Redescriptions of Dussumieria elopsoides Bleeker, 1849 and related nominal species led to the revalidation of Dussumieria hasseltii Bleeker, 1851 and Dussumieria productissima Chabanaud, 1933 (Clupeiformes: Dussumieriidae)

Abstract

Numerous rainbow sardine specimens, previously identified as Dussumieria elopsoides Bleeker, 1849, due to their elongate body, scales without posterior striae, and numerous gill rakers and branchiostegal rays, were examined and confirmed as representing four valid species: true D. elopsoides (restricted to Indonesia), Dussumieria hasseltii Bleeker, 1851 (previously regarded as a junior synonym of D. elopsoides; Arabian Sea to Philippines and Indonesia), Dussumieria modakandai Singh, Jayakumar, Kumar, Murali, Mishra, Singh and Lal, 2021 (Arabian Sea to Ryukyu Islands), and Dussumieria productissima Chabanaud, 1933 (previously regarded as a junior synonym of D. elopsoides; Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean). Each species is redescribed in detail and a key based on morphological characters provided. The phylogenetic relationships among seven species of Dussumieria (including three of the species examined in the present study) were reconstructed from the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, the genetic distinctiveness of each species being indicated by at least 4.1% mean p-distance divergence from the others.

Keywords

• Clupeomorpha
• taxonomy
• neotype
• rainbow sardine
• Dussumieria modakandai