Monocentris Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Su, Yo, Lin, Hsiu-Chin & Ho, Hsuan-Ching, 2022, A new cryptic species of the pineapple fish genus Monocentris (Family Monocentridae) from the western Pacific Ocean, with redescription of M. japonica (Houttuyn, 1782), Zootaxa 5189 (1), pp. 180-203 : 183

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5189.1.18
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E9169964-DF96-45B5-913A-338DEA6B69F2
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7125272
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DDDC5E-133B-FF86-FF55-FD39D033FAED
treatment provided by	Plazi (2022-09-28 12:36:48, last updated 2024-11-28 08:32:20)
scientific name	Monocentris Bloch & Schneider, 1801
status

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Monocentris Bloch & Schneider, 1801 View in CoL View at ENA

Monocentris Bloch & Schneider, 1801:100 View in CoL

(Type species: Monocentris carinata Bloch & Schneider 1801 View in CoL ).

Lepisacanthus Lacepède, 1801:320

(Type species: Lepisacanthus japonicus Lacepède 1801 ).

Ericius Tilesius, 1809:243

(Type species: Monocentris carinata Bloch & Schneider 1801 ).

Two genera are recognized in the family Monocentridae . Monocentris differs from Cleidopus De Vis, 1882 , in having a broad (deep) suborbital space (> 8.2 % SL); a large mouth with upper jaw straight; relatively long snout, subequal to eye diameter; a black light organ at tip of lower jaw; toothless vomer; and relatively smaller maximum size (usually less than 15 cm SL), whereas Cleidopus has a very narrow suborbital space with lower margin of eye almost adjacent the upper jaw (2.9–3.2 % SL); small with S-shaped upper jaw; snout clearly shorter than eye diameter; an orange light organ on each side of lower jaw under eye; vomer with teeth; and a relatively larger maximum size (up to 26 cm).

According to Paxton (1999), the lateral line is absent in monocentrids, however, our specimens possess a small canal through each scale in a row where a lateral line is commonly found in beryciform fishes (LLS in Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). Thus, we recognized this row of scales as lateral-line scales.

Previously, the genus has comprised two species: M. japonica in the Indo-West Pacific and M. reedi in the southeastern Pacific. A third species similar to M. japonica is described below.

References

Lacepede, B. G. E. (1801) Histoire naturelle des poissons, v. 3. Paris, Plassan, 558 pp., pls. 1 - 34.

Paxton, J. (1999) Family Monocentridae In: Carpenter, K. E. & Niem, V. H. (Eds.), FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO, Rome, pp. 2214

Tilesius, W. G. von (1809) Memoires de la Societe imperiale des naturalistes de Moscou, 2 (20), 212 - 249., pls. 13 - 17.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Definition of scale rows counted in Monocentris spp. AS, abdominal scutes; LLA1 and LLA2, scales rows above lateral line; LLB1, LLB2, LLB3 and LLB4, scale rows below lateral line; and LLS, lateral-line scales. Colors in key correspond to colors identifying scale rows.