Macro- and microscopic characterization of yellow-catfish Cathorops spixii (Agassis, 1829) ovaries during reproductive cycle

This study is based on the analysis of macroscopic anatomy and histological structure of 452 ovaries from females of Cathorops spixii caught in the Pai Matos islands (Cananéia-Iguape lagoonal-estuarine region - 24°59'42S 47°54'27W), São Paulo, Brazil. Six phases of oocyte development are considered, based on cytological characteristics of the germinative cells during the maturation process, and seven ovarian maturity stages, determined by histological structure of ovaries and by the occurrence and relative frequency of the six oocyte phases: A(immature), Bi(initial maturation), Bf'(advanced maturation), Ci(partially mature), Cf'(mature), D(spent) and R(recuperation). The presence of a single patch of oocytes clustered during the spawn by an acellular adhesive substance, suggests total spawning, and the oocyte development is classified as synchronic in groups. The examined ovarian macroscopic anatomy and histological structure are characteristic of the cistovarian type.Este estudo é baseado na análise da anatomia macroscópica e da estrutura histológica de 452 ovários de fêmeas de Cathorops spixii coletadas nas Ilhas Pai Matos (região estuarino-lagunar de Cananéia-Iguape - 24°59'42S 47°54'27W), São Paulo, Brasil. Foram consideradas seis fases de desenvolvimento ovocitário, com base nas características citológicas das células germinativas durante o processo de maturação, e sete estádios de maturação ovarianos, determinados pela estrutura histológica dos ovários e pela ocorrência e freqüência relativa das seis fases ovocitárias: A(imaturo), Bi (em maturação inicial), Bf'(em maturação final), Ci(parcialmente maduro), Cf '(maduro), D(esvaziado) e R(em recuperação). A presença de apenas um lote ovocitário, unido durante a desova por uma substncia adesiva acelular, sugere desova total, e o desenvolvimento ovocitário é classificado como sincrônico em grupos. A anatomia ovariana macroscópica e a estrutura histológica verificadas são características do tipo cistovariano.17118

Population expansion of the invasive Pomacentridae Chromis limbata (Valenciennes, 1833) in Southern Brazilian coast: long-term monitoring, fundamental niche availability and new records

Human-mediated species invasions are recognized as a leading cause of global biotic homogenization and extinction. Studies on colonization events since early stages, establishment of new populations and range extension are scarce because of their rarity, difficult detection and monitoring. Chromis limbata is a reef-associated and non-migratory marine fish from the family Pomacentridae found in depths ranging between 3 and 45 m. The original distribution of the species encompassed exclusively the eastern Atlantic, including the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. It is also commonly reported from West Africa between Senegal and Pointe Noire, Congo. In 2008, vagrant individuals of C. limbata were recorded off the east coast of Santa Catarina Island, South Brazil (27° 41' 44″ S, 48° 27' 53″ W). This study evaluated the increasing densities of C. limbata populations in Santa Catarina State shoreline. Two recent expansions, northwards to São Paulo State and southwards to Rio Grande do Sul State, are discussed, and a niche model of maximum entropy (MaxEnt) was performed to evaluate suitable C. limbata habitats. Brazilian populations are established and significantly increasing in most sites where the species has been detected. The distributional boundaries predicted by the model are clearly wider than their known range of occurrence, evidencing environmental suitability in both hemispheres from areas where the species still does not occur. Ecological processes such as competition, predation and specially habitat selectivity may regulate their populations and overall distribution range. A long-term monitoring programme and population genetics studies are necessary for a better understanding of this invasion and its consequences to natural communities.CNPq, Grant/Award Number: CNPq 475367/2006-5; ECOPERE-SE Project; FAPES, Grant/Award Number: PROFIX program No 10/2018 -T.O.: 348/2018; FAPESC, Grant/Award Number: Biodiversidade Marinha do Estado de Santa Catarina Project PI: A.L. FAPESC 4302/2010-8; FAPESC/CNPq, Grant/Award Number: SISBIOTA-Mar project PI: S.R.F. CNPq 563276/2010-0; FAPESC 6308/2011-8; Petrobras (BR), Grant/Award Number: MAArE Project; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superiorinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serranus fusculus

