Kurtus, Bloch, 1786

Fraser, Thomas H., 2013, A new genus of cardinalfish (Apogonidae: Percomorpha), redescription of Archamia and resemblances and relationships with Kurtus (Kurtidae: Percomorpha), Zootaxa 3714 (1), pp. 1-63 : 30-31

Kurtus

Type species Kurtus indicus Bloch, 1786

Figures 3–12 , 16 , 20–26 ; Table 1

Material examined: Kurtus indicus UF 182306 (1, 93.7), Sri Lanka, off of Myiddy , 19 Mar 1970, male. USNM 372503 , (1, 69.3); Myanmar, Yangon Fish landing; 30 Nov 1997 , digital x-ray. USMN 267150 , (5, 55.7–56.5), Bangladesh, 21°32'N 91°29'E; Anton Bruun; 4 Apr 1963 ; cleared and counter stained, one 63 mm, male. USMN 345060 , (5, 121–147), Myliddy , N tip of Sri Lanka; 18 Mar 1970 ; digital x-ray, 3 males, 2 females. USNM 305690 , (1, 63.0); Porto Novo, Madras State , India 11°29'30"N 79°46'E, 19 Aug 1966 , cleared and counter stained, previously dissected, female. Kurtus gulliveri UF 114338, (1, 248), New Guinea, Elevvaia River ; 6°07'S 141°35'E, 26 June 2000, female. USNM 217309 , (1,47), New Guinea, Strickland river, 7°29'42"S 141°29'24"E, Oct-Dec 1975, juvenile, cleared and counter stained, previously dissected. USNM 217311 , (1, 103); New Guinea, Lower Fly River ; 10 Dec 1975 , digital x-ray, female. USNM 408319 , (4, 93–121); Australia, Northern Territory, Marrakai Creek, tributary of Adelaide River ; 16 Jul 2001 . USNM 401442 , (50+, 6–23); Australia, Northern Territory, Adelaide River, Plankton tow; 4 Nov 2001 .

Diagnosis. One dorsal fin, VII, first five, small spines fused to proximal-middle and distal radials, first spine supernumerary in position with strong procumbent spine; internal support of spines by serial proximal-middle radials closely associated, no broadening of 6 th and 7 th elements; two anal spines, both supernumerary in position, first segmented, branched anal ray in serial association with first distal and proximal-middle radials; fused pterosphenoids with median ossified to cartilaginous portion; parietals separated by supraoccipital; ribs expanded forming a bony capsule over the swim bladder; PU2 with neural spine; second epibranchial articulating with third pharyngobranchial; inferior foramina present on caudal vertebrae including PU3; swim bladder modified posteriorly, rostral gas gland and ventral oval; free neuromasts on head and anterior body; lateral line short ending just past head, pores between lateral-line scales not in scales; tiny cycloid scales on body; reduced cephalic sensory canal system; free neuromasts cover head and anterior body; males with supraoccipital crest; eggs carried on head of male (one species); bifid filaments present on eggs around the micropyle (one species).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Anterior and mid-dorsal fin elements. A & D. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL. B &E. Taeniamia leai, USNM 306823, 55.0 mm SL, bone stain only. C & F. Kurtus indicus USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL. supraneurals = S1–3; neural spines = 1–3, 6–9; proximal-middle radial = P1–2, 5–8; distal radial = R; fused radials = FR; dorsal spines = I–III V– VII and IX; shaded areas = cartilage stain. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Radiographs as positives of the lower mid-section of the body and anterior anal fin elements. A. Archamia bleekeri, NTM S.13958.020 by H. Larson. B. Taeniamia leai, USNM 356277 by Sandra Raredon. C. Kurtus indicus, USNM 372503 by Sandra Raredon. D. Holapogon maximus, BMNH 1889.4.15.22 by T. Fraser. tenth vertebrae = 10, flange = f, ribs = r4–12, proximal-middle radials = mp1–5, nubbin = n, supernumerary spines = S, = serial spine with respect to anteriormost proximal-middle radial = I, homologous positions with respect to serial proximal-middle radials 1 or 2 = s1–2.

FIGURE 5. Lateral views of vertebrae 9–12 with haemal arches and associated ribs, haemal spines and proximal portions of the anal fin pterygiophores. A. Taeniamia macroptera, USNM 171228, 54.0 mm SL. B. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL. C. Kurtus indicus, USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL. = tenth vertebra = 10, = haemal arch = HA, = haemal spine = HS, ribs = R8−10, inferior foramen = IF, tips of anal fin proximal radials = 1–10, shaded areas = cartilage stain. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Last few fin elements of the dorsal and anal fins. A & E. Taeniamia leai, USNM 306823, 55.0 mm SL, bone stain only. B & F. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL. C & G. Kurtus indicus USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL. D & H. Kurtus gulliveri, USNM 217309, ~50 mm SL. d = distal radial; fr = fin ray, m = middle radial, p = proximal radial, p+m = cartilage not free from proximal radial, shaded areas = cartilage stain. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. A. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL, anterior eleven vertebra, ribs and epineurals. B. Taeniamia leai, USNM 306823, 55.0 mm SL, anterior eleven vertebra, ribs and epineurals (not counter stained). C. Taeniamia leai, USMN 306823, 55 mm SL, partial portions of ribs 1–4 enlarged to show narrow flanges on ribs 2–4. D. Kurtus indicus, USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL, vertebra 3–6, ribs and epineurals (starting on v4 and ending on v6). Epineurals in red and cartilage in blue. Vertebra number on centrum = 1, 3, 5, 11, rib number = R3. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Caudal fin elements from third pre-ural centrum. A. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL. B. Taeniamia leai, USNM 306823, 55.0 mm SL, only cleared and stained. C. Kurtus indicus, USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL. D. Kurtus gulliveri, USNM 217309, ~50 mm SL. Numbers refer to upper and lower procurrent (5–14) and principle caudal-fin rays (8–9). terminal centrum = ct, epural = e, = hypural = h, neural crest = nc, = neural spine = ns, parhypural = p, preural centrum = pu, urostylar sheath = us = paired uroneurals = u, fused elements = +, paired uroneurals in solid black, cartilage in gray. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Pectoral girdle. A. Archamia bleekeri USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL, left side. B. Kurtus indicus USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL, left side. extrascapular = E, posttemporal = PT, supracleithrum = SC, = cleithrum = CL, coracoid = CO, scapula = S, radials = R, upper postcleithrum = UP, = lower post cleithrum = LP, shaded areas = cartilage stain. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Dorsal view of the upper branchial bones, all similarly sized. A. Apogon townsendi AMNH 23513, modified from figure 41B, Rosen and Patterson (1990). B. Taeniamia leai USNM 306823, 55 mm SL, bone stain only. C. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL. D. Kurtus gulliveri, AMNH 43396, modified from figure 46A, Rosen and Patterson (1990). E. Kurtus indicus USNM 267150, 63.0 mm SL. F. Taeniamia buruensis USNM 112112, 62.0 mm SL. second epibranchial = E2, interarcual cartilage = IC, third pharyngobranchial = P3, shaded areas = cartilage stain.

