Pyronotanthias, Gill, 2022

Gill, Anthony C., 2022, Revised definitions of the anthiadine fish genera Mirolabrichthys Herre and Nemanthias Smith, with description of a new genus (Teleostei: Serranidae), Zootaxa 5092 (1), pp. 41-66 : 56-58

Pyronotanthias new genus

Pyronotanthias new genus, type species Anthias lori Randall & Lubbock in Fourmanoir & Laboute (1976).

Diagnosis. The following synapomorphy supports monophyly of the genus:

1. Red stripe or series of blotches below posterior part of dorsal fin and along upper caudal peduncle. Species of Pyronotanthias are unusual in having a distinctive bright orange to red stripe or series of blotches beneath the soft dorsal fin and along the upper edge of the caudal peduncle ( Fig. 10 ). Although the stripe or blotches are not always apparent in P. bimarginatus , P. parvirostris , P. smithvanizi and P. unimarginatus , a very narrow or diffuse orange to red stripe is evident in at least some individuals of the four species, and is particularly obvious in life ( Kuiter 2004; Allen & Erdmann 2012; Tea et al. 2020).

In addition, the following combination of characters distinguishes the genus from other anthiadine genera: dorsal fin X,14–17, not incised between spinous and soft portions of fin; pectoral-fin rays 16–19, longest few rays bearing serrations; tubed lateral-line scales 41–56; posterior rim of orbit with papillae.

Description. See Tables 1–5 for variation among species. Dorsal-fin rays X,14–17; dorsal-fin origin varying from above pectoral-fin base to above opercle posterior edge ( Fig. 10 ); primary shaft of first dorsal-fin pterygiophore angled distinctly posterodorsally; ADPF S//3/1+1/1/1/1/1/1, S/S/3/1+1/1/1/1/1/1 or S/S+ Sv /3/1+1/1/1/1/1/1 (= predorsal formula 0//2/1+1, 0/0/2/1+1 or 0/0+0/2/1+1; Fig. 3B ); dorsal-fin pterygiophores in interneural spaces 9–13 1/1/1+1/1+1/1, 1/1+1/1+1/1/1+1, 1/1+1/1+1/1+1/1 or 1/1+1/1+1/1+1/1+1; terminal dorsal-fin pterygiophore in interneural space 17–18; anal-fin rays III,7–8 (usually III,7); terminal anal-fin pterygiophore in interhaemal space 5–7; pectoral-fin rays 16–19; longest few rays bearing serrations; pelvic-fin rays I,5; caudal-fin rays 7–11+9+8+7– 11; branched caudal-fin rays 7+6.

Scales moderately small, tubed scales in lateral line 41–56; circumpeduncle scales 21–30; no auxiliary scales on head or body; lower jaw scaled; basal scaled area on dorsal and anal fins either narrow or broad; scales with peripheral cteni only ( Roberts 1993).

Greatest body depth 25–36% SL; head length 28–35% SL; orbit diameter 7–12% SL; predorsal length 29–37% SL; preanal length 54–67% SL; prepelvic length 31–37% SL; caudal peduncle depth 13–16% SL.

Anterior part of upper lip of males weakly to strongly hypertrophied ( Fig. 10 ); mouth large, oblique, posterior margin of maxilla reaching to point ranging from vertical through posterior edge of pupil to vertical through posterior edge of eye; mouth terminal, becoming inferior in males; supramaxilla absent; premaxilla with 1 or 2 enlarged canines anterolaterally, a band of small conical teeth about 4 or 5 rows wide at symphysis reducing to 1 or 2 rows on sides of jaw, with outer-row teeth much larger, those of posterior half of jaw curved anteriorly; 1 or 2 posterior teeth in band nearest symphysis sometimes enlarged and caniniform, lying almost flat against roof of mouth; dentary with 1 or 2 forward projecting or laterally curved, enlarged canines at front of jaw, followed by band of small conical teeth about 3 or 4 rows wide reducing to 1 or 2 rows posteriorly, outer-row teeth much larger, those of posterior part of jaw curved anteriorly; anterior third of dentary with 1–3 enlarged, posteriorly curved canines outside band of teeth; vomer with small patch of small teeth; palatine with either a small irregular patch of small teeth or a narrow band of small conical teeth, 2–5 rows wide at widest point; ectopterygoid, endopterygoid, and tongue edentate.

Opercle with three flat spines, uppermost indistinct, lowermost below junction with subopercle, middle spine closer to lowermost spine than to uppermost; preopercle finely serrated on posterior, vertical edge; interopercle and subopercle usually smooth or with indistinct crenulae, sometimes with fine serrations; posttemporal smooth or with indistinct serrations or crenulae; posterior rim of orbit with papillae.

