7,966 research outputs found
L’Europa tra il “globale” e il “planetario”. A vent’anni da Provincializing Europe
No full textDipesh Chakrabarty è considerato uno degli autori più significativi dei
subaltern studies indiani e delle teorie postcoloniali a livello
internazionale. Uno dei suoi lavori più noti e discussi, Provincializing
Europe. Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference (Princeton-
Oxford 2000), ha rappresentato il punto di avvio di una discussione
intorno ai temi dell’Europa e della sua collocazione all’interno della
“globalità”. Nei suoi studi più recenti, focalizzati sulla relazione tra
uomo, ambiente e sistema capitalistico (come il volume The Planet
and the Human: The Anthropocene as Present, in corso di
pubblicazione), Chakrabarty ha tentato di ampliare l’impianto analitico
di Provincializing Europe, riflettendo sul progressivo superamento
dell’età della globalizzazione e sulla configurazione di una
contemporaneità caratterizzata da una crescente dialettica tra il
“globale” e il “planetario”. In questa intervista, che si è svolta
nell’estate-autunno del 2019, abbiamo sollecitato Dipesh Chakrabarty
a riflettere sui temi di Provincializing Europe alla luce delle
trasformazioni intervenute in Europa e nel mondo nel corso degli ultimi
vent’anni
L’Europa tra il “globale” e il “planetario”. A vent’anni da Provincializing Europe
No full textDipesh Chakrabarty è considerato uno degli autori più significativi dei
subaltern studies indiani e delle teorie postcoloniali a livello
internazionale. Uno dei suoi lavori più noti e discussi, Provincializing
Europe. Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference (Princeton-
Oxford 2000), ha rappresentato il punto di avvio di una discussione
intorno ai temi dell’Europa e della sua collocazione all’interno della
“globalità”. Nei suoi studi più recenti, focalizzati sulla relazione tra
uomo, ambiente e sistema capitalistico (come il volume The Planet
and the Human: The Anthropocene as Present, in corso di
pubblicazione), Chakrabarty ha tentato di ampliare l’impianto analitico
di Provincializing Europe, riflettendo sul progressivo superamento
dell’età della globalizzazione e sulla configurazione di una
contemporaneità caratterizzata da una crescente dialettica tra il
“globale” e il “planetario”. In questa intervista, che si è svolta
nell’estate-autunno del 2019, abbiamo sollecitato Dipesh Chakrabarty
a riflettere sui temi di Provincializing Europe alla luce delle
trasformazioni intervenute in Europa e nel mondo nel corso degli ultimi
vent’anni
Photolateralis Sparks & Chakrabarty, 2015, new genus
No full textPhotolateralis, new genus (Figures 2–4 A,B) Photoplagios in part: Sparks et al., 2005; Sparks, 2006 b; Sparks and Chakrabarty, 2007 Equulites in part: Kimura et al., 2008 a; Chakrabarty et al., 2011 a, 2011 b Type species: Photolateralis stercorarius (Evermann & Seale, 1907) Other included species: Photolateralis moretoniensis (Ogilby, 1912), P. antongil (Sparks, 2006) Diagnosis. Members of Photolateralis are distinguished from all other leiognathids by the presence of a translucent flank stripe, which depending on the species, may be comprised of either a continuous mid-lateral stripe (P. antongil), or a composite stripe comprised of numerous independent translucent windows (P. stercorarius and P. moretoniensis). In Photolateralis, the translucent lateral stripe is either lacking entirely in females, or is considerably less developed. Internally and externally members of Photolateralis can be distinguished from their sister genus, Equulites, by morphology of the light-organ system. Externally, male members of Equulites are characterized by an expansive translucent triangular, cornucopia-shaped, or trapezoidal patch on the flank, in contrast to a continuous or composite mid-lateral stripe comprised of numerous independent translucent windows in Photolateralis. Although both genera share lateral clearing of the guanine-lined internal gas bladder surface corresponding to the location of the translucent external patch or stripe, clearing in Equulites is more extensive, extending the full length of the gas bladder, whereas clearing in Photolateralis is restricted to the posterior region of the gas bladder. The light organ in male members of Equulites is greatly enlarged, with paired dorsolateral lobes extending posteriorly well into the gas bladder (less E. leuciscus), in contrast to a moderately enlarged donutshaped light organ in male members of Photolateralis that extends at most only slightly posteriorly into the gas bladder. Discussion and comparisons. Aside from features of the light-organ system (LOS), leiognathids are, in general, morphologically conservative and non-descript silvery fishes with an external appearance that superficially resembles mojarras (Gerreidae), with which they are often confused. However, all leiognathids possess a circumesophageal light organ that contains symbiotic