FIGURE 11. Hyoid series. A. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL, outer right side laterally reversed. B. Kurtus indicus, USNM 267150, 63 mm SL, outer left side. upper hypohyal = UH, lower hypohyal = LH, branchiostegals = BR1–7, = beryciform foramen = BF, anterior ceratohyal = AC, posterior ceratohyal = PC, interhyal = IH. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Dorsal view of infraorbitals with shelves. A. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 356291, 37.6 mm SL, right side. B. Taeniamia leai, USNM306823, 55 mm SL, left side laterally reversed. C. Kurtus indicus, USNM 267150, 63 mm SL, right side. infraorbital = 1–6, shelf = S. Scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Semi-diagrammatic fourth lateral-line scales, left side, growth rings not shown. A. Taeniamia leai, USNM 356272, 53 mm SL. B. Archamia bleekeri, USNM 276669, 50 mm SL. C. Kurtus indicus UF 182306, 94 mm SL, scale enlarged 7.6X. D. Kurtus indicus UF 182306, 94 mm SL, lateral-line scale at size for size comparison with scale illustrated for Archamia bleekeri. Scale for A, B and D = 1 mm., Scale for C = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 20. A. Kurtus indicus, UF 182306, 93.7 mm SL, Sri Lanka, off of Myiddy, 19 Mar 1970, preserved in ethyl alcohol, male. B. Kurtus gulliveri, 180 mm SL, Fly River, Papua New Guinea, perimortem, by Gerald R. Allen.

FIGURE 21. Radiographs by S. Raredon inverted as positives. A. Kurtus gulliveri, USNM 217311, 103 mm SL. C. Kurtus indicus, USNM 372503, 69 mm SL. tenth vertebrae = 10. Inset B K. gulliveri, ribs 3–8. Inset D Kurtus indicus, ribs 3–13. White arrows point to inferior foramen for the 12th and 16th vertebra and present in all caudal vertebrae except PU3 to terminal centrum for K. gulliveri and K. indicus.

FIGURE 22. Kurtus gulliveri, cleared and counter stained anterior dorsal elements. A. 8 mm SL. B. 9 mm SL. C. 14 mm SL. neural spines = 1–3, supraneurals = S1–3, SS = supernumerary spine, proximal-middle radials = P1–6, serial dorsal spines = I– V, distal radials = R3–6. Clearing, staining and original photographs by G. David Johnson.

FIGURE 23. Kurtus gulliveri, A. Cleared and counter stained anterior anal fin of 21 mm SL specimen. B. Cleared and counter stained caudal complex of 8.9 mm SL specimen. Red = bone, blue = cartilage. A. nubbin = N, proximal-middle radials = P1–4, distal radials = R1–3, serial branched soft rays = 1–3, supernumerary spines = I–II. B. epurals = e1–3, haemal spines = hs, hypurals = h1–5, neural spines = ns, parhypural = p, second preural centrum = pu2, terminal centrum = tc. Clearing, staining and original photographs by G. David Johnson.

FIGURE 24. Kurtus gulliveri, male, lateral view of the neurocranium, 70 mm, from de Beaufort (1914), table XII, figure 1, scanned and edited by T. Fraser with updated nomenclature, traced sutures, thinner lines elsewhere and some additional shading. The neurocranium probably from the 280 mm SL specimen in his figure 3.

FIGURE 25. Partial semi-diagrammatic composite distribution of free neuromasts (dots) and partial canals and pores of Kurtus indicus, UF 182306, 94 mm SL, male. A. Dorsal view of head and nape. B. Lateral view of head and anterior body. C. Ventral view of the dentary, mental to articular pore. Scale = 5 mm.

FIGURE 26. A–C. Kurtus gulliveri from Guitel (1913). A. micropyle with radial ridges and filaments, light microscope B. the micropyle, light microscope and C. the bi-lobed egg mass. D–F. Apogonidae, all scanning electron microscope. D. Ostorhinchus nitidus = holotaenia, micropyle, ridges and filaments, courtesy of Kwang-Tsao Shao. E. Apogon talboti, micropyle, ridges and filaments, courtesy of Lev Fishelson. F. Siphamia permutata = tubifer, micropyle and ridges, courtesy of Lev Fishelson.