Description

SINGLE PAPER

Volume 13, Issue 1 – 25 October 2007

Wilson J. E. M. Costa: Kryptolebias gracilis n. sp. (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae): a new killifish from the Saquarema Lagoon basin, southeastern Brazil, pp. 7-12

Abstract

Kryptolebias gracilis n. sp. from the Mato Grosso River drainage of the Saquarema Lagoon basin, southeastern Brazil, is described. It is similar to K. brasiliensis in morphometric characters and general colour pattern. Both species share at least four colour patterns unique among congeners, supporting a hypothesis of sister group relationship between them: horizontal rows of greenish blue spots and blue bars on the flank, a dark brown stripe on the isthmus, dark brown and white bars on the basal portion of the anal fin in males and horizontal rows of pale golden to pale blue spots on the flank in females. Kryptolebias gracilis differs from K. brasiliensis by having fewer anal-fin rays, fewer scales in the longitudinal series, fewer mandibular neuromasts, a shorter lower jaw and a dark grey spot on the dorsal portion of the pectoral-fin base. The new species also differs from all its congeners in having a small size, with a maximum recorded adult size of 27.6 mm SL.