Apogon septemstriatus Guenther , 1880

Thomas H. Fraser, 2005, A review of the species in the Apogon fasciatus group with a description of a new species of cardinalfish from the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Apogonidae)., Zootaxa 924, pp. 1-30 : 21-23

Apogon septemstriatus Guenther, 1880

Synonyms. None

Type Material: Holotype BMNH 1890.2.26.33 ; 63.7 mm SL; Arafura Sea ; Challenger.

Other material: Philippines: USNM 357486 ; (59.7); Visayan Sea , 11°31'38"N 123°31'00"E; R/V Sting Ray V, T-26; 8 Jun 1978; 38 m . USNM 262456 ; 4(60-65); Visayan Sea, Tanguingui I. , 11°39'22"N 123°38'16"E; Sta T-25; 8 Jun 1978 . USNM 171477 (A 3947); (39); Tinaka I. ; 2 Feb 1908 . USNM 171466 (D5146); (29); Sulade I. ; 6 Feb 1908 . Australia: Queensland: AMS E.2665 ; (68); near Bower ; 1910 . QM I.11078 ; (51); Magnetic I. Western Australia: WAM P.11139-40 ; (40-46);, Exmouth Gulf ; Oct 1962 . CAS 56645 ; 3(40-47); Ashmore I,; Timor Sea ; 4 Jan 1973; 18-37 m . AMS I.20827004 ; 1(40); Queensland, Cape York , 11°33'S 142°56'E; 15 Feb 1979; 23 m . AMS I. 22801020 ; 2(51- 52); Western Australia, N of Port Hedland , 19°32'S 118°09'E; 26 Mar 1982; 50-52 m .

Diagnosis. A species of Apogon (Ostorhinchus) with three narrow dark stripes, the first from nape along base of first dorsal fin, the second from above eye to upper caudal peduncle, the third midlateral from front of snout to end of caudal fin; 13-14 pectoral rays; well developed gill rakers 14-16, total gill rakers and rudiments 17-21; VII first-dorsal spines.

Description. See Figure 7 for general body shape and Table 1 for proportional percentages.

Dorsal fin VII-I,9 with third spine much thicker than second or fourth, last soft ray shorter than preceding ray; anal fin II,8 with last soft ray shorter than preceding ray; pectoral fin 14-14, rarely 13-14 (Table 2); pelvic fin I,5; principal caudal rays 9 + 8, caudal fin forked; pored lateral-line scales, 24, extending from posttemporal onto base of caudal fin; transverse scale rows above lateral line 2; transverse scale rows below lateral line 6; median predorsal scales 5-6; circumpeduncular scale rows 12 (5+2+5).

Villiform teeth in several rows on the premaxilla; several villiform rows becoming a single row on side dentary; 1-2 rows on the palatine; one row on vomer; none on ectopterygoid, entopterygoid or basihyal. Rudiments and gill rakers on first arch (Table 3), 2-3 rudiments and 3-4 gill rakers on upper arch, 0-3 rudiment and 11-13 gill rakers lower arch, total gill rakers and rudiments 17-21; second arch with 2 rudiment-like rakers on upper arch and 13 short rakers grading to rudiments on lower arch.

Vertebrae 10 + 14; 5 free hypurals, one pair of slender uroneurals, 3 epurals, a free parhypural; 3 supraneurals; 2 supernumerary spines on first dorsal pterygiophore; basisphenoid present; supramaxilla absent; posttemporal with 4-8 serrations on posterior margin; preopercle ridge smooth, edges serrate on posterior and ventral margins; infraorbital edge smooth.

Scales ctenoid on opercle, subopercle, cheek, breast, nape, pelvic and body; ctenoid pored lateral-line scales from posttemporal to base of hypural; central pore canal on lateral-line scale with 2-3 pores on dorsal side, simple below with 1 pore, rarely with multiple pores.

Ten pores around mouth 3 bilateral pores above premaxilla, 1 below anterior nasal area along ventral edge of crease, 2 on ventral edge of lachrymal separated by a septum; 2 bilateral pores on dentary near symphysis, 1 mid-anterior, 1 ventral.

Color in alcohol. Dark stripe on snout continuing behind eye on mid-body to tip of mid-caudal fin smaller than width of pupil, dark stripe over eye from snout reaching to the caudal fin base on upper caudal peduncle, midline nape stripe beginning above eyes extending to near origin first dorsal fin then splitting on either side of base of first dorsal fin extending to second dorsal fin, may be faint posteriorly, not on caudal peduncle; small melanophores but no pattern on head below mid-line; stripe in basal part of second dorsal fin, membranes of first dorsal fin with tiny melanophores but no pattern, stripe in base of anal fin, pelvic pale caudal fin pale except for midline striped; stomach black, intestine black, peritoneum silvery with many melanophores.

Life colors. Unknown in sea. Kuiter and Kozawa (1999, p.16) have a color photograph shortly after collection.

Distribution. West Pacific along continental margins from Australia and the Philippines (Fig 8). Expected elsewhere in Indonesia.

Habitat: Known from 18-52 meters.

Remarks: This species has not been confused with other species in this group. Its color pattern and meristics suggest a close relationship with Apogon quinquestriatus .