Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 4852 No. 2: 15 Sept. 2020
Type: Article
Published: 2020-09-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4852.2.4
Page range: 191–202
Abstract views: 266
PDF downloaded: 85

Two new miniature silverside fishes of the genus Membras Bonaparte (Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae) from the Tropical North Atlantic Ocean

College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
College of the Environment, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
Pisces miniaturization geometric morphometrics Neotropical biodiversity

Abstract

Two new species of miniature silverside fishes are described from coastal habitats in the tropical Atlantic: Membras pygmaea sp. nov., from Brus Lagoon, Honduras, and M. procera sp. nov., from the Gulf of Urabá, Colombia. These new species belong to the martinica species-group within the genus Membras Bonaparte. The monophyletic martinica species-group (see below) contains four additional species, all coastal, marine that extend from the east coast of North America to São Paolo State, Brazil. Within the martinica species-group, all but M. martinica are miniature species, ranging from 41–60 mm SL. The smallest species, M. pygmaea sp. nov., is mature at 24 mm SL. A geometric morphometric analysis shows: (i) each species of the martinica species-group occupies its own portion of shape space; and (ii) none of the miniature species possess the shapes of small immature M. martinica. While some of the literature suggests that miniaturization may involve paedomorphosis, our results show that the miniatures accelerate to adult body forms.

 

References

  1. Bloom, D.D., Kolmann, M., Foster, K. & Watrous, H. (2019) Mode of miniaturization influences shape evolution in New World anchovies (Engraulidae). Journal of Fish Biology, 96, 194–201. [2020]

    Bonaparte, C.L.P. (1832–1841) s.n. Iconografia della Fauna Italica, Tomo III, Pesci. Fasc. 91 (1836), no pagination.

    Bookstein, F.L., Chernoff, B., Elder, R.L., Humphries, J.M., Smith, G.R. & Strauss, R.E. (1985) Morphometrics in Evolutionary Biology: the Geometry of Size and Shape Change, with Examples from Fishes. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Special Publication 15. Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 277 pp.

    Caravalho, J. de P. (1956) Adenops dissimilis sp. nov., de peixe rei (Fam. Atherinidae—Subfam. Menidiinae). Boletim do Instituto Oceanografico, São Paolo, 7, 93–103.

    https://doi.org/10.1590/S0373-55241956000100005

    Campanella, D., Hughes, L.C., Unmack, P.J., Bloom, D.D., Piller, K.R. & Orti, G. (2015) Multi-locus fossil-calibrated phylogeny of the Atheriniformes (Teleostei, Ovalentaria). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 86, 8–23.

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.03.001

    Chernoff, B. (1986a) Systematics of American atherinid fishes of the genus Atherinella. I. The subgenus Atherinella. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 138 (1986), 86–188.

    Chernoff, B. (1986b) Phylogenetic relationships and reclassification of menidiine silverside fishes, with emphasis on the tribe Membradini. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 138, 189–249.

    Chernoff, B. (2002) Atherinidae of the Western Central Atlantic. In: Carpenter, K. (Ed.), The living resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 2. Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. FAO, Rome, pp. 1086–1089.

    Cuvier, M.B. & Valenciennes, M. (1835) Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Vol. 10. Chez F. G. Levrault, Paris, 482 pp.

    Hanken, J. & Wake, D.B. (1993) Miniaturization of body size: organismal consequences and evolutionary significance. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 24, 501–519.

    https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.24.110193.002441

    Hammer, Ø., Harper, D.A.T. & Ryan, P.D. (2001) PAST: paleontological statistical software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica, 4, 1–9.

    Jordan, D.S. & Bollman, C.H. (1889) Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No. IV—Descriptions of new species of fishes collected at the Galapagos Islands and along the coast of the United States of Colombia. 1887–1888. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 12 (770), 149–183.

    https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.12-770.149

    Klingenberg, C.P. (2011) MorphoJ: an integrated software package for geometric morphometrics. Molecular Ecology Resources, 11, 353–357.

    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02924.x

    Lavenberg, R.J. & Chernoff, B. (1995) Atherinidae: Pejerreyes. In: Fischer, W. (Ed.), Fisheries of the Eastern Central Pacific. Vol 2. FAO, Rome, pp. 789–902.

    Rohlf, F.J. (2006) Tpsdig. Version 2.10. SUNY, Stony Brook, New York. [program]

    Schultz, L.P. (1948) A revision of six subfamilies of atherine fishes, with descriptions of new genera and new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 98 (3230), 1–48.

    https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.98-3220.1

    Sidlauskas, B.L., Mol, J.H. & Vari, R.P. (2011) Dealing with allometry in linear and geometric morphometrics: a taxonomic case study in the Leporinus cylindriformis group (Characiformes: Anostomidae) with description of a new species from Suriname. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 162, 103–130.

    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00677.x

    Weitzman, S.H. & Vari, R.P. (1988) Miniaturization in South American freshwater fishes; an overview and discussion. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 101, 444–465.