EASTERN PACIFIC FISHES OF THE GENUS HAEMULON (POMADASYIDAE) by Susan L. Hong A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of th~ College of Science in Partial Fulfillment of the Requireme nts for the Degree of Master of Science Flori~a Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida August, 1974 II EASTERN PACIFIC FISHES OF THE GENUS HAEMULON (POMApASYIDAE) by Susan L. Hong This thesis was prepared under the direction of the candidate's thesis advisor, Dr. Walter R. Courtenay, Departme nt of Bi ological Sciences and has been approved by the ~embers of h e r sup e rvisory committee. It was submit ~ ed to the faculty of the College of Science and was accepted i n partia l fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: hl o(t RC diAka, .\ . Thes1s Advisor 1 ~ Chairman, Department of Biological Sciences c e d S tudies ii Acknowledgments I wish to thank Dr. Walter ~. Cour t enay, Jr. of Florida Atlantic University for providing specimens, patient suggestio n s , and helpful comments in the preparation of the manuscript. Thanks are due the other members of my graduate committee, Dr. Daniel Austin for loan of reference material, Dr. Sheldon Dobkin for loan of equipment, and Dr. C. Richarc R~bins for making available specimens from the University of Miami Marine Laboratorj. Appreciation is extended to the following persons at the United States National Museum: Mr. Edgar N. Gramblin and Dr. Ernest A. Lachner for providing specimens, work space, and helpful suggestions; Dr. William R. Taylor for guidance in matters of catalog number changes and type specimen designations; and Ms. Susan Karnella and Janet Ryle for the i r generous assistance. Many thanks are due Ms. Doris Scu~ly for an excellent job in typing the manuscript. I am extremely grateful to my family for their patience and faithful support. iii Abstract Author: Susan L. Horig Title: Eastern Pacific Fishes of the Genus · H~emulon (Pomadasyidae) Institution: Florida Atlantic University Degree: Master of Science Year: 1974 Five eastern Pacific species of the genus Haemulon Cuvier are described, their color pattern and dentition illustrated, and a key presented for their identification. Lythrulon Jordan and Swain and Orth6sto~chus Gill are synonymized with Haemulon. Haemulon scudderi Gill, Haemulon sexfasciatum Gill, Haemulon flavigattatum Gill, and Haemulon maculicauda (Gill) are found exclusively in the Pacific while Haemulon steindachneri (Jordan and Gilbert) is found both in the Atlantic and the Pacific. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgments iii Abstract iv List of Tables vi List of Figures ·viii Introduction 1 Materials and Methods 3 Systematic account 4 Discussion 26 Literature Cited 60 v List of Tables Table 1. Frequency distribution of dorsal fin counts ..................................•.... 28 Table 2. Frequency distribution of anal and pectoral ray counts ................................ , .. 28 Table 3. Fre quency distribution of lateral line scale counts ....................................... 29 Table 4. Frequency distribution of scale counts above and below lateral line ....................... 29 Table 5. Frequency distribution of caudal peduncle scale counts ................................ 30/31 Table 6. Frequency distribution of gill raker counts .. 30/31 Table 7. Frequency distribution of spines on preopercle ................................... 32 Table 8. Frequency distribution of snout length in per cent standard length ..............•.•.... 32 Table 9. Frequency distribution of body depth in per cent standard length .....•..........•.... 33/34 Table 10. Frequency distribution of upper jaw length in per cent standard length .................• 33/34 Table 11. Freque ncy distribution of interocular distance in per cent standard length 35 Table 12. Fre que ncy distribution of eye length in per cent st a nd a rd len g th .......•...........•• 35 Table 13. F~ e qu e ncy d istribution of c a ud a l peduncle depth in p e r cent s t an d a rd len g th ............ 36 vi Table 14. Frequency distribution . of caudal peduncle length in per cent standard length ...•••..•• 36 Table 15. Frequency distribution of preanal distance in per cent standard length ..•..•.•...••..•• 37/38 Table 16. Frequency distribution of predorsal distance in per cent standard length ..•.••••..•••.•.• 37/38 Table 17. Frequency distribution of .head length in per cent standard length .•••.•..•.•...•.•••• 39/40 vii List of Figures Figure 1. Haemulori ·studderi Gill. a-~juveniles; b--adults ... 41 Figure 2. Haemulon sexfasciatum Gill. a--juveniles; b--adults ......................................... 42 Figure 3. Haemulon steindachneri ............................ 43 Figure 4. H~emulon flavigutt~tum Gill. a--juveniles; b--adults .............. ~ .......................... 