Short Report

Polydactylus konadaensis Mishra and Krishnan, 1993, ajunior synonym of Filimanus xanthonema (Valenciennes inCuvier and Valenciennes, 1831) (Perciformes: Polynemidae)
Hiroyuki Motomura1,*, B.V. Seshagiri Rao2, B. Ratnamala2, and Yukio Iwatsuki3
1

Miyazaki University, the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-1 Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi,
Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan (e-mail: a02113u@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp)
2
Department of Zoology, D. N. R. College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh 534-202, India
3
Division of Fisheries Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Miyazaki University, 1-1 Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192,
Japan (e-mail: yuk@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp)
Received: July 2, 2000 / Revised: November 2, 2000 / Accepted: January 12, 2001

IchthyologicalResearch©The Ichthyological Society of Japan 2001

Ichthyol Res (2001) 48: 203–206

Abstract Polydactylus konadaensis Mishra and Krishnan, 1993 was described on the basisof two specimens from Konada, Andhra Pradesh, east coast of India. Although the newspecies was placed in the genus Polydactylus, our examination of the type specimens of thespecies showed them to represent a species of Filimanus. Furthermore, the characters of
those specimens were consistent with those of the lectotype, paralectotype, and otherspecimens of F. xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831). Accordingly,
Polydactylus konadaensis is herein regarded as a junior synonym of F. xanthonema.
Key words Polynemidae · Synonymy · Polydactylus konadaensis · Filimanus xanthonemaThe polynemid fish genus Filimanus Myers, the next
most specious group after Polydactylus, was recently
reviewed by Feltes (1991), who included six species:
F. heptadactyla (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes),F. hexanema (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes), F.
perplexa Feltes, F. sealei (Jordan and Richardson), F.
similis Feltes and F. xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvierand Valenciennes). Mishra and Krishnan (1993) subsequently described Polydactylus konadaensis as a newspecies on the basis of two specimens from Konada,
Andhra Pradesh, east coast of India. However, they did
not refer to Feltes’ revision of the genus Filimanus.
Recent examination of the type specimens ofPolydactylus konadaensis showed them to in fact represent a species of Filimanus. Furthermore, the charactersof those specimens were consistent with those of thelectotype, paralectotype and other specimens of F.
xanthonema. Accordingly, Polydactylus konadaensis isregarded as a junior synonym of F. xanthonema.
Counts and measurements generally follow Hubbs
and Lagler (1958) and Feltes (1991), with some modifications following Motomura et al. (2000a). Standard lengthis expressed as SL. Institutional codes follow Leviton
et al. (1985), with additional institutional abbreviations
as follows: Division of Fisheries Sciences, Miyazaki University, Japan (MUFS); Phuket Marine Biological Cen-ter, Thailand (PMBC); Marine Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, India (ZSI/MBS); and SouthernRegional Station, Zoological Survey of India, India(ZSI/SRS).

Results and Discussion
The holotype (ZSI/MBS-F-631, 105 mm SL; Fig. 1A) andthe paratype of Polydactylus konadaensis Mishra andKrishnan, 1993 have the following morphological characters (see Table 1 for counts and measurements): body
oblong, compressed; orbit diameter greater than snoutlength; lower lip well-developed; maxillary scalespresent; depth of posterior margin of maxilla less thaneye diameter; dentary teeth restricted to dorsal surfaceof lower jaw; posterior margin of preopercle serrated;villiform teeth in broad bands on vomer, palatines andectopterygoids; width of teeth bands on upper and lower
jaws narrower than space separating teeth bands on opposing premaxilla; interorbital region of frontals nearlystraight; pectoral fin insertion well below lateral midline
on body; all pectoral fin rays unbranched; tip of fourth
pectoral filament (longest) extending beyond tip of pelvic fin; second dorsal fin base shorter than anal fin base;distance between pelvic fin base and anal fin base less

204

H. Motomura et al.

Fig. 1. A Holotype of Polydactylus konadaensis, ZSI/MBS-F-631, 105 mm SL. B Lectotype of Filimanus xanthonema, MNHN A.
3033, 1 of 2 specimens, 110 mm SL. The snout of the lectotype of F. xanthonema is slightly shrunken, owing to the distortion of
cartilaginous tissue

