New species of fishes from Costa Rica

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FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL
HISTORY

ZOOLOGICAL SERIES

Volume X

Chicago, U. S. A.
1909 - 1923

7/

,3

NEW SPECIES OF FISHES FROM COSTA RICA.

BY SETH EUGENE MEEK.

During the month of April last I collected fishes in some of
the rivers of Costa Rica. The following paper gives an account of
those species which appear to be undescribed.

In making this collection of fishes I wish to acknowledge the aid
received from agents of the United Fruit Company, and from Dr. Alfaro
and Prof. Tristan of San Jose.

A complete account of the collection will be published in the near
future.^

Aslyanax robustus sp. nov.

Type No. 7582, F. M. N. H.; length 132 mm.; Virginia, Costa Rica.

Head 4.1 to 4.4; depth 2.8 to 3.0; D. i, 9; A. 2, 27; scales 7>^, 37, 6>^.

Body robust, moderately compressed, the caudal peduncle especially
deep; profile slightly convex; top of head convex; fontanelle large,
extending from anterior margin of the orbit to nape; margin of upper
lip slightly below the level of middle of the eye; lower jaw slightly the
longer, the lip thick; maxillary to anterior third of orbit, its length 2.3
to 2.4 in head; diameter of eye 3.0 to 3.5; snout 4.2 to 4.6; cheek 2.6 to
2.8; maxillary teeth 4-4, the cusps 3 to 5; premaxillary teeth in 2
series, the outer 4-4, each of 3 to 5 cusps; inner series 5-5, similar to the
outer but slightly larger; lower jaw with teeth in one series, the anterior
teeth large 4-4, with 3 to 5 cusps, the lateral teeth 6-6 smaller and
subcontinuous, the anterior ones usually with 3 cusps, the posterior
ones of one cusp; gill rakers 7 + 9; a few near each end with their tips
branched; dorsal fin behind ventrals, its origin nearer tip of snout than
base of caudal by about a distance of diameter of eye; base of anal 3.0
to 3.2 in body; pectoral of 12 rays, its length 5.1 to 5.5; ventral 7.4 to
8.2, its rays 8; caudal peduncle 1.6 to 1.8 in head; lateral line complete;
vertebrae 11 + 22 = 33.

Color dark brown, little silvery, fins in life with red or yellowish
red, the body more or less tinged with the same color; all of the fins
dusky.

^Issued September 18, 19 12.

69

70 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

Description from specimens 120 to 140 mm. in length, Virginia
River. Eggs small, one female contained about 7,000 eggs.

Cheirodon eigenmanni sp. nov.

Type No. 7583, F. M. N. H.; length 67 mm.; La Junta, Costa Rica.

Head 4.2 to 4.4; depth 2.5 to 2.6; D. 1,9; anal 2, 29 to 31; scales 46 to
48; 17 or 18 between dorsal and ventrals.

Body elongate, much compressed; profile evenly convex; top of
head convex; fontanelle large; margin of upper lip slightly above level
of middle of eye; mouth rather large; jaws subequal; maxillary to first
third of eye, its length 2.3 to 2.4 in head; diameter of eye 2.6 to 2.9;
snout 3.5 to 3.7; entire edge of maxillary toothed, 2-2 anterior ones
denticulate, the remaining 6-6 canine; premaxillary teeth 5-5, denticu-
late, in one series; teeth of lower jaw denticulate, in one series of
6-6, these followed by 2-2 canine teeth; gill rakers 6+8; dorsal fin high
its longest rays about 2.8 in body; base of anal 2.5 to 2.7; pectorals 4.3
to 4.7; ventrals 4.3 to 4.5, their tips reaching past origin of anal; caudal
peduncle 2.1 to 2.2 in head, lateral line present on about 10 scales.

Color silvery, a black spot about half as large as eye mostly above
and near termination of lateral line; lateral band very narrow anteriorly,
becoming darker and broader and ending in an elongated black caudal
spot which extends to end of middle caudal rays.

Named for Dr. C. H. Eigenmann, who has done more than any one
else to increase our knowledge of the Characins, the most interesting
family of fishes in the fresh waters of the Americas.

Gambusia umbratilis sp. nov.

