A new species of frogfish of the genus Kuiterichthys (Lophiiformes: Antennariidae: Histiophryninae) from New South Wales, Australia
Author
Arnold, Rachel J.
text
Zootaxa
2013
2013-10-08
3718
5
496
499
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3718.5.6
1175-5326
5266861
1339D4DC-DA16-45E2-859B-D87E82215C79
Kuiterichthys pietschi
sp. nov.
Holotype
.
AMS
I.33555-004,
25.8 mm
SL, female, Crowdy Head, NSW,
31.9°S
,
152.9°E
(
Fig. 1
).
Paratypes
.
AMS
I.32163-002,
19.1–24.2 mm
SL,
two specimens
, off
Crowdy Head
, NSW,
31.9°S
,
152.9°E
,
89 m
;
AMS
I.26229-001,
19.3 mm
SL,
SE Evans Head
, off
Iluka
, NSW,
29.3°S
,
153.6°E
;
AMS
I.33548-002,
25.1–32.4 mm
SL,
four specimens
, off Crowdy Head, NSW,
31.9°S
,
152.9°E
;
AMS
I.38410-004,
25.7 mm
SL,
Clarence River
, NSW
,
29.4°S
,
153.6°E
,
68 m
;
AMS
I.38477-001,
26.4 mm
SL, off
Newcastle
, NSW,
33.1°S
,
151.8°E
,
67 m
;
AMS
I.43908-001,
21.1 mm
SL, off
Broken Bay
, NSW
,
33.472°S
,
151.542°E
,
60 m
;
AMS
I.33675-003,
30.4 mm
SL, off
Crowdy Head
, NSW
,
31.9°S
,
152.8°E
,
84 m
;
AMS
I.26451-003, off
Broken Bay
,
27.2 mm
SL, NSW
,
33.6°S
,
151.7°E
;
AMS
I. 32166- 002,
27.4 mm
SL, off
Crowdy Head
,
32.0°S
,
152.8°E
,
86 m
;
AMS
I.33551-006,
29.1 mm
SL, off
Yamba
, NSW
,
29.4°S
,
153.6°E
;
AMS
I.33555-002,
26.5–27.8 mm
SL,
two specimens
,
off
Crowdy Head
, NSW,
31.9°S
,
152.9°E
;
UW
151890,
23.6 mm
SL,
Clarence River
, NSW,
29.4°S
,
153.6°E
,
68 m
;
UW
151891 (cleared and stained),
37.1 mm
SL, off
Broken Bay
, NSW,
33.6°S
,
151.7°E
;
UW
151892,
25.6 mm
SL, off
Crowdy Head
, NSW,
31.9°S
,
152.8°E
,
84 m
.
Diagnosis.
A frogfish of the lophiiform family
Antennariidae
, genus
Kuiterichthys
, unique in having the following combination of character states: skin covered with close-set bifurcate dermal spinules; esca distinct; illicium naked, without dermal spinules; second dorsal-fin spine long (17.0–22.5% SL), pectoral-fin lobe broadly attached to side of body; caudal peduncle present, membranous posteriormost margins of dorsal and anal fins attached to body distinctly anterior to base of outermost rays of caudal fin; outermost rays of caudal fin simple, innermost seven rays bifurcate; mesopterygoid absent; pharyngobranchial I present; epural absent; pseudobranch absent; swimbladder absent; ovaries lobular and joined at midline; no basidorsal spot or intricate network of white interconnecting lines; dorsal-fin rays 11 (rarely 10); anal-fin rays seven; pectoral-fin rays eight (rarely seven).
Description.
Esca a single, tapering appendage bearing filaments along its lateral margins and within a “V-shaped” depression along its inner margin, with a tight cluster of slightly longer filaments arising from its base; illicium naked, without dermal spinules or groove alongside second dorsal-fin spine, approximately equal to length of second dorsal-fin spine; second dorsal-fin spine 17.0–22.5% SL, not connected to head by membrane, covered with close-set dermal spinules; third dorsal-fin spine 23.9–29.3% SL; dorsal-fin rays 11 (rarely 10), as many as seven posteriormost rays bifurcate, rays supported by 10 pterygiophores; anal-fin rays seven, as many as three posteriormost rays bifurcate, supported by six pterygiophores; pectoral-fin rays eight (rarely seven), all simple; all five rays of pelvic fin simple; eye diameter 8.0–12.1% SL; skin covered with close-set, bifurcated dermal spinules, extending onto fins and outer margins of the sclera, length of spines of each spinule not more than twice distance between tips of spines; anterior end of pterygiophore of illicium terminating at or slightly anterior to symphysis of upper jaw (
Table 1
).
TABLE 1.
