A new killifish of the genus Melanorivulus from the upper Parana river basin, Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae)

作者：Costa Wilson J E M^*

来源：Vertebrate Zoology, 2013, 63(3): 277-281.

• Biodiversity
• conservation
• Grande river
• Neotropical region
• taxonomy

Melanorivulus leali, new species, from the Grande river drainage, south-eastern Brazil, is described. It differs from all other congeners by possessing a unique colour pattern, comprising red dots on body side arranged in chevron shaped rows, a broad dark grey stripe along the whole flank, flank light blue in males, dorsal and ventral portions of the caudal fin light orangish red in males, conspicuous orangish red bars on the middle of the caudal fin in males, and dorsal portion of the caudal-fin base with a small vertically elongated black spot. The presence of a black bar on the anterior and another on the posterior portion of the iris almost in contact with the pupil and the shape of the chevron-like rows of red spots on the flank, in which the angle is placed on the midline of the flank indicate that M leali is more closely related to congeners endemic to the Parana-Paraguay river system than to congeners endemic to the Amazonas river basin. This first record of the genus Melanorivulus from the Grande river drainage suggests that it may have formerly occupied a larger region of this basin, presently under severe process of deforestation and aquatic habitat decline.

• 出版日期2013-12