Hoplias mbigua Azpelicueta, Benítez, Aichino, Mendez, 2015

Ota, Renata Rúbia, Deprá, Gabriel de Carvalho, Graça, Weferson Júnio da & Pavanelli, Carla Simone, 2018, Peixes da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná e áreas adjacentes: revised, annotated and updated, Neotropical Ichthyology 16 (2), pp. 1-111 : 46-47

Hoplias mbigua Azpelicueta, Benítez, Aichino, Mendez, 2015

Fig. 13

Body elongated; greatest depth contained 4.5 to 5.2, caudal peduncle depth 7.2 to 8.3 times in SL; head length 2.9 to 3.6, predorsal distance 2.0 to 2.3 and caudal peduncle length 6.8 to 9.4 in SL; snout length 3.5 to 4.0, horizontal orbital diameter 5.8 to 7.5 and least interorbital width 3.6 to 4.3 in HL. Mouth terminal; premaxilla with 8, dentary with 2 rows of teeth, outer row with 13-15 and inner row with 13-16; maxilla with 30-40 teeth. Lateral line with 41- 43 pored scales; series between lateral lines with 13 scale rows. Dorsal fin with 14 or 15, pectoral fin with 11-14, pelvic fin with 8 or 9, anal fin with 9-11 and caudal fin with 19 rays ( Azpelicueta et al., 2015; Bifi, 2013). Ground color pale brown; dark-brown longitudinal band, from opercle to caudal peduncle. Some specimens with darkbrown stripes radiating ventrally and posteriorly from orbit through infraorbitals; ventral surface of dentary with lightbeige stripes alternating with dark-brown stripes. Fins with dark-brown spots, sometimes forming dark-brown stripes parallel with fin base.

Maximum standard length. 293.0 mm.

Biological data. See Hoplias sp. 1 of Graça, Pavanelli (2007).

Distribution. Paraná-Paraguay system.

Remarks. Hoplias mbigua was identified as Hoplias sp. 1 by Graça, Pavanelli (2007). Azpelicueta et al. (2015) described the new species only from the lower río Paraná basin, in Argentina; however, the occurrence of H. mbigua in the upper rio Paraná floodplain has been reported since the submersion of the Sete Quedas Falls by the Itaipu Reservoir (e.g. Bertollo et al., 2000; Pazza, Júlio Júnior, 2003; Graça, Pavanelli, 2007; Júlio Júnior et al., 2009; Bifi, 2013). Additionally, Bifi (2013), in a revisionary study of the Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794) species group from the río de la Plata basin, provided further useful diagnostic features for this species (identified as Hoplias sp. A). Hoplias mbigua is a non-native species from the upper rio Paraná, and its occurrence can be associated with the filling of the Itaipu Reservoir and the consequent inundation of the Sete Quedas Falls ( Júlio Júnior et al., 2009).

Figures

Fig. 13. a. Erythrinus erythrinus, NUP 16220, 77.4 mm SL, córredo da Ponte, Mundo Novo, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. b. Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus, NUP 3437, 150.2 mm SL, lagoa Bilunguinha, Taquarussu, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. c. Hoplias intermedius, MZUSP 69370, 277.2 mm SL, rio Suaçuí Pequeno, downstream from the bridge of Procópio, Coroaci, Minas Gerais State. d. Hoplias mbigua, NUP 292, 260.0 mm SL, Itaipu Reservoir, Santa Helena, State of Paraná. e. Hoplias misionera, NUP 10408, 190.0 mm SL, lagoa Pousada das Graças, Taquarussu, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. f. Hoplias sp. 2, NUP 3457, 250.0 mm SL, ressaco do Leopoldo (ilha Mutum), Batayporã, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. g. Hoplias sp. 3, NUP 3458, 170.0 mm SL, ressaco do Leopoldo (ilha Mutum), Batayporã, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. h. Hemiodus orthonops, 137.0 mm SL, uncat.