Joseph S. Nelson

Cyprinid fishes : systematics, biology and exploitation

Systematics and biogeography - an overview, G.J.Howes T.M.Cavender morphometric investigations in cyprinid biology, S.A.Schaefer molecular and cytological investigations, D.G.Bluth et al cyprinids of Eurasia, P.M.Banarescu and B.W.Coad cyprinids of Southeast Asia cyprinids of Africa, P.H.Skelton et al cyprinids of the New World, R.L.Mayden cyrinids of Australasia, A.R.Brumley.

Habitat and Morphological Correlates to Vertebral Number as Shown in a Teleost, Gasterosteus aculeatus

Vertebral counts were made on 3257 Gasterosteus aculeatus (threespine stickleback) from Drizzle Lake, Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada, and their frequency distribution tested for randomness with respect to sex, body length, body depth, and lake habitat (littoral, limnetic). Males had a higher vertebral number than females and had a smaller adult body size, a pattern inconsistent with the phenomenon of pleomerism. Mean vertebral number decreased from juvenile to pre-adult size classes (40-60 mm body length) and then increased among adult fish over 70 mm and reached the highest counts in the largest fish (>80 mm). Vertebral number was inversely correlated to relative body depth independent of sex and size class of fish. These data parallel trends found in higher taxonomic comparisons. Increased frequency of higher vertebral counts in littoral areas was principally the result of a higher proportion of males and larger bodied (older) fish of both sexes occurring in littoral areas. This emphasizes the importance of considering sampling biases before drawing conclusions on small differences in vertebral number between samples from different populations.

Limnichthys polyactis, a new species of blennioid fish from New Zealand, with notes on the taxonomy and distribution of other Creediidae (including Limnichthyidae)

Abstract Limnichthys polyactis n.sp., from the North Island of New Zealand, differs from its nearest relative, the more widespread L. rendahli Parrott, in having a shorter preanal distance (the origin of the anal fin precedes the origin of the dorsal fin, as in the other four species of Limnichthys), fewer cirri along the lower jaw, a shorter snout, and fewer vertebrae. The deepest known occurrence of L. polyactis is 6 m, compared to at least 165 m for L. rendahli. It is suggested that the families Creediidae and Limnichthyidae be combined, the former name having precedence. Notes are given on the taxonomy and distribution of the 13 recognised species, and characters for their separation are keyed.

On the Interrelationships of the Genera of Creediidae (Perciformes: Trachinoidei)

An osteological study of representatives of the seven genera of creediids supports the view that the family is monophyletic. New diagnostic characters include the form of the pelvis, mesopterygoid, and ectopterygoid. Characters are given which distinguish members of Creediidae from other fishes. Three lineages of creediids are recognized on the basis of osteological and external characters, withSchizochirus insolens, the least derived and the most distinctive species, comprising the first lineage, the species ofCreedia the second, and those ofLinmichthys, Tewara,Crystallodytes, Chalixodytes, andApodocreedia the third.

Phylogenetic relationships of sticklebacks (Gasterosteidae), with emphasis on ninespine sticklebacks (Pungitius spp.)

Sticklebacks are widely used in comparative biology, but despite past systematic studies, questions of intrarelationships remain. We examined seven nominal species of Pungitius ( P. pungitius , P. occidentalis , P. sinensis , P. tymensis , P. platygaster , P. laevis and P. hellenicus ) and four other species of sticklebacks, Culaea inconstans , Gasterosteus aculeatus , Apeltes quadracus , and Spinachia spinachia , to hypothesize their systematic relationships. Thirty-three informative morphological (osteological and meristic) characters were analyzed. The outgroup comparison method was used for polarizing characters and cladistic methods for reconstructing the systematic relationships of the species. A 50% majority rule consensus tree was calculated for the 32 most parsimonious trees analyzed in the PAUP computer program. The results indicate that S. spinachia is the most primitive member of the family, followed by A. quadracus , and G. aculeatus . It appears that C. inconstans lies within the Pungitius lineage, possibly sister to P. hellenicus , suggesting that C. inconstans should be placed in the genus Pungitius . However, we defer recommending that Culaea be considered a synonym of Pungitius pending further studies to better resolve the Culaea/Pungitius clade.

