[Ichthyology • 2023] Thrissina aurora • A New Species of Thrissina from the Andaman Sea and Re-assessment of the Taxonomic Status of Thrissina cuvierii & T. malabarica (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae: Coiliinae)

Thrissina aurora

 Hata, Lavoué, Chungthanawong & Motomura, 2023

Sunrise Thryssa  ||  DOI: 10.1643/i2023001

  twitter.com/IchsAndHerps

Abstract

Examination of the original description of Thrissina malabarica (Bloch, 1795), a name previously applied to an Indian Ocean species with a distinctly deep body, revealed that the former nominal species was actually a senior synonym of Thrissina hamiltonii (Gray, 1835), a slender-bodied Indo-West Pacific species. The applicable name for the species previously treated as T. malabarica is Thrissina cuvierii (Swainson, 1839). To stabilize the taxonomic status of these three nominal species, a neotype for T. cuvierii is designated. In addition, Thrissina aurora, new species, is described from a specimen collected from the Andaman Sea near Phuket, Thailand. Although both the new species and T. cuvierii share a deep body, the former is distinguished by lower counts of gill rakers and anal-fin rays than the latter. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) haplotype network of 11 specimens of T. cuvierii and three specimens (including the holotype) of T. aurora, new species, revealed 22 nucleotide differences between the two species, corresponding to 3.4% mean uncorrected genetic distance.

Holotype of Thrissina aurora, new species, THNHM-F 021939, 146.7 mm SL, Phuket, Thailand.
 (A) Fresh condition; (B) preserved condition.

Thrissina aurora, new species 

Common Name: Sunrise Thryssa

Etymology.—The specific name “aurora,” meaning “dawn” in Latin, is derived from the bright yellow and orangish colors of the new species, reminiscent of sunrise.

Harutaka Hata, Sébastien Lavoué, Sirikanya Chungthanawong and Hiroyuki Motomura. 2023. A New Species of Thrissina from the Andaman Sea and Re-assessment of the Taxonomic Status of Thrissina cuvierii (Swainson, 1839) and Thrissina malabarica (Bloch, 1795) (Teleostei: Clupeiformes: Engraulidae: Coiliinae). Ichthyology & Herpetology., 111(4); 549-562. DOI: 10.1643/i2023001

  twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1724510757914570968

[Ichthyology • 2022] Dussumieria modakandai • Integrative Taxonomy–based Discovery of A New Species (Clupeiformes: Dussumieriidae) from India

 Dussumieria modakandai 

Singh, Jayakumar, Kumar, Murali, Mishra, Singh & Lal, 2022

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14943

 

Abstract

This study is based on integrative taxonomy and reports a new fish species Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov. from India. The new species differs from three valid species within the genus by a combination of characters such as longer maxilla (9.1%–9.9% standard length vs. 8.7% in Dussumieria elopsoides, 6.3%–8.5% in Dussumieria acuta) and one or two rows of small conical teeth on palatine (vs. several rows in D. elopsoides and Dussumieria albulina). It also differs by the absence of longitudinal striae on the posterior side of body scales (vs. presence in D. acuta and D. albulina) and the absence of parasphenoid teeth (vs. presence in D. acuta). The maxilla length of D. modakandai sp. nov. is greater than snout length, which distinguishes it from other congeners. The multivariate analysis of morphometric characters using PCA differentiated the new species from D. elopsoides and D. acuta samples collected in this study. The molecular analysis, based on cytochrome c oxidase I, distinguished the new species from D. acuta, D. albulina and D. elopsoides with a high genetic distance of 13.73%, 12.22% and 12.74%, respectively. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree and automatic barcode gap discovery analysis showed the existence of six putative species in Dussumieria. Even the exhaustive sub-clade formation within species and high intra-species genetic distance in D. acuta (1.59) and D. modakandai (1.95) indicate the possibility of a few more cryptic species. This warrants comprehensive sample collection across the distribution range and integrative taxonomic study of the genus Dussumieria.

Keywords: barcode gap, cryptic species, genetic distance, morphometric character, PCA

 

 Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov., NBFGR, holotype,
144.99 mm standard length (SL),
India, Tamil Nadu

 Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov.

English name: Soft Rainbow Sardine

Etymology: The specific name of the new species D. modakandai sp. nov. is derived from two vernacular words in Tamil language, “moda” means “soft” and “kandai” means fish, jointly called soft fish. This is being used as an adjective here.

