Pterygotrigla (Parapterygotrigla) hoplites ( Fowler 1938 )

Richards, William J. & Yato, Takuji, 2014, Revision of the subgenus Parapterygotrigla (Pisces: Triglidae: Pterygotrigla), Zootaxa 3768 (1), pp. 23-42 : 24-27

Pterygotrigla (Parapterygotrigla) hoplites ( Fowler 1938)

Swordnose Gurnard

( Figure 1 A –C, Tables 1 & 2 )

Dixiphichthys hoplites Fowler 1938:120 , Fig. 57. Original description.

Pterygotrigla hoplites ( Fowler 1938) : Richards 1999:2374 (illustration, characters, distribution); Richards in Randall & Lim 2000:607 (list); Hutchins 2001: 28 (list); Paxton et al. 2006:928; Last & Richards 2012:39.

Material examined. Holotype. USNM 98874, 108 mm SL, Philippines, Mindanao, off Port Tagolo Light, 8°46'00"N, 123°32'30"E, Albatross sta. D.5516, 9 Aug. 1909, 320 m.

Paratypes. USNM 98982, 1 (104 mm SL), collected with the holotype.

Other material all from Australian waters. CSIRO H 2128-03, 2 (65–87 mm SL), Western Australia, near Rowley Shoals, 17o31.2’S, 149o40.2’E, 3 Dec. 1985, 400– 402 m; NTM S1264.011, 1 (74 mm SL), Western Australia, NW Shelf, northwest of Lynher Bank, 14o50’S, 121o35’E, 15 Jul. 1989, 503– 512 m; NTM 13115, 1 (77 mm SL), Western Australia, north of Cape Leveque, 14o07’S, 122o06’E, 24 Jan. 1990, 423 m; NTM 12594, 1 (83 mm SL), Western Australia, NW Shelf, off Rowley Shoals, 17o28’S, 118o53’E, 4 Nov. 1983, 400 m; NTM 12613, 1 (78 mm SL), Western Australia, NW Shelf, off Rowley Shoals, 17o52’S, 118o27’E, 8 Nov. 1989, 420 m; NTM 13141, 3 (51–59 mm SL), Australia, Northern Territory, Arafura Sea, 0 9o 45’S, 130o14’E, 6 Dec. 1990, 265 m.

Diagnosis. Antrorse AIO spine absent, AIO long and slender (30% HL), P1 fin long extending well beyond A fin origin (53–54% SL), small eye (11–15% SL), pterygiophores exposed along base of D1 as large plates (excluding one in advance of first D1 spine) and D2 rays have small spines at ray bases that are directed anteriorly.

Description. D 1 VIII–IX, D2 12, A 11–12, P 1 11–12 + 3 with long upper rays (53–54% SL), D1 bucklers 7–8 (10) absent in advance of 1st D1 fin spine, vertebrae 27, llsc 55–58, nape with scales, breast with scales or naked, belly with scales, vomer with or without teeth, AIO spines long, nasal spine present, supraocular spine absent, postocular spine present, nuchal spine long extending to middle of D1 fin, opercular spine short extending to edge of gill opening, preopercular spine short extending to edge of gill opening, preopercular ridge present, D1 fin spines serrate, snout angle 33–50o, GR 1–2 + 13–15 (lower GR long 3–6% SL), orbit length 9–12% SL, interorbital width 9–13% SL, snout length 15–19% SL, cleithral spine length 8–11% SL, head length (35–40% SL), 1st P1 free fin ray 28–35% SL, P2 fin length 20–26% SL, D2 fin base length 25% SL, A fin base length 23–25% SL, cheek height 8– 11% SL, body depth 22–26% SL, 1st D1 fin spine length 8–11% SL, 2nd D1 fin spine length 10–14% SL, 3rd D1 fin spine length 8–13% SL. Pterygiophore interdigitation pattern: //1/2/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/2/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/

Coloration. Difficult to determine due to preservation but black pigment is present in the D1 fin membranes, P1 fin dark with black stippling on inner surface and clear upper margin, trunk pale, no spots.

Distribution. Philippines, Arafura Sea southward to Rowley Shoals, Western Australian Shelf slope, rare in deep water 265– 512 m.

Discussion. A small rare species very similar to P. megalops but lacks a buckler in advance of the D1 fin spines, has small anteriorly directed spines at base of D2 rays, and has a long pectoral fin. It is not possible to determine if the lack of the first buckler is an advanced or primitive character.

FinRays GillRakers

number of Upper Lower

Species specimens 0 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 P. hoplites 11 3 7 4 5 1 P. jacad sp. nov. 3 1 2 2 1

P. macrorhynchus 32 1 10 19 1 1 1 10 9 7 1 1 1 P. m e g al o ps 6 2 4 1 1 1 3 P. multiocellata 14 3 3 /5r 6r 1 3 6 2 2

P. rob e r t si 2 2 1 1

number of Total

Species specimens 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 P. hoplites 11 5 3 1 P. jacad sp. nov. 3 1 1 1

P. macrorhynchus 32 2 4 9 8 4 2 1 1

Figures

FIGURE 1 A. Pterygotrigla hoplites, CSIRO 2128 - 03, 87.3 mm, Western Australia near Rowley Shoals. B. Pterygotrigla hoplites, holotype, USNM 98874, 90.6 mm SL, Philippines, lateral view. C. Pterygotrigla hoplites, holotype, USNM 98874, 90.6 mm SL, Philippines, dorsal view of head.

Tables

TABLE 2. Frequency distribution and length of gill rakers in the species of the subgenus Parapterygotrigla. Holotype values in boldface, r indicates rudimentary gill rakers.

Species	number of specimens	7	D1 Spines 8 9	10	D2 Rays 11 12 13	Anal Rays 11 12 13	11	Pectoral rays + 3 12 13 14	15
P. hoplites	11	4	3		7	2 5	6	2
P. j ac ad sp. nov.	3		1 2		2 1	2 1	3
P. macrorhynchus	32	2	23 6	1	2 25 5	4 27 1		7 9 8	8
P. m e g al o ps	6	3	3		6	1 5		6
P. multiocellata	14	6	7 1	2	11 1	3 10 1	1	12 1
P. rob e r t si	2		2		2	2	1	1