Alabes, Cloquet, 1816

Hutchins, Barry, 2006, Description of two new species of shore-eels (Gobiesocidae: Cheilobranchinae: Alabes) from south-eastern Australia and Norfolk Island, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (1), pp. 25-28 : 25-26

Key to the species of Alabes

1. Pelvic fin rudiment present, located on ventral surface immediately behind gill opening 2

– Pelvic fin rudiment absent 6

2. Pelvic fin rudiment moderate in size, fin rays present; POP 1 3

– Pelvic fin rudiment small, pelvic fin rays (if present) not visible; POP 2, usually widely separated 5

3. Pelvic fin rudiment width equal to or wider than length of gill slit 4

– Pelvic fi rudiment less than length of gill slit (Tasmania) A. bathys sp. nov.

4. Body relatively robust (depth 9.3–11.6 in SL); dorsal fin fold relatively high, continued anteriorly to vertical through urogenital opening (snout to origin of dorsal fin fold 2.0– 3.5 in SL); blackish circular blotches often present on middle of side of adult (NSW, Vic., Tas., and SA) A. dorsalis

– Body more slender (depth 12.5–14.9 in SL); dorsal-fin fold relatively low, origin falling well short of vertical through urogenital opening (snout to origin of dorsal fin fold 1.3–2.4 in SL); no dark circular blotches on side of large adult (WA) A. elongata

5. Head relatively large, length 6.7–7.6 in SL; PNP absent (WA) A. brevis

– Head relatively small, length 9.7–11.4 in SL; PNP present (WA) A. gibbosa

6. Gill slit small, length 5.4–22.9 in HL; POP 1 or 2; nasal pores present or absent 7

– Gill slit moderately large, length 3.1–4.3 in HL; no POP or nasal pores (Tas. and WA) A. obtusirostris

7. Origin of dorsal-fin fold over vertical through urogenital opening or behind; anal-fin fold prominent, extending about half way from caudal fin to urogenital opening; interorbital relatively wide, width 5.4–10.8 in HL; body translucent posteriorly in life, sides without alternating black and white bars 8

– Origin of dorsal-fin fold just behind head; anal-fin fold absent or restricted to region just anterior to caudal fin; interorbital very narrow, width 8.8–22.6 (usually 15 or more) in HL; body orange in life (not translucent posteriorly), sides with alternating wide black and narrow white bars (NSW, Vic., and Tas.) A. scotti

8. Postocular pores 1; PNP absent; caudal-fin rays less than 7 or absent 9

– Postocular pores 2; PNP usually present; caudal-fin rays 7–8 (NSW, Vic., Tas., SA, WA) A. hoesei

9. Origin of dorsal-fin fold over vertical through urogenital opening 10

– Origin of dorsal-fin fold well posterior to vertical through urogenital opening (Norfolk I.) springeri sp. nov.

10 Lacrymal pores present; male with pattern of regular tiger-like bars anteriorly on side of body, not merging ventrally with longitudinal series of 4 blackish to darkblue blotches on side of abdomen, area of blotches extending about half way between gill slit and urogenital opening (NSW, Qld) A. parvula

– Lacrymal pores absent; male with irregular arrangement of tiger-like bars anteriorly on side of body, merging ventrally with 2–3 blackish blotches which extend about one-third distance between gill slit and urogenital opening (WA) A. occidentalis