Genus Kathetostoma


Summary:
A genus of stargazers with the following characteristics:
Body naked; head square to rectangular in cross section; eyes directed upward, small; bony orbital rim separated medially by naked rectangular space; mouth with several prominent canines between smaller canines; chin smoothly curved, without tabular (plectroid) processes or fleshy barbel; lips with short ridge-like crenulations; ventral margin of preopercle with four spine-like processes; anterior end of isthmus with a pair of prominent forward directed spines; prominent cleithral spine sheathed with skin above pectoral fin base without fringe ventrally; scales absent; lateral line pores in skin high on side close to base of dorsal fin. Dorsal fin continuous, with 13–18 segmented rays, lacking separate spinous section anteriorly or short nub-like spines unconnected by membranes anteriorly on back; anal fin with 12–18 segmented rays; pectoral fins huge, fan-like; pelvic fins moderately large.
Three species occur in Australian waters.
Author: Dianne J. Bray

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Kathetostoma in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/genus/735

References


Gomon, M.F. & Roberts, C.D. 2011. A second New Zealand species of the stargazer genus Kathetostoma(Trachinoidei: Uranoscopidae). Zootaxa 2776: 1-12.