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| Cylix tupareomanaia Short, Trnski, & Ngātiwai, in Short & Trnski, 2021. DOI: 10.1643/i2020136 |
Abstract
Cylix tupareomanaia, new genus and species, is described from three specimens (35.5–55.5 mm SL), collected from rocky reefs at 12–17 m depth from Taitokerau Northland, New Zealand. The new taxon shares morphological synapomorphies with the superficially similar Australian endemic Idiotropiscis and Indo-Pacific Acentronura, including head angled ventrally approximately 25° from the principal body axis, enclosed brood pouch, brood pouch plates, prehensile tail, and absence of caudal fin. Cylix tupareomanaia, new genus and species, however, is distinguishable from all other members of the Syngnathidae by the following combination of bony autapomorphic characters: a cup-like crest present anterodorsally on the supraoccipital; and large conspicuous midventral conical spines on the cleithral symphysis and first trunk ring between the pectoral-fin bases. The new species can be further differentiated by genetic divergence in the mitochondrial COX1 gene from Acentronura breviperula, A. tentaculata, Idiotropiscis australe, and I. lumnitzeri (estimated uncorrected p-distances of 19.5%, 20.4%, 17.9%, and 18.4%, respectively). A phylogenetic hypothesis from the analysis of two nuclear loci, 18S and TMO-4C4, supports the placement of C. tupareomanaia, new genus and species, as the sister taxon to a clade comprising the genera Acentronura and Idiotropiscis. Cylix tupareomanaia, new genus and species, represents the eighth member within the pygmy pipehorse clade to be described from the Indo-Pacific and the first new genus and species of syngnathid to be reported from New Zealand since 1921.
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| Cylix tupareomanaia. (A) AIM MA122274, female, holotype shortly after death, 31.4 mm SL; Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand (photograph © Auckland Museum). (B) NMNZ P.056154, female, paratype, shortly after death, 35.5 mm SL; Cavalli Islands, Northland, New Zealand (photograph © Irene Middleton). |
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| Cylix tupareomanaia. (A) AIM MA122274, female, preserved holotype, 31.4 mm SL; Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand (photograph © Auckland Museum). (B) NMNZ P.056154, female, preserved paratype, 35.5 mm SL; Cavalli Islands, Northland, New Zealand (photograph © Auckland Museum). (C) NMNZ P.046322, male, preserved paratype, 55.5 mm SL; east of Oturori Rock, Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand (photograph Graham Short). |
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| µCT scan of Cylix tupareomanaia, NMNZ P.046322, male, paratype, 55.5 mm SL. (A, B) Anterolateral view of the head highlighting the bifurcated and cup-like crest present on the supraoccipital, continuous cleithral ring, and the strongly elevated ventrolateral bulge of the pectoral-fin base. (C) Anterodorsal aspect of the neurocranium highlighting the bifurcated and cup-like pentamerous bony crest present on the supraoccipital. Abbreviations: FS, frontal spine; PFB, pectoral-fin base; SC, supraoccipital crest; SCL, supracleithrum. |
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| Cylix tupareomanaia in situ. (A) AIM MA122274, female, holotype, Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand, 12 m depth (photograph © Shane Housham). (B) Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand, 12 m depth (photograph © Shane Housham). (C) Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand, 12 m depth (photograph © Richard Smith). (D) Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand, 12 m depth (photograph © Irene Middleton). (E) Waiatapaua Bay, Whangaruru, Northland, New Zealand, 12 m depth (photograph © Irene Middleton). (F) Poor Knights Islands, Northland, New Zealand, at 10 m depth (photograph © Kent Erickson). |
Cylix, new genus
Type species.—Cylix tupareomanaia, new species.
Diagnosis.—A genus of the Syngnathidae that shares numerous morphological synapomorphies with Acentronura and Idiotropiscis, including head angled ventrally approximately 25° from the principal body axis, enclosed brood pouch, brood pouch plates, prehensile tail, and absence of caudal fin. However, Cylix tupareomanaia, new species, differs from all other genera by unique anatomical features of the head, including: a distinct, cup-like crest present anterodorsally on the supraoccipital; and large and conspicuous medioventral conical spines on the cleithral symphysis and the first trunk ring between the pectoral-fin bases. It differs further in having the following combination of morphological characters: prominent supraoccipital; continuous cleithrum; prominent supracleithrum; anterior nuchal plate absent; posterior nuchal plate present with bony dorsomedial crest; large gap present between the supraoccipital and posterior nuchal plate; one to three dorsal spines at midline of snout, posteriormost of these spines large; one large double and rugose lateral head spine present below the cup-like supraoccipital crest; three small blunt lateral head spines on operculum; rim of orbit elevated dorsolaterally and strongly ventrally; two spines on cleithral ring; large rugose spine anterior to ventral third of pectoral-fin base; moderate-sized spine at ventral extent of head; small spine present posterolateral to the pelvic-fin base; four subdorsal spines, forming a square, the dorsal two enlarged.
Etymology.—The generic name Cylix is derived from the Greek kylix, meaning cup or chalice, in reference to the cup-like crest present on the head. Gender masculine.
Cylix tupareomanaia Short, Trnski, and Ngātiwai, new species
Common Names: Māori—Tu pare o manaia,
English—Manaia Pygmy Pipehorse
Hippocampus jugumus: Kuiter, 2009: 93, figs. A, B (Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand).
Acentronura australe: Stewart, 2015: 1053, fig. 148.1 (Bay of Islands, New Zealand).
Idiotropiscis aotearoa: Perkins, 2017 (Whangaruru, New Zealand; http://www.inspiredtodive.com/photo-blog/introducing-idiotropiscis-aotearoa).
Etymology.—The species epithet tupareomanaia is a neologism gifted by kaumātua (tribal elders) of Ngātiwai and references Home Point adjacent to the type locality, referred to by Ngātiwai as Tu Pare o Huia, meaning “the plume of the huia”; the huia was a bird that became extinct in the early 20th century. Tu Pare o Manaia translates as “the garland of the Manaia.” The pare, or garland, references the pentamerous head crest of the new species, and Manaia is the Māori name for a seahorse, and is also an ancestor that appears as a stylized figure used in Māori carvings representing a guardian.
Graham A. Short and Thomas Trnski. 2021. A New Genus and Species of Pygmy Pipehorse from Taitokerau Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand, with a Redescription of Acentronura Kaup, 1853 and Idiotropiscis Whitley, 1947 (Teleostei, Syngnathidae). Ichthyology & Herpetology. 109(3); 806-835 . DOI: 10.1643/i2020136