 

Mahender Singh, Thazhathe K. Teena Jayakumar, Thipramalai Thangappan A. Kumar, Sanjeev Murali, Akhilesh Mishra, Achal Singh and Kuldeep K. Lal. 2022. Integrative Taxonomy–based Discovery of Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov. from India. Journal of Fish Biology. 100(1); 268-278. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14943

[Ichthyology • 2021] Phylogenetic Relationships, Genetic Diversity and Biogeography of Menhadens, Genus Brevoortia (Clupeiformes, Clupeidae)

in Pozzobon, Gonçalves, Anderson, .. et Dario, 2021.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107108 

  twitter.com/CoralReefFish 

upper photo by Brian Gratwicke  flic.kr/p/gKxCKs

Highlights

• First phylogenetic study including all six currently valid species of Brevoortia.

• The genus is monophyletic and species are grouped as pairs in three major clades.

 • Divergence times were estimated and a biogeographic scenario is proposed.

• Gene flow occurs between different species within each major clade.

• Species-specific clades were not observed, and taxonomy of the genus needs revision.

Abstract

Brevoortia Gill 1861 is a genus of the Clupeidae (Teleostei) that includes six species of fishes commonly known as menhadens in eastern North America and “savelhas” or “saracas” in southeastern South America. Species of Brevoortia are important components of the marine food web of coastal ecosystems in the Atlantic and contribute significantly to fisheries. In this study, the first phylogenetic and biogeographic hypotheses including all species of Brevoortia are presented. A total of 113 specimens were analyzed using three molecular markers (two mitochondrial: COI and 16s; and one nuclear: RAG2). Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference were employed to estimate phylogenetic relationships. A Bayesian multispecies coalescent approach was used to estimate a dated phylogeny, which supported biogeographic analyses of ancestral geographic ranges. Results corroborate previous hypotheses that the four North Atlantic species are grouped in two clades, one composed of B. tyrannus (Latrobe, 1802) and B. patronus Goode, 1878, and the second including B. smithi Hildebrand, 1941 and B. gunteri Hildebrand, 1948. The South Atlantic B. aurea (Spix and Agassiz, 1829) and B. pectinata (Jenyns, 1842) form a third clade, which is sister to the clade composed of B. smithi and B. gunteri. The monophyly and validity of the six nominal species of Brevoortia were not supported. Results also indicate that Brevoortia originated in the North Atlantic during the middle Miocene (about 15 Mya). A cooling event of the tropical Atlantic at around 10 Mya likely facilitated the range expansion of the genus to the South Atlantic, whereas a significant warming of the tropical Atlantic waters during the late Miocene at 6-7 Mya possibly promoted the isolation between the northern and southern counterparts of that ancestral lineage. The relevance of the Florida Peninsula in association with sea level fluctuations for the diversification within Brevoortia is also discussed.

Keywords: Alosa, Biodiversity, Molecular systematics, Panama Isthmus, Teleostei, Tethyan Seaway

Brevoortia tyrannus Atlantic menhaden.

photo: Brian Gratwicke  flic.kr/p/gKxCKs

  

Allan Pierre Bonetti Pozzobon, Pablo Rodrigues Gonçalves, Joel D. Anderson, Luiz A. Rocha, Juan M. Diaz de Astarloa and Fabio Di Dario. 2021. Phylogenetic Relationships, Genetic Diversity and Biogeography of Menhadens, Genus Brevoortia (Clupeiformes, Clupeidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In Press, 107108. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107108 

  twitter.com/CoralReefFish/status/1364828914137264129/

[PaleoIchthyology • 2020] Monosmilus chureloides • Large-bodied Sabre-toothed Anchovies (Clupeiformes) reveal Unanticipated Ecological Diversity in early Palaeogene Teleosts

