Yellowtail Flathead

description

Description. Counts and measurements shown in Table 12. Data for all specimens presented first, followed by holotype condition in parentheses. SL (mm) 98.7 85.8 63.2 – 553 Counts: * Abnormal condition. Snout, area anteroventral to eye, interorbit and occipital region scaled; lower half of suborbital region naked. Interorbit narrower than orbital diameter in 369 mm SL or smaller specimens, wider than latter in larger specimens. Upper iris lappet broad, usually slightly bilobed (including holotype), rarely pointed or mostly straight in some specimens; lower weakly convex. Nasal spine present in smaller specimens, tending to disappear with growth, absent in 330 mm SL or larger specimens (present in holotype). Preorbital spine absent. One suborbital spine usually present below posterior margin of eye in 149 mm SL or smaller specimens (including holotype), usually absent in larger specimens; one additional suborbital spine sometimes present below and slightly anterior to middle of eye (absent in holotype). Lower preopercular spine slightly longer than upper, not reaching opercular margin. Supplemental preopercular spine usually present in 123 mm SL or smaller specimens (including holoty

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A species of Platycephalus with the following combination of characters: first dorsal fin with a single small isolated spine anteriorly; second dorsal- and anal-fin rays usually 13; interorbital width 6.3 – 17.0 % HL; postorbital length 51.2 – 60.9 % HL; snout, area anteroventral to the eye, interorbit, and occipital region scaled; upper iris lappet broad, usually slightly bilobed; a finger-like interopercular flap present; upper jaw without large caniniform teeth; teeth absent on dorsal surface of anterolateral edge of upper jaw; palatine teeth in two rows; vomerine teeth in one or two (usually one) rows anteriorly, one to four (usually one or two) posteriorly; three or four longitudinal dark bands on caudal fin; upper lobe of caudal fin with yellow blotch when fresh.

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

discussion

Remarks. Platycephalus westraliae had been considered as a subspecies (Whitley, 1938, 1964) or junior synonym of P. bassensis (Paxton & Hanley, 1989; Hoese et al., 2006) until Imamura (2008) showed it to be a valid species in its own right. In addition, up to that time, specimens had often been identified as “ P. endrachtensis ”. Of the species of Platycephalus with usually 13 second dorsal- and anal-fin rays, and two or more brown to black longitudinal bands on the caudal fin, P. westraliae differs from P. angustus and P. cultellatus in having the first dorsal fin with a small isolated spine anteriorly [usually two in the latter (but rarely one in P. angustus)] and a shorter postorbital region at a given length (51.2 – 60.9 % HL in P. westraliae vs. 55.5 – 67.8 % HL in P. angustus and 51.8 – 66.8 % HL in P. cultellatus) (Fig. 30 B). The former character is also useful for separating P. westraliae from Platycephalus sp. 1 and 2 (sensu Nakabo, 2002). Platycephalus westraliae also differs from P. angustus in having teeth absent on the dorsal surface of the anterolateral edge of the upper jaw (teeth present in P. angustus), from P. australis sp. nov. (described below) in having a shor

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species

distribution

Distribution. Known from Australia (except Vic, Tas and SA), from Fremantle, WA (32 ° 03 ’ S) across northern Australia to Port Hacking, NSW (32 ° 04 ’ S), including NT and Qld, and also from the southern coasts of Papua New Guinea and Java (e. g., Hutchins & Swainston 1986; Knapp 1999; Imamura, 2008; this study). Size. Maximum length 1 m (Hutchins & Swainston, 1986). The largest specimen examined during the present study was 553 mm SL (635 mm TL).

Taxonomic revision of the flathead fish genus Platycephalus Bloch, 1785 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from Australia, with description of a new species