luminescent bacteria (Photobacterium), whose luminescence the fish co-opt for photic communication and predator avoidance (McFall-Ngai and Dunlap, 1983), whereas gerreids are not bioluminescent. In a majority of leiognathid species, comprising all members of the subfamily Gazzinae (Fig. 1), the light organ and associated internal and external anatomical features (e.g., translucent windows/stripes and gas bladder clearing) are sexually dimorphic and both intra- and intergenerically variable in morphology (Sparks et al., 2005: Figs. 4 –8). This integrated LOS provides a rich set of phylogenetically informative characters for diagnosing both genera and species (Fig. 1). The unique anatomical features of the LOS facilitate the transmission of bacterially-generated luminescence (Sparks et al., 2005; Chakrabarty et al., 2011 a) via a species-specific translucent lateral patch (or patches) in males of most species that is located in the head region or on the flank (Sparks et al., 2005). All members of Photolateralis were formerly placed in Equulites (Kimura et al., 2008; Chakrabarty et al., 2011 a, b). Photolateralis shares the presence of translucent lateral flank regions with its sister genus Equulites (Figs. 2–4). In Photolateralis, however, these translucent areas form a mid-lateral stripe, either continuous or comprised of discrete “windows” (Figs 2 and 3), whereas in Equulites, comprising E. elongatus, E. rivulatus, E. leuciscus, E. klunzingeri, E. laterofenestra, and E. absconditus, males are characterized by the presence of a species-specific triangular, translucent lateral flank patch (Fig. 4; Sparks and Chakrabarty, 2007: Fig. 1). Although Equula lineolata Valenciennes, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835 is placed within Equulites (Eschmeyer, 2015), with the new placement attributed to Kimura et al. (2008 a), in fact Kimura et al. (2008 a) never mention Equula lineolata. Sparks (2006 b) discussed the taxonomic status of Equula lineolata and concluded the name was a nomen dubium of uncertain placement beyond the family level. In both Photolateralis and Equulites, the lateral gas bladder lining exhibits clearing of the silvery guanine layer that corresponds specifically to the external translucent region characteristic of that taxon (Figs. 2 and 4; Sparks et al., 2005). Males of both genera also possess enlarged light organs (moderately so in Photolateralis vs. greatly enlarged in Equulites) compared to conspecific females and in which the dorsal lobes extend posteriorly into the gas bladder (Figs. 2 and 4). However, both the degree of enlargement and posterior extension of the light organ are considerably muted in Photolateralis (Figs. 2 B and 4 B) as compared to Equulites (Fig. 4 D). The light organ in male members of Photolateralis is more or less donut shaped (Figs. 2 B and 4 B), lacking the greatly enlarged dorsolateral extensions characteristic of male members of Equulites (Fig. 4 D). In addition to Photolateralis, new genus, we currently recognize the following nine extant leiognathid genera, in chronological order of their description, whose phylogenetic relationships are shown in Figure 1 (after Chakrabarty et al., 2011 b): 1) Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802. Type species: Leiognathus argenteus Lacepède, 1802, by monotypy. Equula Cuvier, 1815 was resurrected from synonymy with Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802 by Chakrabarty and Sparks (2008) to encompass E. fasciata and E. longispinis. Chakrabarty and Sparks (2008: 5) treated Equula as valid, however, they incorrectly assigned the wrong type species to Leiognathus. The correct type species is Leiognathus argenteus Lacepède 1802 (see Sparks and Dunlap, 2004; Eschmeyer, 2015). As the same specimen was used to describe the type species of both Equula and Leiognathus, these genera are objective synonyms and identical. The genus Equula is therefore a synonym of Leiognathus (corrected in Chakrabarty et al., 2009). Leiognathus is recovered as the sister group to the remaining members of Leiognathidae less Aurigequula. Members of Leiognathus, comprising Leiognathus equula and L. robustus, plus a number of undescribed species (Chakrabarty and Sparks, 2008; Chakrabarty et al., 2011 b), are not sexually dimorphic with regard to features of the light-organ system. 2) Gazza Rüppell 1835. Type species: Gazza equulaeformis Rüppell 1835, by monotypy. Gazza is recovered as the sister taxon to Deveximentum and placed within the tribe Gazzini, subfamily Gazzinae. 3) Deveximentum Fowler, 1904. Type species: Zeus insidiator Bloch 1787, by original designation. The species now placed in this genus were formerly placed in Secutor Gistel, 1848. Kottelat (2013) considered Secutor a replacement name for Equula Cuvier 1815, which is itself a synonym of Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802 (see above for Leiognathus). Deveximentum is recovered as the sister taxon to Gazza and placed within the tribe Gazzini, subfamily Gazzinae. 