Thursday, April 26, 2018

[Ichthyology • 2018] A Taxonomic Review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) (Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with Descriptions of Three New Species; Lampris australensis, L. incognitus & L. megalopsis


Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905),  Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
 Lampris australensis n. sp.Lampris lauta (Lowe 1838)   
 Lampris megalopsis n. sp.,  & Lampris incognitus n. sp. 


 Underkoffler, Luers, Hyde & Craig, 2018

Abstract

The genus Lampris (Lampridae) currently comprises two species, Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) and Limmaculatus (Gilchrist 1905) commonly known as Opah and Southern Opah, respectively. Hyde et al. (2014) presented DNA sequence data which revealed the presence of five distinct, monophyletic lineages within L. guttatus. In this paper, we present morphological and meristic data supporting the presence of five species previously subsumed within L. guttatus (Brünnich 1788). We restrict Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788), resurrect L. lauta (Lowe 1838), and describe three new species of Lampris. A key to the species of Lampris is provided.

Keywords: Pisces, Opah, moonfish, taxonomy



FIGURE 4. Species of the genus Lampris.
A) Lampris immaculatus*, B) Lampris guttatus, uncatalogued, 118 cm TL †,
C) AM I.24492-001, holotype, Lampris australensis n. sp. 67.3 cm SL, D) MMF 42253, Lampris lauta, 90.5 cm SL,
E) USNM 402733, holotype, Lampris megalopsis n. sp., 85.3 cm SL, F) USNM 402731, holotype, Lampris incognitus n. sp., 82.8 cm SL.

 (*Photograph by Dianne J. Bray, Lampris immaculatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Feb 2018, fishesofaustralia.net.au) († Photograph courtesy of Patrice Francour).

 Lampris immaculatus (Gilchrist 1905) 
Common name: Southern Opah  


Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Common Name: North Atlantic Opah


Lampris lauta Lowe 1860
Common name: East Atlantic Opah

Etymology. The specific epithet lauta was taken from the Latin lautus meaning “elegant”.


Lampris australensis, n. sp. 
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 4. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Southern Spotted Opah  

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin australis meaning “southern” in reference to the known range of the species in the southern hemisphere.


Lampris incognitus n. sp. 
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 5. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common name: Smalleye Pacific Opah

Etymology. From the Latin incognitus, meaning, “unknown, strange.”


Lampris megalopsis, n. sp. 
Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1778)
Lampris guttatus Lineage 3. Hyde et al. 2014.
Common Name: Bigeye Pacific Opah

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Greek mega, meaning, “big or large”, and ops meaning “eye” in reference to its comparatively large eye.

  
Karen E. Underkoffler, Meagan A. Luers, John R Hyde and Matthew T. Craig. 2018. A Taxonomic Review of Lampris guttatus (Brünnich 1788) (Lampridiformes; Lampridae) with Descriptions of Three New Species. Zootaxa. 4413(3); 551-565. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4413.3.9