Open Access PDF - Sven Kullander

380
C. pinima, C. vazzoleri, and C. intermedia (Table 2).
Among those C. pinima and C. vazzoleri are most
similar in colour pattern.
Most specimens of C. temensis have bilaterally
continuous lateral line, whereas in C. pinima
the common condition is to have discontinuous
lateral line, and in C. vazzoleri almost all specimens
have discontinuous lateral line. Unlike C. vazzo leri
and C. pinima, C. temensis never develops dark
ocellated blotches on the dorsum, and the vertical
bars remain entire and at all sizes instead of at
least bar 1 forming a distinct ocellated blotch. At
some medium sizes, however, the dorsal blotches
of C. vazzoleri may be overlooked and the
general appearance is similar to C. temensis, e.g.,
in the specimen shown in Figure 80, especially
since the light spots along the side may be
slightly elongate in C. vazzoleri.
Even with a synonymy of six names, no type
material is available for any of the nominal species
and the synonymy of C. temensis has to be established
on the basis of descriptions. As there is no
difference in opinion between different recent
authors as to the identity of C. temensis, and the
published descriptions and figures for the nominal
species included in C. temensis give a fair or
strong idea of what species is considered, there
seems to be no need for a neotype designation at
this moment.
The original descriptions of C. atabapensis and
C. temensis (Humboldt & Valenciennes, 1821: 168-
169) are very brief and there are no figures to
facilitate recognition of the species. Humboldt
writes (translated from the French):
“I have noted in my diary two more species of
Cichla [in addition to C. orinocensis], with the following
characters.
“Cichla atabapensis.
“Pavon of Rio Atabapo: same form as Cichla orinocensis,
but instead of four blotches, four transverse
very broad, blue-black areas bordered with gold.
It is also encountered in the portions of the Orinoco
where the waters are not so fast; but the
variety most agreeable for food is the one from
the Rio Atabapo, a river with black, crystalline
waters” (M. Valenciennes supposes, with reason,
that C. atabapensis in my manuscript is C. ocellaris,
Schneid., Pl. LXVI.)
“C. temensis.
“Pavon of Temi: same shape; no transverse bands,
but four rows of small yellow spots. A single very
large spot on the tail.
“[Latin diagnosis, translated:] Green body, decorated
with small yellow spots arranged in four
longitudinal rows. A single large blue yellowmargined
spot on tail.”
It is thus evident that no specimens were ever
preserved of either C. temensis of C. atabapensis.
The species can be identified only with reference
to the colour pattern in combination with the
geographic distribution indicated by Humboldt.
Of the species occuring in the area only one species
displays a prominent pattern of four (or five)
horizontal rows of yellow (or white) spots along
the side (young and non-breeding adults, possibly
breeding females) as well as three (although
Humboldt counts four) prominent, wide, black,
thinly light-margined vertical bars on the side,
and that species is here identified as C. temensis.
Kullander (2003: 621) placed C. atabapensis in the
synonymy of C. temensis, thereby acting as first
reviser, fixing the priority order of the names.
The other species occurring or expected to
occur in the upper Rio Orinoco area, C. orinocensis
and C. intermedia, can be distinguished by their
colour pattern. The former was correctly distinguished
by Humboldt as C. orinocensis and is
characterised by three prominent ocellar blotches
on the side. Cichla intermedia has a series of several
narrow vertical bars along the middle of the
side. Amazonian species, particularly C. vazzoleri
and C. pinima, would equally well suit Humboldt’s
colour pattern description, but occur
outside Humboldt’s collecting area.
No types are preserved of either Cychla flavomaculata
or C. trifasciata Jardine (1843), both reported
from the Rio Negro and Rio Padauiri. The
colour description and painting of C. flavomaculata
agree with C. temensis, and there is no similar
species with black bars and horizontal rows of
light spots in the area:
“The body is greenish lake, with three black
bars, three rows and several scattered yellow
spots; on the head several black spots, and a
peacock-eye on the insertion of the tail. Dorsal
fin and upper part of tail, indigo spotted with
light blue; ventral, anal, and lower half of caudal
fin vermilion; pectoral greenish; gill-rays vermil-
Kullander & Ferreira: Review of Cichla