Description

Dorsal spines (total): 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: A smallish laterally spotted haplochromine distinguished by the following characters in combination: suprapectoral spot mostly below upper lateral line but extending above it by about one-half to one scale; 10-11 gill rakers on lower outer arch; and lower pharyngeal bone with posteromedian teeth molariform with stout shafts and rounded crowns (Ref. 119408). The placement of the suprapectoral spot overlapping the upper lateral line distinguishes Otopharynx aletes from O. brooksi, O. lithobates, and O. ovatus, al of which have the suprapectoral spot entirely below and usually separated from the upper lateral line; Otopharynx aletes has more scales in the lateral line, 34-36, than 31-33 in O. brooksi, 31-33 in O. spelaeotes, 29-31 in O. antron, 30-32 in O. tetraspilus, and 30-33 in O. tetrastigma, but fewer than O. decorus, which has 36-38 and which also has 13-14 soft dorsal rays vs. 11-12 in O. aletes; with 10-11 gill rakers on the lower outer arch, O. aletes is readily separated from O. auromarginatus with 14-18; its longer caudal peduncle, 1.6-2.0 times as long as deep, and shallowly emarginate caudal fin distinguish O. aletes from O. selenurus, with caudal peduncle 1.0-1.5 times as long as deep, caudal fin crescentically emarginate; the bicuspid outer jaw teeth, molariform pharyngeal teeth, and seven to eight subdorsal bars differentiate O. aletes from O. speciosus, with outer jaw teeth unicuspid, pharyngeal teeth all small, bicuspid; about four subdorsal bars; the presence of seven to eight vertical bars below dorsal-fin base separates O. aletes from O. argyrosoma, which lacks vertical bars; the unthickened, nonlobate lips differentiate O. aletes from O. pachycheilus, which has lips thickened, medially lobate; the 16 dorsal-fin spines, absence of distinct equidistant dorsal midline spots, and offshore habitat on sand or soft bottom distinguish O. aletes from O. heterodon, which has 17-18 dorsal-fin spines, about five distinct dorsal midline spots, and inhabits rocky shores (Ref. 119408). Trematocranus brevirostris somewhat resembles O. aletes, but in O. aletes the suprapectoral spot is largely below the upper lateral line but extends above it by about one-half to one scale vs. placed more above than below the upper lateral line, at least in the lectotype; the cephalic lateral-line system is not enlarged vs. pores and canals inflated; the dorsal fin has 11-12 segmented rays vs. 9; there are 54-67 outer upper-jaw teeth vs. about 43; the posteromedian teeth on the lower pharyngeal bone are molariform with stout shafts and rounded crowns vs. slightly enlarged but cuspidate; and the caudal peduncle length/depth ratio is 1.6-2.0 vs. 1.2-1.4 (Ref. 119408). Compared to Otopharynx panniculus, O. aletes has more scales in the lateral line, 34-36 vs. 31-33; and a heavier lower pharyngeal jaw bone and dentition, including enlarged, molarized teeth posteromedially vs. small, laterally compressed, bicuspid teeth; posterior horns thickened vs. slender; and anterior blade shorter, deeper vs. longer, more shallow (Ref. 119408). Compared to O. peridodeka, O. aletes has the hemijaws in ventral view divergent caudally and distant from each other vs. approximated, convergent; and a heavier lower pharyngeal bone, with horns thicker, posteromedian teeth enlarged, and molarized with nearly hemispherical crowns vs. more lightly built, horns narrower, posteromedian teeth somewhat enlarged but more laterally compressed, cuspidate (Ref. 119408).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Otopharynx

Species: Otopharynx aletes Oliver, 2018

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Life cycle and mating behavior

Habitat

benthopelagic