Four new species of Serranochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Cuanza and Okavango river systems in Angola, including a preliminary key for the genus
Author
Stauffer, Jay R.
Penn State University, 432 Forest Resources Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA., Honorary Research Associate, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, RSA. & South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Private Bag 1015, Makhanda, 6140, RSA
Author
Bills, Roger
0000-0001-6034-4196
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Private Bag 1015, Makhanda, 6140, RSA & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6034 - 4196
Author
Skelton, Paul H.
0000-0001-9587-2802
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Private Bag 1015, Makhanda, 6140, RSA & National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, Wild Bird Trust. & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 9587 - 2802
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-01-13
4908
1
66
84
journal article
8862
10.11646/zootaxa.4908.1.4
25f021d5-c95b-441a-b014-cae55dace166
1175-5326
4435769
B9622350-0A3E-4C86-A1E3-6316690004A1
Serranochromis cuanza
new species
Suggested common name: Black-finned Largemouth Bream
(
Fig. 5
)
Holotype
.
SAIAB 84888
, 181.0 mm SL (male); collected from
Posto
5 on the
Cuanza River
,
Angola
,
09º48’23” S
,
15º24’30” E
collected by
Ernst Swartz
,
31 October 2007
.
Paratypes
.
SAIAB 84791
,
7
,
49.6–123.4 mm
SL; data as for holotype
.
Diagnosis.
The presence of ocelli throughout the anal fin of breeding males distinguishes
S. cuanza
from
S. robustus
and
S. jallae
in which the ocelli in breeding males are restricted to the posterior 4–5 membranes of the anal fin. The exposed teeth of
S. cuanza
differs from those of
S. stappersi
and
S. altus
, which possess small teeth that are buried in the lips.
Serranochromis cuanza
has an emarginate caudal fin, while
S. macrocephalus
,
S. janus
, and
S. angusticeps
have rounded caudal fins. The shorter jaw of
S. cuanza
(44.3–52.8 % HL) separates it from
S. spei
(53.5–57.2 % HL).
Serranochromis cuanza
has 36–37 lateral-line scales, while
S. thumbergi
possesses greater than 39 lateral-line scales. The acute angle of the cleft of the mouth (50–60º of horizontal) of
S. meridianus
delimits it from the 25º angle of
S. cuanza
. The long dark pectoral fins which reach past the middle of the dorsal fin separates
S. longimanus
from
S. cuanza
.
The interorbital width of
S. cuanza
(16.3–18.0% HL) is narrower than that of
S. cacuchi
(20–21.7 % HL).
Serranochromis cuanza
has a greater preorbital depth (19.1–22.2% HL) and snout length (SNL 35.2–39.6% HL) than
S. swartzi
(PD 16.2.1–18.9, SNL 29.6–31.9% HL). The interorbital width of
S. cuanza
(16.3–18.0) is wider than that of
S. alvum
(14.3–15.9 % HL).
Description.
Description. Morphometric ratios and meristic data in
Table 3
. Body shape and pigmentation patterns in
Fig 5
.
TABLE 3.
Morphometric and meristic values of
Serranochromis cuanza
(n=8). The mean, standard deviation and range include holotype and paratypes.
Variable
|
Holotype
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Range
|
Standard length, mm |
181.0 |
103.3 |
41.7 |
49.6–181.0 |
Head length, mm |
67.2 |
39.3 |
15.7 |
19.2–67.2 |
Percent of standard length
|
Head length |
37.1 |
38.0 |
0.97 |
36.4–39.5 |
Body depth |
35.7 |
31.1 |
2.5 |
27.7–35.7 |
Snout to dorsal-fin origin |
39.4 |
39.2 |
1.39 |
38.0–41.8 |
Snout to pelvic-fin origin |
42.6 |
42.2 |
1.26 |
40.6–44.3 |
Dorsal fin base length |
54.1 |
53.0 |
0.78 |
51.6–54.1 |
Anterior dorsal to anterior anal |
46.9 |
43.1 |
2.26 |
40.2–46.9 |
Anterior dorsal to posterior anal |
57.2 |
54.2 |
2.5 |
49.4–57.2 |
Posterior dorsal to posterior anal |
15.3 |
14.1 |
0.89 |
13.0–15.3 |
Posterior dorsal to anterior anal |
31.7 |
27.9 |
1.89 |
26–28.7 |
Posterior dorsal ventral caudal |
20.1 |
19.4 |
1.82 |
17.3–22.6 |
Posterior anal to dorsal caudal |
22.4 |
21.8 |
1.24 |
20.7–24.5 |
Posterior dorsal to pelvic-fin origin |
50.4 |
49.4 |
1.25 |
27.1–36.1 |
Anterior dorsal to pelvic-fin origin |
36.1 |
31.6 |
2.91 |
27.1–36.1 |
Caudal peduncle length |
17.0 |
19.1 |
2.70 |
17.0–25.0 |
Least caudal peduncle depth |
12.0 |
11.0 |
0.97 |
9.6–12.0 |
Percent of head length
|
Snout length |
34.7 |
29.7 |
2.82 |
26.9–34.7 |
Postorbital head length |
44.9 |
43.7 |
1.18 |
41.7–44.9 |
Horizontal eye diameter |
21.3 |
27.5 |
3.24 |
21.3–30.9 |
Vertical eye diameter |
20.1 |
25.9 |
3.02 |
20.1–30.4 |
Interorbital width |
20.6 |
18.0 |
1.23 |
16.3–20.6 |
Head depth |
74.7 |
67.2 |
7.04 |
55.2–75.32 |
Pre-orbital depth |
19.7 |
15.6 |
2.41 |
11.3–19.7 |
Cheek depth |
29.1 |
21.7 |
3.67 |
17.2–29.1 |
Lower jaw length |
52.8 |
48.3 |
3.27 |
44.3–52.8 |
Counts
|
Mode
|
Freq
|
Range
|
Dorsal-fin spines |
15 |
15 |
100 |
Dorsal-fin rays |
12 |
14 |
50 |
12–14 |
Anal-fin spines |
3 |
3 |
100 |
Anal-fin rays |
10 |
10 |
75 |
9–11 |
Pelvic-fin rays |
5 |
5 |
100 |
Pectoral-fin rays |
14 |
14 |
75 |
12–14 |
Lateral line scales |
37 |
36/37 |
50 |
36–37 |
Pored scales posterior to LL |
2 |
½ |
50 |
1–2 |
Cheek Scales |
8 |
7 |
62.5 |
7–8 |
Gill rakers on first epibranchial |
2 |
3 |
75 |
2–4 |
Gill rakers on first ceratobranchial |
10 |
9/10/11/12 |
25 |
9–12 |
Teeth outer row of left lower jaw |
19 |
19 |
37.5 |
18–21 |
Teeth rows on upper jaw |
3 |
60 |
2–3 |
Teeth rows on lower jaw |
2 |
80 |
2–3 |
FIGURE 5.