Type No. 7584, F. M. N. H.; length 51 mm.; Guapihs, Costa Rica.

Head 4.1 to 4.5; depth 3.6 to 3.7; D. 1.7; A. 2.6; scales 7-28.

Body elongate, profile slightly convex, mouth small, the lower jaw
the longer; outer series of teeth the larger; snout short, 4.2 to 4.7 in head;
eye 2.5 to 2.8; gill rakers 15; pectoral 1.2 to 1.3; origin of dorsal slightly
in advance of anal, midway between base of caudal and eye. Anterior
anal rays the longest, i 2 to 1.3 in head; caudal peduncle 1.4 to 1.6 in
head.

This description from females 40 to 58 mm., two males 46 mm. have
head 4.0; depth 3.7; eye 2.4 in head, snout 3.8; caudal peduncle 1.4;
modified anal reaching slightly more than half way to base of caudal,
.73 in head.

Color dark olivaceous, 6 to 10 dark bars on posterior part of the
body much narrower than the interspaces ; dorsal fin with a broad black
bar near base and a second one at tip.

Sept., 191 2. New Fishes from Cost Rica — Meek. 71

Qatnbusia turrubarensis sp. nov.

Type No. 7576, F. M. N. H. ; length 61 mm. ; Turrubares, Costa Rica.

Head 4.0 to 4.3; depth 3.3 to 3.6; D. i, 6 or 7; A. 2, 6 or 7; scales 7-28.

Body elongate, profile convex; mouth small, with small lateral
cleft; outer series of teeth the larger; eye 2.9 to 3.1 in head; snout 4.2 to
4.4; pectoral about as long as head; anal fin rounded, its longest rays
1.2 to 1.3 in head; origin of dorsal over last rays of anal, its distance to
base of caudal 2 or nearly so, in its distance to tip of snout; gill rakers
21; caudal peduncle 1.3 to 1.4 in head (in females 55 to 76 mm.) one
male (36 mm.) has head 3.9; depth 3.5; eye 2.6; snout 5; modified anal
nearly reaching caudal, 2.4 in body, or nearly twice the length of the
head.

Color (both sexes) olivaceous, sides with about 8 or 9 narrow dark
bars on anterior three fourths of the body, fins all plain dusky.

Qambusia parismina sp. nov.

Type No. 7578, F. M. N. H.; length 52 mm.; Parismina, Costa Rica.

Head 3.5 to 3.8; depth 4.2 to 4.5; D. i, 6 or 7; A. 2, 7; scales 8-28.

Body elongate, moderately compressed; top of head flat; mouth
small, its gape extending ^ distance to eye; lower jaw slightly the
longer; upper jaw protractile; teeth fixed, in bands, the outer the larger;
eye 2.6 to 2.7 in head; snout 3.6 to 3.8; gill rakers 12; pectoral 1.2 in
head, of 12 rays, slightly below axis of the body; anal long, its first rays
longest, their tips beyond tips of last ray when the fin is deflexed, its
longest ray 1.3 in head; dorsal small, its margin rounded, its origin
behind last anal ray, its distance from caudal 2.3 in its distance from tip
of snout; the fin being wholly on posterior third of the body; caudal
peduncle 2 in head. •

Color dark olivaceous, dorsal with 2 faint dark cross bars, a large
black spot with light margin at base of caudal; base of anal with a large
black spot.

This species has the general aspect of Rivulus. One female con-
tained 13 eggs, some with eye spots and a few with well-formed young.
The species is viviparous, but our collection contains no males.

Poecilia pittieri sp. nov.

Type No. 7580, F. M. N. H.; length 68 mm.; La Junta, Costa Rica.

Head 4.1 to 4.4; depth 2.6 to 2.8; D. i, 8; A. 2, 6 or 7; scales 8-28.

Body robust, compressed; mouth small, the teeth in narrow bands,
the outer series the larger; lower jaw weak; mouth small; eye 2,5 to 2.8
in head; snout 3.4 to 3.8; pectoral i.o to i.i; dorsal fin in advance of

72 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

anal, its origin midway between base of caudal and eye; origin of anal
under about fourth anal ray, its free edge rounded, longest rays i.i to
1.2 in head; caudal peduncle deep, i.i to 1.2 in head.

