Owstonia aurora

description

Description of Taiwanese specimens. Meristic and morphometric data are provided in Tables 5, 6. Dorsal-fin rays III, 20 – 21; pectoral-fin rays 22 / 22 – 23; pelvic-fin rays I, 5 / I, 5; anal-fin rays I, 13; principal caudal-fin rays 8 + 7, uppermost and lowermost rays unbranched; procurrent caudal-fin rays 3 on both upper and lower lobes. Gill rakers on outer face of first gill arch 12 – 13 + 24 = 36 – 37 (total); pseudobranchial filaments 25 – 26. Oblique body scale rows 46 – ca 57 / 47 – ca 50; cheek scale rows 7 – 9 / 9. Vertebrae 11 + 17 = 28; anal-fin pterygiophores anterior to 1 st haemal spine 2. Spines on preopercle 0 / 0. Premaxillary teeth 19 – 25 / 21; inner premaxillary teeth 0 / 0; lateral dentary teeth 9 – 13 / 10 – 14; symphyseal teeth 4 – 6 / 4 – 5; inner symphyseal teeth 1 / 1. Body slender, depth at anal-fin origin 3.8 – 4.0 in SL; both dorsal and ventral profiles of body straight, slightly tapering to caudal fin. Head large, length 2.7 – 2.8 in SL; anterior profile of head rounded, gently curved to dorsal-fin origin. Eyes large, eye diameter 2.1 – 2.2 in HL. Two nostrils, with anterior one forming tube and short flap; posterior one oval, without flap, situated i

A new species of the bandfish genus Owstonia Tanaka, 1908 (Perciformes, Cepolidae) from Taiwan, northwestern Pacific Ocean, with new records and comments on morphological characters of congeners

description

(Figs. 1, 2 A ‒ C; Tables 1 ‒ 2) [New English name: Aurora’s Bandfish]

Owstonia aurora (Perciformes: Cepolidae: Owstoniinae), a new bandfish from the Philippines

description

Description. Proportional measurements and counts are given in Table 1. Data of the holotype are presented first, followed by those of paratypes in parentheses, if different. Single dorsal fin, dorsal-fin base length 1.6 (1.7) in SL; its origin behind the vertical line at posterior gill opening; anterior two dorsal-fin spines short than soft rays; dorsal-fin with three short spines and 21 branched soft rays. Anal-fin base 3.2 (3.8 – 4.2) in SL; anal-fin with one short spine and 14 branched soft rays; its base length 2.0 (2.3 – 2.5) in dorsal-fin base; longest anal-fin ray equal to longest dorsal-fin ray. Caudal-fin lanceolate; its length 2.8 (2.9) in SL; caudal-fin with 18 (17) branched soft rays and two or three unbranched soft rays. Pectoral-fin with 20 – 22 soft rays; pectoral-fin short and rounded, its length 5.1 (4.9 – 5.1) in SL. Pelvic-fin short, pull back not extending behind anus; pelvic-fin with one short spine and five branched soft rays. Gill rackers on first arch slender, longest one about 1.9 times longest gill filament, with fine spinules on rackers. Branchiostegal rays 6. Vertebrae: 11 + 17 = 28; anal-fin pterygiophores anterior to 1 st haemal spine two. Head 2.8 –

Owstonia aurora (Perciformes: Cepolidae: Owstoniinae), a new bandfish from the Philippines

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A species of Owstonia with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin elements III, 21; anal-fin elements I, 14; gill rakers on first arch 35 – 38; cheek with 80 – 86 scales in 7 – 8 rows; lateral line without branch, not forming loop in front of dorsal fin, ending below 17 th to 22 th dorsal-fin soft rays; oblique body scales rows in mid-lateral series 54 – 58; lower margin of preopercles rounded; prominent black blotch on anterior dorsalfin membrane, and extend downward to dorsal-fin base, remaining membrane of dorsal, anal, and caudal fins red with white margins and bases, distinct white stripes on mid dorsal and caudal fin membranes; membranes between maxillary and premaxillary with discontinuous black stripes or patches.

Owstonia aurora (Perciformes: Cepolidae: Owstoniinae), a new bandfish from the Philippines