Abstract
Two new Astyanax species, A. vermilion, from rio Almada and rio Cachoeira, and A. burgerai, from rio Almada, Bahia State, Brazil, are described. Astyanax vermilion is distinguished from most of its congeners and from all other Astyanax species known from northeastern Brazilian drainages by having distal portion of pelvic fins dark, a combination of sexually dimorphic characters, posteroventral portion of body and fins (except pectoral) reddish in life, and inconspicuous humeral and caudal spots. It also differs by having highest body depth just anterior of dorsal-fin origin, 32-34 lateral-line scales, and presence of one or two maxillary teeth. Astyanax burgerai is diagnosed by the presence of two vertically elongated humeral blotches, absence of a conspicuous and broad dark midlateral stripe (at least on anterior half of body), body highest along vertical slightly behind midlength of pectoral fin, 31-34 lateral-line scales, and two or three teeth on premaxillary outer series.
Highlights
Astyanax is one of the most speciose characid genus (Lima et al, 2003), including over 100 species distributed from Texas to Argentina
Ten species of Astyanax are currently known from northeastern Brazilian coastal rivers, A. fasciatus (Cuvier), A. intermedius Eigenmann, A. lacustris (Lütken), A. rivularis (Lütken), and A. taeniatus (Jenyns) from rio São Francisco and other coastal basins nearby, A. brevirhinus Eigenmann and A. turmalinensis Triques, Vono & Caiafa from rio Jequitinhonha, and the more recently described A. pelecus Bertaco & Lucena from rio Pardo, A. epiagos Zanata & Camelier and A. jacobinae Zanata & Camelier from upper Paraguaçu and Itapicuru rivers basins, respectively
As A. epiagos, A. jacobinae, and A. pelecus were only sampled in restricted areas and are probably endemic to upper portions of relatively small northeastern coastal Brazilian drainages
Summary
Astyanax is one of the most speciose characid genus (Lima et al, 2003), including over 100 species distributed from Texas to Argentina. Ten species of Astyanax are currently known from northeastern Brazilian coastal rivers, A. fasciatus (Cuvier), A. intermedius Eigenmann, A. lacustris (Lütken), A. rivularis (Lütken), and A. taeniatus (Jenyns) from rio São Francisco and other coastal basins nearby, A. brevirhinus Eigenmann and A. turmalinensis Triques, Vono & Caiafa from rio Jequitinhonha, and the more recently described A. pelecus Bertaco & Lucena from rio Pardo, A. epiagos Zanata & Camelier and A. jacobinae Zanata & Camelier from upper Paraguaçu and Itapicuru rivers basins, respectively. Some of these species (A. fasciatus, A. intermedius, A. lacustris-bimaculatus group) represent species complexes broadly distributed that have been treated as taxonomically poorly understood.
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