Redescription of Serranus fusculus (Poey, 1861) (Figs. 2–4; Table 1) Twospot Sea Bass (English); Serrano, Serrano olivaceo (Spanish); Michole de fundo; Jacundá (Brazilian Portuguese) Centropristes fusculus, Poey, 1861: 342–343; Bortone 1977; Vandersea et al. 2008. Haliperca fusculus, Poey, 1868. Haliperca fuscula, Poey, 1875: 22; Poey 2000: 97, lámina 55, fig. 1. Serranus fusculus, Jordan, 1887: 579; Jordan & Eigenmann 1890: 407; Claro 1994: 55–70. Prionodes fusculus, Jordan & Evermann,1896: 1211; Guitart 1979: 39–40. Centropristes fusculus, Howell Rivero, 1938; Robins & Starck 1961; Bortone 1977. Centropristis fuscula, Breder & Rosen, 1966: 656–657; Robins & Ray 1986: 138; Robins et al. 1991: 45; Eschmeyer 1998: 622; Claro & Parenti 2001: 45; Heemstra et al. 2002; Nelson et al. 2004: 126; Richards et al. 2006: 1226; Weaver et al 2006: 67; Bertoncini 2007: 11 (pictures of species inverted); Bowling 2012. Serranus atrobranchus, Figueiredo & Menezes, 1980: 32, 78; Figueiredo et al. 2002: 171; Bernardes et al. 2005: 218. Holotype: MCZ 10015, 141 mm SL, Havana, Cuba, collected by Felipe Poey, 1864; identified by W.N. Eschmeyer. Non-type specimens (60): United States specimens (7): UF 44997 (3 preserved, 51.0–115.5 mm SL, 1 cleared/ stained), 33°15′59.8″N 77°12′59.8″W, off Cape Fear, North Carolina, USA, 98.7 m, col. E.P. Epperly, 9 Jul. 1982; UF 98613, 113.3 mm SL, 24°23′28.0″N, 82°11′51.7″W, S of Marquesas Key, Florida, USA, 112–121 m, col. G.H. Burgess, F.F. Snelson, M. Johnson, 26 Sep. 1992; UF 100391, 166.4 mm SL, hermaphrodite, 32°46′59.9″N, 78°10′59.9″W, SE of Georgetown, South Carolina, USA, 164.5 m, col. F/ V Miss Olive, 15 Jul. 1995; UF 180319, 35.4 mm SL, 24°55′25.7″N, 80°37′40.8″W, off Islamorada, Florida, USA, col. M/ V Queen of Nassau, 3 Jun. 2009. Caribbean specimens (8): USNM 407616, 153.1 mm SL, 16°06′45.9″N, 86°16′05.9″W, Honduras, trawl, 204–248 m, col. D. R. Robertson, C.I. Castillo, B/O Miguel Oliver, Cruise for OSPESCA (Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola del Istmo Centroamericano), 24 Jan. 2011; USNM 407807, 139.8 mm SL, same data as above; USNM 407811, 130 mm SL, same data as above; USNM 407812, 155.2 mm SL, same data as above; USNM 413784, 60 mm SL, 12°04′59.5″N, 68°53′56.8″W, off Substation Curaçao, Curaçao, vessel Curasub, 123–160 m, col. A. Schrier, B. Brandt, C. Baldwin, A. Driskell, P. Mace, 10Aug. 2012; USNM 438670, 164.8 mm SL, 15°36′07.6″N, 61°28′14.5″W, near Portsmouth, Toucari, Dominica, vessel Curasub, 259 m, col. A. Schrier, C. Castillo, B. Van Bebber, P. Rjiskamp, Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP), 3 May 2016; USNM 433449, 94 mm SL, 12°04′58.8″N, 68°53′56.4″W east of Substation Curaçao, Curaçao, vessel Curasub, 241.7 m, col. C. Baldwin, C. Castillo, B. Van Bebber, 8 Dec. 2014; USNM 414810, 89.2 mm SL, 12°04′59.5″N, 68°53′56.8″W, east of Substation Curaçao, Curaçao, vessel Curasub, 87–209 m, col. B. Brandt, B. Van Bebber, C. Baldwin, 15 Aug. 2012. Brazilian specimens (42): AZUSC 5962, 159.3 mm SL, off Camaçari / Arembepe, Bahia, Brazil, hook and line, 250–350 m, col. G. Harfush, Jul. 2008; CIUFESUFES 580 (2, 151.3–159.8 mm SL, 20°28′50″S, 39°52′35″W, Barranco, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, col. A.C.A. Santos, J.L.Gasparini, 10 Jun. 2003; LABIPE 2263, 127.9 mm SL, Bacia Potiguar, off Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, bottom trawl, 145 m, 22 May 2011; LABIPE 2266, 137 mm SL, Bacia Potiguar, off Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, bottom trawl, 145 m, 22 May 2011; MNRJ 42165 (2, 175.9–176.1 mm SL), 23º50′S, 42º50′W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 180–220 m, rocky bottom, col. D.F.Moraes, A.Galv „o, R.Galv„o, 6 Jun. 2013; MNRJ 45300, 149.2 mm SL, 23º41′S, 42º52′W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 123 m, col. D.F.Moraes Jr., R. Soares, R. Bordatur, 28 Mar. 2015; MNRJ 47081 (2, 150.6–160.6 mm SL), 23º50′S, 42º50′W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 225 m, col. D.F.Moraes Jr. 18 Apr. 2008; MNRJ 50678, 158.8 mm SL, 23º30′01″S, 42º33′52″W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 123 m, col. D.F.Moraes Jr., 22 May 2008; MZUSP 71057, 98.7 mm SL, 22°44′S, 40°40′W, off Espírito Santo, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 2206, bottom trawl, 180 m, 20 Feb. 1975; MZUSP 71079, 129.7 mm SL, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, col. DZSP-IOUSP, 14–30 Aug. 1968; MZUSP 71081, 129.7 mm SL, 34°03′33″S, 51°50′00″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 569, 96 m*, 12 Mar. 1969; MZUSP 86517, 53.4 mm SL, 24°13′52″S, 44°16′49″W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, R / V Soloncy Moura, REVIZEE SCORE Sul, station 1137, bottom trawl, 150 m, 22 Apr. 2002; MZUSP 86518, 131.9 mm SL (with oocytes and tests), 23°36′02″S, 