Record of the rare Caribbean mud eel, Pythonichthys sanguineus (Heterenchelyidae, Anguilliformes), in the region of the Amazon Reef / Registro da rara enguia de lama do Caribe, Pythonichthys sanguineus (Heterenchelyidae, Anguilliformes) na região dos Recifes da Amazônia

As they spend most of their time buried in the substrate and are not a fishery resource, heterenchelyids are seldom seen. These eels are characterized by their greatly reduced eyes, which are covered by semi-transparent skin, the absence of a pectoral fin or lateral line, and no pores on the head or body. Pythonichthys sanguineus is a particularly poorly-known species, with only eight scientific records from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. The present study is based on six adult specimens of P. sanguineus captured by vessels of the shrimp trawling fleet along the northern Brazilian coast, in the vicinity of the Amazon Reef. We provide meristic, morphometric and DNA barcoding data. These findings provide insights into the distribution of the species off the northern Brazilian coast and contribute to the discussion about the southern limit of the Greater Caribbean fauna. (AU)

Heterenchelídeos passam a maior parte do tempo enterrados no substrato e raramente são vistos, não representando recursos pesqueiros importantes. Essas enguias são caracterizadas por seus olhos muito reduzidos e cobertos por pele semi-transparente, ausência de nadadeiras peitorais ou linha lateral, e ausência de poros na cabeça ou no corpo. Pythonichthys sanguineus é uma espécie particularmente pouco conhecida, com apenas oito registros em coleção zoológica para Cuba, Porto Rico, Colômbia, Venezuela, Guiana e Suriname. O presente estudo é baseado em seis espécimes adultos de P. sanguineus capturados pela frota industrial de arrasto de camarão-rosa na costa norte do Brasil, ao largo dos Recifes da Amazônia. Apresentamos dados merísticos, morfométricos e de DNA barcoding dos exemplares examinados. O registro fornece informações importantes sobre a distribuição da espécie na costa norte do Brasil, e contribui para a discussão sobre o limite sul da fauna do Grande Caribe.(AU)

Use of an ultrasound device to determine sex and to perform gonad biopsy in the European eel Anguilla Anguilla / Uso de um dispositivo ultrasonográfico para determinar o sexo e efetuar a biópsia das gônadas da Enguia-Européia Anguilla anguilla

The European eel Anguilla anguilla is a highly important market species which is also increasingly in danger of extinction in Europe. One of the ways of protecting the species in the natural environment, while maintaining its market supply, is its aquaculture, e.g. due to much higher survival rate under controlled conditions than in the wild. However, this can be done only when an effective artificial reproduction biotechnique is developed. The aim of this study was to use an ultrasound device to determine the sex and to perform a biopsy of the gonads, which is a part of complete protocol of eel artificial reproduction. The findings indicate that ultrasonography is highly useful in determining the sex in migrating eel (100% of sureness) and in performing high-precision biopsy of the gonads. The present method gives the possibility to quick determine the maturity of the female gonads. The application of ultrasonography (USG) is totally safe for fish and a portable ultrasound device can be used in both the laboratory and in the field...

A Enguia-Européia Anguilla anguilla é uma espécie de grande importância comercial e que apresenta também grande risco de extinção na Europa. Uma das formas para a proteção das espécies em seu ambiente natural e de manter o seu suprimento no comércio é a aquicultura, por exemplo, devido à taxa de sobrevivência em condições controladas ser muito superior a existente em condições naturais. Contudo isto só pode ser obtido quando é desenvolvida uma biotécnica de reprodução artificial eficiente. O presente trabalho foi delineado para utilizar um dispositivo ultrassonográfico a fim de determinar o sexo e de possibilitar a realização de biópsias das gônadas, o que é parte do protocolo complete de reprodução artificial de enguias. As constatações indicaram que a ultrassonografia é muito útil para a determinação do sexo das enguias (100% de exatidão) e também é capaz de possibilitar a realização de uma biópsia das gônadas de alta precisão. O método descrito oferece possibilidades para a rápida determinação da maturidade das gônadas das fêmeas. A aplicação da ultrassonografia é totalmente segura para peixes e o dispositivo portátil de ultrassonografia pode ser utilizado tanto no laboratório como em condições de campo...