Color dark olivaceous, the center of each scale lighter, a black
blotch ( 9 ) about twice as large as eye above origin of anal ; color of
male similar except posterior half of body with 7 dark cross bars (37 mm.)
becoming faint in larger specimens.

Described from several females 43 to 65 mm. The males much re-
semble in general form the females. Specimens 45 to 53 mm. show
following measurements: Head 3.9 to 4.0; depth 2.5; eye 2.7 in head;
snout 4.2; pectoral i.o, caudal peduncle i.o; modified anal long and
slender, its tip reaching base of caudal, its length .56 in head.

Alfaro gen. nov.

This genus belongs to the subfamily Tomeurinae * in having the
lower row of scales on each side with their inner surfaces together form-
ing a knife-like edge behind the anal fin ; the dorsal fin is wholly on the
posterior third of the body ; the 2 first rays of the anal are elongate and
modified, but less so than in other viviparous genera in this family,
which have the elongate anal.

I dedicate this genus to Dr. A. Alfaro, Director of the National
Museimi of Costa Rica and the best known scientist of the Republic.

Alfaro acutiventralis sp. nov.

Type No. 7579, F. M. N. H.; length 75 mm.; Guapilis, Costa Rica.

Head 4.2 to 4.3; depth 3.4 to 3.7; D. i, 6 or 7; A. i, 8 or 9; scales 32
to 34.

Body elongate, much compressed, profile from dorsal to nape
straight, a slight angle at nape; top of head flat, covered with scales;
mouth rather large, its gape half way to eye; teeth fixed in both jaws,
in bands, those of the upper jaw subequal, the outer series of lower
jaw enlarged; lower jaw the longer; premaxillary very protractile;
maxillary small, its tip reaching below anterior margin of the orbit;
eye 2.7 to 3,1 in head; snout 2.7 to 2.8; dorsal fin posterior, its distance
from base of caudal about 2.3 in its distance from tip of snout; pectoral
broad, of 13 rays, situated on axis of body, its length 1.2 to 1.3 in head;
anterior rays of anal fin long, falcate, longest .9 to 1.0 in head; ventrals
short, its rays 6; gill rakers 17 or 18; lateral line on row of scales above
pectoral for 7 or 8 scales, then on the row below to base of caudal;
many of the scales on the posterior half of the body with a small pore,
peritoneum dusky, alimentary canal short; vertebrae 20-1-15 = 35.

•Eigenmann, Mem. Car. Mus., vol. v, 460, 1912.

Sept., 19 12. New Fishes from Costa Rica — Meek. 73

Color olivaceous, no spots or bars; vertical fins slightly dusky. One
female 90 mm. in length contained 142 eggs. None of the eggs showed
eye spots.

This description is based on several specimens 50 to 90 mm. in
I length. Several males 46 to 62 mm.. show head 3.8 to 3.9; depth 3.1 to
3.6; eye 2.8 to 3.1 in head; snout 2.9 to 3.2; pectoral 1.3 to 1.4; modified
anal i.o to i.i. The anal fin is forward and contains rays i, 6; the
two anterior branched rays form the modified portion of the fin. The
dorsal fin of the males is not enlarged as is usually the case in the vivi-
parous species of this family.

It inhabits rocky streams.

Cichlasoma tuba sp. nov.

Type No. 7581, F. M. N. H.; length 222 mm.; Victoria, Costa Rica.
Head 3.3 to 3.6; depth 2.5 to 2.9; D. XVI, 13 or 14; A. IV, 9; scales

33-

Body elongate, compressed, the anterior profile convex; mouth
small the margin of the upper lip on level with upper third of base of
pectoral; upper jaw the longer; teeth with blunt tips, more conspicuous
in larger specimens; lips thick, in some specimens developed as fleshy
lobes, fold of lower lip free; maxillary not reaching eye, its length 3.0
to 3.5 in head; eye 4.2 to 4.8; snout 2.2 to 2.5; preorbital 3.8 to 4.0;
postorbital 2.4 to 2.6; gill rakers short and blunt, 3 + 9; origin of dorsal
fin slightly behind pectorals, its spinous portion low, the fourth or fifth
spine 3.0 to 3.9 in head; anal base 4.6 to 5.1 in body, its spines 4, very
exceptionally 3 or 5; second spine 2.7 to 3.1 in head; pectorals short 4.1
to 4.6 in body; ventrals 4.2 to 5.0; caudal peduncle 1.9 to 2.1; 4 scales
between the lateral line and the middle of the dorsal ; caudal fin lunate,
the dorsal and anal rays not produced, their tips scarcely to base of
caudal.

