Systematics of the Neotropical characiform genus Curimata Bosc (Pisces:Characiformes)

Vari, Richard P. Systematics of the Neotropical Characiform Genus Curimata Bosc (Pisces: Characiformes). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 474, 63 pages, 42 figures, 5 tables, 1989. —The genus Curimata Bosc (1817) is recognized as a monophyletic subunit of the family Curimatidae on the basis of a variety of synapomorphies in the gill arches, buccopharyngeal complex, and palatine arch. Derived modifications of the gill arches, hyoid apparatus, opercular apparatus, maxilla, hyomandibula, palatine arch, supraneurals, first proximal pterygiophore of the dorsal fin, pigmentation, body form, squamation, degree of development of dorsaland caudal-fin rays, number of vertebrae, and morphometrics unite groups of species within the genus. Curimata is redefined and twelve species are recognized in the genus. These are Curimata cyprinoides Linneaus (1766), distributed in the lower Rio Orinoco, Atlantic drainages of the Guianas, lower Rio Amazonas and Rio Tocantins; C. vittata Kner (1859) of the Rio Amazonas system; C. aspera Giinther (1868a) of the upper Rio Amazonas; C. knerii Steindachner (1877) of the middle and upper Rio Amazonas; C. mivartii Steindachner (1878) endemic to the Rio Magdalena and associated rivers; C. ocellata Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) distributed in the Rio Amazonas basin; C. macrops Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) known only from the Rio Parnaiba drainage basin of northeastern Brazil; C. cisandina (Allen, in Eigenmann and Allen, 1942) found in the Rio Amazonas system; C. cerasina Vari (1984b), a Rio Orinoco endemic; C. incompta Vari (1984b) of the Rio Orinoco basin; C. inornata, a new species from the Rio Amazonas system; and C. roseni, a new species from the Rio Negro drainage basin. Curimatus semitaeniatus of Steindachner (1917) was found to be based on a juvenile of Curimata ocellata Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) and is placed as a synonym of the latter species. Curimata murieli described by Allen (in Eigenmann and Allen, 1942) has as its holotype a juvenile of Curimata vittata Kner (1859) and the two species are considered conspecific. Lambepiedra alleni of Fernindez-Yepez (1948) is placed as a synonym of Curimata cisandina Allen (in Eigenmann and Allen, 1942). Curimatus simulatus proposed by Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) is considered to be a synonym of Curimata aspera Giinther (1868a). Salmo edentulus Bloch (1794), Charax planirostris Gray (1854), Curimatus schomburgkii Giinther (1864), and Curimata copei Fowler (1906) are placed as synonyms of Curimata cyprinoides Linnaeus (1766). Salmo immaculatus Linnaeus (1758), the oldest name for the species herein termed Curimata cyprinoides, is not available (International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature, 1966). Contrary to the conclusions of many earlier studies, Semitapicis of Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1889) is placed as a synonym of Curimata Bosc (1817) rather than being retained as a distinct genus. The genera Acuticurimata Fowler (1941), Allenina Fernandez-Yepez (1948), Bitricarinata Femdndez-Yepez (1948), Bondichthys Whitley (1953), Lambepiedra FernandezYepez (1948), Peltapleura Fowler (1906), and Stupens Whitley (1954) are also placed as synonyms of Curimata. The historical zoogeography of the species of Curimata is discussed. The genus is hypothesized to have undergone most of its species-level divergence prior to the final uplift of the Andes. The degree of sympatry between sister clades within Curimata indicates that there has been a significant degree of post-vicarianee dispersal within the genus. 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 Catalogingin-Publication Data Van, Richard P. Systematics of the Neotropical characiform genus Curimata Bosc (Pisces: Characiformes) / Richard P. Vari. p. cm. —(Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 474) Bibliography: p. Includes index. SupL of Docs, no.: SI 1.27:474 1. Curimata—Latin America—Classification. I. Title. II. Series. QL1.54 no. 474 [QL638.C89] 591 s-dcl9 [597\52] 89-600023 CIP