Blackfringe Bigeye

description

Description: Counts and measurements of the holotype and 30 non-type specimens are given in Table 1. Characters stated in the diagnosis are not repeated. Pristigenys refulgens Pristigenys niphonia continued next page * In Pristigenys niphonia, the asterisk data are based only for a neotype and 38 non-type specimens (A) of Pristigenys niphonia in proportional measurements but other data without asterisk are based on both 38 specimens (including a neotype) and 54 nontype specimens (B) of Pristigenys niphonia in counts and proportional measurements. Body considerably deep (holotype with somewhat slender body due to dry mount distortion, Figure 4, see Remarks), compressed (holotype distorted, overly thick), and covered with extremely adherent, rough, spiny scales on body, interorbital, maxillary, cheeks, and branchiostegals; spinules on posterior margins of body scales sharply pointed, somewhat strong and thick, and increasing in number with growth (Figures 7 A, 8); eyes very large; mouth large, oblique; maxillary expanded posteriorly, reaching to a vertical just behind anterior margin of pupil; teeth on jaws villiform in wide bands, outer series on upper jaw somewhat enlarged and slig

A valid priacanthid species, Pristigenys refulgens (Valenciennes 1862), and a redescription of P. niphonia (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829) in the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Priacanthidae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other species of Pristigenys by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with ten spines and 11 soft rays; anal fin with three spines and ten soft rays; total gill rakers on first arch 23 – 26, mode 24 (6 – 9 on upper limb, 16 – 18 on lower limb); lateral-line scales 31 – 37, mode 33 (Tables 1 – 2); body scales above pectoral fin with about 11 – 40 spinules on posterior margin, numbers increasing with growth up to about 200 mm SL (Figure 8); caudal fin rounded in young and adults (Figures 2 A, 3 A, 5 A-C, 6 A); posterior soft portions of vertical fins hyaline reddish with black margins, width about 1 / 4 of pupil diameter in fresh specimens (usually evident in preservation (Figures 2 A, 3 A, 6 A); five white or pale relatively narrow vertical bands on body, the third around 1 / 4 – 2 / 5 width of pupil, somewhat expanded dorsally and ventrally, and relatively vertical throughout, including dorsal and ventral extremities.

A valid priacanthid species, Pristigenys refulgens (Valenciennes 1862), and a redescription of P. niphonia (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829) in the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Priacanthidae)

discussion

Remarks: The holotype (MNHN 2590) of Myripristis refulgens Valenciennes 1862 was formerly a mounted dry specimen (P. Provost per. comm.), subsequently maintained in 70 % ethyl-alcohol. The body is inflated, particularly anteriorly, with broken fins, and much deformed (see Figure 4) compared with a typical P. refulgens (Figure 2 A); it is the largest known specimen for the species at 274 mm SL. However, despite its condition, meristic and most morphometric characters correspond well with those of the non-type specimens here accorded to P. refulgens (see Table 1), especially in the lower counts of pored lateral-line scales (32), total gill rakers (25), and spinules on posterior margin of body scale (mean 23). The number of spinules increases in specimens up to around 200 mm SL (Figure 8) and then, gradually decreases with growth. Mid-lateral body scales in specimens of over 200 mm SL become considerably thickened compared with abdominal and dorsal body scales and spinules become difficult to count, as in the holotype. Based on the congruency of these characters with modern materials representing the black-margined fin form, plus, so far as known, the exclusive occurrence of this form

A valid priacanthid species, Pristigenys refulgens (Valenciennes 1862), and a redescription of P. niphonia (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829) in the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Priacanthidae)

distribution

Distribution: Pristigenys refulgens is widely distributed in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific (Figure 9), including South Africa, Mozambique Channel, eastern coast of Africa, (Shimizu, 1976), Reunion and Seychelles (Valenciennes 1862; Smith 1966), Red Sea (Goren & Dor 1994; D. Golani and H. Fricke per. comm.) and off Cochin, India (Day 1875; R. Nair, based on a color photographs, per. comm.), and Andaman Sea (Kyushin et al. 1977: 244). In western Pacific, known from Bali, Indonesia (K. Shibukawa per. comm.), South China Sea between Vietnam and Brunei, northward to the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and rarely Miyazaki, Wakayama Prefecture (second author’s confirmation), and Mie (S. Kimura per. comm.) of Pacific coast of Honshu Islands, Japan.

A valid priacanthid species, Pristigenys refulgens (Valenciennes 1862), and a redescription of P. niphonia (Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1829) in the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Priacanthidae)