Anisochromis straussi, new species of protogynous hermaphroditic fish, and synonymy of Anisochromidae, Pseudoplesiopidae, and Pseudochromidae

Abstract

Springer, Victor G., C. Lavett Smith, and Thomas H. Fraser. Anisochromis straussi, New Species of Protogynous Hermaphroditic Fish, and Synonymy of Anisochromidae, Pseudoplesiopidae, and Pseudochromidae. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology^ number 252, 15 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, 1977.—Anisochromis straussi is described from the isolated St. Brandon's Shoals in the southwestern Indian Ocean. The species exhibits two types of color patterns, which are correlated to some degree with size and sex. Histological sections of the gonads indicate that all testes have a nonfunctional cavity that represents the remnant of the ovarian lumen, and all have remnants of oocytes among the acini. The smaller specimens are female, the larger, males. Evidence is presented that the Anisochromidae, Pseudoplesiopidae, and Pseudochromidae form a monophyletic group. Evidence is also presented that within this group the Pseudoplesiopidae and Anisochromidae form a monophyletic group and each of these two taxa is definable based on autapomorphies. The Pseudochromidae appear to be a possibly polyphyletic primitive residue group that is not definable on the basis of autapomorphies. The lowest phylogenetic level for which there is evidence of monophyly among the fishes currently assigned to the Anisochromidae, Pseudoplesiopidae, and Pseudochromidae was chosen as the level for family recognition. Pseudochromidae is the oldest family-group name available for this level. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Springer, Victor Gruschka, 1928Anisochromis straussi, new species of protogynous hermaphroditic fish, and synonymy of Anisochromidae, Pseudoplesiopidae, and Pseudochromidae. (Smithsonian contributions to zoology : no 252) Bibliography, p. 1. Anisochromis straussi. 2. Pseudochromidae 3. Hermaphroditism. 4. Fishes—Mauritius— Cargados C'.arajos Shoals. I. Smith, C. Lavett, 1927, joint author. II. Fraser, Thomas H., joint author. III. Title: Anisochromis straussi. new species of protogynous hermaphroditic fish. . . IV. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 252. QL1.S54 no. 252 [QL638.P84] 591.'08s [597/58J 77-608069