Ozichthys, Fraser, Thomas H., 2014

Fraser, Thomas H., 2014, A new genus of cardinalfish from tropical Australia and southern New Guinea (Percomorpha: Apogonidae), Zootaxa 3852 (2), pp. 283-293 : 285

Ozichthys new genus

Figures 1–3 , Table 1

Type species. Apogon albimaculosus Kailola 1976

Diagnosis. First dorsal fin with eight visible dorsal spine or eighth as a barely hidden nubbin; 17–19 pectoral-fin rays; an extended, rounded caudal, second dorsal and anal fins, an ossified ventral preopercular margin; weakly serrate ventral and posterior preopercular margin; serrate posttemporal; supramaxilla absent; epineural on ninth rib, fused hypurals 1+2; urostylar sheath over hypurals 3 and 4; 23–24 pored lateral-line scales, pale intestine; elongate last pored lateral-line scale; sixteen rows of free neuromasts on principal caudal-fin rays; 5 canal flutes on post orbit and 8 flutes on nape.

Description. Monotypic, as in the description for the species.

Comparisons. See Table 1 and remarks under the species.

Etymology. Oz is a colloquial English name for Australia combined with the Greek ichthys, a fish. Ozichthys is a masculine noun referring to the restricted distribution to tropical marine waters of Australia and southern New Guinea.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ozichthys albimaculosus. A. Fresh post-mortem photograph, CSIRO, size unknown, provided by William T. White. B. Positive radiograph of IB. 8347, holotype of Apogon albimaculosus, 65 mm SL by Amanda Hay. Arrows point to first and eighth dorsal spines. C. Inset of the caudal skeleton showing fused hypurals 1 + 2 and free hypurals 3 & 4.

FIGURE 2. Ozichthys albimaculosus, NTM S. 13133 – 002, 60.4 mm SL. A. Fourth ctenoid lateral-line scale, embedded, left side, scale = 1 mm. B. Last two pored lateral-line scales, left side, penultimate scales ctenoid ct, ultimate scales cycloid cy, scale = 1 mm. C. Left side, embedded preopercle, smooth ridge and serrate edge, scale = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Ozichthys albimaculosus, A. Dorsal view of a semi-diagrammatic composite of visible pores, many missing as a composite drawing from NTM S. 13133 – 002, 60.4 mm SL. and NTM S. 12574 – 003, 44.2 mm SL illustrated at the 60.4 mm size, no free neuromasts shown. IO = anterior infraoribital pore, AN = anterior naris, PN = posterior naris, OF = orbital flutes, SF = supratemporal flutes, scale = 1 mm. B. Ventral view of the right dentary from NTM S. 12574 – 003, 44.2 mm SL with an overlay of free neuromasts as smaller solid dots from left dentary, pores with gray gradients from right dentary: all shown as composite on right dentary. Scale = 1 mm.