Percina macrolepida (Pisces, Percidae, Etheostomatinea), a New Percid Fish of the Subgenus Percina from Texas

Percina macrolepida, a sibling species of Percina caprodes, is newly described from Texas and is found in all major river systems. P. macrolepida differs from P. caprodes in color pattern, with more and thinner lateral pigment bars, and in the reduction of the vertical subocular bar. P. macrolepida has larger scales than Texas P. caprodes and consequently has a smaller number of lateral line scales and diagonal scale rows. P. macrolepida is also distinguished by the presence of scales on the breast, prepectoral areas and the supraoccipital region. The distribution of P. macrolepida in Texas is such that it is more abundant than P. caprodes east of the Edwards Plateau but both occur in streams near the Balcones Escarpment. P. macrolepida seems to prefer large river environments of deep, moving but non-turbulent water. INTRODUCTION. Hubbs (1967) reported that two morphs of the logperch, Percina caprodes, occur sympatrically in Texas. One morph, called "rough" by Hubbs is Percina caprodes carbonaria (Baird & Girard). It is characterized by having a submarginal yellow-orange band in the first dorsal fin and a fully scaled nape. The second morph, called "sharp" by Hubbs, is here described as a new species and is distinguished by the combined characters of a scaled nape, scaled breast and prepectoral areas, and scales on the supraoccipital region of the head. It lacks the marginal yellow-orange band of the spinous dorsal and, as described by Hubbs (1967), has thinner lateral bars, smaller and more delicate head structure and thinner fin spines and rays than P. caprodes. There is no question that these two species of Percina are closely related and that both superficially fit published descriptions of Percina caprodes. Therefore, if there is an available name for the second morph, it must come from those previously considered to be synonyms of P. caprodes. Only one type locality, that of Pileoma carbonaria Baird & Girard * Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73069.