Whitetail Reeffish

description

Description. Body deep, 55.2 (41.6 - 57.8), laterally compressed, width 19.4 (16.6 - 21.6), oval in shape; eyes large, 11.8 (11.5 - 17.4), interorbital width 10.7 (8.6 - 12.1). Mouth small, upper jaw length 9.1 (6.0 - 14.4), terminal, and oblique. Head large, 30.2 (30.2 - 41.0) and rounded with a convex forehead and short snout 7.8 (5.2 - 10.3), snout length shorter than orbit diameter (snout ~ 1.8 times in orbit). Preopercle mostly smooth with slight serration at ventral angle; opercle possesses one large spine on dorsal posterior side. Suborbital bones mostly joined to cheek, save for second and third, which flex away from cheek with preorbital. Vertebrae 25 plus urostyle (Fig. 6). Gill rakers very long and slender, closely spaced, equal to or greater than the length of gill filaments, with very fine serrations, 7 + 17 (7 - 8 + 16 - 18). Teeth in both jaws short and conical, arranged in three rows anteriorly, outer row very slightly enlarged, becoming two rows posteriorly. Dorsal fin XIII, 12 (12 - 13); longest dorsal ray 23.8 (21.1 - 28.5); last (13 th) dorsal spine 16.4 (10.3 - 16.4); spinous dorsal base 48.6 (35.5 - 50.2); soft dorsal base 18.9 (13.4 - 18.9); pre-dorsal length

A new species of Chromis damselfish from the tropical western Atlantic (Teleostei, Pomacentridae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Dorsal rays XIII, 12 - 13; anal rays II, 12 - 13; pored lateral-line scales 15 - 18 (usually 17; one paratype with ten and no apparent scale loss or damage); gill rakers 7 - 8 + 16 - 18. Proportional measurements expressed as percent standard length, unless otherwise noted as percent head length (HL): head length 30.2 - 41.0 (mean 35.4); predorsal length 31.1 - 42.0 (mean 34.9); orbit diameter 11.5 - 17.4 (mean 14.6), 39.0 (35.4 - 48.5) % HL; upper jaw length 9.1 (6.0 - 14.4), 30.0 (22.3 - 34.8) % HL; snout length 7.8 (6.9 - 10.3), 26.0 (17.5 - 32.2) % HL; interorbital width 10.7 (8.6 - 12.8), 35.4 (21.1 - 37.4) % HL; body depth 41.6 - 57.8 (mean 51.8); caudal length 29.7 - 44.9 (mean 37.20); last dorsal spine 10.2 - 16.4 (mean 13); longest dorsal ray 21.1 - 26.5 (mean 23.3); longest anal ray 18.9 - 28 (mean 24.3); 1 st pelvic soft ray 28.8 - 43.2 (mean 36.4). See Table 3. Live coloration with thin iridescent blue oblique stripe extending from snout, through eye, ending below origin of spinous dorsal fin, dorsal half of head dark blue to dusky gray, dark Live coloration continuing in oblique line across dorsal half of body to end of spinous dorsal fin; ventral half of bo

A new species of Chromis damselfish from the tropical western Atlantic (Teleostei, Pomacentridae)

distribution

Distribution (Fig. 1). Chromis vanbebberae occurs off Bermuda, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, scattered sites in the northwest, central, eastern and southern Caribbean, and south to at least Sao Paulo, Brazil, including the offshore islands of Rocas Atoll, St. Paul Rocks, Trindade, and Fernando de Noronha.

A new species of Chromis damselfish from the tropical western Atlantic (Teleostei, Pomacentridae)

etymology

Etymology. The species epithet Chromis vanbebberae, Latinized from Van Bebber, honors Barbara Van Bebber, one of the most accomplished submersible pilots in the Caribbean. Van Bebber was one of several skilled pilots of the ' Curasub' that assisted DROP with observations and collections of many new species, including this species. The common name " Whitetail Reeffish " (castaneta coliblanca in Spanish) refers to the caudal-fin Live coloration that distinguishes the species from Chromis enchrysurus, the Yellowtail Reeffish.

A new species of Chromis damselfish from the tropical western Atlantic (Teleostei, Pomacentridae)