Corresponding author: Kunto Wibowo (
Ronald Fricke
The distributional range of
The monotypic genus
Counts and measurements followed
2 specimens.
Photographs of
Meristics and morphometrics of the specimens are shown in Table
Morphometrics (expressed as percentages of standard length) of
This study |
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|
South Africa | Australia | Philippines | ||
|
KPM-NI | USNM | ||
57321 | 29729-041 | 13005 | 168183 | |
Standard length [mm] | 17.2 | 29.5 | 35.2 | 31.1 |
Body depth | 40.6 | 39.7 | 39.5 | 41.2 |
Body width | 9.0 | 11.5 | 16.8 | 13.5 |
Head length | 46.0 | 49.5 | 48.0 | 46.9 |
Snout length | 20.0 | 23.9 | 24.1 | 21.2 |
Orbit diameter | 9.2 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.9 |
Interorbital widtha | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
Interorbital widthb | 9.3 | 9.9 | 9.1 | 8.7 |
Upper-jaw length | 18.0 | 18.5 | 19.0 | 18.0 |
Postorbital length | 19.1 | 16.4 | 17.0 | 17.4 |
Pre-dorsal-fin length | 41.0 | 43.7 | 41.5 | 39.9 |
Pre-anal-fin length | 67.0 | 70.4 | 71.6 | 68.8 |
Pre-pelvic-fin length | 43.5 | 38.7 | 40.3 | 38.6 |
1st dorsal-fin spine length | 13.7 | 12.9 | 11.4 | — |
2nd dorsal-fin spine length | 33.8 | 26.7 | 22.7 | — |
3rd dorsal-fin spine length | 32.7 | 27.6 | 21.9 | — |
4th dorsal-fin spine length | 29.3 | 23.9 | 18.5 | 22.5 |
5th dorsal-fin spine length | 27.0 | 19.9 | 15.1 | 19.6 |
6th dorsal-fin spine length | 22.5 | 17.1 | 13.6 | — |
7th dorsal-fin spine length | 20.2 | 15.4 | 12.8 | — |
8th dorsal-fin spine length | 16.8 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 12.9 |
9th dorsal-fin spine length | 10.6 | 9.7 | 8.5 | 9.3 |
10th dorsal-fin spine length | 7.8 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
11th dorsal-fin spine length | 17.5 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 5.5 |
12th dorsal-fin spine length | absent | 15.6 | 13.9 | 14.1 |
1st dorsal-fin soft ray length | 17.8 | 18.1 | 16.2 | — |
2nd dorsal-fin soft ray length | — | 21.0 | 17.6 | — |
3rd dorsal-fin soft ray length | — | 23.0 | 17.9 | — |
4th dorsal-fin soft ray length | — | 24.0 | 19.3 | — |
5th dorsal-fin soft ray length | — | 25.1 | 19.3 | — |
6th dorsal-fin soft ray length | 19.8 | 21.3 | 19.0 | — |
7th dorsal-fin soft ray length | 19.1 | 20.7 | 15.1 | — |
8th dorsal-fin soft ray length | 18.1 | 17.2 | 12.8 | — |
9th dorsal-fin soft ray lengthc | 15.5 | 14.1 | 10.2 | — |
9th dorsal-fin soft ray lengthd | absent | 12.7 | 8.0 | — |
10th dorsal-fin soft ray lengthc | 12.3 | absent | absent | absent |
10th dorsal-fin soft ray lengthd | 9.9 | absent | absent | absent |
1st anal-fin spine length | 6.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | — |
2nd anal-fin spine length | 16.9 | 10.7 | 10.2 | — |
1st anal-fin soft ray length | 18.9 | 18.6 | 16.2 | — |
2nd anal-fin soft ray length | 20.9 | 22.4 | 20.2 | — |
3rd anal-fin soft ray length | 21.0 | 27.5 | 23.6 | — |
4th anal-fin soft ray length | 21.3 | 28.7 | 24.1 | — |
5th anal-fin soft ray length | 18.2 | 26.1 | 23.0 | — |
6th anal-fin soft ray lengthc | 16.6 | 20.9 | 19.3 | — |
6th anal-fin soft ray lengthd | 14.8 | 18.1 | 15.3 | — |
Pectoral-fin ray length | 49.5 | 51.1 | 49.4 | 47.9 |
Pelvic-fin spine length | 25.2 | 14.6 | 14.5 | — |
1st pelvic-fin soft ray length | 25.4 | 21.9 | 19.3 | — |
2nd pelvic-fin soft ray length | 27.4 | 26.5 | 21.9 | — |
3rd pelvic-fin soft ray length | 24.6 | 26.4 | 21.6 | — |
4th pelvic-fin soft ray length | 19.1 | 20.9 | 18.5 | — |
5th pelvic-fin soft ray length | 17.0 | 17.9 | 14.2 | — |
Caudal-fin length | 34.8 | 43.4 | 40.9 | — |
Caudal-peduncle length | 14.9 | 14.6 | 14.5 | 14.1 |
Caudal-peduncle depth | 9.4 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 10.3 |
a at posterior end of preocular spine base, b at vertical midline of eye, c anterior element, d posterior element.
Longitudinal scale rows 53 (not obvious in small specimen); pored lateral-line scales 22 (counted from right side in large specimen); scale rows between origin of last dorsal-fin spine and lateral line 8 (not obvious in small specimen). Gill rakers on upper limb 5 or 6, on lower limb 14–16, including 5 or 6 rakers on hypobranchial; gill rakers short, spinous, longest raker on 1st gill arch less than one-fourth length of longest gill filament; 4th gill slit closed by membrane.
