Abstract
Crenicichla chicha, new species, occurs in clear, fast-running waters with rocky substrates in the rio Papagaio and tributaries. It is distinguished from all other Crenicichla species by the combination of two character states: infraorbitals 3 and 4 co-ossified (vs. separated) and 66-75 scales in the row immediately above to that containing the lower lateral line (E1 row scales). Crenicichla chicha shares a smooth preopercular margin, co-ossification of infraorbitals 3 and 4, and some color features with C. hemera from the adjacent rio Aripuanã drainage, rio Madeira basin. It differs from Crenicichla hemera in more E1 scales (66-75 vs. 58-65) and presence of a conspicuous black narrow stripe running from infraorbital 3 obliquely caudoventrad toward the preopercular margin vs. a rounded and faint suborbital marking present on infraorbitals 3-4. Examination of the type series and additional material from the rio Aripuanã confirms that Crenicichla guentheri Ploeg, 1991 is a junior subjective synonym of C. hemera Kullander, 1990.
Highlights
Crenicichla Heckel is considered to be the most species rich genus of South American cichlids, comprising 84 valid species (Kullander, 2003; Kullander & Lucena, 2006; Casciotta et al, 2006; Lucena, 2007; Casciotta & Almirón, 2008; Montaña et al, 2008; Kullander, 2009; Piálek et al, 2010; Casciotta et al, 2010)
We address the status of C. guentheri Ploeg, placed in the synonymy of C. hemera by Kullander (1997), based on the type series and a much larger material available from the Aripuanã drainage
The smooth preopercle is an uncommon feature among species of Crenicichla, which typically have a denticulate preopercular margin
Summary
Crenicichla Heckel is considered to be the most species rich genus of South American cichlids, comprising 84 valid species (Kullander, 2003; Kullander & Lucena, 2006; Casciotta et al, 2006; Lucena, 2007; Casciotta & Almirón, 2008; Montaña et al, 2008; Kullander, 2009; Piálek et al, 2010; Casciotta et al, 2010). These fishes are popularly known in Brazil as “joaninhas”, “peixes-sabão” and “jacundás” and are found over most river drainages of tropical to temperate cis-Andean South America (Kullander & Lucena, 2006).
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