Parapercis sexlorata, Johnson, 2006

Johnson, J. W., 2006, Two new species of Parapercis (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae) from north-eastern Australia, and rediscovery of Parapercis colemani Randall & Francis, 1993, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (1), pp. 47-56 : 52-55

Parapercis sexlorata sp. nov.

Sixstrap Grubfish

Figures 3–5; Tables 1 –2.

Material examined. Holotype. QM I. 33274, 120 mm, east of Cape Moreton , Qld, 27°03.58'S, 153°31.57'E, 86 m, Qld Fisheries Service, 14 Mar 2001.

Paratypes: (N = 6) AMS I.22873-004, 91 mm, SE of Cape Byron , NSW, 28°43'S, 153°49'E to 28°39'S, 153°50'E, 128–137 m, K. Graham on FRV Kapala , 1 Nov 1978 ; AMS I.31484-006, 86 mm, off Brunswick Heads , NSW, 28°27'S, 153°50'E, 119–137 m, K. Graham on FRV Kapala , 16 Feb 1991 ; AMS I.37977-002, 2: 73.5–93 mm, off Sandon Bluffs , NSW, 29°40'S, 153°40.6'E, 107–109 m, K. Graham on FRV Trader Horn, 8 Jul 1999 ; AMS I.40445-004, 95 mm, off Sandon Bluffs , NSW, 29°39'S, 153°41'E to 29°42'S, 153°40'E, 108–117 m, K. Graham on FRV Trader Horn, 5 Jul 1999; QM I. 37579, 84.5 mm, ENE of North Solitary I., NSW, 29°54'S, 153°36'E, 102 m, K. Graham on FRV Kapala , 2 Aug 1978 .

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays IV, 23; anal-fin rays I, 19; pectoralfin rays 19; lateral-line scales 53-57; gill rakers 4–6+8–10; predorsal scales 10–11; scales on cheek ctenoid, in about 9 horizontal rows below middle of eye; 6 canine teeth in outer row at front of lower jaw; vomer with a crescentic outer row of 6–7 robust conical teeth and several smaller teeth behind; palatines with a single row of about 7 robust conical teeth; angle of subopercle produced, with several feeble spinules; 9– 10 abdominal and 22–23 caudal vertebrae; head and body pink, with 6 narrow oblique posteroventrally-directed black bars across the back, 1st extending to lateral line, 2nd to middle of sides, others to lower 3rd of body; a small black spot in upper corner of caudal-fin base; scales above lateral line in area between bars and spot with dusky margins; spinous dorsal fin membrane dusky; upper lip yellowish.

Description. Dorsal-fin rays IV, 23; anal-fin rays I, 19; all dorsal- and anal-fin rays branched, last to base; pectoral-fin rays 19, upper ray unbranched, others including lowermost branched; pelvic-fin rays I, 5; branched caudal-fin rays 15; lateral-line scales 56 (53–57), plus 2–3 smaller scales on caudal-fin base; scales above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin 4½ (4½–5½), to base of anterior soft rays of dorsal fin 3½ (3½– 4½); scales below lateral line in a oblique row to origin of anal fin 14 (13–14); circumpeduncular scales 24; predorsal scales 11 (10–11), extending forward just posterior to a vertical from preopercular margin; horizontal row of scales from preorbital across cheek to edge of preopercle about 19; gill rakers on 1st arch 6+9, total 15 (4–6+8–10=12–16); branchiostegal rays 6; vertebrae 10+22 (2 paratypes with 9+23).

Body depth 5.15 (5.5–6.4) in SL, more robust in larger specimens; body subcylindrical, greatest width 1.05 (0.80–1.0) in body depth, depth equal to or greater than width only in larger specimens; head length 3.75 (3.6–3.9) in SL; snout bluntly rounded, its length 4.7 (4.1–4.65) in HL; orbit diameter 3.4 (2.75–3.1) in HL; eyes directed as much dorsally as laterally, bony interorbital space narrow, 11.9 (11.65–15.7) in HL; caudal-peduncle depth 2.7 (2.6–3.0) in HL; caudal-peduncle length 3.4 (3.0–3.65) in HL.