Monosmilus chureloides

Capobianco, Beckett, Steurbaut, Gingerich, Carnevale & Friedman, 2020

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192260 

Illustrstion: Joschua Knüppe twitter.com/JoschuaKnuppe 

deviantart.com/hyrotrioskjan

Abstract

Many modern groups of marine fishes first appear in the fossil record during the early Palaeogene (66–40 Ma), including iconic predatory lineages of spiny-rayed fishes that appear to have originated in response to ecological roles left empty after the Cretaceous/Palaeogene extinction. The hypothesis of extinction-mediated ecological release likewise predicts that other fish groups have adopted novel predatory ecologies. Here, we report remarkable trophic innovation in early Palaeogene clupeiforms (herrings and allies), a group whose modern representatives are generally small-bodied planktivores. Two forms, the early Eocene (Ypresian) †Clupeopsis from Belgium and a new genus from the middle Eocene (Lutetian) of Pakistan, bear conspicuous features indicative of predatory ecology, including large size, long gapes and caniniform dentition. Most remarkable is the presence of a single, massive vomerine fang offset from the midline in both. Numerous features of the neurocranium, suspensorium and branchial skeleton place these taxa on the engraulid (anchovy) stem as the earliest known representatives of the clade. The identification of large-bodied, piscivorous anchovies contributes to an emerging picture of a phylogenetically diverse guild of predatory ray-finned fishes in early Palaeogene marine settings, which include completely extinct lineages alongside members of modern marine groups and taxa that are today restricted to freshwater or deep-sea environments.

Keywords: computed tomography, ichthyology, Palaeogene, ecological release, Clupeomorpha, piscivory

Figure 2. Cranial anatomy of †Monosmilus chureloides gen. et sp. nov. (GSP-UM 37, holotype). (a) Rendering and (b) line drawing of specimen in left lateral view. (c) Rendering of basibranchial series with hypohyals (dark green) in left lateral view. (d) Rendering of braincase in anterior view, highlighting the vomerine fang. (e) Rendering of right dentary (incomplete) in medial view, with loose tooth crowns (probably replacement teeth) highlighted in red.
Colours indicate different cranial regions: neurocranium (purple), jaws, palatoquadrate and cheek bones (blue), dorsal portion of hyoid arch (cyan), branchial skeleton (chartreuse).

Scale bar: 10 mm. Abbreviations: afn, anterior frontal fontanelle; bb1, first basibranchial; bb2, second basibranchial; bb3, third basibranchial; bbtp, basibranchial toothplate; d, dentary; dh, dorsal hypohyal; f, frontal; ecp, ectopterygoid; enp, endopterygoid; h, hyomandibula; io, infraorbital; le, lateral ethmoid; mpt, metapterygoid; mx, maxilla; ors, orbitosphenoid; pal, palatine; pas, parasphenoid; q, quadrate; sp, sphenotic; sr, scleral ring; vf, vomerine fang; vh, ventral hypohyal; vo, vomer.

a comparison between Monosmilus chureloides (conservative estimate) and a modern anchovies.

Illustrstion: Joschua Knüppe 

twitter.com/JoschuaKnuppe 

Systematic palaeontology.

Teleostei Müller, 1845 

Clupeomorpha Greenwood, Rosen, Weitzman and Myers, 1966 

Clupeiformes Bleeker, 1859 sensu Grande, 1985 

Clupeoidei Jordan, 1923 sensu Greenwood, Rosen, Weitzman and Myers, 1966 

Engrauloidea Grande, 1985 

†Monosmilus chureloides gen. et sp. nov.

 Etymology: Generic name from the combination of the Ancient Greek mónos (single) and smil'e (knife), referring to the single massive vomerine fang. Specific name from the combination of Churel, the name in Urdu of a shapeshifting vampire-like demon with large fangs or tusks, with the suffix -oides, indicating similarity.

 Locality and horizon: Rakhi Nala (locality RN-4) on the east side of the Sulaiman Range in the Dera Ghazi Khan District of western Punjab Province, Pakistan. The ‘lower chocolate clays' of the Domanda Formation (electronic supplementary material, figure S7) were deposited in a shallow coastal marine environment [35]. Nannoplankton stratigraphy (zone NP 15) constrains the Domanda Formation to the Lutetian stage/age of the early–middle Eocene.

  Diagnosis: Clupeiform with vomer bearing two large tooth pits; single vomerine fang representing the largest tooth; parasphenoid straight in lateral view; orbitosphenoid antero-ventrally contacting the parasphenoid; occipital region posteriorly elongated; robust and straight maxilla lacking teeth; dentary bearing greatly enlarged, postero-medially recurved caniniform teeth throughout its length; largest dentary tooth approximately 70% of length of orbital cavity; bulbous lateral ethmoids; anterior part of palatine triangular in lateral view; horizontal lamina of the ectopterygoid under the orbit and directly overlying the maxilla; third basibranchial longest element of the basibranchial series.

