Equulites Fowler 1904

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, Zootaxa 2427, pp. 15-24 : 17

Equulites Fowler 1904

Equulites is distinguished from all genera of Leiognathidae by the combination of an expansive translucent lateral stripe, triangular, cornucopia-shaped or trapezoidal patch on the flank in males, and a pigmentation pattern on the dorsal flank comprising speckles and vermiculate markings or broad oblong markings that occasionally form open circular patterns. This genus is also diagnosed by the presence of dorsolateral lobes of the light organ that are hypertrophied and extend posteriorly into the gas bladder and lateral clearing of the silvery lining of the gas bladder. Members of this genus, as in other sexually dimorphic leiognathid genera, are extremely morphologically conservative, with few features to distinguish between female and juvenile specimens of member species.