Yellowspotted Duckbill, Acanthaphritis ozawai (McKay 1971)

Summary:

A small duckbill with a black first dorsal fin, and about seven bright lemon-yellow spots along the upper side, about one scale in diameter above a faint longitudinal grey stripe.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2019, Acanthaphritis ozawai in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2933

Yellowspotted Duckbill, Acanthaphritis ozawai (McKay 1971)

More Info

Distribution	Off the Northwest Shelf, Western Australia. Elsewhere the species occurs at Tarawa Atoll in the central Pacific.
Features	Dorsal fin V, 24-26; Anal fin 29-31; Pectoral fin 21; Pelvic fin I, 5. Lateral line scales 39-43 in longitudinal series, scales unlike those of remainder of body in possessing a sculptured margin; Scales above lateral line 3, scales below lateral line 3; Branchiostegal rays 7. Body slender and subcylindrical, covered with large thin scales with weakly ctenoid ragged edge. Opercles and cheeks with cycloid scales; snout naked. Lateral line along mediolateral axis of body, scales differentiated. Eyes large, mostly dorsal in position and separated by very narrow interorbital ridge. Snout depressed, with well developed preorbital spines not projecting beyond outer margin of upper jaw. Upper jaw slightly longer than lower; mouth slightly oblique; maxillary expanded posteriorly, without flap. Upper and lower jaws with about three rows of small depressable teeth; vomer with two well-separated, raised mounds bearing strong teeth; palatines without teeth. Tongue without teeth, narrow posteriorly between vomerine patches, but dilated anteriorly into spoon- shaped process, lying well anterior to vomer, Ceratohyal with terminal well-developed inwardly-projecting process. Opercle with single spine; subopercle with membranous posterior flap covering lower half of pectoral fin base; posterior-dorsal edge smooth. Gill membranes free from isthmus. Two dorsal fins, first fin low with five slender spines; second fin with twenty four to twenty six rays.
Etymology	The species is named ozawai in honour of Captain K. Ozawa of the RV Umitaka Maru.
Species Citation	Branchiopsaron ozawai McKay 1971, Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 54(2): 41, figs 1, 1a, 1b. Type locality: Indian Ocean off northwestern Australia, 17°17'00"S, 119°57'00"E, depth 350 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2019
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Yellowspotted Duckbill, Acanthaphritis ozawai (McKay 1971)

References

McKay, R.J. 1971. Two new genera and five new species of percophidid fishes (Pisces : Percophididae) from Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 54(2): 40-46 figs 1-5 See ref at BHL

Prokofiev, A.M. 2015. Finding of Grammatonotus ambiortus (Callanthiidae) and Acanthaphritis ozawai (Percophidae) in the waters of eastern Micronesia. Journal of Ichthyology 55(2): 221-224

Suzuki, T. & Nakabo, T. 1996. Revision of the genus Acanthaphritis (Percophidae) with the description of a new species. Ichthyological Research 43(4): 441-454