Spinilophus armatus (Valenciennes, 1841)

New Ireland Stingaree

Urolophus armatus Valenciennes in Müller & Henle, 1841: 174 . Holotype: MNHN 0000 - 2331. Type locality: New Ireland .

Local synonymy: Urolophus armatus Müller & Henle, 1841: 174 (New Ireland)— Garman, 1913: 407 (New Ireland); Fowler, 1941: 443 (New Ireland); Munro, 1958: 114 (New Ireland); Munro, 1967: 13 (New Guinea); Kailola, 1987: 32 (New Ireland). Droliphus armatus— Filewood, 1973:11 (New Britain; misspelling). Spinilophus armatus —Last et al., 2016i: 678 (New Ireland); White et al., 2018: 272, figs (PNG).

PNG voucher material: (1 spec.) MNHN 0000-2331, juvenile male 170 mm TL, New Ireland, [1820–1830s].

Remarks: Only known from a single specimen taken off New Ireland in the 1800s by Lesson and Garnot. Previously placed in the genus Urolophus . Only known from a single specimen collected by Lesson and Garnot off New Ireland prior to 1841. Assuming the collector and New Ireland location for the specimen are correct, it is most likely the specimen was collected from Port Praslin, just north of Tawanlik Cape and south of Lambom; this site was visited by during the Voyage autour du monde onboard the Coquille on the 12 August 1823. However, this species was never mentioned in the fish descriptions by Lesson following the voyage.