Paired pharyngobranchials (pb) 1 through 4 present, pb4 cartilaginous; tooth plates present on pb2 through pb4, tooth plate on pb4 small and autogenous; paired epibranchials (eb) 1 through 4 present; uncinate process on eb1 fan-shaped, broadly rimmed with cartilage, and directed posterodorsally; no tooth plate on eb2; small toothplate on eb3 ( Figs. 5D , 6D ); paired ceratobranchials (cb) 1 through 5 present; tooth plate on cb5; paired hypobranchials (hb) 1 through 3 present, none with toothplates; median basibranchials (bb) 1 through 4 present, bb4 as cartilage, none with toothplates; gill rakers elongate on anterior/lateral face of first arch, 8–11 on eb1, uppermost at junction with pb1, and 20–27 on cb1 and hb1; shorter club-like rakers or rudiments present on posterior face of eb1, cb1 and hb1, on both anterior and posterior faces of eb2–3, cb2–4 and hb2, and on anterior face of hb3, eb4 and cb5.

Vertebrae 10+16; parapophyses present on first caudal vertebra; epineurals present on vertebrae 1 through 12–15; ribs present on vertebrae 3 through 10–11; preural 2 (pu2) and pu3 haemal spines autogenous; no radial cartilages in caudal skeleton anterior to pu3 haemal and neural spines; parhypural and hypurals autogenous; welldeveloped hypurapophysis on parhypural; single uroneural; 3 epurals; ventral tip of cleithrum with well-developed posteroventral process.

Composition. Anthias (Mirolabrichthys) aurulentus Randall & McCosker, 1982 , Pseudanthias bimarginatus Randall, 2011 , Anthias (Mirolabrichthys) flavoguttatus Katayama & Masuda, 1980 , Anthias lori Lubbock & Randall in Fourmanoir & Laboute, 1976, Anthias (Mirolabrichthys) parvirostris Randall & Lubbock, 1981 , Pseudanthias privitera Randall & Pyle, 2001 , Anthias (Mirolabrichthys) smithvanizi Randall & Lubbock, 1981 , Pseudanthias timanoa Victor, Teitelbaum & Randall, 2020 , and Pseudanthias unimarginatus Randall, 2011 .

Etymology. From the Greek πυρ, fire, νοτος, back, and Anthias . It alludes to the characteristic red blotches or stripes on the upper caudal peduncle and beneath the posterior part of the dorsal fin of the included species. Gender is masculine.

Remarks. Gill et al. (2021a) included three species in their analysis of COI sequences, P. aurulentus , P. lori and P. timanoa , and retrieved them as a monophyletic group.

Material examined. Pyronotanthias aurulentus AMS I. 22467-001 (1W,X, paratype, 29 mm SL), ZRC 61164 (1W,X, 70.0 mm SL); P. bimarginatus USNM 398058 (1X, paratype, 36.8 mm SL), ZRC 62122 (6W,X, 42.2–45.3 mm SL); P. flavoguttatus ZRC 62054 (2W,X, 33.4–36.5 mm SL), ZRC 62119 (2W,X, 27.0– 31.7 mm SL); P. lori ACG CS 675 (3 CS, 40–62 mm SL), ACG CS 934 (1 CS, 39 mm SL), AMS I.18563-001 (1W,X, paralectotype, 33.5 mm SL), USNM 216922 (2X, paratypes of Mirolabrichthys imeldae Burgess, 1977 ), USNM 216923 (1X, holotype of M. imeldae ); P. privitera AMS I. 39928-001 (1W,X, paratype, 44.5 mm SL); P. smithvanizi AMS I. 18603-001 (2W,X, paratypes, 39–42 mm SL), AMS I.20436-009 (1 CS, 37 mm SL); P. timanoa AMS unregistered (3W,X, 63.4–75.0 mm SL).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Predorsal and anterior portion of dorsal fin of cleared and stained specimens.A) Mirolabrichthys tuka, ACG CS532, 47 mm SL; B) Pyronotanthias lori, ACG CS675, 59 mm SL; C) Nemanthias dispar, ACG CS907, 47 mm SL; D) N. carberryi, AMS I.48957-001, 61 mm SL. Photographs are of the right side (digitally reversed) after removal of the pectoral girdle, scales, and skin. Abbreviations: DP, dorsal-fin pterygiophore; DS, dorsal-fin spines; NS, neural spines; SN, supraneurals. Scale bars = 2 mm. Photographs by A.C. Gill.

FIGURE 5. Right side dorsal gill arches in dorsal view of: A) Mirolabrichthys tuka, ACG CS532, 47 mm SL; B) Nemanthias bicolor, ACG CS14, 62 mm SL; C) N. carberryi, AMS I.48957-001, 61 mm SL; D) Pyronotanthias lori, ACG CS675, 59 mm SL.Abbreviations: EB1-4, epibranchials 1-4; LP, levator process; PB1-4, pharyngobranchials 1-4; PB4TP, pharyngobranchial 4 tooth plate; UP, uncinate process. Scale bars = 1 mm. Illustrations by A.C. Gill.

FIGURE 6. Right side dorsal gill arches in ventral view of: A) Mirolabrichthys tuka; B) Nemanthias bicolor; C) N. carberryi; D) Pyronotanthias lori. Specimens, abbreviations, and scale bars as in Fig. 5. Illustrations by A.C. Gill.

FIGURE 10. Male Pyronotanthias: A) P. lori, paralectotype, BPBM 13998, 41 mm SL; P. smithvanizi, holotype, BPBM 15606, 58.2 mm SL. Photographs by J.E. Randall.