- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- PERCIFORMES
- EPIGONIDAE
- Epigonus
- tuberculatus
Epigonus tuberculatus Okamoto & Motomura 2013
Holotype of the Keeling Deepwater Cardinalfish, Epigonus tuberculatus, a female, from west of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean, CSIRO H 5677-08. Source: T. Carter / CSIRO. License: All rights reserved
A slender deepwater cardinalfish with a toothless tongue, a tubercle on the inner symphysis of the lower jaw, 21-22 gill rakers on first arch, 19-20 pectoral-fin rays, no opercular spine and other internal characters.
In preservative, the species is uniformly dark brown with orange-brown lips and mouth cavity, and dark pigment on the caudal fin.
Described from two female specimens collected on the continental slope in the Australian EEZ south of Cocos-Keeling Islands, Indian Ocean (14 45' S, 95 24' E).
Epigonus tuberculatus Okamoto & Motomura 2013
More Info
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Distribution |
South of Cocos-Keeling Islands, Indian Ocean (14 45' S, 95 24' E). |
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Features |
Dorsal fin VII + I, 10; Pectoral fin 19-20; Gill rakers 21-22; Lateral-line scales (pored) pored 46-48 + 3-4; Vertebrae 10+15=25; Pyloric caeca 8-10. No opercular spine; ribs on the last abdominal vertebra reduced or absent; tongue toothless; no maxillary moustache-like process; tubercle on inner symphysis of lower jaw present; orbital diameter 14.5-15.4 % SL; length of lower-jaw 16.0-17.6 % SL. |
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Biology |
The holotype and paratype are females with "a great number of eggs at several developmental stages. The most developed eggs were ~0.5 mm in diameter, were round with a single oil globule." (Okamoto & Motomura 2013). |
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Etymology |
The specific name tuberculatus is from the Latin tuber meaning 'swelling' in reference to the tubercle on the inner symphysis of the lower jaw. |
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Species Citation |
Epigonus tuberculatus Okamoto & Motomura, 2013, Ichthyol. Res. 60(4): 305, figs 4 & 5. Type locality: south of Cocos-Keeling Islands, Indian Ocean, depth 473-570 m, 14°45'S, 95°24"E to 14°45'S, 95°22'E. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2017 |
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Resources |
Epigonus tuberculatus Okamoto & Motomura 2013
References
Okamoto, M. & H. Motomura. 2013. Two new species of deepwater cardinalfish from the Indo-Pacific, with a definition of the Epigonus pandionis group (Perciformes: Epigonidae). Ichthyological Research: 60(4): 301-311. Abstract
