Curimata cyprinoides (Linnaeus 1766)

Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Inhabits swamps and feeds on organic debris, benthic organisms and periphyton (Ref. 27188). Has filaments on its palette which play a gustatory role and also functions in mucus secretion which facilitates ingestion of food.

Inhabits swamps and feeds on organic debris, benthic organisms and periphyton. Has filaments on its palette which play a gustatory role and also functions in mucus secretion which facilitates ingestion of food. Appears to undergo mass migration during reproduction (Ref. 12225). During reproduction, it is then easily captured with nets along the banks where the dense vegetation is flooded (Ref. 27188).

Curimata cyprinoides (Linnaeus)

Salmo immaculatus Linnaeus, 1758:312 [type locality: America]; 1766:513 [on Linnaeus, 1758].—Walbaum, 1792:82 [America].—International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, 1966:41–45 [suppressed for the purposes of the Law of Priority].—Femholm and Wheeler, 1983:215 [holotype depository].

Charax 378.—Gronovius, 1763:123 [America].

Salmo cyprinoides Linnaeus, 1766:514 [type locality: Surinam].

Salmo Cyprinoides.—Bonaterre, 1788:169 [America].

Salmo edentulus Bloch, 1794, pl. 380 [type locality: Surinam].—Bloch and Schneider, 1801:412 [Surinam].—International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, 1966:41 [designated as type-species of Curimata Bosc, 1817].

Characinus cyprinoides.—Lacépède, 1803:270–274 [Salmo edentulus and Salmone carpeau placed in synonymy].

Anodus cyprinoides.—Müller and Troschel, 1845:7 [Guiana].

Curimatus cyprinoides.—Müller and Troschel, 1848:63 [British Guiana (= Guyana)].—Valenciennes, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1849:7 [Amazon, Surinam, Essequibo, Cayenne].—Kner, 1859:143 [in part, Surinam, not mouth of Rio Negro citation].—Günther, 1864:290 [Brazil: Pará, Rio Capin (= Capim)].—Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1889:429 [Brazil: Pará]; 1891:481 [reference].—Ulrey, 1895:259 [Brazil: Rio Tocantins].—Vaillant, 1899:154 [French Guiana, Carsevenne River].—Eigenmann, 1910:422 [reference].—Fowler, 1914:229 [British Guiana (= Guyana): Rupununi River].—Puyo, 1949:119 [French Guiana, biology]. [Not Cope, 1872:258, 291; Steindachner, 1882:134; Fowler, 1906:300, 1913:517, 1913:518, 1915:262.]

Charax planirostris Gray 1854:154 [type locality: Rivers of South America; based on Charax 378, Gronovius, 1763].

?Curimatus ciprinoides.—Castelnau, 1855:57 [error in spelling, Amazon].

Curimatus schomburgkii Günther, 1864:291 [type locality: British Guiana (= Guyana): Demerara].—Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1889:431 [Surinam].—Eigenmann, 1910:422 [reference].—Cockerell, 1914:94 [scale anatomy].—Mago-Leccia, 1970:75 [Venezuela].—Fernholm and Wheeler, 1983:215 [equated with Salmo immaculatus Linnaeus, 1758].

Curimatus planirostris.—Günther, 1864:293 [in part, not Curimatus abramoides synonymy or geographic distribution].—Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1889:431 [references in part, not cited specimens]; 1891:48 [reference in part, not C. abramoides synonymy].

Curimata copei Fowler, 1906:301, fig. 7 [type locality: Surinam].—Fowler, 1919:130 [Surinam].—Géry, 1977b:230 [Surinam]

Curimata schomburgkii.—Fowler, 1906:303, fig. 8 [Surinam]; 1919:130 [Surinam]; 1931:407 [Venezuela, Guanoco].—Schultz, 1944:250 [reference. Venezuela].—Fowler, 1950:292, fig. 351 [reference in part, not Rio Negro citation].

Curimatus kneri.—Eigenmann and Bean, 1907:667 [Amazon].

Curimatus knerii.—Eigenmann and Ogle, 1907:4 [Brazil: Pará].

Curimatus Schomburgki.—Pellegrin, 1909:148 [Brazil: Pará].

