Cryptoheros panamensis

materials_examined

FMNH 7601 (holotype), Panama, Canal Zone, Rio Mandinga at “ Bas Obispo ”; FMNH 8112 (1), Panama, Gorgona; NRM 13097 (3), Panama, Rio Ipeti; NRM 37100 (4), Panama, Rio Mandinga; UMMZ 170964 (3, XR, dig.), Panama, road to Madden Dam, a tributary of Lake Gatun.

A systematic revision of the genus Archocentrus (Perciformes: Cichlidae), with the description of two new genera and six new species.

description

Description. D. XVI-XVIII, 9 - 10; A. VI, 7 - 8. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 6 - 7; gill rakers trapezoidal, serrated, no basal process. Scale rows on cheek 2 - 4; predorsal scales 9 - 12; pored lateral-line scales (not counting scales overlapping between the two segments of the lateral line) 25 - 29; scales between lateral line and origin of dorsal fin 3.5 - 4.5; scales from lateral line to base of first dorsal-fin ray 1.5 - 2.5; circumpeduncular scales 14 - 16 (further meristic data appear in Table 3). Maximum size 130 mm SL (Conkel 1993), although largest examined specimen during this study only 79 mm SL. Body relatively deep (45 - 51 % of SL). Head profile convex to straight. Head length 30 - 34 % of SL; orbital diameter 27 - 32 % of head length (further morphometric data appear in Table 4). Teeth not embedded; the only incisor teeth are those near symphyses, which are rounded, its edges not forming a line; other teeth are conical (in young, even symphysial teeth conical). Upper and lower symphysial teeth lower than adjacent teeth in adults. Lower jaw slightly receding (contra Stawikowski & Werner 1998, who considered it terminal). Upper lip medially narrowed; lower

A systematic revision of the genus Archocentrus (Perciformes: Cichlidae), with the description of two new genera and six new species.

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Autapomorphy (Schmitter-Soto, in press): teeth truncate and labiolingually compressed, incisor-like, but tips rounded (pointed in juveniles), their biting edges not forming a line. Further distinguished from other species in the genus by having modally three rows of scale rows on cheek (vs. four or more); presence of single spot at posteroventral angle of opercle (vs. opercular spots absent, or single spot present but not located at angle in other species except Cr. altoflavus); a medial intensification only of 4 th lateral bar on side of body (vs. either only on 3 rd bar or none at all); dorsal edge of the articular bone straight (vs. convex); first neural spine retrorsely directed (vs. antrorse in all other Cryptoheros, except Cr. spilurus and Cr. cutteri), and two dorsal elements between first two epineural spines (vs. three). Cr. panamensis is the only member of its genus in which the paired fins seldom or never extend posteriorly to the first anal-fin spine, and also the only one with six anal-fin spines (vs. seven or more) and as few as 16 dorsal-fin spines (vs. always 17 or more). Sum of dorsal- and anal-fin spines 23 (vs. 24 or more).

A systematic revision of the genus Archocentrus (Perciformes: Cichlidae), with the description of two new genera and six new species.

discussion

Remarks. The list of objective synonyms underscores the obscurity in phylogenetic position of this species. It appears clear, nevertheless, that its resemblance to Neetroplus (= Hypsophrys) nematopus is a convergence (Rogers 1981, Schmitter-Soto, in press). The affinity with Cryptoheros was earlier recognized by Kullander (2003), who considered it a species of Archocentrus. This relationship was overlooked by all previous workers, perhaps because of the low anal-fin spine count of Cr. panamensis, which is atypical for Archocentrus and related taxa (Table 3) and is approached only by Cr. sajica.

A systematic revision of the genus Archocentrus (Perciformes: Cichlidae), with the description of two new genera and six new species.