Syncomistes, , Vari, 1978

Shelley, James J., Delaval, Aurélien & Le, Matthew C., 2017, A revision of the grunter genus Syncomistes (Teleostei, Terapontidae, Syncomistes) with descriptions of seven new species from the Kimberley region, northwestern Australia, Zootaxa 4367 (1), pp. 1-103 : 25

Key to the species of Syncomistes

1a Lower jaw rounded anteriorly making a ‘U-shape’ when viewed from below, from juveniles through to adults; mouth slightly oblique; teeth broad and large relative to Syncomistes , flat, asymmetric, margins convex posteriorly and straight to slightly concave anteriorly, widest point closest to mid-point of tooth, apical region tapered to slight point...................... 2

1b Lower jaw pointed anteriorly making a ‘V-shape’when viewed from below, or not completely rounded anteriorly in individuals> 65 mm; mouth terminal or subterminal; outer rows of teeth different to above.................................... 3

2a Body usually with 5–6 slightly wavy brown stripes running horizontally along sides; usually ≥ 11 gill rakers on the upper arch and ≥ 30 in total; usually <6.0 teeth per mm of jaw length (distributed between the Adelaide and Goyder rivers of the Northern Territory)...................................................................... S. butleri Vari, 1978 (in part)

2b Body usually with 7–8 slightly wavy brown stripes running horizontally along sides; usually <11 gill rakers on the upper arch and <30 in total; usually ≥ 6.0 teeth per mm of jaw length (distributed between the Finnis River in the Northern Territory and the King Edward River that drains the northern Kimberley Plateau )................... S. bonapartensis sp. nov. (in part)

3a Jaw rounded with a tapered point when viewed from below in individuals> 65 mm; mouth slightly oblique; teeth conical... 4

3b Jaw distinctly triangle (V-shaped) when viewed from below in individuals> 65 mm; mouth subterminal; teeth flattened.... 5

4a Fins relatively short: longest dorsal ray <15.7 % SL; longest dorsal spine <12.2 % SL; pectoral fins <22.5 % SL; upper caudal lobe <26.6 % SL (restricted to the Moran River within the Roe River catchment in the Kimberley region)............................................................................................... S. moranensis sp. nov.

4b Fin relatively long: longest dorsal ray> 16.7 % SL; longest dorsal spine> 13.4 % SL; pectoral fins> 22.8 % SL; upper caudal lobe> 29.9 % SL (restricted to the Prince Regent River in the Kimberley region)................... S. carcharus sp. nov.

5a Jaw of adults (> 65 mm) as wide as long or slightly longer when viewed from below; at all sizes, dorsal profile straight from dorsal origin to shallow notch on upper jaw................................................................. 6

5b Jaw of adults (> 65 mm) wider than long when viewed from below; at all sizes, dorsal profile slightly convex from dorsal origin to deep notch on upper jaw........................................................................... 8

6a Body often with 7–8 irregular wavy brown stripes running horizontally along sides; teeth asymmetric, ‘almond-shaped’ with posterior edge distinctly convex and anterior edge slightly convex, widest point of tooth closest to base, apical region tapered to a sharp point; (found in the Berkley, Durack, Pentecost and Ord rivers in the eastern Kimberley region).............................................................................................. S. kimberleyensis Vari, 1978

6b Body often with 5–6 straight dark stripes running horizontally along sides; teeth asymmetric, ‘triangle-shaped’ with posterior margin angled outwards at 45° and anterior edge straight, widest point of tooth closest to mid-point, slight anteriorly pointed hook at tapered tip..................................................................................... 7

7a Overall colouration brown; usually 3–4 tooth rows on upper jaw and 3 rows on the lower jaw; longest dorsal fin spine usually> 11.0 % SL; 6th dorsal spine usually longest; longest anal fin spine usually> 13.0 % SL; 3rd or 4th dorsal ray usually longest (restricted to the Moran, Drysdale and King Edward rivers that drain the northern Kimberley Plateau).............................................................................................. S. trigonicus Vari, 1978 (in part)

7b Overall colouration gold; usually 2 tooth rows on upper jaw and 2 rows on the lower jaw; longest dorsal fin spine usually <11.0 % SL; 2nd dorsal ray usually longest; longest anal fin spine usually <13.0 % SL; 6th dorsal spine usually longest (restricted to the Mitchell River that drains the northern Kimberley Plateau)........................ S. wunambal sp. nov. (in part)

8a Body sometimes with 3–4 slightly wavy dark stripes running horizontally along sides; teeth wide and short, ‘paddle-shaped’ with anterior and posterior edges widening rapidly from a narrow stem, running straight and parallel, flat to slightly rounded at end (restricted to the Drysdale River that drains the northern Kimberley Plateau).................. S. rastellus Vari, 1978

8b Body lacking horizontal stripes along sides; teeth narrow and short, ‘peg-shaped’ with anterior and posterior edges running straight and parallel from tooth base, tapering slightly at apical region to a rounded point............................. 9

9a Ventral profile distinctly convex; head distinctly pointed in adults; lower jaw relatively long> 31.0 in HL (restricted to the Prince Regent River of the northwestern Kimberley Plateau).................................. S. versicolor sp. nov.