Embiotocidae

Longo, Gary C., Bernardi, Giacomo & Lea, Robert N., 2018, Taxonomic revisions within Embiotocidae (Teleostei, Perciformes) based on molecular phylogenetics, Zootaxa 4482 (3), pp. 591-596 : 594-595

Key to species of the Embiotocidae

Note: coloration descriptions refer to liVe or freshly caught specimens.

1A Species occurring in East Asia [the western North Pacific; Korea, Japan, China, Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea]. Four species are known from this area: Neoditrema ransonnetii , Ditrema jordani , D. temminckii , and D. viride . The genus Ditrema was revised by Katafuchi and Nakabo (2007) and included a key to species. Neoditrema is distinguished from Ditrema by number of dorsal spines; Neoditrema VI–VIII vs. Ditrema IX–XI.

1B Species occurring in the eastern North Pacific; Alaska to Baja California and Gulf of California ....................... 2

2A Dorsal spines XV – XVIII; occurrence in freshwater, rarely brackish water........................ Hysterocarpus traskii

2B Dorsal spines XII or less; marine, some species estuarine...................................................... 3

3A Lips thick and fleshy; center of lower lip with 2 ventral lobes.................................... Rhacochilus toxotes

3B Lips not especially thick and only moderately fleshy; lower lip lacking ventral lobes................................ 4

4A Patch of enlarged scales in area posterior to pectoral fins....................................... Embiotoca jacksoni

4B No patch of enlarged scales posterior to pectoral fins.......................................................... 5

5A Anal fin without a row of scales extending onto the base of anal fin.............................................. 8

5B Anal fin with a row of scales extending onto the base of anal fin................................................ 6

6A Upper lip extending slightly beyond mandible; fins typically dusky, not reddish.................. Amphistichus argenteus

6B Jaws typically subequal or lower lip slightly projecting; fins reddish including caudal................................ 7

7A Dorsal fin spines and soft-rays approximately equal in length; rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 14–18..................................................................................................... Amphistichus koelzi

7B Longest dorsal fin spines noticeably longer that soft-rays; rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 10–14.................................................................................................... Amphistichus rhodoterus

8A Lower lip without a frenum.............................................................................. 9

8B Lower lip with frenum present.......................................................................... 12

9A Conspicuous black spot on spinous part of dorsal fin and anterior portion of anal fin................ Hypocritichthys analis

9B No conspicuous spot on dorsal or anal fin................................................................. 10

10A Body elongate; total length 3 times greatest body depth; body tinged with yellow, scales with black flecking............................................................................................... Cymatogaster aggregata

10B Body ovoid; total length less than 3 times body depth; body silvery, scales without black flecking..................... 11

11A Pelvic fins with black tips; 20–23 rakers on lower limb or first gill arch...................... Hyperprosopon argenteum

11B Pelvic fins without black tips; 15–19 rakers on lower limb of gill arch........................ Hyperprosopon ellipticum

12A Body uniformly pinkish; last anal soft-ray thread-like.......................................... Zalembius rosaceus

12B Body coloration not as above; last anal soft ray normal, not elongated........................................... 13

13A Body without stripes.................................................................................. 15

13B Body with blue, red, and/or yellow stripes................................................................. 14

14A Profile of abdomen essentially straight; snout extending beyond lower jaw; anal fin base shorter than distance from pelvic base to anal fin origin.......................................................................... Embiotoca caryi

14B Profile of abdomen convex; jaws subequal, terminal; anal fin base longer than distance from pelvic base to anal fin origin......................................................................................... Embiotoca lateralis

15A Anal fin base longer than distance from base of last anal soft-ray to end of scales on midcaudal ray; caudal fin deeply forked.................................................................................................... 18

15B Anal fin base shorter than distance from base of last anal soft-ray to end of scales on midcaudal ray; caudal fin only slightly forked............................................................................................. 16

16A Lower jaw slightly projecting; axilla of pectoral fin with no black marking........................ Brachyistius frenatus

16B Jaws subequal; axilla of pectoral fin with a jet-black blotch................................................... 17

17A Ventral portion of body with a series of continuous stripes; dorsal soft-rays 12–16; body depth 2.0–2.4 into standard length ..................................................................................... Micrometrus minimus

17B Ventral portion of body with a series of half rings on scales; dorsal soft-rays 15–19; body depth 2.4–2.8 into standard length....................................................................................... Micrometrus aurora

18A Longest dorsal soft-ray approximately twice as long (1.6–3.0) as longest dorsal spine; 8–9 scales between first dorsal spine and lateral line............................................................................. Phanerodon vacca

18B Longest dorsal soft-ray only slightly longer (1.0–1.4) than longest dorsal spine; 4–7 scales between first dorsal spine and lateral line............................................................................................ 19

19A Pelvic fins white (rarely with faint dusky speckling at tips); no reddish speckling on scales on upper body.................................................................................................... Phanerodon furcatus

19B Pelvic fins with black tips; scales on upper part of body with reddish speckling...................... Phanerodon atripes