42°17′31″W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, R / V Soloncy Moura, REVIZEE SCORE Sul, station 602, bottom trawl, 161 m, 26 Jun. 2002; MZUSP 86519, 104.6 mm SL, 23°35′54″S, 42°17′13″W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, R / V Soloncy Moura, REVIZEE SCORE Sul, station 1251, bottom trawl, 162 m, 27 Apr. 2002; MZUSP 86520 (3, 110.3–124.8 mm SL), 24°49′04″S, 44°40′29″W, off São Paulo, Brazil, R / V Soloncy Moura, REVIZEE SCORE Sul, station 534, bottom trawl, 206 m, 21 Oct. 2001; MZUSP 71080 (2, 137.2–140 mm SL), 30°30′0.00″S, 48°43′59.88″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 541, bottom trawl, 195 m, 6 Mar. 1969; MZUSP 71060 (3, 115.1–154.8 mm SL), 29°55′59.88″S, 49°25′0.12″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 435, 67–83 m, 4 Dec. 1968; MZUSP 71061, 148.2 mm SL, 31°01′59.9″S, 49°37′00.1″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 300, 154 m, 23 Jun. 1968; MZUSP 71077, 96.3 mm SL, 23°30′0.00″S, 42°27′0.00″W, off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 1147, 134 m, 8 Aug. 1970; MZUSP 49001 (2, 74–109.8 mm SL), 30°36′00.0″S, 48°20′60.0″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 157 m, Projeto Talude 486 # 4, bottom trawl, 157 m, col. M. Haimovici, 20 Jul. 1986; MZUSP 71076, 84.9 mm SL, 24°13′00.0″S 44°23′00.0″W, off São Paulo, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 1021, bottom trawl, 145 m, 27 May 1970; MZUSP 80770, 22.1 mm SL (juvenile), 29°29′47.0″S 48°06′41.0″W, off Santa Catarina, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 373, midwater trawl (130 m), local depth 246 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 10 Dec. 1997; MZUSP 78287, 17 mm SL (larva), 30°36′00″S, 48°21′00″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul — REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 378, midwater trawl (75 m), local depth 980 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 11 Dec. 1997; MZUSP 80767, 23 mm SL (juvenile), 27°33′41.0″S 47°25′30.0″W, off Santa Catarina, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul — REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 357, midwater trawl (30 m), local depth 159 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 3 Dec. 1997; MZUSP 78185, 23 mm SL (juvenile), 28°23′27.0″S 48°08′47.0″W, off Santa Catarina, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul — REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 366, midwater trawl (30 m), local depth 102 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 8 Dec. 1997; MZUSP 71058, 127.9 mm SL, −30.066668, −50.049999, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 298, 27 m (questionable depth, see results), col. DZSP-IOUSP, 22 Jun. 1968; MZUSP 71059, 25 mm SL (juvenile), 30°10′00.0″S 48°58′00.0″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 1691, bottom trawl, 132 m, col. G.Q. Benvegnú, 29 Jan. 1972; MZUSP 80769, 16 mm SL (larva), 33°00′37.80″S, 50°14′00.59″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 208, midwater trawl (100 m), local depth 750 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 1 May 1997; MZUSP 80768, 10.5 mm SL (larva), 28°51′43.19″S, 47°10′08.39″W, off Santa Catarina, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, REVIZEE SCORE Sul —station 368, midwater trawl (50 m), local depth 1105 m, col. Equipe REVIZEE, 8 Dec. 1997; NPM 10150 (2, 78.7–80.2 mm SL), 20°41′47″S, 40°02′09″W, off Espírito Santo, Brazil, Projeto Habitat, R / V Gyre, bottom trawl, 76.3–87.4 m, col. P. Costa et al., 22 Apr. 2008; NPM 2134, 134 mm SL, 30°51′00.00″S, 49°16′59.98″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, Projeto Talude, leg 3/87, station #18, bottom trawl, 186 m, col. M. Haimovici, 21 Mar. 1987; NPM 2458, 125 mm SL, 34°01′59.98″S, 51°32′59.99″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, Projeto Talude, leg 3/87, station #7, bottom trawl, 150 m, col. M. Haimovici, 16 Mar. 1987; NPM 3564, 123 mm SL, 31°08′59.99″S, 49°32′59.99″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, Projeto Talude, leg 3/87, station #16, bottom trawl, 188 m, col. M. Haimovici, 20 Mar. 1987; NPM 6366, 147 mm SL, 34°21′00″S, 51°42′00″W, off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, R / V Atlântico Sul, Projeto Talude, leg 3/87, station #5, bottom trawl, 233 m, col. M. Haimovici, 16 Mar. 1987. Uruguayan specimens (3): MZUSP 71078 (3, 84.7–104 mm SL), 33°52′59.88″S, 52°22′59.88″W, off Uruguay, R / V Prof. W. Besnard, station 407, 18 m (questionable depth, see results), 30 Oct. 1968. Note: all MZUSP specimens were labeled as Serranus atrobranchus. Diagnosis: Serranus fusculus is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: caudal-fin branched rays 9 + 