Kermadec Clingfish, Flexor incus Conway, Stewart & Summers 2018


A Kermadec Clingfish, Flexor incus, at Te konui Point, Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, depth 28 m. Source: R. Robinson (www.depth.co.nz), 2011 Kermadec Islands Biodiscovery Expedition / Fig. 2, in Conway et al. (2018) ZooKeys 786: 75-104. License: CC BY Attribution

Summary:
A uniformly pinkish-purple to grey clingfish, with diffuse pale markings ranging from bars to irregular blotches, diffuse pale areas around the nostrils and the tip of the snout, a red iris, and transparent fins.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2023, Flexor incus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 25 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5588

Kermadec Clingfish, Flexor incus Conway, Stewart & Summers 2018

More Info


Distribution

Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand.
Inhabits intertidal and subtidal waters, including rock pools and shallower subtidal rock and coral rubble areas. In the Kermadecs, one individual was photographed at a depth of 28 m.

Features

Dorsal fin 9-10; Anal fin 8-9; Caudal-fin, principal rays 5+5; Dorsal procurrent rays 6-7; Ventral procurrent rays 6; Pectoral fin 24-25, uppermost ray a tiny splint-like element; Pelvic fin I, 4.
All fins rays, excluding anteriormost 4–5 procurrent caudal-fin rays, unbranched and segmented; anteriormost 4–5 procurrent caudal-fin rays unsegmented, azygous elements.

Remarks

Conway et al. (2018) reported this species from Lord Howe Island as Aspasmogaster sp.

Etymology

The specific name is from the Latin incus (= anvil) in reference to the anvil-like outline of Raoul Island, the largest island in the Kermadec archipelago and type locality of the new species.

Species Citation

Flexor incus Conway, Stewart & Summers 2018, ZooKeys 786: 78, Figs. 1-10. Type locality: Fishing Rock Landing, Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, 29°15'03.0"S, 177°54'12.0"W, depth 0-1 m.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Kermadec Clingfish, Flexor incus Conway, Stewart & Summers 2018

References


Conway, K.W., Stewart, A.L. & Summers, A.P. 2018. A new genus and species of clingfish from the Rangitāhua Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys 786: 75-104. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.786.28539

Francis, M.P. 2019. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4428305.v2

Fujiwara, K., Conway, K.W. & Motomura, H. 2021. First record of the Kermadec Clingfish, Flexor incus Conway, Stewart & Summers, 2018 (Gobiesocidae), from New Caledonia and Australia. Check List 17(3): 769–773. https://doi.org/10.15560/17.3.769

Stewart, A.L. 2015. 218 Family Gobiesocidae. pp. 1539-1555 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. (eds). The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 4 pp. 1153-1748 (as Aspasmogaster sp.)

Trnski, T., Duffy, C.A.J., Francis, M.P., et al. 2015. Recent collections of fishes at the Kermadec Islands and new records for the region. Bulletin of the Auckland Museum 20: 463–480, www.aucklandmuseum.com/research/pub/bulletin/20/20 (as Aspasmogaster sp.)

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37206043

Depth:0-28 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:2.9 cm SL

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CAAB distribution map