207 Abstract — The Caranx hippos spe-cies complex comprises three extant species: crevalle jack iCaranx hippos) (Linnaeus, 1766) from both the west-ern and eastern Atlantic oceans; Pacific crevalle jack {Caranx cani-nus) Gunther, 1868 from the eastern Pacific Ocean; and longfin crevalle jack {Ca7-aiix fischeri) new species, from the eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea and Ascen-sion Island. Adults of all three spe-cies are superficially similar with a black blotch on the lower half of the pectoral fin, a black spot on the upper margin of opercle, one or two pairs of enlarged symphyseal canines on the lower jaw, and a similar pattern of breast squamation. Each species has a different pattern of hyperostotic bone development and anal-fin color. The two sympatric eastern Atlantic species also differ from each other in number of dorsal-and anal-fin rays, and in large adults of C. fischeri the lobes of these fins are longer and the body is deeper. Caranx hippos from opposite sides of the Atlantic are vir-tually indistinguishable externally but differ consistently in the expres-sion of hyperostosis of the first dorsal-fin pterygiophore. The fossil species Caranx carangopsis Steindachner 1859 appears to have been based on composite material o( Trachurus sp. and a fourth species of the Caranx hippos complex. Patterns of hyperos-totic bone development are compared in the nine (of 15 total) species of Caranx sensu stricto that exhibit hyperostosis. Review of the crevalle jacks, Caranx hippos complex (Teleostei: Carangldae), with a description of a new species from West Africa William F. Smith-Vaniz (contact author)^ Kent E. Carpenter^ Email address for W. F. SmIth-Vaniz: bill_smith-vaniz(g'usgsgov ' US Geological Survey 7920 NW 71st Street Gainesville, Florida 32653 Present address; Division of khtfiyology Florida Museum of Natural History Dickinson Hall, Museum Road University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800 ^ Department of Biological Sciences Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia 23529 Manuscript submitted 26 June 2006 to the Scientific Editor's Office. Manuscript approved for publication 2 October 2006 by the Scientific Editor. Fish. Bull. 105:207-233 (2007). Species of the Caranx hippos com-plex or crevalle jacks (Fig. 1) are fished commercially or recreationally in coastal waters throughout their range. Recognized as "superb light tackle species" by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA, 2006), they are important apex predators in inshore tropical waters — all species attaining maximum sizes approach-ing or exceeding 22.7 kg (50 lb). They are also commonly exhibited in public aquaria and books on marine fishes usually include accounts of them for the areas where these species are found. Despite this importance, there has been considerable confu-sion regarding the taxonomy and geo-graphic distributions of these species. Gill and Kemp (2002) discussed the potentially serious implications for fishery and conservation managers of an inadequate taxonomic understand-ing of putatively widespread shore-fish species. Blaber (2002) noted that one of the major obstacles to ecological research in developing countries is the difficulty associated with correct iden-tification of tropical marine and estua-rine fishes, which is exacerbated by an overall decline in funding throughout the world for taxonomic research. In a general review of the phenom-enon of hyperostosis in fishes, includ-ing those of the allopatrically distrib-uted and externally nearly identical species Caranx hippos (Linnaeus) (At-lantic Ocean) and C. caninus Giinther (eastern Pacific Ocean), Smith-Vaniz et al. (1995) determined that patterns of hyperostotic bone development were often species-specific. These findings stimulated us to re-evaluate the taxo-nomic status of specimens from the eastern Atlantic identified as Caranx hippos, which we herein recognize as actually representing two species. The primary objectives of this re-search were to describe a new species of West African Caranx that has been routinely misidentified as C hippos, to provide diagnoses and comparisons for all members of the Caranx hippos complex, and to determine their geo-graphic distributions. This study has been hampered by the scarcity of preserved adults of Caranx hippos from the eastern At-lantic. This scarcity is not surprising because natural history museums and institutional fish collections do not ex-ist in any coastal West African coun-try, and preservation and shipment of large fish specimens from the region
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