4) Equulites Fowler, 1904. Type species: Leiognathus vermiculatus Fowler 1904, by original designation. Equulites was described as a subgenus of Leiognathus. Equulites was removed from synonymy with Leiognathus and elevated to generic rank by Chakrabarty and Sparks (2008). Equulites currently comprises E. leuciscus, E. klunzingeri, E. elongatus, E. rivulatus, E. absconditus, and E. laterofenestra. Photoplagios was described by Sparks et al. (2005), but is a synonym of Equulites Fowler 1904, given that Equulites, an older name, was available for one of the species included in Photoplagios (Kimura et al., 2008 a; Chakrabarty and Sparks, 2008). Equulites is recovered as the sister taxon to Photolateralis, new genus, and placed within the tribe Equulitini, subfamily Gazzinae. 5) Eubleekeria Fowler, 1904. Type species: Equula splendens Cuvier 1829, by original designation. Eubleekeria was described as a subgenus of Leiognathus. Eubleekeria was removed from synonymy with Leiognathus and elevated to generic rank by Chakrabarty and Sparks (2008). Eubleekeria encompasses the ‘‘ Leiognathus ’’ splendens species complex (E. splendens, E. jonesi, and E. kupanensis; Kimura et al., 2005), and also includes multiple undescribed species. Eubleekeria is recovered as the sister group to Photopectoralis and placed within the tribe Eubleekerini, subfamily Gazzinae. 6) Aurigequula Fowler, 1918. Type species: Clupea fasciata Lacepède, 1803, by original designation. Aurigequula was described as a subgenus of Leiognathus. Aurigequula was mistakenly placed in Equula by Chakrabarty and Sparks, (2008). Aurigequula was resurrected from synonymy with Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802 by Chakrabarty et al. (2009) to replace a previously established invalid name, and comprises A. fasciata (type species), A. longispina, and A. striata, plus a number of undescribed species. For additional comments regarding generic status see heading for Leiognathus above and Chakrabarty et al. (2009). Aurigequula is recovered as the sister group to all other members of Leiognathidae. Like Leiognathus, members of Aurigequula do not appear to be sexually dimorphic with regard to features of the light-organ system (Sparks and Dunlap, 2004). 7) Nuchequula Whitley, 1932. Type species: Equula blochii Valenciennes, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835, by original designation. Nuchequula was described as a subgenus of Eubleekeria. The subgenus Nuchequula was elevated to generic rank and revised by Chakrabarty and Sparks (2007). Nuchequula was also considered to warrant generic rank and was subsequently revised again the following year by Kimura et al. (2008 b). Nuchequula is recovered as the sister taxon to Karalla and placed within the tribe Nuchequulini, subfamily Gazzinae. 8) Photopectoralis Sparks, Dunlap, and Smith, 2005. Type species: Leiognathus aureus Abe and Haneda, 1972, by original designation. Photopectoralis currently comprises P. aureus, P. bindus, P. h at a i i, and P. panayensis, plus at least two undescribed species. Photopectoralis is recovered as the sister group to Eubleekeria and placed within the tribe Eubleekerini, subfamily Gazzinae. 9) Karalla Chakrabarty and Sparks, 2008. Type species: Equula daura Cuvier 1829, by original designation. Karalla currently comprises K. daura and K. dussumieri. Karalla is recovered as the sister taxon to Nuchequula and placed within the tribe Nuchequulini, subfamily Gazzinae.Published as part of Sparks, John S. & Chakrabarty, Prosanta, 2015, Description of a new genus of ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae), with a review of the current generic-level composition of the family, pp. 181-190 in Zootaxa 3947 (2) on pages 182-187, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3947.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/24267
Simpler and Better Algorithms for Minimum-Norm Load Balancing
No full textRecently, Chakrabarty and Swamy (STOC 2019) introduced the minimum-norm load-balancing problem on unrelated machines, wherein we are given a set J of jobs that need to be scheduled on a set of m unrelated machines, and a monotone, symmetric norm; We seek an assignment sigma: J -> [m] that minimizes the norm of the resulting load vector load_{sigma} in R_+^m, where load_{sigma}(i) is the load on machine i under the assignment sigma. Besides capturing all l_p norms, symmetric norms also capture other norms of interest including top-l norms, and ordered norms. Chakrabarty and Swamy (STOC 2019) give a (38+epsilon)-approximation algorithm for this problem via a general framework they develop for minimum-norm optimization that proceeds by first carefully reducing this problem (in a series of steps) to a problem called min-max ordered load balancing, and then devising a so-called deterministic oblivious LP-rounding algorithm for ordered load balancing.