44 Figure 5. H a ernul on_ maculicauda (Gill). a--juveniles; b--adults ......................................... 45 Figute 6 . Haemulon scudderi; USNM 50365 ..................... 46 Figure 7. Haemulon scudderi; UCLA C50 l-151-58 ................ 47 Figure 8. Haemulon sexfasciatum; USNM 167943 ................ 48 Figure 9. Haemulon sexfasciatum; USNM 167943 ................ 49 Figure 10. Haemulon sexfasciatum, lectotype .................. 50 Figure 11. Haemulon flaviguttatum; USNN 81148 ................ 51 Figure 12. Haemulon flaviguttatum; USNM 181298 ............... 52 Figure 13. Haemulon flaviguttatum; USNH 81144 ................ 53 Figure 14. Haemulon maculicauda, syntype ..................... 54 Figure 15. Haemulon maculicauda; USNM 81143 .................. 55 Figure 16. Hae mulon scudderi .......••.•..•......•....•••... ~. 56 Figure 17. Haemulon sexfasciatum ................ 56 Figure 18. Ha emulon steindachneri ...... 57 Figure 19. Haemulon flaviguttatum . .. .. 57 Figure 20. Hae mulon ma culicaud..:L ..... ..... 58 Figure 21. Scatter diagram .. ...... ... ... 59 viii Introduction The pomadasyid genus Haernulon Cuvier consists of seventeen species found along the tropical and subtropical American coast. Twelve are from the western Atlantic; four, including the synonymized genera Lythrulon Jordan and Swain and Orthostoechus Gill, are from th~ eastern Pacific; and one is found along both coasts of Central America. Thirteen species of western Atlantic grunts were treated by Courtenay (1961). This present study involves the eastern Pacific Haemulon: H. scudderi Gill, H. sexfasciatum Gill, H . f 1 a vi gut t _at u m Gi 11 , .!:!_. mac u 1 i cauda ( G i 11) , and H . steindachneri (Jordan and Gilbert). The first four species have been recorded from Cape San Lucas and Guaymas, Mexico to Panama. H. steindachneri has been found from Guaymas, Mexico to Panama in the Pacific and St. Lucia, Lesser Antilles to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the Atlantic (Meek and Hildebrand, 1925). The taxonomy of the Pacific grunts is in a confused state. These five species were first named~· scudderii, H. sexfascia~~~· D:Labasi~:. stein_dachn e r~, .!!_ . flaviguttatus_, and _9rthostoe_~l:!_~s ;:naculicauda in their original descriptions. They were later all recorded as members of the genus Diabasis_ by Jordan and Gilbert (1882). From 1884 to 1893, the trend was to place all five species into the genus Haemulon. From 1895 to 1944, _!!. flav..:!_gutt:atum wa s placed in Lythrulon and in Orthostoech~s. More recently, workers such as Courtenay (1961) feel that Lythrulon and 2 Orthostoechus should be considered synonyms of Raemulon. The present study utilized meristic counts, morphometric measurements, notations on adult and juv~nile pigmentation, dentition pattern, and radiographs to determine the relation­ ship between these five species of Pacific grunts. 4 Genus Haemulon Cuvier Diabasis Desmarest, 1823: 23 (type species Diabasis p~rra by subsequent designation; not Diabasis Hoffmannsegg, 1819, preoccupied in Coleoptera). Ha·emul on Cuvie r, 1829: 175 (type species Haemulon sciurus (Shaw) [=Haemulon elegans Cuvier] by subsequent designation). Orthostoechus Gill, 1863: 255 (type species Orthostoechus . ~aculic~uda Gill by monotypy). Haemylum Scudder, 1863: 12 (emended spelling). Anarmostus Scudder, 1863: 12 (typ e species Diabasis flavolineatus Desmarest by subsequent designation; not Anarmostus Loew, 1860, preoccupied in Diptera). Bathystoma Scudder, 1863: 12 (type species Haem~lo~ auro1ineatum Cuvier [=Haemuloti jeniguano Poey, 1860]). Haemulum Cope, 1871 : 471 (emended spelling). Brachygenys Scudder, 1875: 121-122 (type species Haemul c n taeniatum Poey, 1868 [=Haemulon chrysargyreum GUnther] by monotypy). ~t h r u 1 on J o r dan an d S w a 1 n , 1 8 8 4 : 2 8 7 ( t y p e s p e c i e s H a e:_m u 1 on flavi.E..!:!..tt a_t us Gill). Key to the Eastern Pacific Species of Haemulon 1. Specimens 70 rom or larger in standard length ......... 2 1. Specimens smaller than 70 mru in standard length (juveniles) .......................................... 6 2. Scale rows oblique, not parallel to long axis of body. 3 5 2. Scale rows parallel to long axis of body above and below lateral line, dark blotch on sides of scales forming lines along scale rows, usually 13 (12 + 1) dorsal spines .............................· ma·cul:i.cauda 3. Gill rakers 26 or less, snout length usually 10% standard length or more 4 3. Gill rakers usually 27 or 28, snout short (8% standard length), light spot in center of scales forming lines along scale rows, dark blotch under angle of preopercle .............................. fl. ~viguttatum 4. No bars on body, black blotch present below free margin of preopercle .............. ................. 5 4. Six or seven