 Notes: The attribution of two closely related species possibly forming a monophyletic group to two separate genera is subjective. †Monosmilus chureloides differs from †Clupeopsis straeleni in several morphological features, including: proportionally larger teeth on vomer and dentary; bulbous (rather than irregularly flattened) lateral ethmoid; postorbital region of the neurocranium longer (instead of shorter) than preorbital region; contact between orbitosphenoid and parasphenoid; larger lateral horizontal lamina of the ectopterygoid; longer and broader endopterygoid; third (instead of second) basibranchial as the longest element of the basibranchial series. We consider these differences sufficient to justify the erection of a new genus for †M. chureloides.

Monosmilus chureloides, a large stem engraulid, pursuing some smaller relatives, the size of the average modern anchovies. Our monster with the kindergarten drawing dentition is interrupted by a basal whale, Dalanistes, swooping in for a kill.

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192260  

Illustrstion: Joschua Knüppe deviantart.com/hyrotrioskjan

Figure 4. Medium-to-large-bodied predatory actinopterygians in shallow marine environments through time, showing faunal turnover across the K/Pg extinction and the early Palaeogene. †Aspidorhynchids are reported from continental deposits in the Palaeocene, but their last marine occurrences are Maastrichtian. †Enchodontids are reported from Danian marine deposits, but this is possibly due to reworking from Maastrichtian layers. The last occurrence of †Holosteinae extends into the early Oligocene (Rupelian; not shown here). An arrow on the right end of the illustrated range indicates survivorship to the present day. ...

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192260

     

Alessio Capobianco, Hermione T. Beckett, Etienne Steurbaut, Philip D. Gingerich, Giorgio Carnevale and Matt Friedman. 2020. Large-bodied Sabre-toothed Anchovies reveal Unanticipated Ecological Diversity in early Palaeogene Teleosts. Royal Society Open Science. 7(5) DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192260

  twitter.com/JoschuaKnuppe/status/1260487222748471298

deviantart.com/hyrotrioskjan/art/Large-bodied-sabre-toothed-anchovies-841613919

     

[Ichthyology • 2019] Sardinella pacifica • A New Species of Sardine (Clupeiformes, Clupeidae) from the Philippines

Sardinella pacifica

 Hata & Motomura, 2019

  DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.829.30688

Abstract

A new sardine, Sardinella pacifica sp. n., is described on the basis of 21 specimens collected from the Philippines. The new species closely resembles Sardinella fimbriata (Valenciennes, 1847), both species having lateral scales with centrally discontinuous striae, a dark spot on the dorsal-fin origin, more than 70 lower gill rakers on the first gill arch, the pelvic fin with eight rays, and 17 or 18 prepelvic and 12 or 13 postpelvic scutes. However, the new species is distinguished from the latter by lower counts of lateral scales, pseudobranchial filaments, and postpelvic scutes (38–41, 14–19 and 12–13, respectively vs. 44–46, 19–22 and 13–14), and a shorter lower jaw (10.4–11.6% of standard length vs. 11.1–12.2%). Sardinella pacifica sp. n. is known only from the Philippines, whereas S. fimbriata is restricted to the Indian Ocean, although previously considered to be an Indo-West Pacific species, distributed from India to the Philippines.

Keywords: morphology, Sardinella fimbriata, Southeast Asia, taxonomy

Figure 1. Holotype of Sardinella pacifica sp. n., BMNH 1985.4.12.1, 105.1 mm SL, Manila Bay, Luzon Island, Philippines.

Sardinella pacifica sp. n.

Diagnosis: A species of Sardinella with the following combination of characters: caudal fin with black posterior margin; lateral body scales with centrally discontinuous vertical striae, and few perforations and pores posteriorly; 38–41 (modally 38) lateral scales in longitudinal series; body scales deciduous; black spot on dorsal-fin origin; pelvic fin with one unbranched and seven branched rays; gill rakers 40–53 (43) in upper series on 1st gill arch, 71–84 (72) in lower series, 112–137 (118) in total; gill rakers 40–56 (42) in upper series on 2nd gill arch, 70–94 (79) in lower series, 112–148 (115) in total; gill rakers 37–52 (42) in upper series on 3rd gill arch, 57–75 (60) in lower series, 95–127 (99) in total; gill rakers 31–43 (35) in upper series on 4th gill arch, 44–63 (48) in lower, 78–106 (80) in total; gill rakers 30–43 (34) on hind face of 3rd gill arch; 17 or 18 (18) + 12 or 13 (13) = 29–31 (30) scutes on ventral edge of body; anal fin with 18–21 (20) rays; lower jaw rather short, 10.4–11.6% of SL.

