Pacific Science (1974), Vol. 28, No.2, p. 111-122 Printed in Great Britain Geographic Variation in the Central Pacific Halfbeak, Hyporhamphus acutus (Gunther)I BRUCE B. COLLETTE2 ABSTRACT: Ifyporhamphus acutus (GUnther) is distinguished from other Central Pacific species ofHyporhamphus by its long upper jaw, long anal fin base (longer than dorsal base), and shape of its preorbital lateral line canal. Two subspecies are recognized: Ifyporhamphus acutus acutus (Gunther) with fewer vertebrae and fin rays inhabits the chain of idands from Wake Island and the Marshall Islands in the northwest to the Tuamotu Archipelago and Easter Island in the southeast; Ifyporhamphus acutus paciftcus (Steindachner) with more vertebrae and fin rays is found in the Hawaiian Islands and at Johnston Island. Hemiramphus furcatus Philippi from Easter Island and Odontorhamphus chancellori Weed from the Cook Islands are placed in the synonymy of Ifyporhamphus acutus acutus. THE SYSTEMATICS of the Central Pacific species lateral line canal; and the following eight mea­ ofhalfbeaks are badly confused; the purpose of surements: lower jaw length, head length, this paper is to eliminate this confusion for one distance from pectoral fin origin to pelvic fin species, Ifyporhamphus acutus. Further studies origin, distance from pelvic fin origin to caudal are in progress to solve the systematic problems fin base, length of dorsal and anal fin bases, and of the nominal species Ifyporhamphus aifinis maximum body depth and width. Frequency (Gunther), Ifyporhamphus laticeps (Gunther), and distributions of meristic characters were com­ Hyporhamphus dussumieri (Valenciennes). Austra­ pared geographically, byisland groups. Sketches lian populations of Ifyporhamphus aifinis and ofpreorbital canals were made ofsamples from Hyporhamphus dussumieri are dealt with in a each island group and compared. Morpho­ review of the Australian halfbeak fauna (Col­ metric data were combined for samples from lette 1974). This paper is the 13th in a series four geographic areas: Marshall Islands (N = on the systematics of the Synentognathi. 12-17), Hawaiian Islands-Johnston Island Material examined is in the collections of the (N = 10-18), Central Pacific Islands (N = 28­ Australian Museum, Sydney (AMS); the Acad­ 50), and Easter Island (N = 16-18). Regres­ emy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (ANSP); sions ofthe eight measurements wererun against the British Museum (Natural History) (BMNH); standard length and then the slopes and heights the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu of the regression lines were compared by analy­ (BPBM); the California Academy ofSciences, San sis of covariance with the procedure used by Francisco (CAS, SU, GVF); the Field Museum of Snedecor (1956: 394-399) being followed. Only Natural History, Chicago (FMNH); the Los F values greater than those for P = .999 were Angeles County Museum (LACM); the Museum considered significant to avoid the possibility of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge (MCZ); of concluding that populations were distinct, and the U.S. National Museum (USNM). unless large differences were present. Characters studied were number of rays in the dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins; number of gill rakers on the first and second gill arches; Ifyporhamphus acutus (Gunther) number of vertebrae; shape of the preorbital Fig. 1 I Manuscript received 12 March 1973. Diagnosis 2 National Marine Fisheries Service Systematics Laboratory, U.S. National Museum, Washington, A member ofthe Ifyporhamphus species group D.C. 20560. that has a deeply forked caudal fin and a poster- 111 112 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Volume 28, April 1974 FIG. 1. Hyporhamphus oculus oculus. Easter Island. USNM 204214, 156 rom standard length. ior branch to the preorbital lateral line canal. slightly reddish. Dorsal, caudal, and distal Upper jaw longer than in most other species of part of anal fin dusky. Paired fins clear with Hyporhamphus, usually longer than or at least dusky rays. (J. E. Randall's field notes for equal to the width of the upper jaw. Base of BPBM 6592 from Easter Island.) anal fin almost always longer than base of dorsal fin. Preorbital canal narrow, usually Remarks with four pores. Anterior branch on a straight line with posterior branch as in the Australian­ Weed (1933) described Odontorhamphus chan­ New Zealand group of species Hyporhamphus celfori from the Cook Is. as a new genus because australis (Steindachner), Hyporhamphus melano­ of the extension of teeth well out along the chir (Valenciennes), and Hyporhamphus ihi lower jaw, almost to the tip of the beak. As Phillipps. Pigment outlines the lateral line Woods and Schultz (1953: 175) have pointed along the ventral margin of the body but not as