The genus Cotylopus (Teleostei: Gobioidei) endemic to the rivers of islands of the Indian Ocean with description of a new species from Mayotte (Comoros) Author Keith, Philippe Author Hoareau, Thierry Author Bosc, Pierre text Journal of Natural History 2005 2005-09-30 39 17 1395 1405 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930400007456 journal article 10.1080/00222930400007456 1464-5262 5214633 CA8E096F-E2EB-4EB5-A3DD-536DE6FAD412 Cotylopus rubripinnis n. sp. ( Figures 1 , 3 ; Tables I–IV) Material examined Nine specimens from Mayotte ( Comoros , Indian Ocean), size range 28.9–47.5 mm SL. Holotype : MNHN 2004-0560 , female ( 49.4 mm SL); Koualé river , Mayotte , 3 November 2003 , G. Marquet , P. Valade , E. Feunteun , P. Bosc , and T . Hoareau coll. Paratypes : MNHN 2004-0561 , four males , four females ( 28.9–47.5 mm SL), Koualé river , Mayotte , 3 November 2003 , G. Marquet , P. Valade , E. Feunteun , P. Bosc , and T . Hoareau coll.
Lateral series
37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
C. acutipinnis 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 2 3 2 1 2 1
C. rubripinnis 1 1 3 1 1 1 1
Predorsal midline series
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
C. acutipinnis 24 C. rubripinnis 9 1 1
Transverse backwards series
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
C. acutipinnis C. rubripinnis 1 1 1 5 4 2 2 2 4 1 1 1 3 1 4 4 4 1
Transverse forward series
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
C. acutipinnis 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 3 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
C. rubripinnis 1 2 2 3 1
Zigzag series
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
C. acutipinnis 2 1 2 4 2 3 9 1 3 1 2
C. rubripinnis 4 2 2 1
Table II. Morphometrics in Cotylopus rubripinnis and related species expressed to the nearest whole per cent of standard length.
Caudal peduncle depth
8 9 10 11 12
C. acutipinnis 1 7 10 15 4
C. rubripinnis 2 5 2
Caudal peduncle length
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
C. acutipinnis 6 2 9 11 3 2 1 1 1
C. rubripinnis 1 2 2 1 1 2
Head length
21 22 23 24 25
C. acutipinnis 3 2 7 3 2
C. rubripinnis 3 6
Predorsal length
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
C. acutipinnis 2 1 3 3 4 1 1 1 – 1
C. rubripinnis 2 2 1 2 1 1
Preanal length
50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
C. acutipinnis 2 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 2 1 1
C. rubripinnis 1 2 1 2 – 2 – 1
Table III. Fin lengths in males of Cotylopus rubripinnis and related species expressed to the nearest whole per cent
of standard length.
Second dorsal fin length
28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
C. acutipinnis 1 2 – – – – 4 – 1 1 – – – 4 1 – 1 – – – – 1
C. rubripinnis 1 – – 2 – – – – 1
Anal fin length
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
C. acutipinnis 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 – 1 1 2 1 2 – – – 1
C. rubripinnis 1 – – 1 1 – 1
Caudal fin length
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
C. acutipinnis 1 2 – 1 1 7 3 2 – 1
C. rubripinnis 3 1
Diagnosis Slender body, lateral scales 37–51, transverse back series 6–11, transverse forward series 6–10, zigzag series 13–16. Pectoral fins orange to red, dorsal and caudal fin orange to red with black rays; a black band on upper edge of caudal fin. Posterior part of body yellowish to reddish. Table IV. Fin lengths in females of Cotylopus rubripinnis and related species expressed to the nearest whole per cent of standard length
Second dorsal fin length
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37
C. acutipinnis 1 2 1 4 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 1
C. rubripinnis 1 2 1 1
Anal fin length
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
C. acutipinnis 2 1 1 5 3 1 1 3 1
C. rubripinnis 2 2 1
Caudal fin length
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
C. acutipinnis 3 2 5 3 4 1
C. rubripinnis 1 1 2 1
