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Zootaxa 3963 (1): 045–054 Article ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)
www.mapress.com/zootaxa/
ZOOTAXA
Copyright © 2015 Magnolia Press
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)

http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3963.1.3
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4E709099-57FB-4313-B6D5-5CAF12DB0FC4

An additional record of Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)
(Osteichthyes, Kyphosidae) from Sicily clarifies the confused situation of
the Mediterranean kyphosids

ANNA MARIA MANNINO1,4, PAOLO BALISTRERI 1, DAVIDE IACIOFANO2,

BELLA S. GALIL3 & SABRINA LO BRUTTO2

1Department of Sciences and Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Section of Botany and Plant Ecology, University
of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123 Palermo, Italy. E-mail: annamaria.mannino@unipa.it, requin.blanc@hotmail.it
2Department of Sciences and Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Section of Animal Biology, University of Pal-
ermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy. E-mail: iaciofanodavide@gmail.com, sabrina.lobrutto@unipa.it
3Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Tel-Shikmona, P.O.B. 8030, 31080 Haifa, Israel. E-mail: bella@ocean.org.il
4Corresponding author

Abstract

The lowfin chub, Kyphosus vaigiensis, is reported for the first time off Favignana Island, Sicily, central Mediterranean
Sea. The specimen was identified on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters as well as mitochondrial DNA
sequences (COI and 16S-rDNA). Two, perhaps three, Kyphosus species—K. bigibbus, K. sectatrix and K. vaigiensis—
have been occasionally recorded in the Mediterranean. These species occur both in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions
but it is likely they entered the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. However, it is unclear whether they have
established reproductive native populations in the Mediterranean.

Key words: Mediterranean Sea, Egadi Islands, Sicily, Kyphosus vaigiensis, new record, COI, 16S

Introduction

The taxonomy of the genus Kyphosus (Lacepède, 1801) “has been confused to the point where many authors did
not attempt species level identification” (Knudsen & Clements, 2013a: 5). Two recent revisions (Knudsen &
Clements, 2013a; Sakai & Nakabo, 2014) addressed this uncertainty; yet remain at odds concerning the identity
and number of species that have been recorded in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea (Table 1).

The two revisions differ in the number of Kyphosus species occurring in the areas adjacent to the
Mediterranean Sea. Knudsen & Clements (2013a) identified four widespread species (Kyphosus bigibbus, K.
vaigiensis, K. cinerascens, K. sectatrix) occurring both in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific areas, whereas Sakai &
Nakabo (2014), identified three species (K. atlanticus, K. bosquii, K. incisor) in Atlantic region and six species (K.
vaigiensis, K. bigibbus, K. cinerascens, K. sydneyanus, K. pacificus, K. hawaiiensis) in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, the two revisions mainly differ on the acceptance of some valid species (Table 1). Consequently,
understanding which species occur in the Mediterranean and by which route they entered is a challenge.

According to Knudsen & Clements (2013a), the species already recorded in the Mediterranean are K.
vaigiensis and K. sectatrix. Knudsen & Clements (2013a) used digital radiographic photography to examine
osteological characters, and statistically analysed morphometric and meristic characters, in addition to molecular
phylogenetic analysis. They consider that the lowfin chub, K. vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825), is widely
distributed, with records in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans (including the Red Sea) and treated K. incisor
(Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831) as a junior synonym. Similarly, they consider K. sectatrix (Linnaeus,
1758) to be “much more widespread than previously thought” (Knudsen & Clements, 2013a: 58) and present in the
Mediterranean. Sakai & Nakabo (2014), in their revision of the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Kyphosus species,

Accepted by W. Holleman: 22 Apr. 2015; published: 25 May 2015 45