Aplodactylus lophodon (GuÈnther)

Russell, Barry C., 2000, Review of the southern temperate ® sh family Aplodactylidae (Pisces: Perciformes), Journal of Natural History 34 (11), pp. 2157-2171 : 2162-2165

Aplodactylus lophodon (GuÈnther)

(®gures 2, 4) Haplodactylus lophodon GuÈnther, 1859: 435 , pl. XXIII, ®gure B (type locality, New South Wales) .

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Crinodus lophodon: Gill, 1862: 110 , 112.

Aplodactylus lophodon: Castlenau, 1879: 350 , 374.

Aplodactylus obscurus Castlenau, 1879: 374 (type locality, Port Jackson 5 Sydney, Australia).

Material examined. Twenty-one specimens. AustraliaÐNew South Wales: Narrabeen, Long Reef, AMS I.15892-016, 240 mm; Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), MNHN A.1216, 2: 200±250 mm (SYNTYPES of Aplodactylus obscurus ); Sydney Harbour, Bottle and Glass Rocks, AMS I.19901-045, 2: 170±202 mm; Nadgee, Black Point, AMS I.19893-017, 16: 105.5±143.5 mm *.

Description. Dorsal-®n rays XVII, 18±20; anal-®n rays III, 6±7; pectoral-®n rays i, 13±15; lateral-line scales 72±82; gill rakers 6±8 1 12±16 5 18±24; vertebrae 15± 16 1 19±20 5 35; epipleural ribs on ®rst 13 vertebrae.

Body elongate, greatest depth 3.1±4.2 in SL; head length 4.1±4.5 in SL; snout short, 3.0± 3.4 in head; dorsal pro®le of head rounded; orbital diameter 3.9±4.7 in head; interorbital space more or less straight or slightly convex medially, least width of interorbital 3.9±4.7 in head; least depth of caudal peduncle 2.1 ±2.5 in head; peduncle length 2.0±3.0 in head; base of dorsal ®n long, with elongate notch between spinous and soft parts of ®n, basal length of soft dorsal ® n 1.2 ±1.3 in length of spinous part; anal ®n short, basal length 1.8±2.8 in head; pectoral ®n length 0.9±1.1 in head, ventral-most ®ve to six rays simple, ¯eshy; pelvic ®n length 1.1±1.3 in head, rays ¯eshy.

Mouth small, somewhat ventral on head; lips ¯eshy, upper lip projecting, maxilla reaching a vertical through posterior nostril; teeth small, mainly tricuspid, a few lanceolate, in three to four rows in jaws, outermost row of teeth largest; vomerine teeth absent; two pairs of nostrils, anterior pair with ¯eshy tentaculate ¯aps on anteroventra l margin and posteroventra l margin; opercle with broad ¯at spine which does not extend to the ¯eshy margin; scales small, cycloid, embedded, extending on to cheeks and opercles, and forming a sheath along base of spinous dorsal ®n.

Colour in alcohol. Dark brownish, with paler mottling and spots on ®ns.

Colour in life. Variable from grey to bluish black, with whitish mottling on sides and whitish spots on ®ns; a dark saddle beneath middle of spinous dorsal ®n, and a series of ®ve evenly spaced white blotches on sides below lateral line from above pectoral ®n to below end of dorsal ®n; juveniles with a distinct black mark on posterodorsal edge of opercle.

Distribution. Northern NSW coast (Byron Bay) to Victoria (Malacoota). Occurs in kelp and weed areas in the exposed intertidal surge zone to about 10 m depth ( Kuiter, 1993).

Remarks. Aplodactylus lophodon is distinguishable from all other species of Aplodactylus by it larger body scales (lateral-line scales 72±82 versus 83±120 in other species) and absence of vomerine teeth. Reaches a maximum size of 35 cm ( Kuiter, 1993). Miskiewicz et al. (1998) have described the larvae of this species. Cribb (1958) reported the gut of a large specimen of Crinodus (5 Aplodactylus ) lophodon was ®lled with algal material, the bulk of which consisted of Corallina pilulifera , together with smaller quantities of Ulva actuca , Jania and ®lamentous species such as Sphacelaria sp. Commonly known as Rock cale, Cocky, Cockatoo ®sh or Joey.