Genus Ostichthys

Summary:
Species in the genus Ostichthys have well-developed nasal bones which extend anteriorly to the median upper lip, a long, narrow premaxillary groove, 29 vertebrae, and the vomerine teeth in a subtriangular to elliptical patch (Greenfield et al. 2017).

Key to species of Ostichthys found in Australian waters (modified from Fricke 2018)        

1a. Scales above lateral line to middle of spinous portion of dorsal fin 2½ …….………………….……Ostichthys kaianus   

1b. Scales above lateral line to middle of spinous portion of dorsal fin 3½ ……………………………………………………………2  

2a. Anterior end of each nasal bone with a sharp forward-directed spine projecting to or beyond median upper lip; gill rakers 10-12 + 16-18; a short stout spine at corner of preopercle  …………….….……………………O. acanthorhinus

2b. Anterior end of nasal bones without a forward-directed spine (except juveniles); gill rakers 6-11 + 9-17; no spine at corner of preopercle notably larger than spinules along entire margin …………………….……….…O. japonicus

Author: Bray, D.J. 2020

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Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2020, Ostichthys in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/genus/1050

References

Fricke, R. 2017. Ostichthys kinchi, a new species of soldierfish from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean (Teleostei: Holocentridae). FishTaxa 2(1): 62-70 See ref online

Fricke, R. 2018. Ostichthys spiniger, a new species of soldierfish from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean (Teleostei: Holocentridae). Ichthyological Research 65(1): 127-133, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-017-0600-9.

Greenfield, D.W., Randall, J.E. & Psomadakis, P.N. 2017. A review of the soldierfish genus Ostichthys (Beryciformes: Holocentridae), with descriptions of two new species from Myanmar. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation 26: 1–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.344964 Open access