Synodus mundyi

description

Description of Japanese specimen. General features of the fish are shown in Fig. 1. Counts and measurements are given in Table 1. Dorsal-fin rays 13, branched except first 2, last branched to base; anal-fin rays 10, unbranched except last 2, last branched to base; pectoral-fin rays 13, upper 2 and lower 1 unbranched; pelvic-fin rays 8, first and last unbranched; principal caudal-fin rays 19, upper and lower ones unbranched; procurrent caudal-fin rays (upper / lower) 18 / 15; lateral-line scales 58, not including tubed scales curving ventrally on caudal-fin base; scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin 31 ⁄ 2; scale rows between lateral line and anal-fin origin 51 ⁄ 2; median predorsal scales ca. 17; circumpeduncular scales 14; lower-limb gill rakers on ceratobranchial 21; peritoneal spots 3; total vertebrae 58; predorsal vertebrae 15. Body slender, cylindrical, depth at pelvic-fin origin 6.3 in SL; body width 6.4 in SL; HL 3.6 in SL; snout length 3.9 in HL; orbit diameter 4.1 in HL; interorbital space a broad Vshaped concavity when viewed anteriorly, least bony width 10.6 in HL; caudal-peduncle depth 4.8 in HL; caudal-peduncle length 2.4 in HL. Mouth terminal and very

First Record of the Lizardfish Synodus mundyi (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from Japan

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Modified from the diagnosis given in the original description by Randall (2009): dorsal-fin rays 13; anal-fin rays 9 – 10; pectoral-fin rays 13 – 14; lateral-line scales 58 – 60; scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin 31 ⁄ 2; vertebrae 58 – 60; predorsal vertebrae 15 – 17; 3 – 5 anterior palatine teeth of inner row distinctly longer than posterior teeth, arranged in discrete group; preopercle fully scaled; posterior flap of anterior nostril very long, slender to leaflike, extending more than 2 posterior-nostril diameters beyond nostrils when laid back; body depth at pelvic-fin origin 6.3 – 7.35 in SL; pectoral fin extending beyond line connecting dorsal- and pelvic-fin origins, fin length 2.15 – 2.25 in HL; color when fresh reddish dorsally, abruptly white below lateral line, with about 8 brilliant red bars, each with 3 constrictions (uppermost obscure in lateral view); broad parts of each bar with faint yellowish spot; space between second constricted area of each bar with pale arc; color in alcohol uniformly pale yellowish.

First Record of the Lizardfish Synodus mundyi (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from Japan

discussion

Remarks. The Japanese specimen examined belongs to the genus Synodus in having eight pelvic-fin rays, the outermost pelvic-fin ray distinctly shorter than the inner ones, 10 anal-fin rays, the length of the anal-fin base longer than the dorsal-fin base, and in lacking scales on the procurrent caudal-fin rays (Cressey 1981; Russell 1999). In addition, it agrees well with the original description of S. mundyi, and was identified as this species, especially in having a very long nasal flap (Fig. 2) reaching more than two posterior nostril diameters beyond the nostrils when laid back, 13 dorsal-fin rays, 10 anal-fin rays, 31 ⁄ 2 scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin, the tip of pectoral fin extending well beyond a line connecting the dorsal- and pelvic-fin origins, and characteristic fresh coloration described above. Morphometric values of the Japanese specimen lie within or only slightly outside (less than 2 % of SL) the range of the two type specimens of S. mundyi provided in the original description (Table 1). Additionally, no differences were found in the meristic features, except for slight differences in the numbers of lateral-line scales (58 in Japanese s

First Record of the Lizardfish Synodus mundyi (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from Japan

distribution

Distribution. So far known only from the Hawaiian Islands at depths of 84 – 200 m and the Ogasawara Islands at a depth of 63 m (Fig. 3; Randall 2009; this study).

First Record of the Lizardfish Synodus mundyi (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from Japan