We give a direct, and simple 4+epsilon-approximation algorithm for the minimum-norm load balancing based on rounding a (near-optimal) solution to a novel convex-programming relaxation for the problem. Whereas the natural convex program encoding minimum-norm load balancing problem has a large non-constant integrality gap, we show that this issue can be remedied by including a key constraint that bounds the "norm of the job-cost vector." Our techniques also yield a (essentially) 4-approximation for: (a) multi-norm load balancing, wherein we are given multiple monotone symmetric norms, and we seek an assignment respecting a given budget for each norm; (b) the best simultaneous approximation factor achievable for all symmetric norms for a given instance
Asia Behind the News: R Jeffery, D Chakrabarty, A Major
No full textRobin Jeffery, Dipesh Chakrabarty, A Major. Indian Politics: History and the roles of the communists in West Bengal politics, particularly the CPM. Recorded: 27.06.1977 (Programme 3)
Dipesh Chakrabarty
No full textInternational audienceDipesh Chakrabarty (b. 1948) is widely recognized as a cultural historian and postcolonial theorist of immense acuity and formidable imagination. Known especially for his critical coinage of “provincializing Europe” and cross-disciplinary considerations of the Anthropocene, Chakrabarty has variously contributed to the rethinking of subaltern historiography and working-class culture, modernity and history, and climate change and planetary subjects. Dipesh was born and raised in the city of Calcutta. He received a BSc (honors) in physics from Presidency College, University of Calcutta, a master’s in business management from the Indian Institute of Management (Calcutta), and his PhD in history from the Australian National University, Canberra. Chakrabarty is currently the Lawrence A. Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor in History, South Asian Languages and Civilizations, and the College at the University of Chicago
L’universale minuscolo. Prospettive di liberazione dal potere coloniale
No full textGli studi postcoloniali hanno avuto inizio alla fine degli anni Settanta, attraverso interventi teorici impegnati a elaborare criticamente una riflessione sul post del colonialismo: in seguito all’indipendenza formale della grande maggioranza delle ex-colonie dagli imperi europei, i rapporti di potere, coercizione, sfruttamento, dominio e inferiorizzazione dell’Altro, insieme alle pratiche di resistenza a questo dominio, si traducono in nuove configurazioni che delineano il presente postcoloniale. Dalle ex-colonie, la voce di filosofi e intellettuali, recuperando l’eredità critica e polemica del pensiero e delle lotte anticoloniali e interloquendo criticamente con il pensiero e la cultura occidentali, in particolare con il marxismo e il postmodernismo, si leva per interrogare il presente fratto e ibrido del mondo postcoloniale, attraversato da diaspore e migrazioni. D’altro canto, a partire dai primi anni Duemila, soprattutto nella cornice dell’America Latina, si delinea una corrente di pensiero decoloniale, che pone come prioritaria un’operazione di sganciamento sistematico e radicale da ogni forma di sapere e potere occidentali, in quanto essenzialmente caratterizzate dall’appartenenza alla “colonialità” che informa la modernità: la decolonizzazione, lungi dall’arrestarsi al momento dell’indipendenza formale delle ex-colonie, è un compito da portare avanti attivamente nel presente, sul piano intellettuale non meno che su quello pratico, politico, culturale, artistico. In questo senso, l’approccio decoloniale intende distinguersi da quello postcoloniale per una presa di distanza radicale e definitiva dal sapere occidentale e dalle sue forme, cercando in alternativa un recupero di modi di vita e saperi indigeni. Infatti, gli studi decoloniali spesso hanno rimproverato a quelli postcoloniali di elaborare una critica dell’eurocentrismo che, nella misura in cui partecipa della teoria occidentale, in particolare del marxismo e del postmodernismo, risulta ancora eurocentrica, di sviluppare una teoria meramente accademica e quindi elitaria e apolitica, difettando inoltre di ricorrere a fonti non europee in modo cospicuo. Discutiamo di questi nodi con Dipesh Chakrabarty e Nelson Maldonado-Torres, due pensatori facenti capo, rispettivamente, agli studi postcoloniali e a quelli decoloniali. Dipesh Chakrabarty, nato a Kolkata nel 1948, è docente di storia all’Università di Chicago, ha lavorato sulla storia della subalternità nell’India coloniale e postcoloniale, sulle categorie di modernità, storicismo, cosmopolitismo e planetarietà. Nelson Maldonado-Torres, nato a Puerto Rico, insegna filosofia all’Università del Connecticut-Storrs portando avanti un’istanza forte di decolonizzazione della filosofia. A tal fine, il filosofo lavora sulle nozioni di colonialità, decolonialità e colonialità dell’essere
Thermal-Safe Test Scheduling for Core-Based System-on-a-Chip Integrated Circuits
No full textOverheating has been acknowledged as a major problem during the testing of complex system-on-chip (SOC) integrated circuits. Several power-constrained test scheduling solutions have been recently proposed to tackle this problem during system integration. However, we show that these approaches cannot guarantee hot-spot-free test schedules because they do not take into account the non-uniform distribution of heat dissipation across the die and the physical adjacency of simultaneously active cores. This paper proposes a new test scheduling approach that is able to produce short test schedules and guarantee thermal-safety at the same time. Two thermal-safe test scheduling algorithms are proposed. The first algorithm computes an exact (shortest) test schedule that is guaranteed to satisfy a given maximum temperature constraint. The second algorithm is a heuristic intended for complex systems with a large number of embedded cores, for which the exact thermal-safe test scheduling algorithm may not be feasible. Based on a low-complexity test session thermal cost model, this algorithm produces near-optimal length test schedules with significantly less computational effort compared to the optimal algorithm
Ep. #019 - Dipesh Chakrabarty
No full textThis recording and transcript form part of a collection of podcasts conducted by the Cultures of Energy at Rice University. Cultures of Energy brings writers, artists and scholars together to talk, think and feel their way into the Anthropocene. We cover serious issues like climate change, species extinction and energy transition. But we also try to confront seemingly huge and insurmountable problems with insight, creativity and laughter.After the usual nonsense, we welcome to the podcast this week (5:11) Dipesh Chakrabarty, theorist and historian extraordinaire from the University of Chicago. Dipesh recounts an amusing encounter from his visit to Rice that helps prove that the 1950s dream of limitless plenitude is still very much alive (and not only in Houston). We then return to his seminal/ovular essay, “The Climate of History,” and Dipesh shares his thoughts on how he might augment his four theses with a discussion of humanity’s ecological overshoot and of the deep connection between geology and biology. Then we talk about why the recent polarization between Team Anthropocene and Team Capitalocene is a bit silly, how climate science originated out of interplanetary studies and what it means for our species being that we don’t have an effective species-level political apparatus. Dipesh explains why it’s important to think about capitalism in terms of geology and suggests that attaining an epochal consciousness could possibly restore content to the idea of the “common concern” of climate change. Finally, we ruminate on Cymene’s concept of the “betacene” and the necessarily experimental status of politics today. There’s much to provoke and digest in this week’s podcast: enjoy
Equulites absconditus Chakrabarty and Sparks, new sp.