Semitapicis planirostris.—Eigenmann 1910:422 [in part, not C. abramoides synonymy or cited distribution].—Fowler, 1950:302 [reference in part, not fig. 363 or C. abramoides synonymy]; 1975:375 [reference in part]. [Not Fernández-Yépez, 1948].

Curimatus copei.—Eigenmann, 1910:422 [reference].—Fernández-Yépez, 1948:73 [reference; possible assignment to Cruxentina].

Curimatus schomburgki.—Eigenmann, 1912:266, pl. 35, fig. 1 [British Guiana (= Guyana): Wismar, Lama Stop-Off, Koreabo Rubber Plantation, Issororo, Morawhanna, Mora Passage, Maduni, Christianburg].—Starks, 1913:13 [Brazil: Pará; possible synonymy with Salmo cyprinoides Linnaeus, 1766].—Caporiacco, 1935:61 [British Guiana (= Guyana): Demerara].

Curimata cyprinoides.—Eigenmann and Allen, 1942:295 [reference in part, not Peruvian citations].—Fowler, 1942:208 [reference in part, not Peruvian citations]; 1945:115 [reference in part, not Peruvian citations]; 1950:281, fig. 340, 341 [references in part]; 1975:369 [reference].—Géry, 1977a:230 [lower Amazon].—Santos et al., 1985:28–29 [Brazil, Rio Tocantins; common name; life history].—Vari, 1988, fig.5 [distribution]; 1989, tables 2, 3 [phylogenetic relationships]. [Not Fowler, 1940:253, 1941:166].

Bitricarinata schombourgki.—Fernández-Yépez, 1948:64, fig. 34 [designation as type species of Bitricarinata].

Bitricarinata schomburgkii.—Fowler, 1975:366 [reference].

Cruxentina copei.—Fowler, 1975:367 [reference].

Curimata cyprinoides schomburgki.—Géry, 1977a:230 [placement of Curimatus schomburgkii Günther as a subspecies of Salmo cyprinoides Linnaeus; Guianas].

DIAGNOSIS.—The combination of a body depth 0.40–0.47 of SL, 7 to 9 branched anal rays, and the lack of any marked body pigmentation patterns distinguishes Curimata cyprinoides from other members of the genus with the exception of C. knerii and C. roseni. Curimata cyprinoides has 46 to 56 lateral line scales from the supracleithrum to the hypural joint, 15 to 17 enlarged median prepelvic scales, and 32 (very rarely 31 or 33) vertebrae. This contrasts with 31 vertebrae and 12 to 14 enlarged median prepelvic scales in Curimata roseni, and 33 or 34 vertebrae and 56 to 63 lateral-line scales in C. knerii. Curimata cyprinoides and C. roseni also differ in numerous internal characters (see “Synapomorphy List and Phylogenetic Reconstruction”). Curimata cyprinoides and C. knerii although having somewhat overlapping lateral-line counts, demonstrate significantly different modal values for that meristic value (Figure 29).

DESCRIPTION.—Body moderately elongate, somewhat compressed. Dorsal profile of head straight or slightly convex in small specimens, straight or slightly concave in larger individuals. Dorsal profile of body distinctly curved from rear of head to origin of rayed dorsal fin; straight or slightly posteroventrally slanted at base of dorsal fin; gently convex from base of last dorsal-fin ray to caudal peduncle. Dorsal body surface with an indistinct median keel anterior to rayed dorsal fin, smoothly rounded transversely posterior to fin. Ventral body profile slightly convex from tip of lower jaw to region ventral of middle of pectoral fin, convexity increased from that point to origin of pelvic fin, gently sigmoid from there to caudal peduncle. Prepelvic region flattened, margined laterally by distinct, nearly right, angles in body wall, prepelvic region with median series of enlarged scales flanked on each side by series of enlarged scales that conform in shape to lateral angle of body. Well developed median keel posterior to pelvic fin origin, with secondary obtuse angle in body wall about two scales dorsal of ventral midline on each side of postventral portion of body.