8; total gill rakers 18–21; pectoral rays 18, rarely 17; lateral line usually with 46–48 pored scales; scales around caudal peduncle 30 or 31, cheek scales 5 or 6; large teeth on both jaws; color pattern: yellowish, tan, olivaceous or light brown overall, with about six faint dark vertical cross bands (fainter below lateral line, first three slightly diagonal); two dark round to oval spots, conspicuous one at center of band that crosses caudal-fin base and second, more diffuse spot on third band behind head, under end of spinous dorsal fin; black, vertically lanceolate blotch under opercle, often not or scarcely visible externally; fins pale with yellow to green tints. Specific differences are enumerated in Comparisons. Description. Proportional measurements and counts of the holotype and additional specimens from United States of America, the Caribbean, and Brazil are given in Table 1; some body proportions are slightly different between Brazilian and American/Caribbean specimens. Dorsal-fin rays X, 12, rarely 11; anal-fin rays III, 7; pectoral-fin rays 18, rarely 17 (four of 55 specimens examined); pelvic-fin rays I, 5; principal caudal-fin rays 17, all branched (9+8), lowermost usually split at base, upper part branched, lower entire; occasionally uppermost ray (in one of 6 fishes examined with X-rays) is split, lower part branched, upper entire; lateral-line scales usually 46–48 (in 40 of 47 specimens examined, three with 49, two with 50, one with 51, one with 45); scales above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin 4; scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin 12; scales around caudal peduncle 30 or 31; cheek scales 5–6, in 6–8 vertical/diagonal series; gill rakers, including rudiments, 18–21, rarely 22; branchiostegal rays 7; vertebrae 24 (X-rays of six specimens examined). 1 Including rudiments. *Data from Jordan & Eigenmann (1890), Robins & Starck (1961), and this work. Body elongate, head sub-conical; mouth moderate, slightly oblique; maxilla reaching almost to vertical through middle of pupil. Upper jaw with band of minute teeth mixed with 2–3 large canines at symphysis, followed by outer row of very large, canine-like, pointed, stout, separated teeth (some curved backwards), and inner row of much smaller canine-like teeth, both sets followed by band of villiform teeth; lower jaw with band of minute teeth, few large teeth at symphysis, followed by outer row of very large teeth as in upper jaw, inner row of very small and sparse canine-like teeth, without villiform-teeth band posteriorly; villiform-teeth band on vomer and palatines, both mixed with 1–3 much larger canine-like teeth often curved backwards; tongue lanceolate, smooth, tip bluntly pointed, its base much wider. Gill rakers 18–21, moderate to short, not flexible, longest at first gill arch, about 25–30% of eye diameter. Nostrils before center of eye, not very close to one another; anterior nostril in very short tube with large lanceolate to heart-shaped flap posteriorly that, when deflected, reaches about half internarial distance; posterior nostril wide open, lacking raised rim. Smooth area on top of cranium large, long; supraoccipital crest low, short, not extending backwards to posterior border of cranium, which is nearly vertical in lateral profile. Opercle with three flat spines, upper one poorly developed, central one straight, larger, and more conspicuous than lower; opercular membrane rounded at distal end. Preopercle profusely serrate on both limbs, serrae somewhat larger at angle. Preorbital narrow, about 25–33% of pupil diameter. Lateral line slightly arched over pectoral-fin area, parallel to dorsal body profile from that point to caudal peduncle, where bends to middle of body and is straight to caudal-fin base. Scales ctenoid, firmly attached to skin; interorbital space, snout, preorbitals, jaws, chin, throat, and branchiostegal membranes naked; scales on top of head reaching anteriorly to between level of posterior border of eye or almost to middle of orbit (as in holotype and two other specimens examined: MZUSP 71060, 115 and 132 mm SL), arranged in 5–7 horizontal series followed by 11–15 transverse series of larger scales, from interorbital to dorsal-fin origin; cheek scales 5–6, in 6–8 vertical/ diagonal series, plus incomplete series posteriorly and/or anteriorly; interopercle smooth-edged, with ctenoid scales; no scales on fin membranes or basally on dorsal and anal fins; pectoral fin with scales only on base; pelvic fin with minute scales along inner one-third to half of rays. Dorsal-fin origin slightly behind pectoral-fin base and fourth or fifth lateral-line scale; spiny portion incised; first spine about ¾ length of second; spines