Int. J. Aquat. Biol. (2016) 4(3): 202-207; DOI: ISSN: 2322-5270; P-ISSN: 2383-0956 Journal homepage: www.ij-aquaticbiology.com © 2016 Iranian Society of Ichthyology Short Communication Range extension of Moenkhausia oligolepis (Günther, 1864) to the Pindaré river drainage, of Mearim river basin, and Itapecuru river basin of northeastern Brazil (Characiformes: Characidae) Erick Cristofore Guimarães*1, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni1, 2, Axel Makay Katz2, Pâmella Silva de Brito1 1Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Organismos Aquáticos, Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal do Maranhão. Campus Universitário, CCAA, BR-222, KM 04, S/N, Boa Vista, CEP 65500-000, Chapadinha, MA, Brasil. 2Laboratório de Sistemática e Evolução de Peixes Teleósteos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Cidade Universitária, CEP 21994-970. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. Article history: Received 16 April 2016 Accepted 15 June 2016 Available online 2 5 June 2016 Keywords: Ichthyology, Incertae sedis, Maranhão state, Taxonomy, Teleostei. Abstract: The present study reports range extension of Moenkhausia oligolepis to the Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin, and Itapecuru river basin, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. This species was previously known only from Venezuela, Guianas, and the Amazon River basins. In addition, we present some meristic and morphometric data of the specimens herein examined and discuss on its diagnostic characters. Introduction Moenkhausia Eigenmann, 1903 is one of the most specious characid genera, currently comprising about 80 valid species (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2016). The genus is widely distributed in the cis- andineans river basins, not occurring only in Patagonia (Lima et al., 2003; Benine, 2009). The genus Moenkhausia was firstly included in the subfamily Tetragonopterinae (Eigenmann, 1903, 1917), being recently located as incertae sedis in Characidae (Lima et al., 2003). According to Géry (1977), Benine (2004), Benine et al. (2009) and Petrolli and Benine (2015), this genus is divided into some species complex; e.g.: Moenkhausia chrysargyrea, Moenkhausia dichroura, Moenkh- ausia eigenmanni, Moenkhausia grandisquanis, Moenkhausia lepidura, Moenkhausia jamesi and Moenkhausia oligolepis species complexes. Moenkhausia oligolepis complex is composed of species which share a set of diagnostic features, including presence of a conspicuous blotch in the caudal peduncle extending to the bases of caudal fin rays, preceded by a whitish brown area; scales of the side of body with a dark pigmentation on their * Corresponding author: Erick Cristofore Guimarães E-mail address: erick.ictio@yahoo.com.br posterior margin, forming a reticulated pattern; four to five series of scales above lateral line; and two to four series of scales between lateral line and pelvic- fin origin (Eigenmann, 1903; Eigenmann, 1917; Géry, 1977; Costa 1994; Lima et al., 2007; Lima and Toledo-Piza, 2001; Benine, 2009) distinguishing from all the other congeners. Moenkhausia oligolepis was originally described as Tetragonopterus oligolepis, based on specimens collected in Guyana (Günther, 1864). The geographical distribution of M. oligolepis is the river drainages of Venezuela, in the Guianas and Amazon river basin, occurring in the following countries, including Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela (Lima et al., 2003; Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2016; Froese and Pauly, 2016). This species has been now found in the Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin, and Saco River of the Itapecuru river basin of northeastern Brazil showing the extension of its distribution further to west. Materials and Methods The specimens of M. oligolepis were collected from 203 Int. J. Aquat. Biol. (2016) 4(3): 202-207 the Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin, northeastern Brazil. The Pindaré river origins from the Serra do Gurupi, with maximum altitude of about 300 m, and discharges into the Mearim River, near its mouth in the São Marcos Bay, after going through 575.59 km (Lima, 