Serranochromis cuanza
, SAIAB
84888, 181.0 mm SL; collected from Posto 5 09º48’23”S 15º24’30”E collected by Ernst Swartz, 31 October 2007.
Body fusiform and compressed, deepest at origin of dorsal fin. Dorsal-fin origin at vertical through posterior edge of operculum; dorsal fin with XV + 12–14 spines and rays; dorsal spines increase to maximum length over 5–6 spines, lappets prominent. Soft dorsal deep and obtusely pointed behind, extending to base of caudal fin. Caudal peduncle long, 5.3–6.3 times in SL (16–19% SL), length 1.3–1.5 times depth. Caudal fin broad, relatively short rectangular (little more than half the head length), emarginate. Anal fin with III+10 rays, origin behind mid body, closer to caudal-fin base than tip of snout, below vertical through base of ultimate dorsal spine, soft-rayed section with pointed hind edge, extending to base of caudal fin. Pectoral fin with 12–14 soft rays, close behind gill slit, ventro-lateral on flanks, base near vertical, pointed paddle-shaped, not beyond pelvic fins. Pelvic fins ventral with strong leading spine 2/3 length of fin, origin narrowly behind vertical through base of pectoral fins, reaching to anus and anterior base of anal fin. Scales small, with 18–20 regular rows across flanks from dorsal-fin origin to anal-fin origin; 16 scale rows around the caudal peduncle,
36–37 in
lateral line, pores complete; upper lateral line nearly straight, slightly curved, lower lateral line straight through mid-caudal peduncle; five or six scale rows between anterior dorsal and lateral line, two scale rows between soft dorsal and posterior end of upper lateral line. Chest scales small reduced and irregular.
Head triangulate, length slighter greater than body depth, 2.5–2.7 times in SL (36.4–39.5% SL); predorsal profile straight, angle 30˚. Eyes large (HED 21.3–30.9 % HL; VED 20.1–30.4 % HL) dorso-lateral in anterior half of head, entirely above level of the mouth and below the dorsal edge of the operculum. Snout relatively long, greater than orbit-diameter, nares in mid-snout before orbits. Lachrymal (preorbit) width equal to orbit diameter. Cheek below and behind orbits deep with 5–6 rows of scales. Post-orbit less than half length of head, interorbit subequal to orbit diameter, 14.3–15.9% HL. Mouth terminal, large, protractile, angle of closed jaw of
holotype
25˚ below horizontal, posterior premaxilla to below anterior orbit, lips well developed. Teeth caniniform, exposed, narrowly spaced in two to three rows on upper and lower jaws. First branchial arch with 3–4-1-9–12 gill-rakers. Gill opening large, curved from above level of eye to mid-ventrally through a vertical below eye.
Coloration
. Head and body brown in preserved specimens. Laterally with single thin mid-lateral band and 8–9 regular bars from dorsum to lower flank. Dorsal fin with greyish brown membranes, rayed membranes with proximal dark spots and distal streaks. Caudal fin brown. Anal fin brown with light indications of egg spots. Pectoral and pelvic fins plain light brown. In life, metallic silvery on sides from head to caudal peduncle, dorsum mixed copperyolive, white ventral surface; iris a deep purple-charcoal to reddish around the black pupil; upper operculum with metallic golden tinge; opercular spot grey, metallic light blue over exposed maxilla; inter-spinous membranes of dorsal fin light grey with darker grey posterior edges, lappets tinged with red, soft rayed membranes with light and dark blocks proximally, plain greyish distally; caudal fin with light rays and pale grey membranes forming blocks proximally; anal fin an overall yellow cast with greyish infusion, 4–5 scattered greyish egg spots with lighter margins on medial and posterior membranes; pectoral-fins colourless off-white; pelvic-fins yellow infused with grey, spines dusted sooty grey.
Distribution.
Known only from the collection locality Posto 5 on the Cuanza River, below Capanda Dam,
Angola
.
Etymology.
The specific name
cuanza
, a noun in apposition, refers to the Cuanza River, spelt as generally done in
Angola
. The species is most likely endemic to the Cuanza River system.