Mouth slightly oblique, jaws terminal, curved canine teeth at front of each jaw slightly projecting, but concealed by lips when mouth is closed; upper jaw extending to a vertical at posterior margin of pupil, upper jaw length 2.2 (2.05–2.5) in HL; upper jaw with 19–21 outer curved canines, first 10 (8–10) larger than those following, of these either 1st or 9th usually the largest, 11th and subsequent teeth gradually reducing in size posteriorly, broad inner band of villiform teeth anteriorly, narrowing gradually but still forming several rows at rear of jaw; front of lower jaw on each side with 3 enlarged curved canines in distinctly separate outer row, tooth nearest symphysis smallest, 3rd in the series largest; broad inner band of villiform teeth extending posteriorly from symphysis to side of jaw 4–5 rows posterior to largest tooth in outer row, next 2 teeth abruptly larger, then followed by single row of 15–16 smaller slightly curved conical teeth. Vomer with crescentic outer row of about 7 robust conical teeth, medial teeth largest, several smaller adjacent teeth posteriorly; palatines with row of about 7 robust conical teeth and several closely spaced additional teeth near midsection of row. Tongue spatulate with broadly rounded tip, covered with numerous minute papillae.

Gill membranes united with broad free fold, not attached to isthmus. Gill rakers short, the longest about one-sixth length of longest gill filament on 1st gill arch. Anterior nostril moderately large, situated in front of centre of eye, about half distance to tip of snout, with membranous posterior flap, the latter folded around near base to form partial tube. Posterior nostril about half distance from anterior nostril to anterior margin of eye, dorsoposterior to, and slightly wider than anterior nostril, its opening simple and slightly raised, aperture slightly oval-shaped; internarial distance about twice width of posterior nostril.

Opercle with distinctly exposed, robust, pointed spine, angle of subopercle expanded, with several feeble spinules; preopercle and remainder of subopercle entire, the margins naked and broadly rounded.

Lateral line continuous, ascending from opercle to below 2nd or 3rd dorsal spine, then approximately following contour of back; scales ctenoid, except for some on shoulder region and pectoral-fin rays and those on nape, breast and midline of belly, scales on middle of sides with about 40–50 cteni; scales on cheek extending forward approximately to a line between middle of eye and midlength of maxilla; no scales on dorsal, anal or pelvic fins; small elongate scales on pectoral-fin rays, some rows covering proximal half of fin; elongate ctenoid scales densely arranged on proximal three-fourths of caudal fin.

Origin of dorsal fin distinctly posterior to a vertical from tip of opercular flap, the predorsal length 3.25 (3.2–3.45) in SL; 1st dorsal-fin spine shortest, 6.55 (6.0–10.5) in HL; subsequent spines progressively longer; 4th (3rd or 4th) dorsal-fin spine the strongest, 4th always the longest, 4.5 (3.75–4.55) in HL; membrane from 4th spine to 1st soft ray moderately notched, attached at about two-thirds height of 4th dorsal-fin spine; longest dorsal-fin soft ray the 17th (17th–20th), 1.8 (1.75–1.9) in HL; origin of anal fin below base of 4th or 5th soft dorsal-fin ray, preanal length 2.2 (2.05–2.2) in SL; anal-fin spine slender, closely attached to 1st soft ray, 7.15 (4.95–5.65) in HL; longest soft anal-fin ray the 16th (16th or 17th), 2.05 (1.9–2.05) in HL; caudal fin rounded, length of caudal fin 5.85 (4.65–5.25) in SL; pectoral fins rounded to very bluntly pointed, 10th ray usually longest, 4.85 (4.5–5.0) in SL, slightly longer than pelvic fins (shorter than pelvic fins in all smaller paratypes); origin of pelvic fins slightly in advance of upper base of pectoral fins and on a vertical just anterior to tip of operculum, prepelvic length 4.05 (3.85–4.15) in SL; pelvic-fin spine closely attached to 1st soft ray, its termination fleshy and difficult to accurately determine; 4th soft pelvic-fin ray longest, reaching midway between vent and anal fin origin (from midway between vent and anal-fin origin to base of 1st anal-fin soft ray), 4.9 (4.2–4.55) in SL.