than head length; lateral line simple, extending fromupper end of gill opening to middistal margin of caudal
fin membrane.
Although Mishra and Krishnan (1993) placed their
new species in the genus Polydactylus, this was clearlyerroneous. Both the type specimens clearly exhibited thefollowing diagnostic characters of the genus Filimanus;
large eye, width of teeth bands on upper and lower jaws
narrower than space separating teeth bands on opposing
premaxilla, pectoral fin insertion well below midline onside of body and dorsalmost pectoral filament length lessthan standard length (Feltes, 1991, 1993; Motomura et al.,2000b). Accordingly, their new species clearly belonged
to the genus Filimanus, which was currently known to bearound South and Southeast Asia.
Feltes (1991) revised the genus Filimanus, recognizing
six species. The foregoing characters of the holotype andparatype of Polydactylus konadaensis are consistent withthose of the lectotype (Fig. 1B), paralectotype and otherspecimens of F. xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvier andValenciennes, 1831) (Table 1). Accordingly, the former
is herein regarded as a junior synonym of the latter.
Polynemus diagrammicus Bleeker, 1845 (a questionable
synonym because of being a nomen nudum) and

Polynemus pfeifferi Bleeker, 1853 were earlier treated as
junior synonyms of F. xanthonema by Feltes (1991)(actions concurred with here), although he stated thatthe present whereabouts of the type specimens of boththe former were unknown.
Filimanus xanthonema is similar to F. hexanema(Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes) in usually having six
pectoral filaments (rarely 5 or 7; see Table 1). The former,
however, differs from F. hexanema in having the shorter
pectoral filaments (not extending to midpoint of anal fin
vs. extending well past midpoint of anal fin in latter) andthe depth of the posterior margin of the maxilla less thanthe eye diameter (vs. greater than eye diameter) (Feltes,1991; this study). According to Feltes (1991) and thisstudy, other congeners can be distinguished from these,
also by the number of pectoral filaments: F. heptadactyla(usually 7), F. perplexa (7), F. sealei (8, occasionally 7) andF. similis (7). Further detailed descriptions and comparisons of these species were given by Feltes (1991).
Comparative material examined. Filimanus heptadactyla(Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes): FSKU-P 19771 (2 specimens), 89–90 mm SL; NTM S. 14784-007 (2), 112–113 mm SL;
UMMZ 213333 (2), 99–106 mm SL; USNM 72741, 52 mm SL. F.
hexanema (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes): FSKU-P 4113

Synonymy of Indian polynemids

205

Table 1. Counts and measurements of the holotype and paratype of Polydactylus konadaensis, and the lectotype, paralectotype
and non-type specimens of Filimanus xanthonema, expressed as thousandths of standard length

Standard length (mm)Counts (modes)
Dorsal fin rays
Anal fin rays
Pectoral fin rays
Pectoral filaments
Pelvic fin rays
Pored lateral line scales
Scales above and below lateral line
Gill rakers
Measurements (means)
Head length
Body depth
Second body depth
Body width at pectoral fin base
Snout length
Eye diameter
Orbit diameter
Interorbital width
Postorbital length
Upper jaw lengthPre-1st dorsal fin lengthPre-2nd dorsal fin lengthPre-anal fin length
First dorsal fin origin to anal fin origin
Pelvic fin origin to anal fin origin
Second dorsal fin base length
Anal fin base length
Longest pectoral fin length
Longest pectoral filament length
Pectoral fin base length
Longest pelvic fin ray length (1st)Longest 1st dorsal fin spine length (3rd)Second dorsal fin spine length
Longest 2nd dorsal fin ray length (2nd)Longest anal fin spine length (3rd)Longest anal fin ray length (2nd)Caudal peduncle length
Caudal peduncle depth
Caudal fin lobe lengthab

Polydactylus konadaensis

Filimanus xanthonema

Holotype
ZSI/MBS-F-631

Paratype
ZSI/MBS-F-632

Lectotype
MNHN A. 3033

(from Feltes, 1991)
n 5 55a1059711038.6–135.2

VIII-I, 12III, 11156I, 547
6/11
20 1 24 5 44

VIII-I, 12III, 11156I, 546
6/10
19 1 23 5 42

VIII-I, 11III, 1115
6I, 547
6/10
20 1 24 5 44

VIII-I, 11–13 (12)III, 10–12 (11)
13–15 (15)
5–7b (6)—43–52 (47)
5–8 (6)/9–12 (10)36–46 (43)

312
319
321
134
56
66
87
84
179
152
353
605
612
427
236
189
194
247
389 [4th]
96
152
189
79
220
87
173
247
143
365

309
309
328
123
45
69
79
78
179
144353
594
606
428
248
167
206
236
367 [4th]
93
171
201
85
216
93
194
252
145
Broken

309
307
313
115
52
69
79
93
185
156
359
605
611
412
245
169
176
258
406 [4th]
96
167
199
78
209
78
184
259
145
380

277–348 (306)267–349 (313)259–353 (318)102–146 (124)
39–71 (57)
65–90 (79)—
77–98 (85)
140–342 (183)
140–166 (153)
318–398 (371)
512–633 (596)572–665 (620)364–470 (434)186–315 (245)
143–209 (181)
142–215 (187)
225–283 (260)266–474 (383) [3rd or 4th]—
146–228 (182)
144–237 (203)
71–140 (96)161–261 (219)73–121 (94)
152–231 (188)229–295 (261)
132–158 (147)
264–441 (358)Including the lectotype and paralectotype of Polynemus xanthonemus
Usually 6 on each side but occasionally 5 on each side, or asymmetrically 5 and 6 or 6 and 7(2), 82–83 mm SL; RMNH 443, 108 mm SL; UMMZ 213332 (2),76–116 mm SL. F. perplexa Feltes: BMNH 1988.4.6.1 (holotypeof F. perplexa), 148 mm SL; FMNH 97100 (1 of 25 paratypesof F. perplexa), 118 mm SL; PMBC 5913, 111 mm SL (seeMotomura et al., 2000b); USNM 72742 (1 of 25 paratypes of F.
perplexa), 113 mm SL; USNM 280288 (1 of 25 paratypes of F.
perplexa), 113 mm SL. F. sealei (Jordan and Richardson): AMS
IB 1462-IB 1463 (2), 130–147 mm SL; USNM 57844 (holotypeof Polydactylus opercularis Seale and Bean [5 holotype ofPolydactylus sealei Jordan and Richardson]), 123 mm SL.
F. similis Feltes: AMS I. 21033-004 (3 of 43 paratypes of F.
similis), 126–128 mm SL; FMNH 58982 (2 of 43 paratypes of F.
similis), 112–116 mm SL; USNM 149704 (3 of 43 paratypes ofF. similis), 72–99 mm SL; USNM 278202 (2 of 43 paratypes of F.
similis), 62–70 mm SL; USNM 278215 (1 of 43 paratypes ofF. similis), 83 mm SL; USNM 278242 (7 of 43 paratypes ofF. similis), 86–104 mm SL; USNM 304495 (holotype of F.
similis), 99 mm SL. F. xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvier and206

H. Motomura et al.

Valenciennes): FRLM 15716, 62 mm SL; MNHN A. 3033
(lectotype and paralectotype of Polynemus xanthonemus),109–110 mm SL; MUFS 2579, 118 mm SL; USNM 278199 (26),
90–110 mm SL.

tion for the Advancement of Ichthyology (Tokyo, Japan). BR isalso grateful to the University Grants Commission (New Delhi,India) for financial assistance.

Acknowledgments We are most grateful to K. Venkataraman(ZSI/MBS), P.T. Cherian, and K. Rema Devi (ZSI/SRS)
for opportunities to examine the types of Polydactylus
konadaensis, and to M.N. Venugopal and A. Chakraborty (Department of Fishery Biology, College of Fisheries, Mangalore,India) for their assistance during our visit to India. We
greatly appreciate G. Duhamel, J.-C. Hureau and P. Pruvost(MNHN) for opportunities to examine the types of Filimanus
xanthonema, W. N. Eschmeyer (CAS) for providing the originaldescription of P. konadaensis, and P. Musikasinthorn (TUFIL)
for providing information on ZSI. We thank the following persons and institutions for specimen loans: M. McGrouther andK. Parkinson (AMS), J. Maclaine (BMNH), M.A. Rogers andK. Swagel (FMNH), S. Kimura (FRLM), H. Ida and M.
Okamoto (FSKU-P), H.K. Larson, B. Russell, G. Dally andS. Gregg (NTM), S. Bussarawit and U. Satapoomin (PMBC),
M.J.P. van Oijen and J. van Egmond (RMNH), D.W. Nelson(UMMZ) and S.L. Jewett, L. Palmer, S.J. Raredon and J.T.
Williams (USNM). Last, we thank Y. Motomura (Miyazaki,Japan) for her assistance and G.S. Hardy (Thames, NewZealand) who read the initial manuscript and offered helpfulcomments. This study was supported in part by grants awarded
to the first author by the Fujiwara Natural History Foundation(Tokyo, Japan), the Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant fromthe Japan Science Society (Tokyo, Japan) and the Ito Founda-Literature CitedFeltes RM (1991) Revision of the polynemid fish genus
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