Simpsonichthys fulminantis

Wilson J. E. M. Costa, 2007, Taxonomic revision of the seasonal South American killifish genus Simpsonichthys (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae)., Zootaxa 1669, pp. 1-134 : 87-89

Simpsonichthys fulminantis (Costa & Brasil, 1993)

(Figs. 57)

Cynolebias fulminantis Costa & Brasil, 1993: 194 ( type locality: swamp near Guanambi , Estado da Bahia, northeastern Brazil [14°15’15.6”S 42°46’55.6”W; altitude 555 m]; MZUSP 43674 ).

Cynolebias hellneri non C. hellneri Berkenkamp; Costa, 1995: 125 (equivocal synonymy).

Material examined

Brazil: Estado da Bahia, rio São Francisco basin: MZUSP 43674 , holotype, male, 38.9 mm SL; MZUSP 43675 , 2 paratypes; UFRJ 685 , 2 paratypes; UFRJ 686 , 3 paratypes; Guanambi, rio das Ras drainage ; G. C. Brasil, 1 Jan. 1992. UFRJ 2194 , 1; temporary pool about 30 km S of Bom Jesus da Lapa ; G. C. Brasil, Apr. 1994. UFRJ 3809 , 6; UFRJ 5864 , 4 (c&s); temporary pool near Guanambi ; A. L. F. Cyrino, D. T. B. Nielsen, J. Cruz & A. De Luca, 27 Jan. 1996. UFRJ 4802 , 1; temporary pool 4.5 km S from Guanambi ; W. J. E. M. Costa, F. Pupo & E. Araujo, 11 Feb. 1999. UFRJ 4847 , 2; same locality as UFRJ 4802 ; W. J. E. M. Costa, F. M. Pupo, E. S. Araujo & A. C. Bacellar, 4 May 1999. UFRJ 6068 , 6; UFRJ 6069 , 2; Guanambi, road to Caitite ; W. J. E. M. Costa, C. P. Bove & B. B. Costa, 13 Jan. 2005. UFRJ 6446 , 14; 8 km S of Bom Jesus da Lapa ; D. Nielsen & R. Suzart, Feb. 2006.

Diagnosis

Easily distinguished from all other species of the S. magnificus group by having bright blue lines parallel to rays on all unpaired fins in males (vs. similar lines present only on anterior portion of dorsal fin of S. adornatus or on anal fin of S. hellneri , and absent in the remaining species of the S. magnificus group).

Description

Morphometric data appear in Table 5. Largest specimen examined 44.0 mm SL. Dorsal profile convex from snout to end of dorsal-fin base, approximately straight on caudal peduncle. Ventral profile convex from lower jaw to end of anal-fin base, nearly straight on caudal peduncle. Body moderately deep, compressed, greatest body depth at level of pelvic-fin base. Eye positioned on dorsal portion of head side. Snout blunt. Urogenital papilla cylindrical and short in males, pocket-shaped in females.

Tip of both dorsal and anal fins long and pointed in males, rounded in females. Short filamentous ray on tip of dorsal and anal fins in males, tip reaching vertical through middle of caudal fin. Dorsal-fin rays unbranched. Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fins elliptical. Posterior margin of each pectoral fin reaching vertical through base of 6th or 7th anal-fin ray in males, and base of 2nd anal-fin ray in females. Tip of each pelvic fin reaching base of 3rd anal-fin ray in males and base of 2nd anal-fin ray in females. Pelvic-fin bases in close proximity. Dorsal-fin origin on vertical either just anterior to, just posterior to, or through anal-fin origin in males, through base of 1st or 2nd anal-fin ray in females; dorsal-fin origin between neural spines of vertebrae 6 and 8 in males, and neural spines of vertebrae 11 and 12 in females. Anal-fin origin between pleural ribs of vertebrae 7 and 8 in males, and pleural ribs of vertebrae 8 and 10 in females. Dorsal-fin rays 20-23 in males, 15-17 in females; anal-fin rays 20-22 in males, 18-21 in females; caudal-fin rays 20-23; pectoral-fin rays 12; pelvic-fin rays 5.

Frontal squamation E-patterned; E-scales slightly overlapping medially; no row of scales anterior to G- scale; single supraorbital scale. Longitudinal series of scales 25-27; transverse series of scales 11; scale rows around caudal peduncle 12. Contact organ on each scale of ventral portion of flank in males. Small papillate contact organs on inner surface of dorsalmost ray of pectoral fin in males.

Cephalic neuromasts: supraorbital 12-15, parietal 3-4, anterior rostral 1, posterior rostral 1, infraorbital 2 + 23, preorbital 3, otic 2, post-otic 2, supratemporal 1, median opercular 1, ventral opercular 2, preopercular 14- 16, mandibular 11, lateral mandibular 4-5, paramandibular 1. One neuromast on each scale of lateral line. Two neuromasts on caudal-fin base.

Basihyal subtriangular, width about 55% of length; basihyal cartilage about 15% of total length of basihyal. Six branchiostegal rays. Second pharyngobranchial teeth 2-3. Gill-rakers on first branchial arch 2 + 9. Vomerine teeth absent. Dermosphenotic absent. Ventral process of posttemporal long. Total vertebrae 26- 27.

Coloration

Males. Sides of body dark yellow ochre on anterior half, dark purplish pink on posterior half of flanks; 8- 10 red bars, three anterior red bars wider and more conspicuous than posterior bars, alternating with three dark green bars; vertically elongated, minute metallic blue spots on flank, more conspicuous on its posterior half; venter light yellow ochre. Sides of head yellow ochre, golden with blue small spots on opercular region; margin of dorsoposterior scales red. Iris light yellow, with dark reddish brown bar through center of eye. Unpaired fins dark red, with metallic blue lines on fin membranes, parallel to fin rays. Pelvic fins bright blue, anterior rays pale red crimson. Pectoral fins hyaline.

Females. Sides of body light purplish gray, with about 15-18 vertical rows of faint dark greenish gray spots, sometimes coalesced to form bars; venter pale orangish golden; one or two rounded dark greenish gray blotches on anterocentral portion of flanks. Opercular region pale golden. Iris light yellow, with gray bar through center of eye. Fins hyaline in live specimens, but with in faint gray bars parallel to fin rays in preserved specimens; small light blue spot on posterior margin of anal fin, just posterior to fin base.

Distribution

Rio das Rãs drainage, rio São Francisco basin, Estado da Bahia, northeastern Brazil (Fig. 4).

Habitat

Temporary pools in the Caatinga.