Parasitology aiding fish taxonomy: Hyphessobrycon nicolasi as a jr. synonym of H. meridionalis (Characiformes: Acestrorhamphidae)

Authors

  • Guillermo Enrique Terán Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales CONICET
  • Sergio Bogan
  • María Silvina Vargas
  • Felipe Alonso
  • Martín Miguel Montes

Keywords:

Digenea, Host-parasite interaction, Melanin deposits, Parasitic infection, Morphology

Abstract

This study provides strong evidence in favor of considering Hyphessobrycon nicolasi as a junior synonym of Hyphessobrycon meridionalis. The analysis of the type material of H. nicolasi shows that the main diagnostic character among those species, based on supposed coloration patterns differences due to the presence of an oblique black stripe along the margin of the caudal fin lobes in H. nicolasi is in fact due to the presence metacercarial infection in some of the type specimens of H. nicolasi. Besides that, further examination of the types and other comparative materials did not allow us to establish any other consistent phenotypic differentiation among these two taxa. Therefore, we consider Hyphessobrycon nicolasi as a junior synonym of Hyphessobrycon meridionalis. This finding highlights importance of carefully considering the presence of parasite while describing new species as they can generate color changes or morphological alterations in their hosts.

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References

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Published

2025-11-10

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Artículos

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