An old taxonomic dilemma: the identity of the western south Atlantic lebranche mullet (Teleostei: Perciformes: Mugilidae)

The identification of the lebranche mullet in the western south Atlantic has long been problematical. In most recent works either Mugil liza Valenciennes and M. platanus Gunther, 1880 or M. liza and M. cephalus Linnaeus, 1758 were recognized from the region and more rarely the occurrence of only one species has been proposed but without sufficient morphological, biochemical or molecular data to allow the designation of the taxonomically appropriate name. Analysis of meristic and morphometric data taken from samples collected from Venezuela to Argentina, clearly indicates that there is only one species of lebranche mullet in the Caribbean Sea region and the Atlantic coast of South America and that Mugil liza is the appropriate name. The comparison of the combined data from all the samples of M. liza with the data taken from one sample of M. cephalus that originated in the Mediterranean, the possible locality from which type specimens were collected (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2009), revealed significant differences indicating that they are different species. It is also suggested that individuals from the western north Atlantic identified as M. cephalus might represent a population of M. liza in this region.

REDESCRIPTION OF APOSTOLEPIS LONGICAUDATA (SERPENTES: XENODONTINAE) WITH COMMENTS ON ITS HEMIPENIAL MORPHOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY

Apresentamos a redescricao da rara especie de serpent Apostolepis longicaudata Comes in Amaral coin base no exame do holotipo e em comparacoes com tres novos exemplares do Cerrado do Brasil Central. O trabalho inclui dados ineditos sobre a coloracao em vida, morfologia hemipeniana e historia natural. Dois especimes lineados previamente identificados como A. quinquelineata por outros autores sao redeterminados aqui como A. nelsonjorgei, que parece ser a unica especie do genero cujas contagens de subcaudais se sobrepoem as de A. longicaudata.

New terebellids (Polychaeta: Terebellidae) from northeastern Brazil

Four new species of terebellid polychaetes were collected at the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentavel da Ponta de Tubarao, State of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil. These species are Streblosoma patriciae sp. nov., Terebella leslieae sp. nov., Nicolea ceciliae sp. nov., and Pista alonsae sp. nov. All these species are herein described and compared with the morphologically most similar congeners.