Color dark olivaceous, sides with 6 to 8 vertical bars, the first one
near tip of pectoral, soft dorsal and caudal with faint spots. Taken in
clear running water.

Cichlasoma spilotum sp. nov.

J Type No. 7586, F. M. N. H.; length 148 mm.; Victoria, Costa Rica.

I ■ Head 3.3 to 3.5; depth 2.3 to 2.6; D. XIX or XX, 9 or 10; A. VIII or

IX, 7; scales 33 to 35.

Body elongate, compressed, profile steep, snout blunt; mouth small,

subinferior, the margin of the upper lip on level with upper third of

base of pectoral; fold of lower lip broadly interrupted in the middle;

maxillary not reaching vertical from anterior margin of the eye, its

74 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

length 3.3 to 3.5 in head; diameter of eye 3.4 to 3.9; snout 2.2 to 2.4;
preorbital ^.2 to 3.7, postorbital 2.5 to 2.7; pectoral i.i to 1.2; ventral
.7 to .9; base of anal .9 to 1.0. Caudal pedtincle 2.2 to 2.4; spinous
dorsal rather high, the 6th spine 1.9 to 2.2 in head; the last dorsal spine
1.5 to 1.6; last anal spine 1.5 to 1.7; gill rakers short, 9, dorsal, anal and
ventrals with their rays produced; caudal fin emarginate; soft dorsal
with scales on interradial membranes.

Color olivaceous, sides w4th 6 or 7 indistinct cross bars. A lon-
gitudinal dark lateral band about as wide as eye, a large black spot on
side and a smaller one at base of caudal ; vertical fins usually with many
black spots.

This species resembles C. balteatum but differs in havong a shorter
head and smaller eye, and longer dorsal and anal spines.

Neetroplus fluviatilis sp. nov.

Type No. 7585, F. M. N. H.; length 116 mm.; Costa Rica River near
Guapilis, Costa Rica.

Head 2,-i', depth 2.6; D. XVII or XVIII, 9; A. VI, 6; scales 34.

Body elongate, compressed, profile very convex; mouth small, sub-
inferior, the lower jaw the shorter, teeth compressed; preorbital very
deep, equaling the postorbital, 2.6 in head; eye 3.9; snout 2.2; inter-
orbital very convex ; scales on breast, nape, and along each side of dorsal
fin, very small; pectoral fins 1.4 in head; ventrals shghtly longer than
head; dorsal fin low, the last spine 2.2 in head, the 6th spine 3.1, last
anal spine 2.2; base of anal 1.2 in head; caudal peduncle 2.2 in head, gill
rakers very blimt, 3+6; caudal fin rounded.

Color dark olivaceous, 6 or 7 faint dark bars on the sides. Known
from the type and one other specimen (105 mm.) from Costa Rica River
near Guapilis.

Qobiesox costaricensis sp nov.

Type No. 7577, F. M. N. H.; length 62 mm.; Zent, Costa Rica.

Head 2.7; depth 5.6; D. 6; A. 4.

Body broad, depressed anteriorly, teeth incisor, their edges entire;
dorsal and anal fins small, the latter under posterior half of the former.
Head broader than long, width of mouth about ^ width of head.

Color olivaceous, with 4 or 5 darker bars on back extending on
sides. Caudal barred, a black spot at base of anterior rays of dorsal.

The following are measurements (mm.) of the specimens obtained:

Sept., 191 2. New Fishes from Costa Rica — Meek,

75

Total length

Length of body

Length of head

Depth

Width of head

Width of mouth

Interorbital width

Diameter of ventral disc

Zent.

62

504

19

9

19.4
12.3

5-6
18.5

Zent.

50
41

6.5
15-7

8

3-7
154

Turrubares

43

35

12
6

12.7
6.7
3-8

134

Turrubares

42
35-2

II-5
6.1

12.5
6.4
3.8

13 4