Browsing by Author "Fricke, Ronald"
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- Apletodon gabonensis, a new species of clingfish (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from Gabon, eastern Atlantic OceanPublication . Fricke, Ronald; Wirtz, PeterThe clingfish Apletodon gabonensis sp. nov. is described on the basis of seven specimens and colour photographs from Gabon, eastern Atlantic Ocean. The species is small, apparently not exceeding 20 mm total length; it is characterized by having 5 dorsal-fin rays, 4-5 anal-fin rays, 25-27 pectoral-fin rays, head width in males 2.6-4.7 in SL, anus in males with urogenital papilla present but not pronounced; snout long, broad, anteriorly truncate in male, narrower and rather pointed in female; preorbital length 1.8-3.8 in head length; conspicuous maxillary barbel absent in both sexes; disc with 10-12 rows of papillae in region A, 5 rows of papillae in region B, and 5-7 rows of papillae in region C. The new species is compared with the other species of the genus; a key to the males of the 6 known species of the eastern Atlantic genus Apletodon is presented.
- First record of the cubera snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Lutjanidae), from the Azores (NE Atlantic) and possible extension range for the West AtlanticPublication . Ribeiro, Pedro; Gonçalves, João M.; Chavan, Govindraj; Fricke, Ronald; García-Mederos, Antonio M.; Tuset, Victor; Barreiros, João P.BACKGROUND. A lutjanid recently captured in Flores Island represents the first documented record of a snapper for the Azores Islands. Since this specimen was not made available to us besides photographs and a muscle sample, a genetic study approach was necessary in order to accurately describe and discuss this somewhat unexpected occurrence. The main objective of this paper was to explain and discuss the presence of this single specimen in this part of the north-eastern Atlantic. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The specimen was caught by spear fishers on 30 July 2014 off Flores Island. We analysed all available photographs and a sample of muscle tissue that was taken and preserved frozen to be used for DNA barcoding. RESULTS. The specimen was a reproductively mature female with a total length of 108.7 cm and weighing 14.84 kg. The body depth of the specimen from the Azores was 2.9 in SL and the analyses conducted showed no divergence from the Canary Islands specimen reported by García-Mederos and Tuset (2014) as Lutjanus dentatus (Duméril, 1861) with the body depth of 2.5 in SL, which demonstrates that this character is highly variable and not useful for species identification. CONCLUSIONS. The snapper specimen from the Island of Flores is a Lutjanus cyanopterus (Cuvier, 1828) and confirmed as first record for this part of the north-eastern Atlantic. Comparisons with a L. dentatus from the Canary Islands point towards synonymy although the available molecular evidence is too scarce and by no means conclusive.
- Lecanogaster gorgoniphila, a new species of clingfish (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from São Tomé and Principe, eastern Atlantic OceanPublication . Fricke, Ronald; Wirtz, PeterThe clingfish Lecanogaster gorgoniphila new species, an unusual species associated with gorgonians, is described on the basis of 7 specimens and colour photographs from São Tomé Island, São Tomé and Principe, eastern Atlantic Ocean. The species is small, probably not exceeding 28 mm total length; it is characterized by having 4-5 dorsal-fin rays, 3-4 anal-fin rays, 21-23 pectoral-fin rays, and 11-14 principal caudal-fin rays; 12-14 rakers on third gill arch, very small, partially fused; papillae in centre of pelvic disk forming a round patch; pelvic disc region B with 5-6 rows of papillae; head relatively short, its length 2.4-3.4 in SL, and relatively narrow, its width 4.5-7.4 in SL; colouration of head and body variable in life, usually dorsally reddish white, ventrally rose, with eight bright red bars with scattered white spots. The new species is compared with other species of the eastern Atlantic genera Lecanogaster and Diplecogaster; a key to the species of the genus Lecanogaster Briggs, 1957 is presented.
- Occurrence of Diodon eydouxii (Actinopterygii: Diodontidae), in the Azores and comparison with Pacific specimensPublication . Barreiros, João P.; Fricke, RonaldA specimen of porcupine fish was collected by a fisherman at Terceira Island, Azores (north-eastern Atlantic), and identified as the pelagic porcupinefish, Diodon eydouxii Brisout de Barneville, 1846, a species recently recorded for the first time from the Azores. This record, together with an examination of the first reported specimen, allowed us to compare the external morphology with Pacific specimens. The possibility of this species to be relatively common in the Azores is discussed.