Counts and measurements of species of
Kuiterichthys
.
| Species |
Standard |
Length of |
Length of 2nd |
Length of 3rd |
Diameter of |
| Length (mm) |
Illicium |
Dorsal-fin Spine |
Dorsal-fin Spine |
Eye |
|
K. pietschi
|
19.1–32.4 |
- |
17.0–22.5% |
23.9–29.3% |
8.0–12.1% |
|
K. furcipilis
|
27.5–96.5 |
18.8–24.6% |
20.7–39.9% |
23.7–30.4% |
5.98–9.6% |
|
K.
sp.
|
29–41.9 |
9.7–15.5% |
27.9–33.2% |
27.5–29.4% |
9.4–10.7% |
TABLE 1.
(Continued)
| Species |
Vertebrae |
Dorsal-fin |
Anal-fin |
Pectoral-fin |
| Rays |
Rays |
Rays |
|
K. pietschi
|
20 |
10–11 |
7 |
7–8 |
|
K. furcipilis
|
21 |
12–14 |
7–8 |
9–11 |
|
K.
sp.
|
- |
11–12 |
7 |
9–10 |
Color in preservation.
Body light brown with darker brown marbling, lighter on ventral parts of head and body; a wide light vertical band posterior to midpoint of body; caudal fin with light brown spotting on rays, interradial membranes clear; paired fins light brown to dark brown dorsally, light ventrally; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins of some specimens with light bands.
Etymology.
The specific name
pietschi
is given in honor of Theodore W. Pietsch of the University of Washington, Seattle, in recognition of his many contributions to the evolutionary biology of lophiiform fishes, and for his dedication to guiding and inspiring future generations of ichthyologists.
Distribution.
Specimens were collected in waters off
New South Wales
,
Australia
, from SE Evans Head, off Iluka, to Broken Bay, at depths of
60–89 m
(average
73 m
).
FIGURE 1.
Kuiterichthys pietschi
,
new species
, holotype, AMS I.33555-004, 25.8 mm SL, Crowdy Head, NSW, 31.9°S, 152.9°E.
FIGURE 2.
Kuiterichthys furcipilis
, Hobart
, Tasmania; published in
Pietsch and Grobecker (1987
, plate 41). Photograph by R.H. Kuiter.
Comparative remarks.
Coloration in preservation of
Kuiterichthys pietschi
is similar to that of
K. furcipilis
. Some specimens of
K. furcipilis
,
however, have a prominent basidorsal spot or a complex network of white, interconnecting lines (
Pietsch and Grobecker, 1987
: plate 41), but these markings have not been observed in
K. pietschi
. The escal morphology is different between species:
K. pietschi
has a single, tapering appendage bearing filaments along its lateral margins and within a “V-shaped” depression, whereas
K. furcipilis
has nine filaments arising in a single plane from a common base with additional filaments arising from anterior surface of the base (
Pietsch and Grobecker, 1987
: fig. 87). Mature specimens of
K. pietschi
also appear to be smaller than those of
K. furcipilis
(19.1–32.4 vs.
27.5–96.5 mm
SL). Although the narrow distribution of
K. pietschi
overlaps with that of
K. furcipilis
, the latter is found below approximately
32°S
in
New South Wales
, and extends to off
Victoria
and the east coast of
Tasmania
(
Pietsch and Grobecker, 1987
).
Kuiterichthys pietschi
is also found in
New South Wales
, but the southernmost record for the species is
33.6°S
(AMS I.26451-003 and UW 151891). The depth range of both species overlaps, and the average collection depths are similar (73 vs.
90 m
).
Pietsch and Grobecker (1987)
identified
seven specimens
of
Kuiterichthys
that did not conform to the diagnosis of
K. furcipilis
, differing solely on the length of the illicium (9.7–15.5% vs. 18.8–24.6% SL for
K. furcipilis
). Three of these specimens were examined in the course of this study (UW 20986), but they also do not conform to the diagnosis given here for
K. pietschi
(second dorsal-fin spine 27.9–33.2% SL vs. 17.0–22.5% for
K. pietschi
; pectoral-fin rays 9–10 vs. 7– 8 for
K. pietschi
;
Table 1
). Additional specimens of this third, potentially undescribed species could not be found in collections of the Australian Museum (AMS), South Australian Museum (SAM), and the Museum
Victoria
(NMV).
Additional material examined.
Kuiterichthys furcipilis
, AMS I.
26237-001, AMS I.29733-003, AMS I.34506-001, AMS I.35914-002, AMS I.40311-002, AMS I.40311-003, AMS I.40320-002, AMS I.40810-004, UW 020985, UW 020987, NMV A1529, NMV
A16657
, NMV A3451, NMV A525.
Kuiterichthys
sp.
, UW 20986.