Longfin flathead, Ratabulus ventralis Imamura & Gomon 2010

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Bray, D.J. 2024, Ratabulus ventralis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5140

Longfin flathead, Ratabulus ventralis Imamura & Gomon 2010

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Distribution	Endemic to north-eastern Australia from off Townsville to off Noosa, Queensland. The species is benthic on gravelly bottoms.
Features	Dorsal fin I + VIII + I-11 (I + VII or VIII + I-11, or I + IX + 0-11, VII in one, IX in one); Anal fin 12; Pectoral fin 2 + 10-11 + 6-7 = 19–21; Pelvic fin I, 5; Branched caudal fin rays 13 (12 or 13); Lateral line scales 55 (52–55), anterior four (3–5) scales with spine. A species of Ratabulus with 91–104 anteroventrally slanted oblique scale rows above lateral line; snout length 30.9– 32.4% HL, markedly decreasing proportionally with growth; pectoral fin length 15.8–18.6% SL; pelvic fin length 26.2– 28.2% SL; nasal bone with tubercles.
Colour	Dorsal surface of head with small, round, brown spots, body without dark spots; pelvic fin with small brown spots.
Similar Species	The similar Ratabulus diversidens which also has tubercles on the nasal bone, differs from R. ventralis in having a shorter pectoral fin (13.9–15.8% SL in R. diversidens versus 15.8–18.6% SL in R. ventralis), and large, irregular spots on the head (versus a head with small, round, brown spots in R. ventralis).
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin ventralis (= of the belly), in reference to the characteristic long pelvic fin of this species.
Species Citation	Ratabulus ventralis Imamura & Gomon 2010, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 67: 31, Figs. 2d, 3d, 4d, 5d, 6d. Type locality: east of Townsville, Queensland (18°39.3'S, 148°03.4'E – 18°36.4'S, 147°59.5'E), 244–248 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2024
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Longfin flathead, Ratabulus ventralis Imamura & Gomon 2010

References

Imamura, H. & Gomon, M.F. 2010. Taxonomic revision of the genus Ratabulus (Teleostei: Platycephalidae), with descriptions of two new species from Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 67: 19-33. http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2010.67.03