Sparkfin Dottyback

description

Description (based on five specimens, 23.6 – 31.5 mm SL). Dorsal-fin rays III, 28, last 8 (6 – 7) segmented rays branched; anal-fin rays III, 15, last 12 (7 – 12) segmented rays branched; pectoral-fin rays 17 / 17 (17 f 5; 18 f 3); upper procurrent caudal-fin rays 6; lower procurrent caudal-fin rays 6; total caudal-fin rays 29; scales in lateral series 39 / 38 (35 f 1; 36 f 1; 37 f 3; 38 f 3); anterior lateral-line scales 26 / 27 (22 f 3; 23 f 1; 24 f 3; 27 f 1); anterior lateral line terminating beneath segmented dorsal-fin ray 17 / 18 (13 f 1; 14 f 1; 15 f 3; 16 f 2; 18 f 1); posterior lateral-line scales 9 + 1 / 7 + 0 (4 – 7 + 0); scales between lateral lines 4 / 4; horizontal scale rows above anal-fin origin 12 + 1 + 3 / 13 + 1 + 3 (12 – 13 + 1 + 2 – 3 = 15 – 17); circumpeduncular scales 16; predorsal scales 19 (17 f 1; 18 f 1; 19 f 2); scales behind eye 2 (2 f 1; 3 f 3); scales to preopercular angle 4 (3 f 1; 4 f 3); gill rakers 5 + 12; pseudobranch filaments 8 (7 f 1; 8 f 3); circumorbital pores 16 / 16 (17 – 20); preopercular pores 9 / 9 (9 – 10); dentary pores 4 / 4; posterior interorbital pores 1. Lower lip incomplete; dorsal and anal fins without well-developed scale shea

Description of two new species of Pseudochrominae from northern Palawan and Mindoro, Philippine Islands (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Manonichthys scintilla is distinguished from congeners by the following characters in combination: scales to preopercular angle 3 – 4; second segmented pelvic-fin ray longest; no dark eye stripe on head; no dark bar on posterior body; pelvic fin with red to orange coloration indistinct and confined to distal part of fin; and caudal fin rounded with posterior margin truncate.

Description of two new species of Pseudochrominae from northern Palawan and Mindoro, Philippine Islands (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae)

discussion

Remarks. The type specimens of M. scintilla (largest specimen 31.5 mm SL) are small compared with the largest known specimens of congeners (largest specimens 50.6 – 80.0 mm SL), and are probably juveniles. It is likely that the species will show similar ontogenetic variation in body coloration to that shown by other species (except for M. paranox, which is uniformly black as both juveniles and adults). Generally in juvenile Manonichthys the dorsal part of the body is grey and each scale has a bright yellow central spot, which become larger ventrally so that the grey coloration is reduced to a series of stripes along the dorsal and ventral edges of each horizontal scale row, and the ventral part of body is bright yellow. In larger specimens, the grey stripes become wider and extend farther ventrally, so that the entire ventral part of body of larger specimens is grey with small yellow spots on the centre of each scale. If so, it is possible that large specimens may approach the dark coloration shown by adult M. winterbottomi. We note, however, that the largest known specimen of M. scintilla is of similar size to the smallest paratype of M. winterbottomi (30.1 mm SL), which has a dar

Description of two new species of Pseudochrominae from northern Palawan and Mindoro, Philippine Islands (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae)

etymology

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Latin meaning spark, glimmer or trace, and alludes to the small amount of red coloration in the pelvic fins (when compared with other Manonichthys species with red pelvic-fin markings). It is treated as a noun in apposition. We thank Mudjekeewis Santos, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), Philippines, for his efforts to facilitate the collaborative projects in the Philippines that led to the discovery of these new species. Mark Westneat, Kent Carpenter, Randy Mooi, Mark McGrouther, Jerry Finan, Kerryn Parkinson, Jeff Janovetz, Arvin Dantis, Mudjekeewis Santos, Leony Mijares, Luz Romena, November Romena, Lea Acera, Jennifer Fessler, Aaron Rice, Jim Cooper, Geddy Choy, Keith Labuos and Carlitos Ortoll worked with the second author to conduct fieldwork in the Philippines. We thank Sandra Raredon, A. Hay and J. King for variously providing radiographs. The Fish Division staff at the USNM assisted with shipping, receiving and processing specimens at the USNM. Funding for the second author’s work in the Philippines was provided by the National Museum of Natural History Research Opportunities Fund and the Division of F

Description of two new species of Pseudochrominae from northern Palawan and Mindoro, Philippine Islands (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae)