Aphredoderus ornatus, Muller & Simons, 2024

Muller, Tyler A. & Simons, Andrew M., 2024, Taxonomic revision of the Pirate Perches, Aphredoderus, (Percopsiformes: Aphredoderidae) with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5415 (1), pp. 77-105 : 93-96

Aphredoderus ornatus sp. nov.

Blackstripe Pirate Perch urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9D4B8708-41F6-4917-81ED-8FA338B2AD93

Figure 8 , 11 ; Table 3 , 8

Holotype: JFBM 50003 : 53.5 mm SL, James Creek North of East Connecticut Avenue overpass, 2.5 miles NW of Southern Pines, Moore County, North Carolina, U.S.A. (35.16, -79.35) 26-Jul-2021.

Paratopotypes: (4 specimens, 46.1–55.3 mm SL) Same locality and date as holotype. JFBM 50546 (2) , NCSM 113084 (2) , UF 249618 (2).

Paratypes: (316 specimens, 22.1–88.2 mm SL).

Florida: Bradford County: JFBM 50265 (4), UF 172113 (4). Calhoun County: UF 169487 (1). Columbia County: UF 171751 (6), UF 179033 (1). Gadsden County: UF 52159 (2). Gadsden-Leon County: UF 166535 (1). Hamilton County: JFBM 50275 (13), UF 57219 (1), UF 167911 (2). Lake County: UF 175435 (2). Liberty County: UF 130632 (5), 144290 (1), UF 144974 (2). Nassau County: JFBM 50276 (3), JFBM 50277 (1), JFBM 50278 (6), UF 168773 (4), UF 169213 (7). Putnam County: UF 184539 (1). Seminole County: UF 23298 (2), UF 106869 (5). Suwannee County: JFBM 50274 (5). Union County: JFBM 50266 (5), UF 174278 (4), UF 238473 (1). Georgia: Brantley County: UF 23727 (2). Brooks/Lowndes County: UF 144794 (3). Bryan County: JFBM 16205 (3). Burke County: JFBM 50016 (10). Colquitt County: UF 54005 (1). Evans County: JFBM 50014 (1). County: UF 172822 (4). Wayne County: UF 123929 (1). Wheeler County: JFBM 50013 (2), JFBM 50015 (2). Wilkes County: UF 172759 (2). North Carolina: Edgecombe County: JFBM 41285 (1), Moore County: JFBM 50000 (4), JFBM 50001 (7), JFBM 50002 (9). Robeson County: UF 179907 (1). Sampson/Bladen County: JFBM 42526 (3). Vance County: JFBM 42415 (2). South Carolina: Aiken County: UF 179964 (2). Allendale County: JFBM 49933 (20). Calhoun County: UF 240271 (2). UF 240328 (1). Florence County: JFBM 49923 (18). Greenwood County: UF 240311 (1). Kershaw County: UF 144153 (1). Sumter County: JFBM 49921 (7), JFBM 49931 (11). Virginia: Appomattox County: JFBM 49999 (14). Brunswick County: NCSM 29910 (7). Buckingham County: JFBM 49998 (1). Essex County: UF 240669 (2). Fluvanna County: JFBM 50380 (15). Goochland County: JFBM 50282 (10). Mecklenburg County: NCSM 29902 (3). Suffolk City/Chesapeake City County: JFBM 17145 (2), 17155 (4), JFBM 17157 (14). Surry County: NCSM 60666 (7). Sussex County: JFBM 50279 (8). Westmoreland County: JFBM 50394 (4), JFBM 50396 (8).

Diagnosis: This species differs from all Aphredoderus by the presence of the ventrolateral stripe, and all except A. sayanus by lower mean scale counts; in lateral series 42 vs. 46–49, rows above lateral line 8 vs. 9–10, caudal peduncle rows 29 vs. 33–35, and four vs. three dorsal spines. From A. sayanus , this species has a narrower body (mean 30.5% SL vs. 33%). Where sympatric with A. retrodorsalis this species further differs by having two defined caudal spots and a shorter postopercular length frequently <15% SL compared to>15% SL ( Fig. 11 ).

Description: Dorsal, IV:11 (IV:10/12). Anal, III:6 (III:6/7). Pectoral 10 (9–11). Lateral scales 42 (39–44), scale rows above lateral line 8 (7–9), caudal peduncle scales 29 (27–31). Average body depth 31%, specimens in Florida frequently slenderer than in remaining range. Head length average, 32% of SL. Postorbital length average, typically 15% of SL with shorter postorbital fish much more common in Southern portion of range. Caudal depth narrow, about 14% of SL. Predorsal length average, about 46% of SL. Eye size average, around 25% of head length. Interorbital space average, eye approximately 87% of interorbital size.

Coloration: Uniform black, brown or reddish brown with a heavily pigmented abdomen. Black caudal stripe extending from the hypural anterior to the abdomen or just before the tips of the pectoral fins ( Fig. 11 ).

Distribution: Atlantic slope, commonly found in the Potomac River in Virginia and Maryland, South to the Saint Mary’s River in Florida ( Fig. 7 ). Common in the Suwannee and New Rivers in Florida. Occasionally found in the Upper Saint John’s River, Western tributaries of the Apalachicola River and a rarely as far West as Pensacola Bay.

Etymology: This specific epithet, ornatus refers to the ornamentation, in the form on a black horizontal stripe on the lower half of the caudal peduncle and rear abdomen unique to this species.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Aphredoderus retrodorsalis, JFBM 50272, holotype from Rice Creek (tributary to the Saint Johns River), Putnam County, Florida, U.S.A.

FIGURE 8. Aphredoderus ornatus, JFBM 50003, holotype from James Creek (tributary to the Cape Fear River), Moore County, North Carolina, U.S.A. Photo credit: Faith Kelly (JFBM).

FIGURE 11. Morphological Diagnosis of Aphredoderus within the Southeastern United States: A) Principal component analysis of specimens from within the Southeastern Contact Zone from Pensacola Bay tributaries in Florida to the Ogeechee River in Georgia showing complete separation of A. ornatus (+) and strong separation of A. mesotrema (△) from A. gibbosus (O) and A. retrodorsalis (X). B) Southeastern contact zone in Aphredoderus. C) Contrast adjusted images (+ 0–30% brightness, + 40% contrast) to clearly display black pigmentation on caudal peduncle and the ventrolateral stripe present in A. ornatus. From top to bottom: A. gibbosus from Wacissa River in Florida, A. retrodorsalis from the Ogeechee River in GA, A. mesotrema from Choctawhatchee River, FL, A. ornatus from New River, in Florida. D) Characters to identify Southeastern Aphredoderus: Top; Separation of A. retrodorsalis from commonly sympatric A. mesotrema and A. ornatus by postorbital length, Bottom; Separation of A. gibbosus from potentially sympatric A. retrodorsalis by interorbital width and eye size.