Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei)
Author
Hastings, Philip A.
Author
Springer, Victor G.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2120
3
14
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.188099
ea3cfb7d-d5ca-4ea2-8f88-8e9e43df3b69
1175-5326
188099
Tripterygiidae
20)
Tripterygion
.
Zander (1986b)
recognized two subspecies of
Tripterygion melanurus
Guichenot
, the nominate from the eastern and southern Mediterranean including the Balearics (
type
locality:
Algeria
), and
T. m.
minor
Kolombatovic from the northern Mediterranean (
type
locality: Split, Dalmatia) based on coloration (caudal peduncle spot present in
melanurus
, absent in
minor
).
Zander (1986b)
also noted the occurrence of hybrid populations and a recent genetic study (
Carreras-Carbonell et al., 2005
) found no differences in these two and did not recommend retaining their nomenclatural distinction. Thus,
T. minor
is considered a junior synonym of
T. melanurus
in accordance with
Fricke (1997)
.
21)
Tripterygion
.
Zander (1986b)
recognized
Tripterygion delaisi delaisi
Cadenat & Blache
from the eastern Atlantic excluding the Mediterranean Sea (
type
locality:
Gorée
,
Senegal
), and
T. d. xanthosoma
Zander & Heymer
from the Mediterranean (
type
locality: Banyuls-sur-Mer,
France
). These forms reportedly differ in courtship behavior and ecology.
Wirtz (1990)
and
Fricke (1997)
considered the latter a synonym of the former. Recent genetic studies (
Carreras-Carbonell et al., 2005
;
Domingues et al., 2007
) found evidence of two lineages, however, it is not clear that the genetic differences parallel the phenotypic (and nomenclatural) differences. Consequently, resolution of the status of these forms awaits further study (
Domingues et al., 2007
).