Life colouration of three Australoheros species from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin , southeastern Brazil ( Teleostei : Labroidei : Cichlidae )

The colouration in life of three Australoheros species from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin is described herein: Australoheros muriae, Aus­ traloheros paraibae and Australoheros robustus. These three species share a character state characterized by the presence of two red zones on caudal-fin’s posterior margin corners, differentiating them from its congeners from the coastal river basins of southeastern Brazil. Australoheros muriae, as well as, its congeners from the coastal river basins of southeastern Brazil (except A. macacuensis), do not expose metallic blotches on anal fins, differing from A. paraibae and A. robustus which always show metallic blotches on anal fin. Australoheros muriae is also distinguished from these other two species by having red iridescence restricted to the upper region of flank, near dorsal-fin base. Australoheros paraibae differs from A. robustus by having ground of body yellow or yellowish brown, absence of any red iridescence on flank, dorsal-fin ground colouration yellow to yellowish brown and anal fin with ground colouration reddish brown on anterior portion, and yellowish brown on posterior portion.

In the last two decades, several species have been described, making Australoheros one of the genera within the Cichlinae with the highest species diversity (Rícan et al., 2011 andOttOni, 2012).

Materials and methods
The material is deposited in the Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brasil.The descriptions of colouration in life were made according OttOni & cOsta (2008), OttOni et al. (2008), OttOni (2010) and OttOni (2012).Bars are grouped in head and trunk bars, numbered from the caudalfin to the snout, as well as, spots (KullandeR, 1983).Information about colouration in life of each species is based on photographed live specimens and field observations.The number of specimens photographed were four A. muriae, four A. pa ra i bae and one A. robustus.All the photographs were taken in the field, immediately before preservation.

Results
Australoheros muriae Ottoni & Costa, 2008 Colouration in life (figs.3 -4).Side of body varies from yellow to yellowish brown; seven dark brown or black trunk bars.Three black spots located on same regions as in preserved specimens.Conspicuous rounded caudalfinbasespot.Metallicgreenorgoldeniridescenceusually on flank, more concentrated near longitudinal stripe.Intensity of bars strongly and quickly changing.Intensity of spots slightly changing.
Side of head with same colouration as flank, darker on cheek, opercle, and near snout; three bars with same colouration as trunk bars.Eyes not crossed by horizontal stripe or bars, with iris often changing from red to yellow oryellowishbrown.Metallicgreenorgoldeniridescence on opercle and cheek.
Basic colouration of dorsal fin yellow to yellowish brown, densely invaded by trunk bars, usually with metallic green, blue, or golden iridescence near base.Blue stripe on dorsal-fin margin.Basic colouration of anal fin reddish brown on anterior portion, and yellowish brown on posterior portion, with blue stripe on its margin.Anal fin always exhibiting metallic blue or green blotches, mainly on its base.Caudal fin yellowish brown or greenish brown, with blue stripe on posterior margin.Two red zones on caudal-fin's posterior margin corners, one superior, the other inferior.Pelvic fin darker than trunk, usually with blue or green iridescence, more concentrated near base and spine.Pectoral fin hyaline.Ottoni & Costa, 2008 Material examined.UFRJ 7825, 1, 65.1 mm SL; stream in Chiador municipality, on the road between Chiador and Mar de Espanha, 21° 58′40.73″S43°01′47.32″W;F. Ottoni, P. Bragança and F. Pereira, July 27 th 2010.UFRJ 7828,2,36.9-41.1mmSL;road MG-126 between Sapucaia and Mar de Espanha; F. Ottoni, P. Bragança and F. Pereira, July 27 th 2010.

Australoheros robustus
Colouration in life (figs.5 -6).Side of body reddish brown; seven dark brown or black trunk bars.Three black spots located on same regions as in preserved specimens.Conspicuous rounded caudal-fin base spot.Metallicgreeniridescenceusuallyonflank,nearlongitudinal stripe.Red iridescence on entire body.Intensity of bars strongly and quickly changing.Intensity of spots slightly changing.
Side of head with same colouration as flank, darker on cheek and near snout; three bars with same colouration as trunk bars.Eyes not crossed by horizontal stripe or bars, with iris often changing from dark brown to yellowish brown colouration.Metallic golden iridescence on opercle.
Basic colouration of dorsal fin varies from reddish brown to red, slightly invaded by trunk bars, usually with metallic green iridescence, more concentrated on posteriorportion.Gray,lightbrownordarkbrownstripe on dorsal-fin margin.Basic colouration of anal fin with same colouration as dorsal fin.Anal fin always exhibiting metallic blue or green blotches, mainly on its base.Caudal fin hyaline to light brown, with gray stripe on posterior margin, usually with metallic green iridescence near base.Two red zones on caudal-fin's posterior margin corners, one superior, the other inferior.Pelvic fin darker than trunk, usually with green iridescence, more concentrated near spine.Pectoral fin hyaline.

Discussion
The life colouration of three Australoheros species from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin (Australoheros muriae, A. parai bae and A. robustus) is herein described.These three species, as well as, its congeners of the same river basin share a character state characterized by the presence of two red zones on their caudal-fin's posterior margin corners, one superior and other inferior (figs. 1 -6).This character state differentiates these species from all the Australoheros species from the coastal river basins of southeastern Brazil: A. autrani OttOni & cOsta, A. capixaba OttOni, 2010, A. macaensis OttOni & cOsta, 2008, A. macacuensis OttOni & cOsta, 2008, A. ribeirae OttOni et al., 2008and A. sa quarema OttOni & cOsta, 2008.
Australoheros muriae has a unique character state among its congeners from the rio Paraíba do Sul basin: anal fin never exhibiting metallic blotches (figs. 1 -2).This differs A. muriae from both A. paraibae and A. robus tus, as well as, from its congeners from the rio Paraíba do sul basin.As well as A. muriae, the Australoheros species from the coastal rivers basin of southeastern Brazil never exhibit metallic blotches on anal fin, except A. macac uensis which also exposes comparable metallic blotches.Australoheros muriae also differs from A.