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Issue: Vol. 5873 No. 2: 21 Aug. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-08-21
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5873.2.3
Page range: 281-298
Abstract views: 226
PDF downloaded: 203

Morphological variation within the California killifish, Fundulus parvipinnis Girard, 1854 from Baja California peninsula, Mexico (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae), with elevation of its southern subspecies to F. brevis Osburn & Nichols, 1916

Colección Ictiológica; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Carretera Transpeninsular Ensenada-Tijuana Núm. 3917; Colonia Playitas; 22860 Ensenada; Baja California; México.
Colección Ictiológica; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Carretera Transpeninsular Ensenada-Tijuana Núm. 3917; Colonia Playitas; 22860 Ensenada; Baja California; México.
Departamento de Pesquerías y Biología Marina; Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas. Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n; Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita; 23096 La Paz; Baja California Sur; México.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Santa Cruz; 115 McAllister Way; Santa Cruz; California 95060; USA.
Pisces meristic and morphometric variation diagnostic characters species recognition San Diegan coastal marine province

Abstract

We evaluated the morphological variation of the two nominal subspecies of California killifishes, Fundulus parvipinnis (F. p. parvipinnis and F. p. brevis) with allopatric distribution in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Fifty-five morphological characters (10 meristic and 45 morphometric) of 192 specimens were examined in 10 populations (seven of F. p. parvipinnis and three of F. p. brevis). The comparative morphological analysis identified 17 morphometric and two meristic that discriminate F. p. parvipinnis from F. p. brevis that are associated to a greater length and depth of caudal peduncle, a greater distance between pectoral and pelvic fin origins, a longer dorsal fin, and greater number of scales in lateral line and around the body. Two allopaatric nominal subspecies are found north (F. p. parvipinis) and south (F. p. brevis) of Punta Eugenia, along the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula, confirming the phylogeographic dichotomy supported previously by mitochondrial DNA analysis. Taken together, genetic and morphological evidence are consistent with the recognition of two valid taxonomic species: a northern Fundulus parvipinnis and a southern F. brevis.

 

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How to Cite

Ruiz-Campos, G., Reyes-Valdez, C.A., González-Acosta, A.F. & Bernardi, G. (2026) Morphological variation within the California killifish, Fundulus parvipinnis Girard, 1854 from Baja California peninsula, Mexico (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae), with elevation of its southern subspecies to F. brevis Osburn & Nichols, 1916. Zootaxa, 5873 (2), 281–298. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5873.2.3