Aplodactylus etheridgii (Ogilby)

Russell, Barry C., 2000, Review of the southern temperate ® sh family Aplodactylidae (Pisces: Perciformes), Journal of Natural History 34 (11), pp. 2157-2171 : 2161-2162

Aplodactylus etheridgii (Ogilby)

(®gures 2, 3)

Haplodactylus etheridgii Ogilby, 1889: 57 (type locality, Lord Howe Island ).

Aplodactylus etheridgii: Waite, 1904: 167 .

Material examined. Nine specimens. Norfolk I.: AMS I. 6005, 248 mm; SAM F. 266, 271 mm *; Duncombe Bay, AMS I.20253-005, 135 mm. New Zealand: Poor Knights Is, Aorangi I., MONZ P. 5853, 347 mm. Lord Howe I.: AMS I. 1516, 309 mm (HOLOTYPE of Haplodactylus etheridgii ); CAS 9147, 328.6 mm. Kermadec Is.: McCauley I., MONZ P. 10419, 230.5 mm; Raoul I., MONZ P16168 2: 187±252 mm *.

Description. Dorsal-®n rays XV±XVII, 19±20; anal-®n rays III, 6±7; pectoral- ®n rays i, 13±14; lateral-line scales 83±98; gill rakers 4±8 1 11±16 5 18±20; vertebrae 15 1 19 5 34; epipleural ribs on ®rst 13 vertebrae.

Body elongate, greatest depth 3.5±4.2 in SL; head length 3.7±4.5 in SL; snout short, 2.8 ±3.1 in head; dorsal pro®le of head obtuse, larger specimens with bony protuberanc e above eye; orbital diameter 4.3±5.1 in head; interorbital space distinctly concave, least width of interorbital 3.6 ±4.4 in head; least depth of caudal peduncle 2.0± 2.8 in head; peduncle length 1.8±3.2 in head; base of dorsal ®n long, with elongate notch between spinous and soft parts of ®n, basal length of soft dorsal ® n 0.9 ±1.1 in length of spinous part; anal ®n short, basal length 1.8±2.9 in head; pectoral ®n length 1.0± 1.3 in head, ventral-most ®ve to six rays simple, ¯eshy; pelvic ®n length 0.9±1.4 in head, rays ¯eshy.

Mouth small, somewhat ventral on head; lips ¯eshy, upper lip projecting, maxilla reaching a vertical through posterior nostril; teeth small, mainly multicuspid, a few tricuspid, in three to four rows in jaws, outermost row of teeth largest; vomerine teeth present as two small patches; two pairs of nostrils, anterior pair with ¯eshy ®mbriate ¯aps on anteroventral margin and posteroventral margin; opercle with broad ¯at embedded spine which does not extend to the ¯eshy margin; scales small, cycloid, embedded, extending on to cheeks and opercles, and forming a sheath along base of spinous dorsal ®n.

Colour in alcohol. Body dark brownish, with numerous small (less than pupil size) spots on body and ®ns. Ventral surface pale brown with darker indistinct markings.

Colour in life. Body and head brownish green, abdomen grey, ®ns brown; lower parts of body and ®ns with numerous small white spots; outer half of ¯eshy pectoral rays yellowish white; branchiostegal membrane yellow.

Distribution. Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Kermadec Islands ( Francis, 1993) and northern New Zealand ( Moreland, 1975). Aplodactylus etheridgii occurs on rocky reefs in depths to about 20 m.

Remarks. Aplodactylus etheridgii is distinguishable from all other species of Aplodactylus by its distinctly concave interorbital space and pro®le of head notched behind the eye. Commonly known as Notchheaded marble®sh ( New Zealand).