Greatest body depth at origin of rayed dorsal fin, depth 0.40–0.47; snout tip to origin of rayed dorsal fin 0.48–0.55; snout tip to origin of anal fin 0.79–0.85; snout tip to origin of pelvic fin 0.53–0.59; snout tip to anus 0.76–0.82; origin of rayed dorsal fin to hypural joint 0.53–0.60. Rayed dorsal fin pointed, anteriormost rays in some individuals reaching to tip of dorsal lobe of caudal fin. Pectoral fin pointed; length of pectoral fin 0.18–0.24, extends three-quarters distance to vertical through origin of pelvic fin. Pelvic fin pointed, length of pelvic fin 0.20–0.28, reaches three quarters distance to origin of anal fin. Caudal fin forked, dorsalmost and ventralmost principal fin rays moderately filiform in some individuals. Adipose fin well developed. Anal fin emarginate, anteriormost branched rays 3.5–4.6 times length of ultimate fin ray. Caudal peduncle depth 0.11–0.13.

Head distinctly pointed, head length 0.30–0.36; upper jaw longer, mouth inferior; snout length 0.28–0.34; nostrils very close, anterior circular, posterior crescent shaped with aperture closed by thin flap of skin separating nares; eye large, orbital diameter 0.31–0.37; adipose eyelid well-developed, particularly in larger individuals, with vertically ovoid opening over center of eye; length of postorbital portion of head 0.34–0.42; gape width 0.27–0.34; interorbital width 0.35–0.43.

Pored lateral-line scales from supracleithrum to hypural joint 46 to 56; all scales of lateral-line pored, canals in scales straight or somewhat divergent; 4 to 8 series of scales extend beyond hypural joint onto caudal fin base; 13 to 16 scales in transverse series from origin of rayed dorsal fin to lateral line; 7 to 10 scales in transverse series from the lateral line to origin of anal fin. Median series of enlarged prepelvic scales 15 to 17.

Dorsal-fin rays ii,8–10; anal-fin rays ii,8–9 or iii,7–9; pectoral-fin rays 13 to 16; pelvic-fin rays i,8 or 9 (i,8 relatively rare).

Total vertebrae 31 (7), 32 (101), 33 (3).

COLOR IN ALCOHOL.—Overall coloration in specimens that retain guanine on scales golden or silvery-golden, darker on dorsal portions of head and body. Specimens that lack guanine on scales yellowish-tan to brown, darker on dorsal portions of head and body. No pronounced markings on head or body. Middorsal region from rear of head to upper caudal peduncle with obscure dark band. Rayed dorsal and caudal fins dusky, with series of small chromatophores outlining fin rays. Individuals under 30 mm SL with distinct black blotch on distal half of anterior rays of dorsal fin. Anteriormost anal fin rays and dorsalmost rays of pectoral fin with chormatophores along margins; other portions of fins hyaline. Pelvics hyaline or with some chromatophores along fin-ray margins in larger specimens. Adipose fin dusky.

DISTRIBUTION.—Lower Río Orinoco, Atlantic drainages of the Guianas, lower Rio Amazonas (Figure 30).

COMMON NAME.—Brazil: Branquiha-baiaõ (Santos et al., 1985:28).

LIFE HISTORY.—Santos et al. (1985:28–29) report that this species is one of the most common and abundant species along the Rio Tocantins system of eastern Brazil. The species is cited by those authors as eating organic detritus, benthic organisms and periphyton. Sexual maturity occurs at approximately 13 cm (?SL), with breeding taking place in that basin between November and January.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—2843 specimens (93, 40.5–212.9).

“AMERICA.” NRM LP 76, 1 (51.7, holotype of Salmo immaculatus Linnaeus).

VENEZUELA. Territorio Federal Delta Amacuro: Río Arature, USNM 267327, 1. Lower Río Orinoco, USNM 267331, 1: USNM 267327, 2. Monagas; Río Morichal Largo, Canõ Pavon, upriver of bridge at El Silencio, MBUCV V-15261, 1; MBUCV V-15262, 4.

