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| (A) Ichthyocoris atlantica, Morocco, Ouerrha River; (B) I. economidisi, Greece, Lake Trichonis; (C) I. fluviatilis, Spain, Jerea River (Ebro drainage). in Duquenne-Delobel, Doadrio & Denys, 2022. (photos: I. Doadrio & R. Covain) |
Abstract
Combtooth blennies belonging to the genus Salaria were known to have marine and freshwater species. However, recent molecular studies highlighted this genus as paraphyletic, clearly distinguishing both marine and freshwater species. In this paper, we revalidate the genus Ichthyocoris, which corresponds to the freshwater species: Ichthyocoris atlantica (Doadrio, Perea et Yahyaoui, 2011), new combination, Ichthyocoris economidisi (Kottelat, 2004), new combination, and Ichthyocoris fluviatilis (Asso y del Rio, 1801), new combination. It is distinguishable by the presence of brownish bars on the flanks not contrasted with black dots conferring a marble coat, a dorsal fin slightly notched between spined and soft rays (except for I. atlantica), 16–18 dorsal-fin soft rays, 16–20 anal-fin soft rays, 34–38 vertebrae, 8–9 circumorbital pores, 8–11 preopercular pores, and 3 supratemporal pores. The genus Salaria corresponds to the marine species Salaria basilisca (Valenciennes, 1836) and Salaria pavo (Risso, 1810).
Keywords: combtooth blennies, generic concept, integrative taxonomy, Salaria
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| Lateral view of Ichthyocoris spp.: I. atlantica, MNCN 280135, 61 mm SL, Morocco, Ouerrha River (Sebou drainage) at Ouazzane (A; photo credits: I. Doadrio); I. economidisi, MHNG 2641.89, holotype, 60.8 mm SL, Greece, Lake Trichonis east of Panetolio (B; photo credits: R. Covain); I. fluviatilis, 89 mm SL, Spain, Jerea River (Ebro drainage) at Virués (C; photo credits: I. Doadrio). |
Family Blenniidae
Ichthyocoris Bonaparte, 1840
Type species: Salarias varus Risso, 1827.
Synonyms: Salariopsis Vecchioni, Ching, Marrone, Arculeo, Hundt et Simons, 2022
Included species:
Three species:
Ichthyocoris atlantica (Doadrio, Perea et Yahyaoui, 2011), new combination;
Ichthyocoris economidisi (Kottelat, 2004), new combination;
Ichthyocoris fluviatilis (Asso y del Rio, 1801), new combination.
Diagnosis: Ichthyocoris is distinguishable from Salaria by the presence of brownish bars on the flanks not contrasted with black dots conferring a marble coat (Fig. 1) (vs. brownish bars on the flanks very contrasted with blue stripes and dots conferring a marbled coat; Fig. 2); dorsal-fin slightly notched between spined and soft rays (Fig. 1) except for I. atlantica (vs. not notched; Fig. 2); 16–18 dorsal-fin soft rays (vs. 21–27); 16–20 anal-fin soft rays (vs. 20–28); 34–38 vertebrae (vs. 38–44); 8–9 circumorbital pores (vs. 6–7); 8–11 preopercular pores (vs. 6–8); 3 supratemporal pores (vs. 2) (Table 1).
Distribution: Ichthyocoris is present in drainages of the Mediterranean basin, in catchments of the Atlantic coast in Morocco and Spain as well as in the Black Sea.
Emma Duquenne-Delobel, Ignacio Doadrio and Gaël P. J. Denys. 2022. Revalidation of the Genus Ichthyocoris Bonaparte, 1840 (Actinopterygii: Blenniiformes: Blenniidae). Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria. 52(1): 35-41. DOI: 10.3897/aiep.52.79458