Equulites Fowler 1904, a senior synonym of Photoplagios Sparks, Dunlap, and Smith 2005 (Perciformes: Leiognathidae)

Abstract

Photoplagios Sparks, Dunlap, and Smith 2005 (type species: Equula elongata Gunther 1874, Fig. 1a) was recently established as a leiognathid genus, characterized by the male morphology (i.e., an expansive translucent lateral flank patch or stripe, dorsolateral lobes of the light organ that are hypertrophied and extend posteriorly into the gas bladder, and lateral clearing of the silvery lining of the gas bladder), and supported by phylogenetic trees based on the molecular biology. The genus comprises the following eight species listed by Sparks and Chakrabarty (2007): Photoplagios antongil Sparks 2006, Photoplagios elongatus (Gunther 1874), Photoplagios klunzingeri (Steindachner 1898), Photoplagios laterofenestra Sparks and Chakrabarty 2007, Photoplagios leuciscus (Gunther 1860), Photoplagios moretoniensis (Ogilby 1912), Photoplagios rivulatus (Temminck and Schlegel 1845), and Photoplagios stercorarius (Evermann and Seale 1907). There is an older generic name (Equulites Fowler 1904) available for one of the species included by Sparks et al. (2005) in their genus Photoplagios. Equulites was established as a subgenus of the genus Leiognathus Lacepede 1802. The subgenus, including two species [Leiognathus vermiculatus Fowler 1904 (type species) and Leiognathus virgatus Fowler 1904], was characterized by having a downward-protruding mouth, entirely scaled breast and chest, and incomplete lateral line. The type species, L. vermiculatus has been synonymized under P. leuciscus