Phalloceros buckupi, new species

Figs. 42, 43

Phalloceros sp. n. M Lucinda & Reis (2005).

Holotype. MCP 30472, Paranaguá, rio Jacareí at km 18 on road BR-277, border Paranaguá - Morretes, approximately 25 o 35’S 48 o 43’W, Paraná, Brazil, 7 Jul 1988, P.A. Buckup et al.

Paratypes. BRAZIL. Paraná. MCP 12549, 4/1*; MCP 28440, 1, and UMMZ 215249, 4, collected with the holotype. MCP 12584, 7, Paranaguá, artificial ditches in Guaraguaçu, road PR 407, 7 km SE from Rio da Vila (S side of road), 7 Feb 1988, P.A. Buckup et al. Santa Catarina. MCP 31190, 102, Araquari, stream affluent to rio Parati ca. 1 km from road BR 280, 26 º 22’58"S 48 º 43’33", 19 Sep 2002, L.R. Malabarba et al.

Diagnosis. Phalloceros buckupi can be distinguished from its congeners but P. megapolos, P. spiloura, P. malabarbai, P. alessandrae, P. anisophallos, P. uai, P. lucenorum, P. pellos, and P. reisi by (1) the female urogenital papilla curved to the right, located laterally (vs. slightly left turned and with a lateral ramus or straight located along midventral line); and (2) border of the anal aperture in contact with the first anal-fin ray or very close to it (vs. separated from first anal-fin ray by the female urogenital papilla).

Phalloceros buckupi can be distinguished from P. spiloura by the absence of a caudal peduncle spot (vs. presence of caudal peduncle spot); from P. megapolos by the gonopodium appendix normally developed (vs. greatly expanded in wing like projections); from P. uai by the absence of a wide and square-shaped lateral spot in large specimens (vs. presence of such spot).

Phalloceros buckupi can be distinguished from P. alessandrae and P. malabarbai by (1) halves of gonopodial paired appendix sickle like (vs. not sickle like); (2) medial corner absent (vs. present); (3) hook on left half of gonopodial paired appendix and right hook absent (vs. hook on both halves of gonopodial paired appendix); and (4) left hook small, directed downward or up- and forward, and located closer to the base of gonopodial appendix (vs. hooks large downward directed and located in the corner of gonopodial appendix) (Fig. 43).

Phalloceros buckupi can be distinguished from P. anisophallos, P. lucenorum, P. pellos, and P. reisi by the halves of the gonopodium slender and similar to each other (vs. halves of the gonopodium wide and different from each other; right half wider than left one).

Description. Morphometric data in Tables 3 and 4. Range of SL: 21.7 to 32.9 mm (females), 17.8 to 19.9 mm (males). Dorsal-fin rays: 7 [1], 8* [8]. Branched pectoral-fin rays: 7* [3]. Pelvic-fin rays: 5* [5] (males), 5 [5] (females). Anal-fin rays of females: 10 [5]. Anal-fin rays of males: 9* [6]. Branched caudal-fin rays: 11 [3], 1*2 [5]. Predorsal scales: 13 [1], 14* [8]. Longitudinal series of scales: 28 [1], 29 [5], 30* [3]. Series of scales around caudal peduncle: 16* [9]. Transverse series of scales: 7* [9]. Serrae on R4p: 10* [3], 11 [2]. Epipleural ribs: 12 [1]. Pleural ribs: 14 [1]. Vertebrae: 32 [1]. Female urogenital papilla right curved, located laterally. Border of anal aperture in contact with first anal-fin ray or very close to it. Halves of gonopodial paired appendix sickle like. Medial corner absent. Hook on left half of gonopodial paired appendix. Right hook absent. Halves of gonopodial paired appendix slender and similar to each other (Fig. 43).

Color in alcohol. Eye silvery grey with greenish brown pupil. Ground color pale brown, darker in upper half. Border of scales and subjacent skin replete with brown chromatophores, more concentrated at short distance from scale border, conferring reticulate pattern to body sides, mainly on upper half. Brown chromatophores scattered through whole body, more concentrated on dorsal portion, mainly on head, snout, opercle, and ventral surface of mandible. Lateral dark brown spot located approximately over 16 th scale of longitudinal series. Lateral spot covering approximately one scale on horizontal direction, and three scales on vertical. Light brown vertical bars along flanks (absent in one specimen studied). Dorsal-fin membrane bearing dark band of chromatophores on distal border of dorsal fin. Dark band of chromatophores near dorsal-fin base. Pectoral-, pelvic-, anal-, and caudal-fin rays unpigmented. Dark brown line along R3.

Remarks. Specimens from Caraguaçu (MCP 12584) are darker than remaining specimens, with the dark bands on dorsal fin more evident and the vertical bars inconspicuous or absent.

Etymology. The specific epithet buckupi (n. m. gen. sg.) comes from Buckup. It is a patronym for Paulo A. Buckup (collector of most specimens of this species) in recognition of his many contributions to Neotropical ichthyology.

Distribution. Phalloceros buckupi is known to occur in the rio Jacareí drainage and neighbouring, which flows into the Baía de Paranaguá in the coast of Paraná State of Brazil (Fig. 12).