Longtail Weedfish, Heteroclinus longicaudus Hoese, Hay & DiBattista 2024

Other Names: Long-tail Weedfish, Longtailed Weedfish

Summary:

A relatively large yellowish to brown weedfish, often with a whitish to silvery-white stripe extending behind the rear of the eye. The Longtail Weedfish has a very long caudal peduncle, and a bilobed nasal tentacle with the flap as long as the tubular base. This is the only species of Heteroclinus to have no orbital tentacle.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2024, Heteroclinus longicaudus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 24 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5243

Longtail Weedfish, Heteroclinus longicaudus Hoese, Hay & DiBattista 2024

More Info

Distribution	Sydney, New South Wales, to Port Phillip, Victoria, including northern Tasmania. Inhabits sand, rock and algal areas, often in deep coastal rock pools amongst string kelp at depths to 8 m; also amongst tall kelp and dense Zostera beds.
Features	Dorsal fin III, XXV-XXVI,3; Anal fin II,17-19; Pectoral fin 12-13; Pelvic fin I,3; Caudal fin (segmented rays) 10-12; Lateral-line scales 18-23 (arched portion) + 25-31 (straight portion); Gill rakers 2-3 + 7-8 = 9-11. Body of moderate depth (depth at anal fin origin 23-29% SL), sides strongly compressed; caudal peduncle long (11.9-17.2% SL), very slender. Mouth of moderate size (upper jaw length 8-11% SL) reaching to between middle and posterior edge of eyes; 13-18 circumorbital head pores arranged uniserially; no orbital tentacle; nasal tentacles bilobed, flap as long as tubular base; middle and often uppermost rakers on outer face of first gill arch branched dorsally. Two dorsal fins, first dorsal low (second spine 7-10% SL), originating over preopercular margin; first dorsal fin separated or connected by membrane to base of second dorsal fin; flaps extending posteriorly from dorsal spines bound in membrane; last two dorsal and anal rays widely separated from preceding ray; last dorsal ray connected by membrane to middle of caudal peduncle; basal half of last anal fin ray attached to caudal peduncle by membrane. Pelvic fins short and stout, inner ray about two-thirds length of second ray.
Colour	Head and body yellow to brown; horizontal white or silver stripe sometimes present extending posteriorly from upper posterior margin of each eye.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin longus (= long) and cauda (= tail), in reference to the elongate caudal peduncle of this species.
Species Citation	Heteroclinus longicauda Hoese, Hay & DiBattista 2024, Zootaxa 5432(3): 320, Pl. 4, Figs 2, 8, 9. Type locality: Salt Lake, Nadgee Nature Reserve, New South Wales, 37°23’49”S, 149°57’18”E.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2024
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Longtail Weedfish, Heteroclinus longicaudus Hoese, Hay & DiBattista 2024

References

Hoese, D.F., Gomon, M.F. & Rennis, D.S. 2008. Family Clinidae. pp. 696-722 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast.Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. (as Heteroclinus sp. 3)

Hoese, D.F., Hay, A. & DiBattista, J.D. 2024. A review of the Heteroclinus heptaeolus complex (Pisces: Blennioidei: Clinidae), with three new species and discussion of use of proportions in taxonomic studies. Zootaxa 5432(3): 301–348, https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5432.3.1

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. (as Heteroclinus sp 3)

Kuiter, R.H. & Kuiter, S.L. 2018. Fish watchers guide to coastal sea-fishes of south-eastern Australia. Seaford, Victoria : Aquatic Photographics, 371 pp. (as Heteroclinus sp 2)

McCulloch, A.R. 1908. Studies in Australian fishes, No. 1. Records of the Australian Museum 7(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.7.1908.949 (as Petraites heptaeolus, in part, 41, pl. 8, fig 1)

Rennis, D., Hoese, D.F. & Gomon, M.F. 1994. Family Clinidae. pp. 741-775, figs 650-684B in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. (as Heteroclinus sp. 3)