking differences warrant recognition of these forms as separate species.

18) Dialommus . Dialommus macrocephalus (Günther) was described based on specimens from the Pacific coast of Central America, probably Panama ( Hubbs, 1952). The subspecies Dialommus macrocephalus catherinae (Hubbs) was described based on 41 specimens collected from Piedra Blanca Bay, Costa Rica by the Zaca expedition. These subspecies were diagnosed based on subtle differences in the means of proportional measurements including head length and various fin-ray lengths, with specimens from Bahia Honda, Panama intermediate in most values. These small statistical differences do not warrant recognition of these forms as taxonomically distinct and we consider D. m. catherinae a synonym of D. macrocephalus .

19) Exerpes . Exerpes asper (Jenkins & Evermann) was described based on specimens from the Gulf of California (type locality: Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico). Exerpes asper magdalenensis Hubbs was based on specimens from Bahia Magdelena on the southwestern coast of Baja California Sur, and Exerpes asper earli Hubbs , on specimens from slightly farther north along the Pacific coast of the Baja peninsula including Scammon’s and San Ignacio lagoons (type locality: Cabo Tortolo). These subspecies were separated based on subtle differences in proportional measurements including lengths of the head, jaw and first dorsal-fin spine ( Hubbs, 1952). These features no doubt exhibit ontogenetic and perhaps sexual variation ( Brooks, 1991), thus we consider E. a. magdalenensis and E. a. earli as synonyms of E. asper .