...

Distribution: Currently known only from the Philippines.

Etymology: The specific name pacifica (in reference to the Pacific Ocean) is given to distinguish the species from S. fimbriata, with which it had been confused, and which is now considered to be restricted to the Indian Ocean.

 Harutaka Hata and Hiroyuki Motomura. 2019. A New Species of Sardine, Sardinella pacifica from the Philippines (Teleostei, Clupeiformes, Clupeidae). ZooKeys. 829: 75-83.  DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.829.30688

[Ichthyology • 2018] Anchoviella hernanni • A New Species of Anchoviella (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) from the western Amazon River in Peru, with Comments on Congeners in the Peruvian Amazon River

Anchoviella hernanni

Loeb, Varella & Menezes, 2018

   DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13601 

Abstract

Anchoviella hernanni sp. nov. is described from the upper Amazon River basin, in tributaries of the Marañon, Ucayali and Madre de Dios river drainages that drain the Peruvian Andes. The new taxon can be distinguished from all congeners except Anchoviella jamesi, Anchoviella manamensis and Anchoviella perezi, by having 12–15 gill rakers in the lower branch of the first gill arch (v·16–35) and from those species by the distance between verticals through the posterior margin of the orbit to the posterior margin of the upper jaw 9·5–14·8% head length; LH (v. up to 6·0% LH). An updated identification key of all freshwater species of Anchoviella and morphological comparisons between all species of the genus occurring in Peru are provided.

Key words: Amazon basin; anchovies; manjuba; Neotropical fish fauna; systematics.

Fig. 1. Anchoviella hernanni sp. nov., holotype (MUSM 59521, 26·4 mm LS).

Anchoviella hernanni 

Etymology: Anchoviella hernanni is named in honour of Peruvian ichthyologist Hernan Ortega, in recognition of his contribution to knowledge about the diversity of fishes of Peru and his support for many researchers, either by making material available or by guiding students.

M. V. Loeb, H. R. Varella and N. A. Menezes. 2018. A New Species of Anchoviella (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) from the western Amazon River in Peru, with Comments on Congeners in the Peruvian Amazon River. Journal of Fish Biology.  DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13601

 twitter.com/MJBernt/status/987418943890575360

[Ichthyology • 2017] Amblygaster indiana • A New Species of Clupeid Fish (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae), off Eraviputhenthurai, West Coast of India

Amblygaster indiana  

Mary, Balasubramanian, Selvaraju & Shiny, 2017
   DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4247.4.7 

Abstract

A new species, Amblygaster indiana sp. nov., is described from 12 specimens collected from fish landing centers and fish markets at Eraviputhenthurai, west coast of India. The new species can be differentiated from all other species of Amblygaster by its larger size and very deep body, 8 circular-shaped pre-pelvic scutes, different gill rakers counts, large eyes, 40 lateral scales, and peculiar gap between the left and right frontoparietal striae on the top of the head. The new species has been seasonally captured with A. sirm in Eraviputhenthurai and also other coastal waters of the south west coast of India. The proportions of A. indiana sp. nov. and A. sirm in fish catches are approximately 1 to 20. Gillnets and shore seines are used to catch Amblygaster spp. along the Eraviputhenthurai coast and along the coastal zones of south west coasts of India.

Keywords: Pisces, Clupeiformes, Amblygaster, new species, west coast of India

FIGURE 1: Amblygaster indiana sp. nov., holotype, ZSI/MBRC/540, 21 cm SL.
 A, Fresh specimen;  B, drawing of holotype. 

A.A. Mary, T. Balasubramanian, S. Selvaraju and A. Shiny. 2017. Description of A New Species of Clupeid Fish, Amblygaster indiana (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae), off Eraviputhenthurai, West Coast of India. Zootaxa. 4247(4); 461-468. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4247.4.7