2013). The Itapecuru river origins from the Serras Crueiras, in the south of Maranão, with maximum altitude of about 530 m, and discharges into the Arraial Bay, in the southeastern of São Luis island (Lima, 2013). Specimens of M. oligolepis were collected in seven sampling sites of the Pindaré river drainage and one sampling station in the Itapecuru river basin (Fig. 1). The collected specimens were fixed in 10% formaldehyde, and then transferred to 70% ethanol for preservation, after 15 days. Measurements and counts were made according to Fink and Weitzman (1974), Menezes and Weitzman (1990), Weitzman and Malabarba (1999) and Bragança et al. (2015). Counts and data related to the fin rays, branchiostegal rays, teeth, supraneurals, vertebrae and ribs were conducted in cleared and stained specimens based on to Taylor and Van Dyke (1985). The Weberian apparatus were not included in the vertebrae count and the fused PU1+U1 was considered as a single element. Information about other congeners were based on the literatures, including Günther (1864), Eigenmann (1903), Eigenmann (1917), Géry (1977), Costa, (1994), Lima and Toledo-Piza (2001), Lima et al. (2007), Benine et al. (2009), Sousa et al. (2010), Lima et al. (2013), Dagosta et al. (2015), and Ohara and Marinho (2016). The collected materials were deposited in the Coleção Ictiológica do Centro de Ciencias Agrárias Ambientais, da Universidade Federal do Maranhão (CICCA). Collections were made under the “Autorização de Captura e Transporte de Material Biológico, Processo IBAMA Nº 02001.007241/ 2004-37”. Results and Discussion The examined specimens present all character states cited above for the M. oligolepis complex (Fig. 2) and were identified as M. oligolepis because they differ from the other congeners of the species complex by a set of features cited below: presence of a complete lateral line, while M. forestii Benine, Figure 1. Distribution of Moenkhausia oligolepis in Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin (red lozenge), and Itapecuru river basin (red circle), Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. Figure 2. (A) Life specimens of M. oligolepis: CICCAA 00094, 48.5 SL; Codó municipality, Itapecuru river basin, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil, and (B) Preserved specimen of M. oligolepis: CICCAA 00062, 50.0 mm SL; Alto Alegre municipality, Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. 204 Guimarães et al./ Distribution extension of Moenkhausia oligolepis. Mariguela & Oliveira, 2009, M. pyrophthalma Costa, 1994, M. cosmops Lima, Britski & Machado 2007, M. diktyota Lima & Toledo-Piza 2001 and M. sanctaefilomenae (Steindachener, 1907) have an incomplete or interrupted lateral line; presence of five series of scales between lateral line and dorsal- fin origin and four series of scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin, while M. australe, (Eigenmann, 1908), M. sanctaefilomenae and M. cosmops have four and two to three, respectively; presence of 28-30 perforated scales in the lateral line, while M. sanctaefilomenae and M. forestii have 22- 24 and 23-26, respectively; absence of longitudinal series of dark dots on body, while M. lineomaculata Dagosta, Marinho & Benine, 2015, M. cotinho Eigenmann, 1908, M. parecis Ohara & Marinho 2016, M. petymbuaba Lima and Birindelli, 2006 and M. plumbea Sousa, Netto-Ferreira and Birindelli, 2010 possess these series; and presence a dorsally and ventrally extended caudal peduncle blotch occupying its entire height, while M. pumblea, M. lineomaculata and M. parecis have a caudal peduncle spot centralized, not extended dorsally and ventrally. The present study extends the distribution of M. oligolepis for the Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearin river basin, and Itapecuru river basin, northeastern Brazil. In addition, our results confirm the brief descriptions and diagnostic features of the species previously proposed by Günther (1864), Planquette et al. (1996) and Lima et al. (2013). Some morphometric and meristic information of the specimens herein examined are presented in the (Tables 1 and 2). Examined material: Brazil: Estado do Maranhão: Município de Alto Alegre do Pindaré: CICCA 