Longfin Velvetfish, Pseudopataecus taenianotus Johnson 2004

Longfin Velvetfish, Pseudopataecus taenianotus. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial

Summary:

A dull red to chocolate-brown velvetfish with a cream to creamy-yellow breast and belly, a tall dorsal fin originating well before the eyes, long, slender pelvic fins reaching about two-thirds distance to anus, and dense fleshy cirri on the margin and ventral surface of the lower jaw.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2020, Pseudopataecus taenianotus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 25 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1735

Longfin Velvetfish, Pseudopataecus taenianotus Johnson 2004

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to southern Queensland, from northeast of the Keppel Islands, to NE of Waddy Point, Fraser Island. The Longfin Velvetfish has only been collected in trawls or benthic sleds, mostly on soft-bottom habitats with algae and some sessile invertebrates such as sponges, in depths of 20-63 m.
Features	Dorsal fin XIII–XV, 14–15; Anal fin I, 11–13; Pectoral fin 11; Pelvic fin I, 3; Vertebrae 30. Head and body highly compressed, body width 6.4–6.9 in SL; frontal bone with non-prominent laterally-bowed ridges, a shallow fleshy depression in their interspace; fleshy cirri densely arranged on margin and ventral surface of mandible; anterior tip of isthmus free; modified scales densely arranged on head and body; bands of minute villiform teeth in jaws and on vomer; no teeth on palatines. All fin rays unbranched. Dorsal fin high, with membrane not or only slightly incised, anterior portion distinctly raised, originating on cranium almost one eye diameter before anterior margin of eye. Pelvic fins long and slender, reaching about two-thirds distance to anus.
Similar Species	The Longfin Velvetfish differs from other aploactinids in having a markedly compressed head and body, a large number of dorsal and anal-fin ray elements, the frontal bone with laterally-bowed ridges forming a shallow fleshy depression, and the distinctly anterior insertion of the first dorsal-fin spine.
Etymology	The specific name taenianotus is from the latin taenia- (= ribbon, tape) and notus (= back) in reference to the long ribbon-like dorsal fin of this species.
Species Citation	Pseudopataecus taenianotus Johnson 2004, Rec. Aust. Mus. 56(2): 181, figs 1, 3a, 3b. Type locality: WSW of Lady Musgrave Island, 23°57.21'S, 152°13.32'E, Queensland, Australia, depth 37 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2020
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Longfin Velvetfish, Pseudopataecus taenianotus Johnson 2004

References

Johnson, J.W. 2004. Two new species and two new records of aploactinid fishes (Pisces: Scorpaeniformes) from Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 56(2): 179-188. DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.56.2004.1421

Johnson, J.W. 2012. Pseudopataecus carnatobarbatus, a new species of velvetfish (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Aploactinidae) from the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. Zootaxa 3245: 54–62. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3245.1.3