Upeneus spottocaudalis, Peristiwady, 2017

Peristiwady, Teguh, 2017, Two new goatfishes of the genus Upeneus (Mullidae) from Australia and Indonesia, Zootaxa 4318 (2), pp. 295-311 : 298-307

Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. Uiblein & Gledhill

Tailspot goatfish

( Figs 1 , 3 ; Tables 1–3)

Holotype. CSIRO H 3436-05, 97 mm SL, Australia, Queensland, Torres Strait, E of Cape York Peninsula, Blackwood Channel, 11°43.8’ S, 143°43.8’ E, FV Clipper Bird , prawn trawl, 24 m depth, 26 March 1993.

Paratypes (16 adults, 7 subadults: 36–103 mm SL). Australia, Queensland, Torres Strait: AMS I 46540-001, 68 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, NE of Shelburne Bay, 11°10.19’ S 143°58.09’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 32 m depth; CSIRO H 3436-06, 90 mm SL, same collecting data as holotype; CSIRO H 6722-04, 3, 48– 55 mm SL, NE of Cape York Peninsula, S of Seven Reefs, 10°32.37’ S 143°51.52’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 27 m depth; CSIRO H 6722-05, 2, 36– 55 mm SL, same collecting data as preceding; CSIRO H 6905-09, 2: 67–68 mm SL, same collecting data as AMS I 46540-001; CSIRO H 7205-01, 80 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, NE of Shelburne Bay, 11°11.60’ S 143°47.88’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 35 m depth; CSIRO H 7205-02, 79 mm SL, same collection data; CSIRO H 7658-01, 2, 63– 72 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, NE of Cape Weymouth, 12°19.64’ S 143°43.48’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 24 m depth; CSIRO H 7659-01, 60 mm SL, NE of Cape York Peninsula, 10°27.52’ S 143°48.79’ E; FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 30 m depth; CSIRO H 7462-02, 2: 69–83mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, 10°55.08’ S 143°54.63’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 32 m depth; CSIRO H 6799-02, 5: 72–76 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, 11°48.93’ S 143°40.53’ E, FRV Gwendoline May, demersal trawl, 23 m depth; QM I 39293, 103 mm SL, same collecting data as CSIRO H 6722-04.

Non-type material. BMNH 1986.10 .1.16, 78 mm SL, southern Indonesia, Eastern Indian Ocean , Bali Strait to Timor Sea.

Diagnosis. Dorsal fins VII + 9; pectoral fins 12 or 13; gill rakers 5 or 6 + 15–18 = 20–23; measurements in % SL for adults (for subadults in round brackets): body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 22–25 (22–24); body depth at anus 19–22 (18–20); caudal-peduncle depth 8.6–10 (8.6–10); maximum head depth 19–22 (19–21); head depth through eye 15–18 (16–18); interorbital length 7.3–8.9 (7.7–8.1); head length 30–32 (30–32); snout length 9.7–12 (10–11); postorbital length 11–13 (12–14); orbit length 6.9–8.2 (7.2–8.9); upper jaw length 10–13 (11–13); barbel length 19–22 (21–23); caudal-peduncle length 21–24 (23–25); caudal-fin length 28–32 (30–33); anal-fin height 16–19 (18–19); pelvic-fin length 22–24 (24–26); pectoral-fin length 19–22 (20–23); first dorsal-fin height 19–22 (21–23); second dorsal-fin height 18–21 (18–21); fresh specimens with three to five red or pale brown bars on each caudal-fin lobe, the bars on the lower lobe interrupted or replaced by three or four dark-brown rounded or triangular spots at mid-lobe; dorsal, anal and pelvic fins with red pigment forming patches or stripes, barbels yellow, body and head red, with dark dots along lateral line and a saddle behind second dorsal fin; preserved fish with pale-brown head and body, sometimes with remains of pigmentation dorsally and on dorsal fins, bars on upper-caudal fin lobe mostly retained, spots on lower caudal-fin lobe always retained in both adults and subadults.

Description. Morphometric data as ratios of SL for holotype, followed by data for adult paratypes in round brackets and subadult paratypes in square brackets: body moderately deep, its depth at first dorsal-fin origin 4.2 (3.9–4.6) [4.2–4.6], body depth at anal-fin origin 4.8 (4.5—5.4) [4.9–5.5]; head depth through eye 5.9 (5.8–6.5) [5.4–6.3]; head length 3.3 (3.1–3.4) [3.1–3.4], larger than maximum depth of body and subequal to caudal-fin length (3.6 (3.1–3.6) [3.0-3.3]); snout length 8.9 (8.3–10.3) [8.8–9.6], shorter than postorbital length in subadults (8.1 (7.9–9.4) [7.3–8.6]); orbit length 15 (12–15) [11–14], smaller than caudal-peduncle depth in adults (10 (10– 12) [9.7–12]); barbel length 5.2 (4.5–5.4) [4.3–4.7]; anal-fin height 5.9 (5.2–6.3) [5.2–5.6], second dorsal-fin height 5.6 (4.7–5.7) [4.7–5.5]; pectoral-fin length 4.9 (4.6–5.2) [4.4–5.0], shorter than pelvic-fin length (4.5 (4.1– 4.6) [3.9–4.2]).

