Life colouration of three Australoheros species from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin, southeastern Brazil (Teleostei: Labroidei: Cichlidae)

Abstract

The colouration in life of three Australoheros species from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin is described herein: Australoheros muriae, Australoheros paraibae and Australoheros robustus. These three species share a character state characterized by the presence of two red zones on caudal-fin’s posterior margin corners, differentiating them from its congeners from the coastal river basins of southeastern Brazil. Australoheros muriae, as well as, its congeners from the coastal river basins of southeastern Brazil (except A. macacuensis), do not expose metallic blotches on anal fins, differing from A. paraibae and A. robustus which always show metallic blotches on anal fin. Australoheros muriae is also distinguished from these other two species by having red iridescence restricted to the upper region of flank, near dorsal-fin base. Australoheros paraibae differs from A. robustus by having ground of body yellow or yellowish brown, absence of any red iridescence on flank, dorsal-fin ground colouration yellow to yellowish brown and anal fin with ground colouration reddish brown on anterior portion, and yellowish brown on posterior portion.

Species diversity and phylogeography of the Australoheros autrani group (Teleostei, Cichlidae) in eastern Brazil

“…Both approaches (WP and CBB) led to identical results, delimiting three lineages (species) within the upper/middle Paraíba do Sul River basin and adjacent drainages clade (see box in Fig. 2 ): Australoheros barbosae , A. macacuensis , and A. robustus (see also Ottoni 2013 ; Ottoni and Schindler 2014 ; Ottoni et al 2014 for additional diagnostic features proposed after the original descriptions of the three species). Despite the low node support (posterior probably lower than 0.95) for the monophyly of A. barbosae , this species was delimited by the WP method since its sister group was well supported (node support higher than 0.95 of posterior probability value).…”

A new species of Crenicichla from the upper Rio das Antas basin, dos Patos lagoon system, southern Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae)

“…The melanin elements within the colour pattern are an important source of character states for the taxonomical delimitation of Neotropical cichlids (Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991;Říčan et al, 2005;ottoni & cheFFe, 2009;ottoni & costa, 2009;ottoni, 2011;ottoni, 2013), and are often used as diagnostic traits to sepa- rate closely related Crenicichla species (e.g. & lucena & Kullander, 1992;Kullander & lucena, 2006;2013;Montaña et al, 2008;Ploeg, 1991;Varella et al, 2012).…”

“…The melanin elements within the colour pattern are an important source of character states for the taxonomical delimitation of Neotropical cichlids (Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991;Říčan et al, 2005;ottoni & cheFFe, 2009;ottoni & costa, 2009;ottoni, 2011;ottoni, 2013), and are often used as diagnostic traits to sepa- rate closely related Crenicichla species (e.g. & lucena & Kullander, 1992;Kullander & lucena, 2006;2013;Montaña et al, 2008;Ploeg, 1991;Varella et al, 2012). The new species herein described is a member of the species group proposed by Kullander & lucena (2006) including C. maculata and C. punctata for having 59 -70 scales on E1 row, the presence of a row of blotches along the side of its body, and general colour pattern characters discussed in the diagnosis.…”