Geographic Variation in Southeastern Populations of the Cyprinodont Fish Fundulus notti (Agassiz)

Abstract

Agassiz (1854) originally describled the starhead topminnow under five specific names, dispar, lineolatus, guttatus, and hieroglyphicus. The present study demonstrates that this species consists of at least three well-defined subspecies, notti, dispar, and lineolatus. Each has prominent and parallel variation in coloration with sex and size. It is not surprising that A'gassiz did not perceive the actual situation and was somewhat misled by the many color patterns displayed by these fishes. The nomenclatural confasion he generated still persists; consequently, for this species one of Agassiz's original five names must be chosen. Since Garman (1895) included them all in his synonymy under nottii, I recognize him as the first reviser and accordingly use notti as the species name. The names guttatus and hieroglyphicus are considered synonyms of F. n. notti. This paper is primarily a study of the'geographic variation in coastal plain populations of Fundulus notti from southern Virginia to Louisiana. For comparison a small sample of the subspecies found in the upper Mississippi River system (dispar) has also been included. Variation in the populations to the west and north of Louisiana has yet to be analyzed, but it is thought that significant variation does occur there. In particular the forms, inhabiting Texas and Oklahoma should be studied, and the area where F. n. notti meets F. n. dispar should be determined as precisely as possible.