Sobre la denominación específica del surel del sector bonaerense (Pisces, Fam. Carangidae).

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the validity of the taxonomic status formerly assigned to the rough scad inhabiting shelf waters off Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Until recently the species had been considered, mainly by Argentine authors, as Trachurus picturatus australis, on the basis of a description by Nani (1950). Other authors, however, consider that the only valid species for the West Atlantic is Trachurus lathami. In general terms, there references are based on rather scarce material for this region. In this paper, we compare meristic and morphometric data from 160 specimens collected off Mar del Plata. Statistical analysis of the characteristics lead us to conclude that the valid scientific name of the Argentine rough scad is Trachurus lathami. Furthermore, our data confirm the previously mentioned fact that the sum of the second dorsal and anal fins soft-rays conform a decreasing cline from the United States of America southward, whereas the elements of the lateral line constitute a parabolic cline, with lowest values at the extremes of the distributional range, and highest in the area of Colombia-Surinam.