Key to the species of
Crenicichla from the coastal river drainages of southeastern Brazil:
1. Scales in a lateral row 57-63 (modally 61); 10-12 soft dorsal fin rays; a series of narrow dark vertical stripes along sides;lateral band absent; small dark spots on flanks and sides of head absent .....................................
C. mucuryna
(upper rio Mucuri drainage)
1’. Scales in a lateral row 56-75 (modally 65); 11-13 soft dorsal fin rays; narrow vertical stripes absent;prominent dark lateral band or horizontally arranged series of dark blotches present;numerous small dark spots present or absent on flanks and side of head ........................................................2
2. A series of large, partly contiguous blotches below the upper lateral line, continued as band on caudal peduncle; suborbital stripe always well developed, extending to or nearly to preopercle .............................................................3
2’. Series of large contiguous blotches below upper lateral line absent; dark lateral band present along middle of side from head to caudal fin, or flanks only with pattern of minute dark spots; suborbital stripe well developed, but not as above, or short ........................................................4
3. Minute dark spots present on flanks and on side of head (occasionally absent in females); ocellated blotch present in dorsal fin in females ....................................
C. punctata
(laguna dos Patos system)
3’. Minute dark spots absent from side of head even if side of body is richly spotted; females never with ocellated spot in dorsal fin .......................................
Crenicichla maculata
(lagoa dos Quadros,Rio Grande do Sul north to rio Itapocu drainage,Santa Catarina).
4. Suborbital stripe well delevoped, extending across more than half depth of cheek .......................................
C. iguapina
(rio Ribeira de Iguape system).
4’. Suborbital stripe short, restricted to orbital margin or at most extending to near middle of cheek .............................5
5. Males, and occasionally females, with dark (maroon or reddish in life)spots on side of head;body either with numerous minute dark spots (males) or with few or indistinct spots and with well marked lateral band (females)..................................................................................
C.lacustris
(rio Paraíba do Sul drainage to rio Buranhem,Bahia)
5’. Dark or reddish spots on side of head absent in both sexes; both lateral band and spots on side of body well marked in both sexes ............................................
C.tingui
(rio Itapocu,Santa Catarina to rio Nhundiaquara drainage, Paraná)
Голотипы новых видов (фото-кредит - S. O. Kullander & C. A. S. de Lucena):
Crenicichla iguapina
Crenicichla maculata
Crenicichla tingui