Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse, Iniistius bakunawa Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola 2023

Summary:

A pale yellowish to jade-green razor wrasse with a large black and white ellipsoid ocellus on the rear edge of the dorsal fin, and orange-yellow dorsal and anal fins with metallic blue wavy markings.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2023, Iniistius bakunawa in Fishes of Australia, accessed 05 Dec 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5722

Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse, Iniistius bakunawa Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola 2023

More Info

Distribution	Northwest of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. Elsewhere the species is known from the Philippines - artisinal markets in Panay, Cebu, Bohol and Jolo islands. Inhabits sandy areas, and the Australian specimens were trawled at depths of 54-57 m.
Features	Dorsal fin IX,12; Anal fin III,12; Pectoral fin 12; Caudal fin (principal rays) 6+6, procurrent rays 6+5; Gill rakers 4–6 + 8–11 = 12–17; Scales rows (horizontal) on cheek 7; Dorsal scales on opercle 2; Lateral-line scales (tubed) 23-26; Vertebrae 9+16. Gill rakers short, bearing teeth.
Fisheries	All known specimens were taken in trawls.
Etymology	The species is named after Bakunawa, “a serpentine or draconic figure in Visayan mythology believed to be responsible for causing an eclipse by devouring the moon.”
Species Citation	Iniistius bakunawa Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola, 2023, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 71: 512, Figs. 1-4. Type locality: Loay fish market, Bohol, Philippines.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2023
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Eclipse-spot Razor Wrasse, Iniistius bakunawa Sorgon, Tea, Meren & Nañola 2023

References

Sorgon, K.E.S., Tea, Y.K., Meren, J.C., and Nañola Jr., C.L. 2023. Iniistius bakunawa, a new species of razor wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Philippines and Western Australia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 71: 511-519. See ref online