increasing in length through fifth spine, with fourth spine longest in holotype and seven other specimens, remaining spines decreasing in length, tenth about half length of fifth; dorsal-fin rays branched; posterior tips of soft dorsal and anal fins not reaching caudal-fin base when depressed. Anal-fin origin approximately below first to third dorsal-fin ray, just after dark blotch on mid-flank; first anal-fin spine about half length of second, which is stouter than, and slightly shorter or equal to, third. Caudal fin emarginated to forked, upper lobe slightly longer. Pectoral fin almost reaching vertical through anus, all rays branched except uppermost, eighth or ninth uppermost ray longest. Pelvic-fin origin slightly ahead of pectoral-fin base, posterior tip not reaching anus. Maximum known length 176.1 mm SL (MNRJ 42165). Sagittal otolith has fusiform shape, sinuate margins, and slightly curved profile with moderate thickness (Fig. 5). Sulcus acusticus well-marked, vertically positioned in median portion of otolith and presenting ostial opening, that is, ostium opens widely in anterior margin of otolith, and with cauda distinctly closed far away from posterior margin. Ostium narrow, elongated, shorter than cauda, which is straight with flexed end. Rostrum long and antirostrum short to absent. Dorsal area of otolith has elongated groove and well-developed narrow crista superior. Ventral area has broad crista inferior. Inner surface of otolith irregular without concretions. Sagitta similar to that of other Serranus species, especially S. hepatus (Tuset et al. 2008), but also similar to that of Centropristis species (Bortone 1977). Size: The largest adults collected were a 175 mm SL individual taken by submarine in the Caribbean (USNM 438670, from Dominica, collected at 259 m deep, now measuring 164.8 mm SL, probably a result of shrinkage in formalin after preservation) and a 176 mm SL fish collected by bottom trawl in Brazil (MNRJ 42165, from Rio de Janeiro, collected at 180–220 m deep). The smallest benthic-stage fish taken by submersible in the Caribbean was 35 mm SL, and a 25 mm SL individual was collected by bottom trawl in Brazil. Similarly sized fish were collected by midwater trawls, suggesting that the 25-mm fish from Brazil could have been taken in midwater as the bottom trawl was being deployed or retrieved. The length-weight relationship (TW =a× TLb; a=linear coefficient related to body shape; b=angular or allometric coefficient; TW= Total Weight, TL = Total Length) obtained from 28 fresh specimens from the southwestern Atlantic (74–200 mm TL and 5.2–105 g TW) was: TW=0.00001TL 3.048 8, R 2 =0.9915. Color pattern of live specimens: Body background varying from tan to pinkish white to light grey; seven (occasionally six) indistinct orangish to reddish to brownish crossbands between head and caudal fin, varying in width and sometimes merged, first four slightly diagonal, last 2–3 vertical: first beginning immediately behind head, running to pectoral-fin base; second from spinous dorsal-fin origin to below midbody; third from end of spinous dorsal fin to below midbody; fourth, thinner, from mid-base of soft dorsal fin to below midbody; fifth from rear end of soft dorsal-fin base almost to anal-fin base; sixth, thinnest, often indistinct, through mid-caudal peduncle; seventh at caudal fin base; third and last bars with conspicuous black blotch at midbody, anterior blotch irregular, subquadrate, posterior blotch oval to rounded or somewhat oblong. Upper portion of head to about middle of snout with elongated streaks colored as body bars; lower portion of head and belly conspicuously white, often with silver hue; cheeks with faint, diagonal reddish to golden bar from lower edge of eye to operculum lower corner. Black to greenish usually triangular blotch under preopercle, often observed externally as smudge, or irregular blotch, particularly in live fish (Fig. 4A–C). Pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins light yellow to white; spinous dorsal fin with upper third yellow, translucent below; soft dorsal-fin rays yellowish to lemon to whitish, their membranes translucent; caudal fin translucent to whitish, base usually darker; pupil greenish, encircled by thin golden ring. Older/larger fishes often with upper lip, and dorsal and caudal fins, yellow. Young with black body spots more conspicuous, body bars usually present with hues of electric blue, gold and silver sometimes present on dorsum and head. Color pattern of preserved specimens: Tan to brownish overall, lower portion of head and belly whitish, two dark blotches on body midline present, dark body bars less distinct, mainly in juveniles; fins unmarked; dark preopercular blotch often