Platycephalus grandispinis Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829

Common English name: Longspine flathead (Figs. 6–7)

Platycephalus grandispinis Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829: 242 (type locality: unknown); Imamura, 2013b: 187, figs. 1–3, 5–6, 8–9.

Platycephalus longispinis Macleay, 1884: 170 (type locality: outside Port Jackson, NSW, Australia); McCulloch, 1929: 401; Coleman, 1980: 108, unnumbered color fig.; Hutchins & Thompson, 1983: 78, fig. 111; Hutchins & Swainston, 1986: 127, fig. 199; May & Maxwell, 1986: 276, unnumbered fig.; Paxton & Hanley, 1989: 469; Knapp, 1991: 29, tab. 3; Kuiter 1993: 102, unnumbered fig.; Hoese et al., 2006: 942; Imamura, 2006: 305, tab. 1.

Longitrudis longispinis: Whitley, 1931a: 327; Whitley, 1931b: 159; Whitley, 1964: 57.

Material examined. Holotype: MNHN 6844, 212 mm SL, locality unknown [see Imamura (2013b) who inferred the holotype as having been collected from the area between Shark Bay (ca. 25°S) and Doubtful Islands (ca. 120°E)].

Other specimens: 44 specimens, including AMS I.16355-001, 233 mm SL, holotype of Platycephalus longispinis Macleay, 1884, 120– 286 mm SL, from southeastern to southwestern Australia, listed in Imamura (2013b).

Diagnosis. A species of Platycephalus with the following combination of characters: 14 second dorsal- and anal-fin rays; 73–82 pored lateral-line scales; gill rakers 4–7 + 14–19 = 19–26; interorbit becoming broader with growth, shorter than orbital diameter; a distinct interopercular flap absent (sometimes a small flap or weak convexity present); supraoccipital with a ridge, usually ending in a spine; lower preopercular spine much longer than upper, usually closely approaching posterior margin of opercle, ratio of lower/upper spines 1.9–3.3, tending to become smaller with growth; upper jaw without large caniniform teeth; head and body without small dark dots; posteroventral portion of caudal fin with a blackish or dark brownish marking.

Description. A full description was given by Imamura (2013b).

Distribution. Known from southeastern to southwestern Australia, from Fraser Island, Qld (ca. 25°S), across NSW, Vic and SA to Shark Bay, WA (ca. 25°S) in depths from ca. 17 to 91 m (e.g., Hutchins and Thompson, 1983; Kuiter, 1993; Hoese et al., 2006; Imamura, 2013b; this study).

Size. Maximum length 38 cm (May & Maxwell, 1986; Kuiter, 1993). The largest specimen examined during the present study was 286 mm SL (332 mm TL).

Remarks. The name Platycephalus grandispinis had been largely forgotten until Imamura (2013b) showed it to have priority over a well-known species, P. longispinis, following detailed examinations of holotypes of the two nominal species (Figs. 7) and non-type specimens. See Imamura (2013b) for a discussion of P. grandispinis . A comparison of P. grandispinis with P. bassensis is provided herein under the latter.