Stars-and-stripes Leatherjacket, Meuschenia venusta Hutchins 1977

Other Names: Beautiful Leatherjacket, Stars And Stripes Leatherjacket

Summary:

A somewhat elongate leatherjacket with a pointed snout Males and females differ in colour pattern. The pale brown to whitish males have 4-5 spotted brown stripes along sides, narrow brown stripes on head, brown spots on top of the snout and below the eye, and a yellowish to whitish caudal fin with upper and lower edges blackish with white spots. Females are generally overall more brownish.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2021, Meuschenia venusta in Fishes of Australia, accessed 10 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1284

Stars-and-stripes Leatherjacket, Meuschenia venusta Hutchins 1977

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to and widespread in southern Australia from Port Stephens (New South Wales) to Shark Bay (Western Australia), including the Kent Group in Bass Strait, Tasmania. Mostly inhabits deep coastal and offshore reefs, often around sponges, although occasionally seen in shallower waters, especially on reefs near steep drop-offs. Juveniles usually shelter amongst macroalgae and sometimes in seagrass beds.
Features	Dorsal fin II, 34; Anal fin 31-33; Caudal fin 12: Pectoral fin 12-13. Body rather elongate in males, oblong, of moderate depth, somewhat deeper in females, very compressed, with a small ventral flap; caudal peduncle shallow. Head large, acutely pointed; eyes small; mouth very small; teeth large, central pair in both jaws pointed; gill openings in form of small slit mostly above each pectoral fin base. Skin rough to touch; no spines or bristles on caudal peduncle; lateral line difficult to detect. Two dorsal fins, first dorsal above eyes, consisting of prominent spine with very small to minute barbs, spine partly received into shallow groove when depressed, second dorsal widely separated from first, of moderate length, moderately elevated anteriorly in males, outer margin slightly convex and not elevated anteriorly in females; anal fin similar to and opposing second dorsal; caudal fin truncate to convex. Pectoral fins moderately small, rounded. Pelvic fins rudimentary, rudiment obvious, fused to rear end of pelvis.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin venustus (= beautiful) in reference to the vivid coloration of this species.
Species Citation	Meuschenia venusta Hutchins, 1977, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 5(1): 45. Type locality: Shark Bay, 25°30'S, 115°39'E, Western Australia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2021
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Stars-and-stripes Leatherjacket, Meuschenia venusta Hutchins 1977

References

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