Systematics of the Neotropical Characiform Genus Steindachnerina Fowler (Pisces: Ostariophysi)

Van, Richard P. Systematics of the Neotropical Characiform Genus Steindachnerina Fowler (Pisces: Ostariophysi). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 507, 118 pages, 80 figures, 10 tables, 1991.—The genus Steindachnerina Fowler (1906) of the characiform family Curimatidae is defined as a monophyletic unit. Shared derived features of the gill arches and possibly in dorsal-fin pigmentation diagnose the genus. Derived features of the gill arches, buccopharyngeal complex, infraorbital series, palatine arch, and neurocranium, form of the prepelvic region of the body, details of pigmentation, and meristic features define monophyletic subunits of Steindachnerina or are autapomorphic for species. Steindachnerina has three junior synonyms Curimatorbis, Cruxentina, and Rivasella, all described by Fernandez-Yepez (1948). Twenty-one species are recognized in Steindachnerina: S. amazonica (Steindachner, 1911) of the Rio Tocantins; S. argentea (Gill, 1858) of Trinidad, the Rio Orinoco, and coastal rivers of northern Venezuela; S. atratoensis (Eigenmann, 1912b) of the Rio Atrato; S. bimaculata (Steindachner, 1876) of the Rio Amazonas and Rfo Orinoco; S. binotata (Pearson, 1924) of the Rio Madeira; S. biornata (Braga and Azpelicueta, 1987) of the Rio de La Plata basin and the coastal rivers of Uruguay and southern Brazil; S. brevipinna (Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1889) of the Rfo Uruguay, Rfo Paraguay, and lower Rfo Parana", and possibly the upper Rio Xingu; S. conspersa (Holmberg, 1891) of the Rfo Paraguay and lower Rfo Parang S. dobula (Gunther, 1868a) of the western Amazon basin; 5. elegans (Steindachner, 1874) of the coastal rivers of eastern Brazil; S.fasciata (Vari and Gery, 1985) of the Rio Madeira basin; 5. gracilis Vari and Vari (1989) of the Rio Tocantins; S. guentheri (Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1889) distributed from Guyana through the Rfo Orinoco basin, and the Andean peidmont to northern Bolivia; S. hypostoma (Boulenger, 1887a) of the Amazon basin; S. insculpta (Femindez-Yepez, 1948) of the upper Rfo Parana^ S. leucisca (Gunther, 1868) of the Amazon basin; 5. notonota (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937) of northeastern Brazil; S. planiventris Vari and Vari (1989) of the Amazon basin; S. pupula, new species, endemic to the Rfo Orinoco; S. quasimodoi Vari and Vari (1989) from the Rfo Yavari (Rio Javarf); and S. tuna, new species, from Surinam, French Guiana, and Brazil. A key to the species of Steindachnerina is provided. Nineteen species and subspecies are placed into synonymy in this study. Curimatus leuciscus bolivae described by Eigenmann and Ogle (1908) and Allenina pectinata Fernandez-Yepez (1948) are placed into the synonymy of Steindachnerina leucisca. Curimatus trachystetus Cope (1878), C. bimaculatus sialis Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889), Prochilodus pterostigma Fowler (1913), Curimatus semiornatus Steindachner (1914), and Curimata melaniris Fowler (1940) are all placed into the synonymy of Steindachnerina bimaculata. Curimata stigmosa Vari (1987) is a synonym of Curimata biornata. Curimatus nitens Holmberg (1891) and Curimatus nigrotaenia Boulenger (1902) are placed into the synonymy of Steindachnerina brevipinna. Curimatus nasus Steindachner (1882), Curimata hypostoma hastata Allen (in Eigenmann and Allen, 1942), Curimata niceforoi Fowler (1943a), and Prochilodus stigmaturus (Fowler, 1911), are all considered synonyms of Steindachnerina dobula. Steindachnerina guentheri has four junior synonyms: Curimatus morawhannae Eigenmann (1912a), Curimatus issororoensis Eigenmann (1912a), Curimatus metae Eigenmann (1922), and Curimata robustula Allen (in Eigenmann and Allen, 1942). Curimatus elegans bahiensis Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) is placed into the synonymy of Steindachnerina elegans. Thephylogenetic biogeography of Steindachnerina indicates numerous cases of large-scale, secondary dispersal during the evolution of the genus. The basal speciation events within Steindachnerina predate the final uplift of the Andes. A major part of the speciation within the genus predates the formation of the Amazon basin and apparently occurred outside of the Rio Amazonas system or in peripheral portions of the basin. The previous occurrence of a Steindachnerina species within the Rfo Magdalena system of Colombia and its subsequent extinction is hypothesized based on phylogenetic and distributional data. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Calaloging-in Publication Data Vari, Richard P. Systematics of the neotropical characiform genus Steindachnerina Fowler (Pisces: Ostariophysi) / Richard P. Vari. p. cm. — (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 507) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Steindachncrina—Classification. I. Title. II. Series, QL1.S54 no. 507 [OL638.C891 591s—dc20 [597.52] 90-26412