Fresh colour (holotype and paratype H 7205-01). Body and head dorsolaterally reddish except for mostly pale mouth region, and ventrally white; preopercle and body to posterior anal-fin base ventrolaterally bordered by red blotches of variable size; four large blotches of about orbit size behind anal fin reaching down to ventral body margin; two to four tiny brown blotches of less than pupil size along lateral line and below dorsal fins and two darker blotches right behind second dorsal fin, connecting to a faint brown saddle dorsally; barbels yellow; caudalfin upper lobe with four or five pale-brown or pale-red oblique bars, the distal-most bar covering the fin tip; white or hyaline interspaces between bars becoming distally wider than bars; lower caudal-fin lobe with three or four weakly indicated pale-brown or pale-red dashed bars and three to four rounded or triangular dark-brown blotches or spots along mid-lobe that either interrupt or replace the bars; at least two of these spots are of pupil size or slightly larger, the distal-most covering the fin tip; rays and central part of first dorsal fin pale red pigmented, second dorsal fin with two pale red stripes, one just below fin tip and the other stripe at fin base covering the anteriormost third of fin, with two tiny isolated patches at posterior fin margin; pectoral fins hyaline, pelvic and anal fins hyaline or whitish with weakly indicated pale-red stripes, five or six on pelvic fins and three on anterior part of anal fin.

Preserved colour. Holotype and adult as well as subadult paratypes uniformly pale brown with hyaline dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins; remains of darker pigmentation on body dorsally and dorsal fins with grey pigmentation close to fin tips in a few paratypes; caudal fin hyaline, with bars on upper fin lobe retained in some of the paratypes and the dark spots on lower lobe retained in all examined specimens, including subadults and the specimen from southern Indonesia; the latter shows remains of dots below the second dorsal fin and formation of a dark saddle just behind ( Figure 1 G).

Distribution. NE Australia, Western Pacific, Torres Strait, E to NE of Cape York Peninsula, 23–35 m depth; a single record from the Eastern Indian Ocean, southern Indonesia, area between the Bali Strait and Timor Sea.

Etymology. The name “ spottocaudalis ” refers to the conspicuous rounded or triangular dark spots or blotches on the lower caudal-fin lobe in both fresh and preserved specimens, an important diagnostic colour character of this species.

U. U.

Upeneus farnis n.sp. U. asymmetricus francisi U. japonicus lombok U. pori * U. saiab ……continued on the next page U. U.

Upeneus farnis n.sp. U. asymmetricus francisi U. japonicus lombok U. pori * U. saiab counts from Yamashita et al. (2011): pectoral-fin rays 14 – 15, total gill rakers on lower limb 18 – 21, total gill rakers 25 – 28 Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. U. australiae U. guttatus U. itoui ** U. seychellensis U. torres ……continued on the next page Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. U. australiae U. guttatus U. itoui ** U. seychellensis U. torres counts from Yamashita et al. (2011): pectoral-fin rays 13 – 15, total gill rakers on lower limb 16 – 18, total gill rakers 22 – 25.

Comparisons. Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. differs from all congeneric species in the following combination of characteristics: 7 dorsal-fin spines, 12 or 13 pectoral-fin rays, 20–23 total gill rakers, head length 30–32% SL, and pectoral fins shorter than pelvic fins, the length of the latter 22–24% SL in adults and 24–26% SL in subadults; it differs from all other goatfishes in the presence of 3 or 4 conspicuous dark spots on lower-caudal fin lobe in fresh and preserved adult and subadult specimens.

Adult Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. differs from the other species of the japonicus group with low gill-raker counts as follows (comparative data in Table 2): from U. australiae in shallower caudal-peduncle depth, longer head, narrower pectoral fin, higher second-dorsal fin, slightly fewer pectoral-fin rays, and absence of mid-lateral body stripe in fresh specimens; it differs from U. guttatus in longer head and pelvic fins, higher second dorsal fin, fewer gill rakers, shallower body and head, shorter snout and jaws, lower anal and second dorsal fins, and shorter pectoral fins; it differs from U. itoui in narrower caudal peduncle, deeper and longer head, larger eyes, longer barbels and pelvic fins, and higher second dorsal fin; it differs from U. seychellensis in deeper body, larger eyes, longer and higher anal fin, longer pelvic fins, higher second-dorsal fin, fewer pectoral-fin rays, and fewer gill rakers; and it differs from U. torres in shorter barbels and pectoral fins, and slightly fewer pectoral-fin rays.

