 |
| Phenotypic variation of Hypoplectrus espinosai Puebla, Aguilar-Perera, Robertson & Domínguez-Domínguez, in Puebla, Aguilar-Perera, Helmkampf, Robertson, C.J. Estapé, A.M. Estapé et Domínguez-Domínguez, 2025 Photographs from Alacranes reef by Carlos and Allison Estapé (a, b, c, d), Isai Dominguez Guerrero (e), and Alfonso Aguilar-Perera (f). |
Abstract
The hamlets (Hypoplectrus spp., Teleostei: Serranidae) are a group of small predatory reef-associated fishes endemic to the tropical northwestern Atlantic that are characterized by an exceptionally high diversification rate. Currently 18 species are recognized, with seven described or redescribed in the last 14 years. Here, we describe the Campeche Bank hamlet, Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. As indicated by its common name, this species is distributed throughout the Campeche Bank in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. differs from two similar hamlets, the butter hamlet H. unicolor (Walbaum) and the Veracruz hamlet H. castroaguirrei Del Moral Flores, Tello-Musi & Martínez-Pérez in terms of geographic distribution and color pattern. Furthermore, phylogenetic and population genetic analyses based on whole-genome data from 68 individuals indicate that H. espinosai sp. nov. is genetically distinct from H. unicolor and H. castroaguirrei.
Pisces, Gulf of Mexico, Campeche Bank, Serranidae, reef fishes, hamlets, Hypoplectrus
|
| Phenotypic variation of Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. A black saddle blotch covers the caudal peduncle and extends over the posterior part of the body, sometimes over the posterior border of the dorsal fin. Note the consistency of the thin vertical lines. Photographs from Alacranes reef by Carlos and Allison Estapé (a, b, c, d), Isai Dominguez Guerrero (e), and Alfonso Aguilar-Perera (f). |
Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. Puebla, Aguilar-Perera, Robertson & Domínguez-Domínguez 2025
English common name: Campeche Bank hamlet
Spanish common names: mero del Banco de Campeche (AFS), vaca del Banco de Campeche (FAO), hamlet del Banco de Campeche (vernacular)
Diagnosis. Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. is distinguished from all named congeners by coloration. Body white with thin vertical lines but no bars (or very faint). Black spot on snout surrounded by electric blue lines. Caudal peduncle entirely covered by black saddle blotch, which extends over posterior part of body, and sometimes over posterior part of dorsal fin. Black saddle blotch is more extensive than in H. unicolor. Black eye-mask characteristic of H. castroaguirrei absent.
Etymology. We assign the species name espinosai sp. nov. in honor of Héctor Salvador Espinosa Pérez (1954–2022), a dedicated Mexican ichthyologist, founder of the Mexican Ichthyological Society and curator of the Mexican National Fish Collection. The common name refers to the geographic distribution of the species, the Campeche Bank off the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, Mexico.
Oscar PUEBLA, Alfonso AGUILAR-PERERA, Martin HELMKAMPF, D. Ross ROBERTSON, Carlos J. ESTAPÉ, Allison Morgan ESTAPÉ and Omar DOMÍNGUEZ-DOMÍNGUEZ. 2025. Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. (Teleostei: Serranidae), A New hamlet on Coral Reefs in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Zootaxa. 5618(4); 509-524. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5618.4.3 [2025-04-04]