visible. Distribution: Serranus fusculus occurs from North Carolina (USA) to northern Cuba, on the east, northwest and southern Caribbean (Dominica, Honduras, Curaçao), to southern Brazil and Uruguay. Most specimens were collected with bottom trawls between depths of 80–300 m on gravel, rubble, and rocky bottoms, but juveniles and larva were also collected with midwater trawls between 30– 130 m. The body-length distribution in relation to the depth of collection (Fig. 1) shows a tendency for larger specimens to occur in deeper waters. This effect, called “bigger-deeper” (Macpherson 1979; Macpherson & Duarte 1991; Massutí et al. 2004; Moranta et al. 2004), and also known as “Heincke’s law,” (Heincke 1913; Cushing 1975) occurs in various species due to ontogenetic displacement to deeper waters. The occurrence of larvae and juveniles up to 25 mm SL in the water column near the surface over deep water suggests that individuals under ~ 25 mm SL are pelagic, and that they settle at the bottom at about 25 mm SL. Although the smallest fish (n = 4) collected with bottom trawls in Brazil were ~ 40 mm SL, several benthic individuals of 35 mm SL were collected by submersible at Curaçao. The species is not common in the North Atlantic, despite Poey’s (2000: 98) statement that “no es raro”—i.e., “it is not rare,” but it has often been collected in deep-sea trawling from northeastern to southern Brazil, where it apparently is more abundant (Weaver et al. 2006; Bernardes et al. 2005; Lins Oliveira et al. 2015; this work). Habitat: Adults of the study species have been collected or observed by submarine in the Caribbean at depths between 76 and 308 m. We regard the two shallow records (17–23 m) from Uruguay as unreliable, as depth was not recorded during either collection, and those depths are inferred from georeferenced coordinates and could be erroneous. Adults are known from rocky and rubble bottoms. Settlement of pelagic juveniles into benthic habitats apparently occurs at about 25 mm SL. Sexual system: Robins & Starck (1961) noted that the holotype of Centropristis fuscula from Cuba was a male. We visually examined the gonads of one specimen from South Carolina (USA, UF 100391, hermaphrodite) and 20 specimens from Brazil (AZUSC 5962: “almost-female”; MZUSP 49001, 71057, 71060, 71076, 71079, 71080, 71081, 86518, 86519, and 86520: all simultaneous hermaphrodites; MZUSP 71061 and 71077: “almost-females”; and MZUSP 71058: “almost-male”); of these, we found one “almost-male,” seventeen synchronous hermaphrodites in which the amount of ovarian tissue exceeded that of testicular tissue, and three “almost-females” with very little testicular tissue and much more ovarian tissue than in the hermaphrodites. Histological analyses were done using gonads of 14 specimens (Table 2, Figs. 6–7). The gonadal and cellular structures of the testicular and ovarian portion seem to be like those of other hermaphroditic serranids studied so far, including S. annularis, S. phoebe, and S. tabacarius (Petersen 1995). In contrast to other serranid species, where protogyny is generally observed, testes and ovaries in Serranus fusculus develop synchronously (Fig. 7). These data indicate that this species has a simultaneous hermaphrodite sexual system and there is no evidence of androdioecy, which oc

Serranus Cuvier 1816

Key to western Atlantic species of Serranus Adapted from Heemstra et al. (2002), and including Serranus sanctaehelenae and S. fusculus. 1a. Pectoral-fin rays 18 (rarely 17); dark oval spot at caudal-fin base and large dark blotch on lateral line at middle of body.... 2 1b. Pectoral-fin rays 13 to 17; branched caudal-fin rays 8+7; coloration not as above................................... 3 2a. Branched caudal-fin rays 9+8; 30–31 circumpeduncular scales; anterior nostril in a tube with a large lanceolate to heart-shaped flap posteriorly.................................................................................................... Serranus fusculus (Western Atlantic, North Carolina (USA) through Caribbean to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). 2b. Branched caudal-fin rays 8+7; 32–34 circumpeduncular scales; anterior nostril in a simple tube lacking cirri or flaps......................................... Serranus sanctaehelenae (Central Atlantic, Saint Helena and Ascension islands). 3a. Circumpeduncular scales 20 or 21; rows of scales on cheek 5 or 6; total gill rakers on first branchial arch 23–28; pectoral-fin rays 14–15; number of lateral-line scales 46–48................................................................................................ Serranus aliceae (Southwestern Atlantic, Espírito Santo to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). 