No full textEquulites absconditus Chakrabarty and Sparks, new sp. Figures 2 (Group A) and 5, Table 1, 2 Leiognathus berbis Shen, 1984 a: 57, Fig. 318 - 9, Pl. 57; Shen, 1984 b: 262; Shen and Lin, 1985: 135, Fig. 11; Chen and Yu, 1986: 530; Shen, 1993: 344, 705, Pl. 94.5. Holotype. AMNH 249306, 74.0 mm SL, adult male; Taiwan: Market at Tonshi: 23 ° 27 ’ 10.1 ”N, 120 ° 08’ 19.3 ”E: PC-JSS-MKT-06-06: P. Chakrabarty, J.S. Sparks, Joker K.H. Chiu, P. Tai-An, 22 March 2006. AMNH 239270, n= 1, male, 75.2 mm, Taiwan, Chi Fish market at Tonshi, 23 ° 27 ’ 10 ”N, 120 ° 8 ’ 19 ”E, collected by J.S. Sparks, P. Chakrabarty, Joker H.K. Chiu, P. Tai-An, 22 March 2006; AMNH 242666, n= 97, mixed sexes, 79.6–98.2 mm, Taiwan, Ko-Zi-Leow fish Market, 22 ° 43 ’ 37.9 ”N, 120 ° 15 ’ 18.3 ” E, collected by local fishermen, P.Chakrabarty, Y. Ho; 27 March 2007; LSUMZ 13236, n= 1, female, 73.1 mm SL, Taiwan: Market at Tonshi: 23 ° 27 ’ 11.0”N, 120 ° 08’ 17.8 ”E: TW-08- 3: P.C. Chakrabarty, H.C. Ho, 14 November 2008; LSUMZ 13339, n= 21, all females, 67.2–83.6 mm SL, Taiwan: Market at Wuchi: 24 ° 17 ’ 40.6 ”N, 120 ° 31 ’ 17.8 ”E: TW-08- 1: P.C. Chakrabarty, H.C. Ho, 12 November 2008; NTUM 5698, n= 2; mixed sexes, 77.2–78.3 mm SL, Taiwan, Hsin-Da port, Kaohsiung, 22.87 °N, 120.19 °E, no collector, 16 March 1979. Diagnosis. Equulites absconditus can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of an expansive irregular-pentagonal, translucent flank patch in males and by a strong concavity dorsal to the orbit creating a hump-shaped rise in the dorsal profile that lends the head the appearance of being small and pointed. The new species can be further distinguished from E. elongatus and E. rivulatus by possessing a much deeper body (34–49 % vs. 12.5–29.7 % of SL) and from E. laterofenestra and E. klunzingeri by a translucent flank patch in males that does not reach the pectoral fin. The lack of a markedly elongate 2 nd dorsal-fin spine distinguishes the new species from the other rhomboid shaped congeners, E. klunzingeri, E. laterofenestra, and E. leuciscus. The new species can be further distinguished from E. laterofenestra and E. leuciscus by a dorsal flank pigmentation pattern comprising thin transverse lines versus round semi-circles and oval shapes. The translucent flank patch in males of the new species is similar to that of E. leuciscus in shape and placement (near the midbody and not abutting the pectoral fin), and does not comprise a continuous or broken midlateral stripe as in E. antongil, E. stercorarius, and E. moretoniensis. Description. Equulites absconditus is a medium-sized (typically adults are between 65 and 100 mm SL), elongate, and rhomboid-shaped ponyfish. The dorsal and ventral profiles are equally convex. The snout is pointed and the head is small (<31 % SL and narrow). The lower jaw profile is straight. The mouth protracts strongly ventrally. The dorsal head profile is humped, owing to a rise extending from the region dorsal to the orbit to the dorsal-fin origin. (This humped profile makes the head appear smaller than in congeners.) The lips are thin and not fleshy. The posterior margin of the maxilla is exposed and reaches a vertical through the anterior part of the orbit. The teeth are small and conical, they are numerous, and aligned in several rows. The head is asquamate, whereas the remainder of the body (including the nuchal region) is scaled. In males, an expansive irregular pentagonal, translucent patch (forming more or less the shape of the “home plate” in baseball), is present on the midflank. The base of the pentagon is located slightly ventral and parallel to the body midline and the vertex is located slightly dorsal to the anal-fin origin. Both the second dorsal- and analfin spines are the most elongate, but not markedly longer than the third. There are 10 precaudal and 13 caudal vertebrae (including the ural centrum). There are eight dorsal-fin spines and 16 branched rays. The anal fin has three spines and 14 branched rays. Selected proportional measurements are presented in Table 1 (Group A). Head Length (% SL) 30.4 Body Depth (% SL) 43.5 Predorsal Length (% SL) 44.1 Preanal Length (% SL) 52.6 Prepelvic Length (% SL) 38.2 Head Width (% SL) 12.0 CP Length (% SL) 7.0 CP Width (% SL) 2.6 CP Depth (% SL) 5.0 Pectoral Fin Length (% SL) 21.3 Pelvic Fin Length (% SL) 12.8 Snout Length (% HL) 34.8 Orbit Diameter (% HL) 34.1 Upper Jaw Length (% HL) 45.0 Lower Jaw Length (% HL) 54.1 Interorbital Width (% HL) 35.0 Pigmentation pattern and coloration. The entire body is silvery, owing to