Colour in alcohol. Holotype, QM I.33274 (fig. 3) pale yellowish brown, with 6 narrow mostly oblique posteroventrally-directed black bars across the back and upper sides, 1st extending from immediately anterior to origin of spinous dorsal fin to lateral line, 2nd from 2nd soft dorsal-fin ray to middle of sides, others from 7th, 12th, 17th, and 22nd soft dorsal-fin rays to lower 3rd of body. Small black spot in upper corner of caudal-fin base. Scales above lateral line in area between each transverse bar and between last bar and caudal spot with dusky margins, producing a reticulate pattern. A narrow pale border around each transverse bar. Lower sides, belly, breast and snout to preopercle pale yellowish-brown. Upper part of opercle and upper postorbital region to rear of interorbital dark-brown, punctuated above margin of preopercle with a central pale area. A narrow curved brown line extending ventrally behind eye from postorbital area to just below lower margin of eye. Midline of nape with a broad band of scales with dusky margins, extending posteriorly from origin of scaled area to 1st transverse black bar anterior to dorsal-fin origin. Spinous dorsal-fin membrane diffusely dusky. Transverse black bars of upper body produced slightly on to base of adjacent soft dorsal-fin rays and membrane, soft dorsal fin otherwise uniformly pale. Middle section of inner pelvic-fin rays dusky to black. Anal fin uniformly pale. Caudal fin with 7 contrasting narrow dark wavy vertical lines.

Colour fresh. Based on colour photograph of paratype, QM I.37579 (fig. 4), pale-pink on head and body, with 6 transverse black bars and a black spot on upper corner of caudal-fin base. Each bar produced ventrally in dusky-yellow. Belly and breast shading ventrally to pinkish-white. Scales above lateral line in area between each transverse bar and between last bar and caudal spot with distinct dusky margins, producing a reticulate pattern. A narrow pink border, devoid of dusky-edged scales, around each transverse bar. Much of pectoral-fin base, postorbital and opercle diffusely dusky, infused with yellow. Upper lip dark orange-yellow, lower lip white. Spinous dorsal fin dusky grey. Soft dorsal-fin rays orange anteriorly, some wavy oblique orange lines visible posteriorly, membrane mostly translucent. Inner pelvic-fin rays dusky at midsection, whitish at base, yellowish distally. Anal fin faintly orange. Caudal fin mauve with about 7 narrow wavy vertical orange-yellow lines.

Distribution. Scattered on demersal trawl grounds between Cape Moreton, Qld, 27°03.58'S, 153°31.57'E and ENE of North Solitary I., NSW, 29°54'S, 153°36'E, in depths from 86 to 137 m (fig. 5).

Etymology. From the latin sex for 6 and lorata for strap, in reference to the 6 distinctive narrow black strap-like bars across the back of this species.

Remarks. Among currently recognised species, Parapercis sexlorata is most similar to P. macrophthalma Pietschmann, 1911 and P. muronis Tanaka, 1918 , sharing with those taxa palatine teeth and a series of black bars across the back and upper sides. However it may easily be distinguished by the dorsal-fin ray count of IV, 23 versus V, 23–24, six versus eight canine teeth in outer row of lower jaw, and six versus five transverse bars. This species appears to be quite rare, with only seven specimens captured in a region that has been surveyed quite intensively by demersal trawl on various occasions since the late 1970s.