3b. Number of scales around the caudal peduncle 22–41......................................................... 4 4a. Middle opercle spine enlarged and curving distinctly upward; preorbital enlarged, snout length 12 to 14% standard length; caudal fin forked, upper lobe longest; lateral-line scales 50 to 55; rows of scales on cheek 8–10............................................................................. Serranus luciopercanus (Bahamas to southern Caribbean). 4b. Middle opercle spine not curved upward; snout length 7 to 12% standard length; caudal fin truncate or emarginate; lateral-line scales 39 to 52....................................................................................... 5 5a. Head and body pale, without dark markings (live color unknown); eyes huge, their horizontal diameter contained 2.5 to 2.9 times in head length; top of head scaly to level of rear edge of pupil; body scales of adults rather deciduous; lateral-line scales 45 to 50; gill rakers 19 to 23.................... Serranus maytagi (Eastern Gulf of Mexico to southeastern Caribbean). 5b. Head and body not uniformly pale; eye diameter contained more than 3 times in head length......................... 6 6a. Top of head scaly forward to rear end of interorbital region; opercular spines poorly developed; scales weakly ctenoid and often deciduous........................................................................................... 7 6b. Top of head naked; opercular spines well developed; scales strongly ctenoid, not deciduous.......................... 8 7a. Inner surface of opercle with black mark just anterior to and slightly below middle spine (mark is wedge-shaped in fish from Gulf of Mexico, more ovate in Caribbean fish and roundest in fish from Brazil); rows of cheek scales 5; fish from northern Gulf uniformly pale brown, but southern specimens (from Venezuela and Brazil) show a distinct dark bar from bases of eighth and ninth dorsal-fin spines toward (but not quite reaching) anus; total gill rakers on first arch 15 to 20; pectoral-fin rays 15 to 17; circumpeduncular scales 22–25.......................... Serranus atrobranchus (Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil). 7b. No black mark on inner side of opercle; black blotch in middle of soft dorsal fin, usually continued ventrally on body as a dark bar; body usually dusky, with a bright white bar extending from anus to lateral line and a dark vertical bar on caudal peduncle; head silvery, with a broad brown diagonal band from eye to interopercle; juveniles with nearly vertical black bar on body from dorsal-fin spines 3–5 and another from dorsal-fin soft rays 5–7, both bars cross dorsal fin and become fainter on ventral part of body; 3 dark stripes: first from eye to upper caudal peduncle; second from behind eye to base of first dorsal soft ray, and third from nape to base of fourth dorsal-fin spine............................. Serranus notospilus (Georgia, to Suriname). 8a. Body reddish brown; belly bright white, sharply delimited from surrounding color; large black blotch on anterior soft dorsal-fin rays and continuing ventrally on body as the first of 4 dark vertical bars; median and pectoral fins covered with small dark brown or blackish spots; dorsal-fin soft rays 12 to 14; pectoral-fin rays 15 to 17; gill rakers 15 to 19; lateral-line scales 42 to 46............................................................ Serranus subligarius (North Carolina to Cuba). 8b. Color not as in 5a; dorsal-fin soft rays 10 to 12 (rarely 13); pectoral-fin rays 13 to16; gill rakers on first arch 14 to 31; lateral-line scales 39 to 52....................................................................................... 9 9a. Body depth contained 2.7 to 3.0 times in standard length; caudal fin mottled, with 2 distinct black spots, one above the other, at fin base; body mottled brown, with 7 faint dark bars; prominent white area on belly; spinous dorsal fin with large black blotch at front, small black blotch at rear; pectoral-fin rays 16 or 17; gill rakers on first arch 15 to 18; lateral-line scales 39 to 44..................................................... Serranus flaviventris (North Carolina to southeastern Brazil). 9b. Body depth 2.9 to 3.9 times in standard length; color pattern not as in 6a; pectoral-fin rays 13 to 16; gill rakers on first arch 14 to 25; lateral-line scales 42 to 52........................................................................ 10 10a. Head and body pale brownish orange, with large pale blotches dorsally; caudal fin with black ‘V’ formed by submarginal black stripes along upper and lower edges of fin, edges pale greenish blue in live fish; juveniles with black blotches dorsally; dorsal-fin margin notched before soft-rayed part, the fourth and fifth spines distinctly longer than tenth spine; pectoral-fin rays 15; gill rakers on first arch 21–25; lateral-line scales 50–52................ Serranus tabacarius (Georgia to northeastern Brazil) 10b. Color not as in 7a; pectoral-fin rays 13 to 16; dorsal-fin margin not notched before soft-rayed part, the fourth and fifth spines not much longer than tenth spine; gill rakers on first arch 14 to 20; lateral-line scales 42 to 51........................ 11 11a. Head and front of body dark brown, with several irregular blue stripes in life; 6 or 7 dark brown or blackish spots along upper and lower margins of caudal fin; belly (from pectoral-fin base to anus) snow white; body above anal fin reddish brown; soft dorsal and anal fins with brown spots; pectoral-fin rays 13 or 14; lateral-line scales 45 to 47; caudal-peduncle scales 26 to 30; gill rakers on first branchial arch 17–20, rows of scales on cheek 8 or 9..... Serranus chionaraia (Florida to Bahia, Brazil). 11b. Color not as in 8a; pectoral-fin rays 13 to 16; lateral-line scales 42 to 51; caudal peduncle scales 23 to 39.............. 12 12a. Body pale greenish dorsally, shading to pale yellow ventrally, with 6 or 7 irregular dark brown to black vertical bars and longitudinal rows of small dark blotches, which become vertically elongate in adults; lower part of head and chest with prominent black spots; black spot distally in dorsal fin from third to fifth spines; snout longer than eye diameter; gill rakers on first arch 15–19; lateral-line scales 48 to 51; rows of scales on cheek 11–13............................................................................................. Serranus tigrinus (North Carolina to southern Caribbean). 12b. Color not as in 9a; snout not longer than eye; gill rakers on first arch 17 to 31; lateral-line scales 42 to 51.............. 13 13a. Body pale brownish to whitish; a diagonal dark bar under eye; a strong brown bar from front to dorsal fin to lower belly; a dark stripe along midbody to end of caudal peduncle; no dark spots on fins; pectoral-fin rays 15 or 16; gill rakers 17 to 20; lateral-line scales 47 to 51; rows of scales on cheek 9–12..................... Serranus phoebe (North Carolina to southern Brazil). 13b. Color not as in 10a; pectoral-fin rays 13 to 15; lateral-line scales 42 to 51........................................ 14 14a. Body orange-brown to pink, shading to white or bluish white below; 7 thin pale blue (rarely greenish) bars above lateral line, first on nape, last on caudal peduncle, bars 2 to 6 extend into dorsal fin; body below lateral line with 3 or 4 vertically elongate, chalky blotches; blue bar across top of head just behind eyes; snout and interorbital region bluish green; gill rakers on first arch 27 to 31; lateral-line scales 46 to 50; cheek scale rows 5 or 6; lower edge of operculum serrate................................................................................ Serranus tortugarum (Bahamas to southern Caribbean). 14b. Color not as in 11a; gill rakers on first arch 14 to 18; lateral-line scales 42 to 50; cheek scales 6 to 12.................. 15 15a. Caudal-fin base with 4 dark spots in a curved vertical series; a series of 4 to 6 dark brown spots, each with a yellow bar (fish from deep water) or red bar (fish from shallow water) below, on lower belly, from belly to lower edge of caudal peduncle; dark brown stripe or series of blotches along lateral line; cheek scale rows 6 or 7; lateral-line scales 42 to 48; caudal-peduncle scales 23 to 26; total gill rakers on first arch 14–17.................. Serranus baldwini (North Carolina to southeastern Brazil) 15b. Body orange or salmon dorsally; ventral body white, with 7 orange yellow bars; 2 black-edged, yellow-orange blotches behind eye; an irregular dark brown area along midbody below spinous dorsal fin; a row of black spots on body along base of dorsal fin; dorsal-fin spines tipped with pale blue; cheek scale rows 10 to 12; lateral-line scales 46 to 50; caudal peduncle scales 31 to 36................................................ Serranus annularis (North Carolina to Espírito Santo, Brazil).Published as part of Carvalho-Filho, Alfredo, Baldwin, Carole C., Fischer, Luciano G., Robertson, D. Ross, Bertoncini, Athila, Garcia, Lucas Canes, Silva, Jodir Pereira Da & Sampaio, Claudio L. S., 2023, Generic reassignment of Centropristis fuscula Poey, 1861 (Teleostei: Serranidae), with re-description of the species and comments on its geographical range and sexual system, pp. 51-73 in Zootaxa 5346 (1) on pages 68-69, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5346.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/835303