Skip to content

Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. (Teleostei: Serranidae), a new hamlet on coral reefs in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico

Departments

Coastal resources

Abstract

The hamlets (Hypoplectrus spp., Teleostei: Serranidae) are a group of small predatory reef-associated fishes endemic to the tropical northwestern Atlantic that are characterized by an exceptionally high diversification rate. Currently 18 species are recognized, with seven described or redescribed in the last 14 years. Here, we describe the Campeche Bank hamlet, Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. As indicated by its common name, this species is distributed throughout the Campeche Bank in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. differs from two similar hamlets, the butter hamlet H. unicolor (Walbaum) and the Veracruz hamlet H. castroaguirrei Del Moral Flores, Tello-Musi & Martínez-Pérez in terms of geographic distribution and color pattern. Furthermore, phylogenetic and population genetic analyses based on whole-genome data from 68 individuals indicate that H. espinosai sp. nov. is genetically distinct from H. unicolor and H. castroaguirrei.

Associated Infrastructures

Cite this activity

Puebla O., Aguilar-Perera A., Helmkampf M., Robertson D.R., Estapé C.J., Estapé A.M. and Domínguez-Domínguez O. (2025) Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. (Teleostei: Serranidae), a new hamlet on coral reefs in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Zootaxa 5618(4): 509-524. 10.11646/zootaxa.5618.4.3

Details

Research topics
Date 01.01.2025
Journal Zootaxa
Issue 4
Volume 5618
Pages 509-524
Open Access Open Access (open)
Open Access Status Open Access (open)
Eprints_link https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/5642
Peer-Reviewed

Research Spectrum

The content on this page is maintained by the authors.