uniform, heavy guanine deposition. Pigmentation pattern on the dorsal flank comprises dark, thin transverse lines that follow the contours of the myomeres. In addition, some small circular blotches are present throughout this region, although these blotches are concentrated along the dorsal margin of the flank if present. In life there is a yellowish tint to the posterior margin of the caudal, dorsal and anal fins as well as the midline of the flank and in the pectoral-fin axil. Etymology. From the Latin absconditus meaning hidden or concealed. In reference to the fact that this taxon has been well represented in collections for many years, yet consistently misidentified as members of other species. Taxonomic Status of Equula berbis Valenciennes. Valenciennes based his description of this species entirely on the very brief remarks of Forsskål and not on specimens (1775: 58; Klausewitz and Nielson, 1965). The entire description of Equula berbis (translated from the French) is as follows: “Forskal speaks about a variety of Scomber equula, named in Djidda melliet and Lohaja berbis, which has an elongate body or of lanceolate form, hardly long of a finger, the acute lobes of the tail, the side line finishing under the dorsal, and of which all the fins are bordered of yellow. It gives him for numbers: B. 4; D. 8 / 16; A. 3 / 15; C. 16; P. 16; V. 1 / 5. This description is enough to prove that it is not a variety.” No types of E. berbis are known and the original description [including the earlier comments by Forsskål (1775: 58)] does not serve to diagnose this species on the basis of unique anatomical features or distinguish it from congeners on the basis of a combination of unique attributes. Forsskål’s (1775: 58) remarks serve only to note that this taxon, which he considered to be a variety of Leiognathus (Scomber) equulus (viz., Scomber equula var minimus Forsskål), has a more elongate body than the deep-bodied and more or less disk shaped Leiognathus equulus, a feature that is shared by a majority of ponyfishes. Forsskål also mentions a lateral stripe that terminates ventral to the dorsal fin, but he does not elaborate on whether this stripe appeared opaque or translucent. The majority of leiognathid species possess a lateral stripe of some form (e.g., reflective), although in only a few species is this stripe translucent (e.g., Equulites stercorarius, E. moretoniensis, and E. antongil). The description of Equula oblonga Valenciennes, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835 immediately followed that of E. berbis, with the authors commenting that they would not consider E. oblonga to be different from E. berbis “if it did not have spots about which the Danish naturalist (Forsskål) does not speak”. As “First Reviser”, Günther (1860: 502) synonymized E. berbis with E. oblonga, but without any discussion as to why. Subsequently, and in violation of Article 24 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999), Dor (1984: 136) synonymized E. oblonga under E. berbis. Our examination of collections of leiognathids reveals that Equula berbis consistently serves as a “wastebasket species”. Much of the confusion is derived from the fact that Equula berbis was not illustrated by either Forsskål or Valenciennes. In addition, all of the features presented by Valenciennes in the original description of E. berbis are shared with other members of Leiognathidae. Because of these reasons and the fact that there have never been type specimens for comparison, the name must be considered a nomen dubium. Despite the lack of information related to this species, it is currently considered to be one of the most widespread members of the family (Woodland et al., 2001; Woodland in Froese and Pauly, 2009). Reports of this taxon are done without reference to original description and materials and have led to the perpetual buildup of misinformation in the literature. Revisionary systematics demands the examination of type material (if available) and a thorough consultation of the original description, otherwise leiognathid taxonomy will continue to be plagued by similar nomenclatural problems.Published as part of Chakrabarty, Prosanta, Chu, Jeanette, Nahar, Luthfun & Sparks, John S., 2010, Geometric morphometrics uncovers a new species of ponyfish (Teleostei: Leiognathidae: Equulites), with comments on the taxonomic status of Equula berbis Valenciennes, pp. 15-24 in Zootaxa 2427 on pages 18-21, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19464
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