From adults of the species of the japonicus group with higher gill-raker counts Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. differs furthermore as follows (comparative data in Table 1): from U. asymmetricus in longer head and barbels, longer pelvic fins, and higher second-dorsal fin; it differs from U. farnis in higher anal and second dorsal fins, longer pectoral fins, and fewer pectoral-fin rays; it differs from U. francisi in slightly shallower body at anal-fin origin and higher second dorsal fin; it differs from U. japonicus in slightly longer pelvic fins and slightly higher second dorsal fins; it differs from U. pori in longer head and barbels, higher second dorsal fin, and fewer pectoral rays; and it differs from U. saiab in deeper body, longer pelvic fins, higher second-dorsal fin, and fewer pectoral-fin rays.

Subadult U. spottocaudalis n. sp. (see also Figure 3 , Table 3) differs from conspecific adults in longer pelvic fins; it differs from U. australiae subadults in shallower head, narrower interorbital, smaller eyes, longer barbels, longer pelvic fins, higher second-dorsal fin, and fewer pectoral-fin rays; it differs from U. francisi subadults in wider caudal peduncle, longer barbels, longer pelvic fins, and fewer gill rakers; it differs from U. guttatus subadults in longer barbels and pelvic fins; it differs from U. japonicus subadults in higher anal fin, longer pelvic fins, and fewer gill rakers; it differs from the single U. lombok subadult in longer head, snout and jaws, longer barbels, longer first dorsal-fin base, higher anal fin, longer pelvic fins, narrower pectoral fins, shallower second dorsal fin, fewer pectoral-fin rays, and fewer gill rakers; and it differs from U. torres subadults in shorter barbels, longer pelvic fins, and shorter pectoral fins.

Remarks. The entire type material of Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. originates from a relatively small area in the eastern range of the Torres Strait, NE to E of the Cape York Peninsula, close to the shelf edge. All specimens, apart from the holotype and one adult paratype, derive from collections made during the Torres Strait Ecosystem survey ( Pitcher et al. 2007). The single specimen from off southern Indonesia (Bali Strait to Timor Sea) was collected during one of the cruises of the Jetindofish project ( Lohmeyer 1982) and no detailed collection data are available.

Distinction of Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. from other species, including the rather similar and co-occurring U. guttatus , is best achived by comparing the colour patterns on the caudal fin in both fresh and preserved fish. The large, rounded or triangular spots on the lower caudal-fin lobe of U. spottocaudalis n. sp are retained in preserved specimens ( Figure 1 ). These spots represent a unique feature among all goatfishes (see also discussion). Also, the length difference between the pelvic and pectoral fins with the pelvic fin being clearly longer in most specimens (when the fin is not broken) in contrast to being similar in size or shorter in other Upeneus species should assist in identification. Furthermore, differences from U. guttatus become apparent when examing head length, pelvic fin length, second-dorsal fin height, and the number of total gill rakers in combination, and for adults and subadults separately ( Figure 3 ). Accordingly, adults of the two species are best distiguished by the combination of head length and second dorsal-fin height, while subadults differ clearly when pelvic-fin length is plotted against total number of gill rakers ( Figure 3 ).

The single specimen of Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. from southern Indonesia has slightly wider interobital and slightly narrower interdorsal distances than the conspecifics from NE Australia, suggesting intraspecific geographic variation.

Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. attains at least 103 mm SL.

Figures

FIGURE 1. (A) Upeneus farnis n. sp., holotype (LBRC-F 001450), 97 mm SL, Bitung fish market, NE Sulawesi, Indonesia (T. Peristiwady); (B) Upeneus farnis n. sp., paratype (LBRC-F 001489), 123 mm SL, same locality and photographer; (C) Upeneus farnis n. sp., paratype (LBRC-F 001493), 92 mm SL, same locality and photographer; (D) U. lombok, paratype (MZB 22710), 51 mm SL (subadult), Lombok, Indonesia (W. T. White); (E) U. spottocaudalis n. sp., holotype (CSIRO H 3436 - 05), 97 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, Blackwood Channel, Queensland, Australia (T. Carter); (F) U. spottocaudalis, n. sp., paratype (CSIRO H 7205 - 01), 80 mm SL, E of Cape York Peninsula, NE of Shelburne Bay (D. C. Gledhill); (G) U. spottocaudalis, n. sp. (BMNH 1986.10.1.16), 78 mm, Bali Strait to Timor Sea, Indonesia (F. Uiblein); (H) U. guttatus (CSIRO H 7212 - 02), 121 mm, SE of Cairns, Queensland, Australia (D. C. Gledhill)

FIGURE 3. Relationships between SL, three body-form characters, and total number of gill rakers in Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. and the most similar and co-occurring species, U. guttatus. Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. has been separated by different symbols into three groups consisting of adult and subadult types from NE Australia and the non-type from southern Indonesia.