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A new colour morph for Elacatinus figaro, an endemic threatened cleaner

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2015

R.M. Dias*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Museu Nacional, Setor de Ictiologia, ‘Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, CEP 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
D.F. Almeida
Affiliation:
Departamento de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Museu Nacional, Setor de Ictiologia, ‘Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, CEP 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
R. Noguchi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Museu Nacional, Setor de Ictiologia, ‘Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, CEP 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
S.M.Q. Lima
Affiliation:
Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Avenida Senador Salgado Filho, 3000, Lagoa Nova, CEP 59078-970, Natal, RN, Brazil
C. Corrêa
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes, IB/DBA, BR 465, Km 7, CEP 23890-000, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: R.M. Dias, Departamento de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Museu Nacional, Setor de Ictiologia, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, CEP 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil email: [email protected]
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Abstract

We report here, for the first time, the existence of a white colour morph Elacatinus figaro, an endemic threatened cleaner goby from the Brazilian Coast. The specimen from this study lived in a cleaning station along with other E. figaro. Records were made based on pictures and the specimen was collected and preserved for genetic studies. Although the strong bright yellow colour is of vital importance for attracting other fish to the cleaning station, we speculate that living alongside regular-coloured individuals can diminish the disadvantage of not having the flashy stripe.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

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