Deep-Water Ninespine Sticklebacks, Pungitius pungitius, in the Mississippi Drainage, Crooked Lake, Indiana

A population of Pungitius pungitius was found in 1966 in Crooked Lake, Noble-Whitley counties, Indiana, the southernmost locality for the species in inland North America. This is the first population to be described indigenous to the Mississippi drainage, one of the postulated refugia for the species during Wisconsin glaciation. Morphological comparisons with populations thought to have been derived from a Mississippi refugium agreed in most respects, but Crooked Lake and Lake Michigan populations differed in pelvic girdle shape and caudal peduncle width. The full number of dorsal spines and caudal scutes were first present at 13 and 21 mm standard length, respectively, in Crooked Lake Pungitius. The pelvic spine first appeared at 14 mm. Pungitius was found between five and 30 m by collecting with rotenone, monofilament gillnets, and Plexiglas traps. Young specimens were most common just within, and a few meters below, the rooted aquatic zone while the adults occurred in greatest numbers in deeper water. Fully ripe females were found from 9 June to 22 July in 1966 and from 9 April to 24 August in 1967. The temperature ranged from 50 to 250 C at the stratum where Pungitius lived in the summer. Most adults were caught in 6?-120 C water, but were able to survive one week in live boxes at surface shore temperatures of 24?-28? C.

Some characters of Trichonotidae, with emphasis to those distinguishing it from Creediidae (Perciformes; Trachinoidei)

An osteological study of two species of the family Trichonotidae reveals numerous differences with members of the family Creediidae. Distinguishing characters include the following: trichonotids possess a flat pelvis base (not bowl-shaped) with oblique lateral flanges, a rodlike ectopterygoid that lacks a fanlike base, a dentary shelf that is notched anteriorly, a welldeveloped postmaxillary process, six infraorbitals, pleural ribs that arise from larger epipleural ribs, a hypurapophysis, and a large predorsal bone. Available evidence supports the view that these two families are monophyletic taxa with a marked gap in morphological characters between them. However, similarities in such bones as the ectopterygoid and mesopterygoid suggests that these two families are relatively closely related.

Fishes of the southern hemisphere genus Neophrynichthys (scorpaeniformes : cottoidei), with descriptions of two new species from New Zealand and Macquarie Island

Two new species of Neophrynichthys are described, N. angustus from New Zealand and N. magnicirrus from Macquarie Island. Both have a narrow and rigid interorbital with strongly sculptured roofing bones. N. angustus has dark brown spots on a light background and is larger, occurs at greater depths, and is wider ranging than its New Zealand compatriot N. latus (Hutton, 1875). N. magnicirrus has a large cirri-ornamented posterior nostril tube and long frilled rostral cirri. Data from additional material of the Australian N. marcidus McCulloch, 1926, are presented. A key is given to the five recognized species, a review of the genus is presented, and the systematic relationships of Neophrynichthys are discussed.

Interrelationships of Gasterosteiformes (Actinopterygii, Percomorpha)

Phylogenetic relationships of Gasterosteiformes were studied using osteological examination of representatives of 11 families of gasterosteiform fishes, as ingroups, and 5 families of other smegmamorph fishes (Atheriniformes, Elassomatiformes, and Synbranchiformes), as outgroups. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 110 informative osteological characters, nine synapomorphies were found to unite all Gasterosteiformes and support was provided to the hypothesis that the order Gasterosteiformes (including Hypoptychidae and Indostomidae) is a monophyletic group. Furthermore, based on the synapomorphies provided for the subgroups, three suborders in Gasterosteiformes are recognized: Hypoptychoidei, Gasterosteoidei, and Syngnathoidei.

Validity of Pungitius hellenicus Stephanidis, 1971 (Teleostei, Gasterosteidae), a Stickleback Fish from Greece

The validity of Pungitius hellenicus, a stickleback fish from Greece, is confirmed in a morphological study of specimens from throughout the range of the genus. Three characters distinguish P hellenicus from both P pungitius and P platygaster: reduced ectocoracoid, fewer dorsal spines (2-6 vs usually 7-12), and all dorsal spines vertically arranged (vs some being inclined). The absence of a caudal peduncle keel further differentiates P. hellenicus from P pungitius, and the absence of the large lateral scutes and a complete pelvic girdle differentiates P hellenicus from P platygaster. N 1939, A. Stephanidis found a specimen of a new form of Pungitius in the Sperchios Valley in central Greece and recognized it as P. pungitius, the ninespine stickleback (Stephanidis, 1950). In spite of continuing efforts, he was unable to obtain more specimens until 1970, when he collected 40 specimens (20-50 mm long) from a spring flowing into the same valley. Based on morphological differences between these specimens and those of P. pungitius (e.g., loss of pelvic girdle, and lower number of dorsal