Teleostean phylogeny based on osteological and myological characters / Filogenia de teleosteos basada en características osteológicas y miológicas

Despite the progresses done in the field of teleostean phylogeny in the last decades, recent studies continué to raise questions concerning the higher-level relationships of this remarkably diverse group of fishes. The main aim of the present work is to help to clarify teleostean higher-level relationships. For that purpose, we undertook a cladistic analysis including 70 terminal taxa of 20 different orders and 271 morphological characters, concerning mainly osteological and myological structures of the cephalic region , pectoral girdle and fins and anterior vertebrae. In the consensus cladogram obtained, the elopomorphs appear as the most basal extant teleosts. The osteoglossomorphs included in the analysis are grouped in a monophyletic clade, which is the sister-group of the remaining non-elopomorph teleosts. The Otocephala, the Clupeiformes, and the Ostariophysi appear as monophyletic clades, thus contradicting the results of some recent molecular cladistic analyses placing the Alepocephaloidea inside the Otocephala. In fact, the monophyly of the Argentiniformes (Alepocephaloidea + Argentinoidea) is well supported by the cladistic analysis of the present work. This cladistic analysis also provides support for the monophyly of the Alepocephaloidea, of the Argentinoidea, of the Galaxioidea + Osmeroidea, and of the Esociforines. However, it does notprovide strong evidence to resolve the relationships between the Argentiniformes, Salmoniformes, Esociformes, Osmeriformes and Neoteleostei, although it does indicate that the salmoniforms might be closely related to the Neoteleostei and that the Esociformes and the Osmeriformes might constitute a monophyletic unit. The monophyly of the Cypriniformes + Characiformes + Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes, of the Characiformes + Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes and of the Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes is well supported.

A pesar de los avances realizados en relacion a la filogenia de los teleosteos en las últimas décadas, los estudios recientes siguen planteando cuestiones relativas a los altos niveles de relacion de este notable grupo de diversos peces. El principal objetivo del presente trabajo es contribuir a aclarar los altos niveles de relacion de teleosteos. Con este propósito, se llevó a cabo un análisis cladístico entre 70 taxones terminales de 20 órdenes diferentes y 271 caracteres morfológicos, principalmente en relacion con estructuras osteológicas y miológicas de la region cefálica, cintura escapular y las aletas anteriores y vértebras. En el cladograma de consenso obtenido, los elopomorfos aparecen como los teleosteos más básicos existentes. Los osteoglosomorfos incluidos en el análisis se agrupan en un ciado monofilético, que es el grupo hermano de los restantes teleosteos no elopomorfos. Los Otocephala, los clupeiforines, y los ostariofisios aparecen como ciados monofiléticos, contradiciendo así los resultados de algunos análisis moleculares cladísticos recientes incluyendo los Alepocephalidae dentro Otocephala. De hecho, la monofilia de los Argentiniformes (Alepocephaloidea + Argentinoidea) está bien apoyada por el análisis cladístico del presente trabajo. Este análisis cladístico también proporciona apoyo para la monofilia de los Alepocephaloidea, de los Argentinoidea, de los Galaxioidea + Osmeroidea, y de los Esociformes. Sin embargo, no proporciona pruebas sólidas para resolver las relaciones entre los Argentiniformes, Salmoniformes, Esociformes, Osmeriformes y Neoteleostei, aunque indica que los salmoniformes podrían estar estrechamente relacionados con los Neoteleostei, y que los Esociformes y los Osmeriformes podrían constituir una unidad monofilética. La monofilia de los Cypriniformes + Characiformes + Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes, de los Characiformes + Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes y de los Gymnotiformes + Siluriformes está bien apoyada.

