Descriptions of Six New Caribbean Fish Species in the Genus Starksia (Labrisomidae)
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aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology Descriptions of six new Caribbean fish species in the genus Starksia (Labrisomidae) Jeffrey T. Williams & Julie H. Mounts Division of Fishes, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, NHB WG-12 MRC-159, Washington, DC 20013-7012. E-emails: [email protected] and [email protected] Accepted: 14.02.2003 Keywords dem S. s/Lf/te/v-Komplex gehbren; und im S. fasciata- Taxonomy, marine fishes, Starksia, new species, Komplex, S. smithvanizi von Buck Island Reef Nati- Caribbean, Labrisomidae onal Monument (St. Croix), Navassa Island, St. Barthelemy und Dominica. Starksia fasciata ist nur Abstract auf den Bahamas im nordlichen Kuba zu finden. Wir Extensive collecting efforts using rotenone sampling fugen auch einen Besti mm u ngsschl iissel mitdiagnos- throughout the Caribbean over the past four decades tischen Kennzeichen fur die 21 Arten aus dem west- have vastly increased the numbers of specimens of lichen Atlantik bei (Arten im S. oceilata-Komplex wer- cryptic fishes in museum collections. Among these den nur im Schliissel bestimmt). Die hier enthaltenen specimens, we discovered representatives of six new Beschreibungen bringt nun die Gesamtzahl der aner- cryptic fish species belonging in the Starksia fasciata kannten Starksia Arten im westlichen Atlantik auf 21. and S. sluiteri species complexes. Descriptions are provided herein for the following new species: S. teu- Resume covitta from Navassa Island; S. melasma from Mona Des efforts considerables de collectes a I'aide de rote- Island, Puerto Rico, and Buck Island Reef National none dans toutes les Carai'bes, ces quarante dernieres Monument, St. Croix; S. multilepis from Fernando de annees, ont serieusement augmente le nombre de spe- Noronha Island and Atol das Rocas, Brazil; S. rava cimens de poissons cryptiques dans les collections des from Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago; S. sella from musees. Parmi ces specimens, nous avons decouvert Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago, all in the S. sluiteri com- six nouvelles especes de poissons cryptiques appar- plex; and in the S. fasciata complex, S. smithvanizi tenant aux complexes de Starksia fasciata et de S. slui- from Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. Croix), teri. Figurent lei les descriptions des six especes nou- Navassa Island, St. Barthelemy, and Dominica. Starksia velles suivantes: S. leucovitta de file Navassa; S. fasciata is restricted in distribution to the Bahamas melasma de lite Mona, de Porto-Rico et de Buck Island and northern Cuba. We provide an identification key Reef National Monument, St Croix; S. multilepis de Pile and diagnostic characters for the 21 western Atlantic Fernando de Noronha et de PAtoll das Rocas, Bresil; S. species (those species in the S. ocetlata complex are rava de Tobago, Trinidad et Tobago; S. sella de Tobago, diagnosed only in the key). The descriptions herein Trinidad et Tobago, qui font partie du complexe S. slui- bring the total number of recognized western Atlantic teri. Dans te complexe Starksia fasciata, S. smithvanizi species of Starksia to 21. de Buck Island Reef National Monument (St Croix), de Pile Navassa, de St Barthelemy et de Dominique. S. fas- Zusammenfassung ciata voit sa distribution reduite aux Bahamas et au nord Ausgedehnter Fischfang in der Karibik wahrend der de Cuba. Nous fournissons une cle de determination et vergangenen Vierjahrzehnten unter Anwendung von une liste de caracteres diagnostiques pour les 21 Rotenon hat zu erheblicher Erhbhung der Anzahl especes de PAtlantique ouest (les especes du complexe kryptischer Fischexemplare in Museumsammlungen $. oceilata ne sont diagnostiquees que dans la cle). Ces gefuhrt. Unter diesen entdeckten wir Vertreter von descriptions portent a 21 le nombre total despeces sechs neuen kryptischen Fischarten, die zu den reconnues de Starksia de PAtlantique occidental. Starksia fasciata- und S. s/u/feri-Artenkomplexen ge- horen. Hier werden Beschreibungen folgender Arten Sommarto gegeben: S. leucovitta von Navassa Island; S. melas- Un'intensa attivita di raccoita con la tecnica del ma von Mona Island, Puerto Rico und von Buck Is- rotenone condotta nei Caraibi negli ultimi quattro land Reef National Monument, St. Croix; S. multilepis decenni ha notevolmente incrementato il numero di von Fernando de Noronha und von Atol das Rocas, esemplari di peso! criptici nelle collezioni del musei. Tra Brasilien; S. rava von Tobago, Trinidad und Tobago; queste abbiamo individuate indivldui appartenenti a sei S. sella von Tobago, Trinidad und Tobago, die alle zu nuove specie facenti parte del complessi di specie 145 aqua vol. 6 no. 4 - 2003 Descriptions of six new Caribbean fish species in the genus Starksia (Labrisomidae) Starksia fasciata e S. sluiteri. Vengono qui fornite le recognized western Atlantic species. Our efforts to descrizioni delle seguenti nuove specie: S. leucovitta determine their specific identity led to the conclusion dell'lsola Navassa; S. melasma dell'lsola Mona, Puerto that the specimens from these localities represented Rico e Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. Croix); three undescribed taxa in the S. sluiteri complex and S. multiiepis dell'lsola Fernando de Noronha e I'Atollo one undescribed species in the S. fasciata complex. das Rocas, Brazil; S. rava e S. sella da Tobago, Trinidad Our examination of comparative specimens from e Tobago, tutte del complesso S. sluiteri, mentre del other Caribbean localities and the south-western complesso Starksia fasciata, viene descritta S. smithva- Atlantic revealed two additional new species among nizi raccolta a Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. specimens previously identified as S. sluiteri. Croix), Isola Navassa, St. Barthelemy e Dominica. La We describe six species as new, bringing the total distribuzione di S. fasciata e limitata alle Bahamas e a number of valid western Atlantic species of Starksia to Cuba settentrionale. Viene fornita una chiave d'identifi- 21. We provide a key to the identification of and diag- cazione e le caratteristiche diagnostiche per tutte le 21 nostic characters for the 21 western Atlantic species specie di Starksia dell'Atlantico occidental (le specie (those species in the S. oceiiata complex, which were del complesso S. oceiiata sono diagnosticate solo nella treated by Greenfield, 1979, are diagnosed only in the chiave dicotomica). key). An analysis of the phylogenetic relationships among the species of Starksia must await a compre- Introduction hensive study of all Starksia taxa, including the east- The labrisomid fishes of the genus Starksia occur on ern Pacific species. shallow rock and coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific and the western central Atlantic. These are cryptic fishes, Methods but males and females exhibit brilliant red coloration Counts and measurements generally follow Bohlke in life. Cryptic fishes comprise a major component of and Springer (1961). Counts of vertebrae and associ- the shallow tropical marine shorefish fauna around ated elements and median fin rays were taken from the world. Most of our knowledge of the existence of radiographs. The first caudal vertebral centrum is the cryptic fishes is based on specimens obtained anteriormost centrum with a hemal spine. through rote none sampling. Collecting efforts using The elements of the two dorsal fins are presented as rotenone in the western central Atlantic over about the a formula: number of spines, number of segmented past four decades have increased the numbers of rays. Lateral line scales are presented as arched por- specimens of cryptic fishes in museum collections. tion + straight portion (including transitional scale) = The genus Starksia is an example of a group for total. Male genital papilla length (character) is pre- which there has been significant growth in the number sented as a number that represents the anal fin ele- of preserved specimens available for study from shal- ment (including the two spines) which the distal tip low rocky and coralline surge zones. reaches when the papilla is pressed against the anal Bohlke and Springer (1961) reviewed the Atlantic fin base (e.g., a papilla reaching the base of seg- species-of Starksia, recognizing eight valid species, mented ray 4 is recorded as 6). Head length (HL) and two of which were described as new. Five additional measured male genital papilla length are given as % species of Starksia have been described from the SL (standard length). Institutional abbreviations: western central Atlantic since 1961. Gilbert (1965, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History; ANSP, 1971) described three of the five new species and Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; UF, Greenfield (1979) described the other two and recog- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of nized S. culebrae (F\q. 1) and S. brasiiiensis as valid. Florida; USNM, National Museum of Natural History, There are currently fifteen western Atlantic Starksia Smithsonian Institution. species recognized as valid. The identification key is based primarily on formalin- Collecting stations occupied by the first author at preserved specimens, which, after initial fixation, were Tobago and Navassa Island contained specimens of transferred into 75% ethanol for permanent archival Starksia that were unidentifiable as any of the fifteen storage. Specimens examined from UF are main- tained in 55% isopropanol {most of these specimens exhibit an overall "straw colour" as a result of the degradation of the dark pigment components of the pattern; this is characteristic of specimens stored in isopropanol for long periods of time). Diagnostic characters for each taxon are provided in the identification key and are not repeated as a sepa- rate section in the individual species accounts for new species described herein. Key characters used in the Fig. 1. Starksia culebrae, 29.4 mm SL male, St. Croix. following key are taken in part from Bohlke and Photo by W. F Smith-Vaniz and L. Rocha. Springer (1961), Gilbert (1971), and Greenfield (1979). aqua vol. 6 no. 4 -2003 146 Jeffrey T. Williams & Julie H, Mounts Diagnostic key to western Atlantic Starksia bar breaking up to form separate spots S. smithvanizi 1a. No orbital cirrus; prominent dark spot, about 8a.