Taxonomic review of the Neotropical genus Gephyrocharax Eigenmann, 1912 (Characiformes, Characidae, Stevardiinae)
Author
Vanegas-Ríos, James A.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4100
1
journal volume
10.11646/zootaxa.4100.1.1
98731fd0-8af6-422f-b59e-98c05234dea5
1175-5326
261565
E69BBCC0-775F-4F5C-B125-B890DE0FF7FF
Gephyrocharax torresi
Vanegas-Ríos, Azpelicueta, Mirande & Gonzales, 2013
(
Figs. 28–29
)
Gephyrocharax torresi
Vanegas-Ríos, Azpelicueta, Mirande & Gonzales, 2013
: 276
–280, figs. 1–6 [original description,
holotype
UIST 1767,
type
locality:
Colombia
, Santander, El Carmen, Magdalena River basin, La Colorada River basin, Cascajales River system, Sucio River system, Caño Volador,
6°39'56,44"N
73°34'47,36"W
, approximately
338 m
a. s. l.].
Thomaz,
Arcila
, Ortí & Malabarba, 2015
: Add. File 5 [tentative classification].
Diagnosis.
Gephyrocharax torresi
differs from its congeners (except
G. melanocheir
) by the adipose fin absent or vestigial (
vs
. adipose fin present) and the fan-shaped structure of adult males, formed on the distal portion of the outermost branched pectoral-fin ray. From most of its congeners it is distinguished by lacking terminal lateral-line tube between caudal-fin rays 10 and 11, except
G. melanocheir
,
G. sinuensis
, and
G. v a l e n c i a
. The whitish area or
dark
blotch pigmenting the distal portion of the outermost branched pectoral-fin ray of adult males also differentiates
G. torresi
from almost all its congeners (except
G. martae
and
G. melanocheir
). The species is further distinguished from
G. atracaudatus
,
G. chocoensis
,
G. intermedius
,
G. major
, and
G. venezuelae
by the externally developed urogenital papillae (
vs
. this papillae not externally developed). The anterior fontanel of adult specimens reduced or extremely absent by the extensive contact between frontals medially differentiates
G. torresi
from
G. caucanus
,
G. melanocheir
, and
G. v a l en c i a
(
vs
. anterior fontanel well developed or, when frontals slightly contacting anterior to epiphyseal bar, forming a medium-sized opening).
Gephyrocharax torresi
also is distinguished from
G. atracaudatus
,
G. caucanus
,
G. chocoensis
,
G. intermedius
,
G. major
, and
G. venezuelae
by the gill-gland length (6.0–10.3 % SL
vs
. 0.5–5.4 % SL).
Description.
This species was recently described by Vanegas-Ríos
et al.
(2013).
FIGURE 28.
Gephyrocharax torresi
, (A) male, holotype, 36.7 mm SL, UIST 1767; (B) female, paratype, 42.6 mm SL, UIST 1766. White arrow indicates urogenital papillae. Figure modified from Vanegas-Ríos
et al
. (2013: fig. 1).
Distribution.
Gephyrocharax torresi
is only known from the Sucio River basin (Magdalena basin) in
Colombia
(
Fig. 1
).
Remarks.
During the reexamination of the
type
series of
G. t o r re s i
, the absence or fusion of the fourth infraorbital (on both sides of head) present in larger specimens were found in the 60 % of the specimens. This variation was not noticed in the species description (Vanegas-Ríos
et al.
2013). The loss of the fourth infraorbital cannot be used as diagnostic of
G. torresi
at present time, because it needs to be further studied to clarify whether this is intraspecifically variable or not. Nevertheless, it would be recommendable to consider this feature in subsequent comparisons between this species and
G. melanocheir
.
Some specimens from the Topón River in Santander, which is situated at an intermediate locality between the distributional range of
G. melanocheir
and
G. t o r re s i
, were identified as the earlier species (ICNMHN, 17777, 17790, 17817, and 17826). These specimens were not analyzed by Vanegas-Ríos
et al.
(2013) in their comparison of both species.
Material examined.
All specimens from
Colombia
, Santander:
UIST
1767,
holotype
of
Gephyrocharax torresi
,
36.7 mm
SL
, male, El Carmen, Magdalena River basin, La Colorada River basin, Cascajales River system, Sucio River basin, Caño Volador, 639'56.44"N 7334'47.36"W, approximately
338 m
a. s. l. CI-FML 6105 (previously AI 294), 2, 34.0–36.0 mm
SL
;
MLP
10518 (previously AI 293), 1 c&s
paratype
,
34.7 mm
SL
;
UIST
1751, 19,
26.3–37.3 mm
SL
(1 c&s 36.0 mm
SL
), El Carmen, Magdalena River basin, La Colorada River basin, Cascajales River system, Sucio River under bridge to Vereda
Islandia
, 641'14.6"N 7335'15.10"W, approximately
280 m
a. s. l.
MLP
10519 (previously AI 295), 2, 35.1–39.0 mm
SL
;
UIST
1766, 12, 32.0–42.0 mm
SL
, collected with the
holotype
.