Vieja Fernández-Yépez 1969

Mcmahan, Caleb D., Matamoros, Wilfredo A., Piller, Kyle R. & Chakrabarty, Prosanta, 2015, Taxonomy and systematics of the herichthyins (Cichlidae: Tribe Heroini), with the description of eight new Middle American Genera, Zootaxa 3999 (2), pp. 211-234 : 216

Genus Vieja Fernández-Yépez 1969

( Fig. 2 )

Inclusive species. V. maculicauda (type species), V. bifasciata , V. breidohri , V. fenestrata , V. guttulata , V. hartwegi , V. melanura , V. zonata

Diagnosis. Vieja is diagnosed by the presence of a large round blotch filling the majority of the caudal peduncle. In addition, the lower lateral line runs through the center of this blotch, which in most species (except V. maculicauda ) continues anteriorly to form a thick, broad dark line running either up to one-half length of the body (as in V. melanura ) or the entire length of body directly below the lower lateral line (as in all other members of the genus). Members of this genus are relatively elongate to moderately deep-bodied. The presence of the large dark blotch filling most of the caudal peduncle differentiates this genus from other herichthyins, with the exception of O. heterospila and K. ufermanni ; however, O. heterospila can be differentiated from Vieja based on the absence of a lateral stripe longitudinally down the body and the presence of dark- or black-colored scales and broad bars throughout lateral portions of the body. Vieja can be differentiated from K. ufermanni by the presence of conical or bicuspid teeth, as opposed to spatulate in K. ufermanni .

Distribution. Pacific slope of Middle America from Río Tequistlán in Mexico south to Lago Coatepeque in El Salvador; Atlantic slope of Middle America from Río Chachalacas in Mexico to Río Chagres in Panama. Only V. maculicauda extends south past northern Middle America.

Comments. Several studies have all shown a lack of monophyly for the genus Vieja as previously recognized ( sensu Kullander 2003 ). McMahan et al. (2010) specifically aimed to study this genus as recognized at that time and recovered a polyphyletic Vieja based on complete taxonomic sampling of all species ever proposed to be in the genus. Species of Vieja have previously been considered as members of Paraneetroplus , given that the type species of this genus ( P. bulleri ) has consistently been recovered nested within the larger Vieja clade and is the older available name. However, substantial morphological differences exist between members of Paraneetroplus sensu stricto and Vieja . Given this morphological differentiation and the consensus of phylogenetic relationships from several independent studies, we resurrect and rediagnose Vieja and restrict Paraneetroplus to three riverine species in the Atlantic slope of Mexico.

Material examined. V. bifasciata , UMMZ 184634 [n=2, Mexico: Río Grijalva], UMMZ 143879 [n=5, Guatemala: Río San Pedro]; V. breidohri , UMMZ 193906 [n=20, Guatemala: Río Grijalva]; V. fenestrata , UMMZ 97668 [n=5, Mexico: Río Papaloapan], UMMZ 178578 [n=15, Mexico: Laguna Catemaco], UMMZ 209687 [n=10, Mexico: Río San Carlos]; V. hartwegi , UMMZ 159275 [n=1 (Paratype), Mexico: Río Grijalva], 181813 [n=2, Mexico: Río Grande de Chiapa], UMMZ 186388 [n=1 (Paratype), Mexico: Río Grijalva], UMMZ 186407 [n=10 (Paratypes), Mexico: Río Grijalva]; V. guttulata , UMMZ 178548 [n=11, Mexico: Río Coatzacoalcos], UMMZ 184759 [n=38, Mexico: Río Coatzacoalcos], UMMZ 188082 [n=7, Guatemala: Río Nahualate], UMMZ 190540 [n=5, Guatemala: Río Grande de Pasaco]; V. maculicauda , BMNH 1864.1.26.56-69 [n=4 (Syntypes), Guatemala: Lago Izabal], UMMZ 73279 [n=5, Panama: Gatun Lake], UMMZ 178853 [n=15, Guatemala: Lago Izabal]; V. melanura , BMNH 1864.1.26.82 [n=1 (Lectotype), Guatemala: Lago Peten], FMNH 109086 [n=9, Guatemala: Río San Pedro], LSUMZ 16365[n=8, Guatemala: Río La Pasion]; V. zonata , FMNH 3776 [n=1 (Holotype), Mexico: Río Niltepec], SLU 5014 [n=3, Mexico: Río Tehuantepec], SLU 5010 [n=5, Mexico: Río Almoloya], UMMZ 168915 [n=4, Mexico: Río Cacaluta].

Figures

FIGURE 2. Vieja maculicauda, UMMZ 195944, 145.12 mm SL.