Cirrhitus pinnulatus pinnulatus Forster

Gaither, Michelle R. & Randall, John E., 2013, Reclassification of the Indo-Pacific Hawkfish Cirrhitus pinnulatus (Forster), Zootaxa 3599 (2), pp. 189-196 : 192-193

Cirrhitus pinnulatus pinnulatus Forster in Bloch & Schneider 1801

( Fig. 3 ; Table 1)

Labrus pinnulatus Forster in Bloch & Schneider 1801: 264 (type locality, Tahiti). Labrus marmoratus Lacepède 1802: 438 , 493, pl. 5 (no locality).

Cirrhites maculatus Lacepède 1803: 2 , 3 (type locality, Mauritius).

Material examined. Tuamotu Archipelago: Makatea, BPBM 15236, 6: 84–97 mm. Society Islands: Tahiti, BPBM 5962, 85 mm. Line Islands: Kiritimati, BPBM 15290, 25: 54–178 mm. Tabuaeran (Fanning Island), BPBM 4108, 160 mm. Teraina (Washington Island), BPBM 4105, 120 mm. Baker Island, BPBM 4104, 130 mm. Kiribati: Tungaru Islands, Onotoa Atoll, BPBM 15359, 105 mm. Wake Island: BPBM 4103, 3: 78–198 mm; BPBM 15121, 8: 87–162 mm. Minami-tori-shima (Marcus Island): BPBM 2429, 168 mm. Mariana Islands: Guam, BPBM 4099, 95 mm. Ogasawara Islands: Ani-jima, BPBM 35255, 55 mm. Philippines: Negros, BPBM 33005, 3: 103–117 mm. Japan: SU 9795, 117 mm. South China Sea: CAS 24408, 2: 117–149 mm. Papua New Guinea: CAS 208481, 5: 115–148 mm. Republic of Maldives: CAS 35427, 106 mm. Comoros: Grande Comore, CAS 33245, 114 mm; CAS 33422, 78 mm.

Diagnosis. Dorsal rays X,11; anal rays III,6; pectoral rays 14, the lower 7 unbranched and thickened; lateralline scales 39–42 (modally 40); gill rakers 6–8 + 12–14 (rarely 12), total 18–21; body robust, the depth 2.6–3.1 in standard length; snout short and blunt; 4 rows of large scales above lateral line in middle of body; 12 or more irregular rows of small scales on cheek; posterior margin of preopercle finely serrate; palatine teeth present; membranes of spinous portion of dorsal fin incised; a tuft of cirri from membrane near tip of each dorsal spine; pectoral fins short, not or just reaching a vertical at tips of pelvic rays; caudal fin slightly rounded; body dark olivaceous to dark grey-brown, white ventrally, with three to four irregular longitudinal rows of white blotches varying from pupil size to three-fourths eye size, and numerous dark brown spots, most vertically elongate and pupil size or smaller (spots on some individuals orangish or reddish brown); small dark spots on snout and suborbital region, those on operculum generally pupil size or larger, some merging to form irregular longitudinal bands; spinous dorsal fin with two large dark spots on most membranes; remaining median fins with dark spots mainly on rays, most on basal half of fins. Reaches 28 cm total length.

Remarks. Typically found in the surge zone of exposed seaward reefs or rocky shores. Wide-ranging in the Indo-Pacific region except the Red Sea, Oman, Hawaiian Islands, and Johnston Atoll; ranges south on the East African coast to Port Alfred, South Africa, east to the Line Islands and Pitcairn Islands; in the western Pacific from the Ryukyu Islands to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Randall (1963) reported that the type specimen has not been located. It is not present in the Museum für Naturkunde der Universitat-Humboldt, Berlin.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Cirrhitus pinnulatus pinnulatus A) 153 mm SL, Marshall Islands, B) BPBM 33005,118 mm SL, Maldive Islands, C) KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, D) 55 mm SL, subadult, Ani-jima, Ogasawara Islands (J. E. Randall: A, B, D; D. R. King: C).