Body and head strongly compressed, head width less than greatest body width. Body moderately deep, deepest at origin of 2nd dorsal-fin spine. Head large, length greater than body depth. Posterior lacrimal spine with rounded tentacle, length approximately equal to orbit diameter (slightly greater than pupil diameter in small specimen). Large tentacle on supraocular spine, its length greater than orbit diameter. Pair of tentacles projecting from anterior surface of lip at symphysis of upper jaw. Tentacle on posterior margin of anterior nostril, length less than posterior lacrimal tentacle. Small tentacle on cheek (absent in small specimen). Three to four tentacles along preopercular margin; lowermost largest, elliptical, length less than pupil diameter; uppermost slender, on uppermost preopercular spine (absent in large specimen). Two obvious tentacles on each side of ventral surface of mandible, 1st simple, long, slender, located between 1st and 2nd dentary pores; 2nd larger, on posterior margin of dentary. Few tentacles on lateral-line scales. Small elliptical fleshy tentacles on outer part of eye membrane. Few tiny tentacles on spinous portion of dorsal fin and 7 uppermost rays of pectoral fin (absent in large specimen).
Numerous small papillae covering head and body. Posterior nostril opening upward, diameter about equal to anterior nostril, not visible laterally. Two distinct sensory pores, 1st anterior to anterior nostril, 2nd between anterior and posterior nostrils (not obvious in small specimen). Underside of dentary with 3 small sensory pores on each side, small pore behind nodular portion of lower jaw on each side. No scales on surface of head, including opercle, interorbital space, and occipital pit. Body covered with small cycloid scales, not extending onto fins. Embedded scales covering pectoral-fin base (not obvious in small specimen). No scales on ventral body surface.
Mouth oblique, forming an angle of ca. 30 degrees to horizontal axis of head and body. Posterior margin of maxilla not reaching (just reaching in small specimen) vertical level of anterior margin of orbit. Lateral surface of maxilla smooth, without ridges. Lower jaw with thickened symphysial portion fitting into shallow median depression of upper jaw when mouth completely closed. Width of symphysial gap separating premaxillary teeth bands broader than width of each band. Upper and lower jaws with approximately equal-width bands of villiform teeth; majority of upper- and lower-jaw teeth of similar length. Vomer with narrow patch of villiform teeth. No teeth on palatine.
Dorsal profile of snout strongly curved, initially convex, thereafter deeply concave (steep anterior to orbit, but slightly concave behind ascending process of premaxilla in small specimen). Nasal spine simple, small, directed dorsoposteriorly (indistinct in small specimen). Posterior margin of ascending process of premaxilla not reaching vertical level of posterior nostril. Interorbital ridges present, low, beginning level with supraocular spine and ending at base of postocular spine. Interorbital space relatively narrow, deep (broader and shallower in small specimen), forming V-shape in anterior view. Preocular spine simple (not obvious in small specimen), directed upward, tip extending slightly beyond horizontal line through upper margin of pupil in lateral view. Supraocular spine simple, located considerably anterior to vertical midline of eye. Postocular spines simple, triangular in lateral view. Tympanic spine simple, small, directed upward. No coronal spines. Occipital pit shallow, behind distinct transverse ridge, curved posteriorly in dorsal view. Parietal and nuchal spines well developed, joined at base. Sphenotic with 1 small spine. Postorbital with 4 short, small, pointed spines (smooth without ridge or spines in small specimen). Pterotic spine simple, small, pointed, with narrow base, located just above uppermost end of preopercular ridge. Posttemporal spine simple, pointed, small, directed dorsoposteriorly; no upper posttemporal spine. Supracleithral spine simple, pointed.
Lateral surface of lacrimal with 5 low ridges radiating from center, but lacking spines; uppermost end of upwardly directed ridge with bump directly below posterior nostril; anterior end of forward ridge and lower end of downward ridge not projecting over upper lip. Suborbital ridge very low, with 4 small spines in large specimen (1st spine located above posterior margin of maxilla, 2nd just below anterior margin of orbit, 3rd and 4th adjoining, below posterior part of orbit); 3 spines in small specimen (1st spine just above tip of posterior lacrimal spine; 2nd and 3rd spines adjoining, below posterior part of orbit). Broad space between ventral margin of orbit and suborbital ridge. Suborbital pit shallow, front rimmed by an oblique low lacrimal ridge. Preopercle with 4 blunt spines; uppermost spine largest with low median ridge; 2nd with low median ridge; 3rd and 4th spines without median ridge. No supplemental preopercular spine. Upper and lower opercular spines simple, each with median ridge; lower spine almost horizontal.
Origin of 1st dorsal-fin spine above posttemporal spine base. Posterior margin of opercular membrane and upper end of pectoral-fin base extending slightly beyond vertical from base of 3rd dorsal-fin spine. Posterior tip of longest pectoral-fin ray extending beyond vertical from posterior end of anal-fin base. Origin of pelvic fin slightly anterior to base of pectoral fin; posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin extending slightly beyond anus (extending to 2nd anal-fin spine base in small specimen). Origin of 1st anal-fin spine slightly posterior to origin of last dorsal-fin spine.
(Fig.
(Fig.
In general, similar to color when fresh (see
Underwater photograph of
Distributional records of
The specimens collected from South Africa and Australia (Fig.
The South African specimen differed slightly from all other known specimens of
The South African specimen was a small subadult or juvenile (17.2 mm SL), with the occipital pit surface, teeth, maxilla, and most head spines relatively weak. In addition, the nasal and opercular spines were indistinct and difficult to observe. The snout profile (length and angle) differed between the former (Fig.
Although the snout colors of
The new standard Japanese name “Itohiki-kasago” is herein proposed for
We are especially grateful to M. Gomon (