Reproducción de la morena, Gymnothorax equatorialis (Pisces: Muraenidae) en Jalisco y Colima, México / Reproduction of the fish Gymnothorax equatorialis (Pisces: Muraenidae) in Jalisco and Colima, Mexico

Reproduction of the fish Gymnothorax equatorialis (Pisces: Muraenidae) in Jalisco and Colima, Mexico. A total of 707 Gymnothorax equatorialis were collected monthly in the Jalisco and Colima coast, Mexico, from December 1995 to December 1998 and from August to November 1999, in order to determine their reproduction patterns. Females outnumbered and had longer bodies (mean length 54.7 cm) than males (52.1 cm). The minimum, maximum and mean values of total fecundity were respectively 9 660, 99 992 and 32 029 eggs. The total body length at which 50 percent of individuals have ripe gonads (L50) was 43.7 cm for females and 42.7 cm TL for males. Ovaries had two main types of oocytes: small inmature in cromatin nucleolus phase (85.1 microm) and large mature in secundary vitellogenesis phase (701.6 microm). High numbers of spermatozoa were observed in the seminal tubes of ripe testicles, which presented a lobular development. Based in gonad features and temporal changes in the gonad-somatic index, it is concluded that G. equatorialis has two relatively short reproduction periods (at the middle and at the end of the year).

Con el fin de analizar los aspectos reproductivos de Gymnothorax equatorialis se recolectaron mensualmente 707 organismos en las costas de Jalisco y Colima, México, de diciembre de 1995 a diciembre de 1998 y de agosto a diciembre de 1999. Las hembras fueron más numerosas y presentaron una longitud (54.7 cm) mayor a la de los machos (52.1 cm). La fecundidad total mínima fue de 9 660 huevos, la máxima de 99 992 y la media fue 32 029 huevos. La talla en la que el 50 % de los individuos presentan gónadas maduras (L50) fue de 43.7 cm de longitud total en hembras y de 42.7 cm en machos. Los ovarios presentaron dos tipos de ovocitos, los pequeños inmaduros en fase cromatina nucleolo (85.1 μm) y los grandes maduros en fase de vitelogénesis secundaria (701.6 μm). En el testículo maduro se observó una gran cantidad de espermatozoides en el tubo seminal y el desarrollo del testículo es de tipo lobular. Con base en las características de las gónadas y la evolución temporal del índice gonadosomático, se concluye que G. equatorialis se reproduce dos veces al año (a mediados y finales del año).

Gordiichthys combibus, a new species of eastern Pacific sand-eel (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae)

A new species of bascanichthyin ophichthid, Gordiichthys combibus, is described from shallow water along the Pacific coast of Colombia. It is the first known eastern Pacific species of Gordiichthys and is very similar to G. randalli from Puerto Rico. It differs from its other western Atlantic congeners in vertebral number and other characters. A key to the genus is provided.

Aplatophis zorro, a new species of eastern Pacific snake-eel, with comments on New World ophichthid distributions (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae)

Aplatophis zorro n. sp., the first known eastern Pacific species of this New World genus, is described from a shallow water trawl-caught specimen from the Golfo de San Miguel, Pacific Panama. It is similar to its only known congener, A. chauliodus from the tropical western Atlantic, but differs in its vertebral number, dentition, coloration, and other characters. Comments concerning the distribution of New World ophichthids are provided.

Gymnothorax eurygnathos, a new moray from the Gulf of California (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae)

A new species of moray eel from deep water in the Gulf of California is described. It is dark brownish-black with an overall pattern of pale irregular blotches; a short, broad head; wide, triangular jaws; deeply serrate and partially biserial teeth; dorsal-fin origin above and behind gill opening; and 10 predorsal, 66 preanal, and 134 total vertebrae. This combination of characters is not shared by any other moray species.