GUYANA. No specific locality, BMNH 1978.9.12:2, 1 (108.5, lectotype of Curimatus schomburgkii); BMNH 1862.12.15:68, 2 (62.6–120.3, paralectotypes of Curimatus schomburgkii); BMNH 1959.3.17:95, 1. Essequibo: Manari, BMNH 1972.7.27:417–419, 3 (1,127.3). Morabelli, Essequibo River, BMNH 1972.10.17:3258–3259, 2 (1, 56.3). Cuyuni River near Kartabo, AMNH 51634, 4; AMNH 51635, 1. Mazaruni River, BMNH 1934.9.12:343–347, 5 (2, 92.0–109.3). Georgetown, USNM 267242, 1. Georgetown, Botanic Gardens, BMNH 1974.5.22:503–504, 2 (172.9–175.1). Koreabo Rubber Plantation, AMNH 7089, 3; BMNH 1911.10.31:192–195, 4 (52.0–90.6); USNM 66144, 3 (57.4–83.9); USNM 267333, 1; MCZ 30045, 1 (86.2). Lama Stop-Off, MCZ 30049, 1 (111.5); USNM 66143, 1 (120.0); USNM 267333, 1; BMNH 1911.10.31:190–191, 2 (1, 132.1). Morawhanna, USNM 267343, 2 (52.0–57.9). Hyde Park River, BMNH 1922.3.29:8, 1. Potaro River, AMNH 4469, 3.

SURINAM. no specific locality, ANSP 8201, 1 (approx. 100.0, holotype of Curimata copei); MCZ 792, 1 (176.2). Nickerie: Corantijn River, BMNH 1981.6.9:820. Corantijn River, Koekwie Creek, USNM 267321, 1; USNM 267351, 1. Corantijn River, Matapi, USNM 225214, 24 (9, 132.2–164.1). Corantijn River, Makilikabroe, USNM 225619, 4 (79.2–113.9). Corantijn River, Camp MacClemmen, USNM 226158, 1 (170.2). Corantijn River, USNM 225403, 2 (116.2–122.5); USNM 225230, 2; USNM 225256, 2; USNM 225188, 7; USNM 225616, 1; USNM 225186, 2; USNM 225618, 1; Dalibana Creek, USNM 225250, 1. Morawijne: Morawijne River, 30 km S of Albina, ZMA 106.169, 43. Saramaca River, 14 km from mouth, ZMA 105.575, 15. Brokopondo: Dateke Kreek, approx. 1.5 km S of Brokopondo, ZMA 107.475, 3.

FRENCH GUIANA. Oyapock River below Santo Antonio, BMNH 1926.3.2:586–591, 6 (3, 115.7–200.5). Approuague River, Inery Creek, BMNH 1926.3.2:592–594, 3 (40.5–66.5). Mahury River near Cayanne, USNM 220351, 153 (10, 56.1–75.9).

BRAZIL. Amapá: Cupixi, MZUSP 32254, 3. Rio Araguari, Ferreira Gomes, MZUSP 32282, 1892; USNM 267964, 3 (110.5–163.4). Rio Amapá, Cachoeira Grande, MZUSP 32253, 512; USNM 267962, 15 (5, 122.0–212.9). Pará: no specific locality, BMNH 1898.10.11:7, 1; MCZ 794, 2 (77.3–93.4); AMNH 3769, 5 (66.7–131.3); USNM 34576, 2 (88.5–94.7). Marajo Island, BMNH 1923.8.11:4, 1 (157.0). Belém, Rio Guamá, MZUSP 20789, 1 (65.0). Rio Capim, BMNH 1849.11.8:55–56, 2 (138.1–164.5). Rio Capim, Vila Santana, MZUSP 21232, 7 (2, 111.2–112.7); MZUSP 21199, 4 (2, 150.0–167.5); MZUSP 21198, 3 (1, 146.3). Igarapé Sororoca, Furo de Panaquera, MZUSP 21244, 1 (131.4). Rio Tocantins, Lagoa near Jatobal, MZUSP 21319, 8. Mouth of Rio Tocantins, Parana Sammuma, MZUSP 21250, 8 (4, 110.2–121.1). Vicinity of Vila Maiauatá, MZUSP 21235, 7 (3, 65.7–70.7); MZUSP 21237, 1 (64.0); MZUSP 21236, 5. Rio Tocantins near Tucuruí, MZUSP 21293, 1; MZUSP 21327, 1. Igarape Coelho, mouth of Rio Tocantins, MZUSP 21245, 6. Rio Itacaiunas, Cachoeira do Calderiao, USNM 267961, 5 (2, 101.1–153.8); MZUSP 32252, 14. Rio Guajara, MNRJ 2800, 4.