Figure 1. Diagrammatic illustration of head in Cotylopus rubripinnis . (a) Dorsal view; (b) lateral view; (c) ventral view. Description Body elongate, slightly compressed between second dorsal and anal fins, and caudal peduncle, becoming slightly cylindrical, and then slightly depressed anterior to first dorsal fin. Mouth inferior and slightly oblique, jaws not protractile. Opercle and preopercle without spines and edges smooth. First dorsal fin free from second dorsal fin with six spines; second dorsal fin with one spine and 9–10 rays; anal fin with one spine and 10 rays; pectoral fin rays 15–16, and slightly rounded along posterior margin; pelvic fin I, 5, fifth rays of each fin joined together their entire length to form a cup-like disk strongly adherent to belly between all five rays. Caudal fin usually with 15 branched rays, rounded along posterior margin. Lateral scales 37–51. Predorsal scales 0, transverse back series 6–11, transverse forward series 6–10 and zigzag series 13–16. Cutaneous sensory papillae orientated transversely, each papilla in a shallow depression. Scales sexually dimorphic with males having more ctenoid scales than female: scales laterally cycloid on the first third of body and ctenoid on the posterior two-thirds for female and mostly ctenoid for male. Head, nape, belly, pectoral base, and usually one-third of anterior part naked. Upper jaw with 11– 16 large trilobic teeth in curved bands with a gap at the symphysis. Teeth point posteriorly with one or two rows of replacement teeth protruding through gum before primary row. Lower jaw with a single row of small conical teeth (four to six). Upper lip broad, smooth along edge, lacking cleft. Gill opening restricted to pectoral base; isthmus broad extending ventrally to pectoral base. Anterior nostril in short tube, posterior nostril without tube; cephalic sensory pore system in adults mainly A, B, C, D, F, K, L, N and O, some juveniles also with H ( Figure 1 ), all paired except for D which is singular; oculoscapular canal is not divided into posterior and anterior canals. Second dorsal, anal and caudal fins slender in males. Males with urogenital papilla triangular in appearance with distal tip rounded ( Figure 2a ). Females with bulbous urogenital papilla ( Figure 2b ). Colour in life ( Figure 3 ) Background of body grey or bluish in anterior part and reddish to yellowish in posterior part. All scales with dusky spot posteriorly. Belly whitish to bluish. Back of head grey to reddish brown; cheek and opercle sometimes with grey to brown streaking. First dorsal fin with orange to reddish membrane and dusky spines. Second dorsal fin with rays and spine dusky, and a black margin; membrane orange to reddish. Caudal fin generally yellowish in females, orange to reddish in males with some parts of rays dusky; upper margin with a blackish band. Anal fin with dusky rays, membrane slightly cream, distally with a blackish margin. Pectoral fin yellowish to reddish. Figure 2. Diagrammatic illustration of urogenital papilla in Cotylopus rubripinnis . (a) Male; (b) female. 1, Anus; 2, urogenital papilla; 3, anal fin. Colour in preservation Background of body grey to yellowish; mid-laterally a thin dusky line or band. All scales with dusky spot posteriorly; dorsum generally evenly dusky from nape to upper caudal peduncle; belly yellowish. Background of head grey to brown; cheek and opercle sometimes with dusky streaking. Snout and upper lip anteriorly dusky; head yellowish ventrally. First dorsal fin with spines dusky. Second dorsal fin with rays and spine dusky, a black margin and a greyish membrane. Caudal fin generally greyish with dusky rays, upper margin with blackish band. Anal fin with dusky rays, membrane slightly cream, distally with a blackish margin. Pectoral fin greyish; pelvic disk generally without pigment. Ecology Cotylopus rubripinnis is reported from a swift clear high gradient and well-oxygenated freshwater stream (Koualé river), where it feeds on algae. The substrate may be entirely rocky with little or no gravel (depth 0.3–0.6 m ). Distribution Cotylopus rubripinnis is actually only known from Mayotte island ( Comoros , Indian Ocean). It seems very rare. Figure 3. Cotylopus rubripinnis n. sp. , MNHN 2004-0561 (live specimen), Koualé river, Mayotte, 3 November 2003, G. Marquet, P. Valade, E. Feunteun, P. Bosc, and T. Hoareau coll. (photograph: P. Bosc). Affinities C otylopus rubripinnis differs from C otylopus acutipinnis in having fewer scales in lateral series 37–51 versus 48–63, fewer scales in transverse back series 6–11 versus 7–24, fewer scales in transverse forward series 6–10 versus 10–34, and fewer scales in zigzag series 13–16 versus 15–26. It differs also in having more ctenoid scales laterally, colours of the fins in living fish reddish versus dusky, posterior part of the body yellowish to reddish versus grey to brown, and the body and fins more elongated. Etymology The new species is named rubripinnis from ruber which means red in latin and pinna for fin, with reference to red dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins.