Two new deep-reef basslets (Teleostei, Grammatidae, Lipogramma), with comments on the eco-evolutionary relationships of the genus

Abstract

The banded basslet, Lipogramma evides Robins & Colin, 1979, is shown to comprise two species: Lipogramma evides, which inhabits depths of 133–302 m, and a new species described here as Lipogramma levinsoni, which inhabits depths of 108–154 m and previously was considered to represent the juvenile of Lipogramma evides. A second new species of banded basslet, described here as Lipogramma haberi, inhabits depths of 152–233 m and was previously not reported in the literature. Morphologically, the three species differ in color patterns and modal numbers of gill rakers, whereas various other morphological features distinguish Lipogramma levinsoni from Lipogramma evides and Lipogramma haberi. DNA barcode data and multilocus, coalescent-based, species-delimitation analysis support the recognition of the three species. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear genetic data supports a sister-group relationship between the two deepest-living of the three species, Lipogramma evides and Lipogramma haberi, and suggests that the shallower Lipogramma levinsoni is more closely related to Lipogramma anabantoides Böhlke, 1960, which inhabits depths < 120 m. Evolutionary relationships within Lipogramma thus appear to be correlated with species depth ranges, an eco-evolutionary pattern that has been observed in other Caribbean marine teleosts and that warrants further investigation. The new species represent the eleventh and twelfth new fish species described in recent years from exploratory submersible diving in the Caribbean in the globally poorly studied depth zone of 50–300 m. This study suggests that there are at least two additional cryptic species of Lipogramma, which are being analyzed in ongoing investigations of Caribbean deep-reef ecosystems.

Demersal fish assemblages on seamounts and other rugged features in the northeastern Caribbean

“…Based on 26 dives completed across the NE Caribbean, 42% of all species observed in this study had not been previously recorded from particular depths or general localities in the region. Recent submersible surveys in deep waters in other regions of the Caribbean (i.e., Curaçao) have also documented range and depth extensions and species new to science (see Robertson, 2014, 2015;Baldwin et al, 2016). Our study combined with these recent efforts suggests that further investigations across mesophotic to deep-sea depths are essential to fully document species' distributions and unveil patterns in biodiversity across the globe.…”

Discovery of a Distinctive Spotted Color Pattern in the Cuskeel Neobythites unicolor (Teleostei, Ophidiidae) Based on Underwater-Vehicle Dives, with New Records from the Southern and Eastern Caribbean

“…The use of underwater vehicles for the study of deep-water fauna has allowed many new insights in several research areas such as deep-water fish behavioral ecology and habitat selection (e.g., Uiblein, 2011;Uiblein et al, 2002Uiblein et al, , 2003Uiblein et al, , 2010, community ecology (e.g., Quattrini et al, 2015Quattrini et al, , 2017Baldwin et al, 2018), and systematics (Baldwin and Robertson, 2013, 2014Baldwin et al, 2016aBaldwin et al, , 2016b. For the genus Neobythites which includes many species that live below 200 m depth, only very few insights from underwatervehicle encounters have been obtained so far.…”

The hidden half: ecology and evolution of cryptobenthic fishes on coral reefs

“…They also appear to partition their habitat by depth on man‐made habitats (Topolski & Szedlmayer, ). Niche‐partitioning by depth has also been observed in gobies of the Nes subgroup ( Varicus and allies), which have undergone an adaptive radiation on deep reefs (Tornabene et al , ), and the grammatid genus Lipogramma , which form clades of species that inhabit distinct depth zones on mesophotic and deeper reefs (Baldwin et al , ).…”

“…Meiacanthus luteus at 100 m depth on the GBR), emphasising the difficulty of detecting CRFs with visual techniques. Yet, recent exploration of deep reefs with a submersible equipped with suction hose and a quinaldine ejection system has yielded a multitude of thus-far undescribed species of CRFs (Baldwin & Robertson, 2013;Baldwin et al, 2016). This suggests that these poorly studied, and reportedly less diverse and productive ecosystems (Kahng, Copus & Wagner, 2014), may harbour thriving communities of unique cryptobenthic fish species .…”