Centrodraco abstractum Fricke 2002

Andréfouët, Serge, Chen, Wei-Jen, Kinch, Jeff, Mana, Ralph, Russell, Barry C., Tully, Dean & White, William T., 2019, Checklist of the marine and estuarine fishes of New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean, with 810 new records, Zootaxa 4588 (1), pp. 1-360 : 267

Centrodraco abstractum Fricke 2002 —Abstract deepwater dragonet ( Fig. 128 )

Status at New Ireland. New record from Papua New Guinea, based on NTUM 12171 (1 female, 65.2 mm SL), St. CP 4254-50, 14.4 km northwest of Kavieng), NTUM 11067 (1 male, 81.1 mm SL, and 1 female, 51.6 mm SL, St. CP 4255-34, 11.2 km northwest of Kavieng ), and NTUM 10995 (1 male, 61.2 mm SL, St. CP 4418-15 and 1 female, 51.6 mm SL, St. CP 4418-16, northeast of New Hanover ) and NTUM 11075 (1 male, 81.1 mm SL, and 1 female, 63.9 mm SL, St. CP 4419-16-17, northeast of New Hanover ).

Distribution and habitat. New Ireland: 1, 2.—General distribution: Philippines. Soft bottom, 335–382 m depth. Marine.

Remarks. Live colouration: Rose, with yellow blotches and streaks. This is a remarkable new record of a very rare species which was previously known only from two specimens collected in San Bernardino Strait, Philippines.

Figures

FIGURE 128. Centrodraco abstractum Fricke 2002, dorsal view, St. CP4418-15, northeast of New Hanover, 335–340 m depth (NTUM 10995) (photograph by Jhen-Nien Chen, taken immediately after collection).