out, Hyporhamphus acutus shows all gradations prominently as it does in Hyporhamphus from completely toothed lower jaws to small dussumieri (Valenciennes). specimens with only a few scattered teeth on the lower jaw. In all other respects, Hypo­ Description rhamphus acutus is a typical member of the Hypo­ rhamphus species group that has a forked caudal Lower jaw moderately long, usually slightly fin and a posterior branch to the preotbital longer than head length (measured to tip of canal. upper jaw) in adults; much longer in juveniles. Teeth frequently extending well out on the lower jaw. Maximum body depth considerably Range greater than maximum body width. Pelvic fins The specimens examined indicate that the about equidistant between pectoral fin origin range of Hyporhamphus acutus extends from and caudal fin base. Distance from pelvic fin Wake Island and the Marshall Islands in the origin to caudal base extended anterior from northwest and the Hawaiian Islands in the pelvic fin origin reaches pectoral fin base or north, south, and east through the Gilbert, anterior half of adpressed pectoral fin. Scales Phoenix, Tokelau, Samoan, Tonga, Cook, present on dorsal and anal fins of larger speci­ Line, Society, Marquesas, and Tuamotu islands mens. Dorsal fin rays 13-16, usually 14 or 15; to Easter Island (Fig. 2). No specimens were anal rays 16-19, usually 17 or 18; pectoral rays examined from the Ellice Islands, but Hypo­ 10-12, usually 11; gill rakers on first arch rhamphus acutus probably occurs there also. It (8-12) (24-31) 32-43, usually 35-39; gill + = may also occur in the Mariana and Caroline rakers onsecond arch(3-6) (19-26) 22-30, + = islands but no specimens have yet been usually 23-27; vertebrae (35-38) + (18-20) = reported that far west. No specimens are known 53-58, usually 54-57; and branchiostegals from Fiji, the New Hebrides, the Solomons, or 11-13. New Guinea, in all of which a reasonable amount of collecting has been done. These Color areas are all south or west of the andesite line Back iridescent dark blue-green, sides lighter (Fig. 2), which separates continental- from non­ blue-green, lower sides silvery with fine dusky continental-type rocks (Macdonald 1949, Men­ mottling. Underside of tip of lower jaw ard 1964). (See Springer 1971 for comments on Geographic Variation in the Central Pacific Halfbeak-CoLLETTE 113 1000 90° GALAPAGOS ! IS. 100 FIG. 2. Distribution ofJ:fyporhamphus aculus based on specimens examined. Dots, Hyporhamphus aculus aculus; stars, Hyporhamphus aculus pacijicus. Dotted line indicates andesite line which separates continental- from noncontinental· type rocks. blenny distribution in relation to the andesite Morphometrically, there were no significant line.) differences between the samples from the four main populations (Marshall Is., Hawaiian­ Johnston is., Central Pacific Is., and Easter Is.) Geographic Variation in four of the eight characters tested: lower jaw Meristically, specimens from the Hawaiian length, dorsal base length, and maximum body Islands and Johnston Island differ from the depth and width. other populations in having higher counts of In head length, the heights of regression vertebrae, dorsal, anal, and pectoral rays (Tables lines of the Marshall Is. specimens were signi­ 1 and 2). Hawaiian-Johnston specimens have a ficantly different from both Easter Is. (F = mode of 56 vertebrae (X 56.18) and all other 18.31) and Hawaiian-Johnston is. (F = 22.03) specimens combined have a mode of 55 but not from the Central Pacific Is. (F = 0.57). (X54.80). Nearly 90 percent of the 256 speci­ The Central Pacific Is. specimens were signi­ mens counted can be separated by a line drawn ficantly different from both Hawaiian-Johnston between 55 and 56 vertebrae. Similarly with is. (F = 31.30) and Easter Is. (F = 20.61). fin rays, there is a mean difference of slightly Therefore, the Central Pacific Is. were combined less than halfa ray between Hawaiian-Johnston with the Marshall Is. and tested against Hawai­ is. and all other specimens combined: dorsal ian-Johnston is. and against Easter Is. The rays, 14.86 vs. 14.46; anal rays, 17.53 vs. 17.10; heights for these tests were significantly differ­ pectoral rays, 11.26 vs. 10.83. ent (F = 39.56 and 22.43, respectively). Thus, Populations do not appear to differ signifi­ on the basis of head length, there are three cantly in number of gillrakers (Table 3) or in populations of Hjporhamphus amtus: Hawaiian­ shape of the preorbital canal (Fig. 3). Johnston is. (Y = 0.224 x - 0.937), Easter Is. ...... -l'>- TABLE 1 NUMBER OF DORSAL, ANAL, AND PECTORAL FIN RAyS IN POPULATIONS OF Hyporhamphus acutus DORSAL RAYS ANAL RAYS PECTORAL RAYS POPULATION 13 14 15 16 N X 16 17 18 19 N X 10 11 12 N X Hyporhamphus acutus pacifictls Hawaiian 17 29 7 53 14.81 28 24 1 53 17.49 1 33 15 49 11.29 Johnston 8 32 4 44 14.91