00057, 1, C&S, 41.1 mm SL; Igarapé Arapapá, 3°42'22.66''S 46°0'20.92''W; E. Guimarães and C. Characters Range Mean Standard Length 34.5-58.8 41.5 Standard Length % Body length 37.2-44.3 41.3 Head length 22.8-27.9 26.1 Head depth 18.3-27.7 21.8 Predorsal distance 31.0-56.7 52.1 Prepectoral distance 24.1-31.5 28,3 Prepelvic distance 40.0-52.0 48.7 Preanal distance 16.8-24.6 21 Caudal peduncle depth 10.5-14.1 12.1 Dorsal-fin base length 9.3-17.0 12.9 Anal-fin base length 21-33.3 28.8 Pectoral-fin length 20.6-31.4 24.8 Pelvic-fin length 16.0-32.2 21.3 Dorsal-fin length 29.6-37.4 32.4 Anal-fin length 13.6-25.7 20.7 Caudal peduncle length 6.9-12.2 9,4 Distance between dorsal and adipose fin 34.4-38.8 34.6 Distance between orbit and dorsal fin 23.8-53.4 37.1 Distance between dorsal fin and caudal peduncle 48-55.5 51.8 Head Length % Horizontal eye diameter 21-47.1 34.5 Snout length 20.1-38.7 26.2 Least interorbital width 16.9-30.9 23.5 Upper jaw length 15.9-35.4 25.8 Table 1. Morphometric characteristics of Moenkhausia oligolepis specimens herein examined, (n = 30). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_H._Eigenmann http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/getref.asp?id=1221 205 Int. J. Aquat. Biol. (2016) 4(3): 202-207 Costa, 03 Dec. 2015. CICCA 00058, 1, C&S, 49.8 mm SL; Igarapé Araparizal, 3°54'31.68''S 46°12' 3.04'' W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec. 2015. CICCA 00059, 1, C&S, 39.1 mm SL; Igarapé Araparizal; 3°54'31.68''S 46°12'3.04''W; E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec. 2015. CICCA 00060, 1, C&S, 38.9 mm SL; Igarapé do Fausto, 3°42'47.45''S 46°3'26.26''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00061, 1, C&S, 47.1 mm SL; Igarapé do Fausto, 3°42'47.45''S 46°3'26.26''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00062, 4, 41.2-58.8 mm SL; Igarapé do Fausto, 3°42'47.45''S 46°3'26.26''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00063, 1, 46.3 mm SL; Igarapé do Fausto, 3°42'47.45''S 46°3'26.26''W, E. Guimarães and C.Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00064, 3, 37.9-44.8 mm SL; Igarapé do Fausto, 3°42'47.45''S 46°3'26.26''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00065, 2, 39.8-44.3 mm SL; Igarapé Jenipapo, 3°51'15.77''S 46°11'6.19''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00066, 4, 38.6- 40.1 mm SL; Igarapé Arapapa, 3°42' 22.66''S 46°0' 20.92'' W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00067, 3, 38.0-52.3 mm SL; Igarapé Igarapá, Bacia do rio Mearim; 3°45'46.38''S 46°8' 11.67''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00068, 1, 55.5 mm SL; Igarapé Brejinho, 3°42' 27.54''S 46°1'17.00''W, E. Guimarães and C.Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00069, 4, 34.5-44.6 mm SL; Igarapé Brejinho, 3°42'27.54''S 46°1'17.00''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. CICCA 00070, 3, 39.6-41.2 mm SL; Igarapé Mineirão, 3°42'26.96''S 45°56'15.12''W, E. Guimarães and C. Costa, 03 Dec 2015. Município de Codó: CICCA0094, 48.5 SL; rio Saco, 04º31'48.2''S 43º56'09.5''W, E. Guimarães and F. Ottoni. Acknowledgments This study was supported by CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia). References Benine R.C. (2004). Análise filogenética do gênero Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) com uma Characters N Range Number of dorsal-fin rays 5 ii+9 Number of anal-fin rays 5 Iv+24 – v25 Number of pectoral-fin rays 5 i+12 Number of pelvic-fin rays 5 I+7 Number of perforated scales of upper lateral line 29 28 - 30 Number of scales serie above lateral line 30 5 Number of scales serie between lateral line and pelvic fin origin 30 4 Number of predorsal scales 5 11 Number of maxillary teeth 5 2 Number of teeth in the outer row of premaxilla 5 4 Number of teeth in the inner row of premaxilla 5 4 Number of teeth in the dentary 5 13 -14 Number of branchiostegal rays 5 4 Number of supraneurals 5 4 Number of principal caudal-fin rays 5 ii+19 Number of dorsal procurrent rays 5 7 Number of ventral procurrent rays 5 8 Number of vertebrae (precaudal + caudal) 5 27–28 (12+15–16) Number of rib pairs 5 11–12 (9–10 larger s+ 2 smallers) Table 2. 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