Apogonichthyoides timorensis ( Bleeker, 1854b )

Fraser, Thomas H. & Allen, Gerald R., 2010, Cardinalfish of the genus Apogonichthyoides Smith, 1949 (Apogonidae) with a description of a new species from the West-Pacific region, Zootaxa 2348, pp. 40-56 : 50-53

Apogonichthyoides timorensis ( Bleeker, 1854b)

Figure 2E & F; Table 1–2 .

Synonyms: Apogonichthys darnleyensis Alleyne and Macleay, 1877 . Apogonichthyoides fraxineus Smith, 1961 . Apogon striatus Fourmanoir and Crosnier, 1964 .

Type material:; Apogon timorensis Holotype RMNH 5583 (1, 60.8), Timor, Kupang. Apogon darnleyensis Holotype AMS I.16310-001 (1, 46.0), Australia, Torres Straits, Darnley Island, 9°35'S 143°46'E; 1875; x-ray. Apogonichthyoides fraxineus Holotype SAIAB 356 (1, 57.7), Mozambique, Pinda, 3 Sep 1956, x-ray. Paratypes SAIAB 751(1, 67), 746 (8, 42–65),762 (37–69), Mozambique, Pinda, 3–23 Sep 1956, x-ray. SAIAB 758 (2, 48–55), Mozambique, Delagoa Bay, x-ray. SAIAB 749 (1, 33), Mozambique, Ibo Island, Aug 1951, x-ray. SAIAB 759 (2, 23–24), Seychelles, Mahe I., Sep 1954, x-ray. SAIAB 748 (3, 52–57), SAIAB 750 (1, 63), SAIAB 754 (1, 54), SAIAB 757 (1, 41), Zanzibar, 4–20 Sep 1952, x-ray. Syntypes Apogon striatus MNHN 1973-0041 (3, 16.8–26.2), Madagascar, Ambatoloaka, Nosy Be [Nossi-Bé], x-ray.

Other material: Madagascar: AMS I. 281136 -007 (1, 27). AMS I.28113-028, (2, 22.8–23.3), Nosy Be, Andilana Beach 100 m west of hotel, 50 m offshore, 14°43'S 50°57'E, JP 88-15, 9 Nov 1988, 2.5 m. AMS I. 17099-014 (1, 54), Papua New Guinea, Trobriand Is., 11 June 1970. Philippines: BPBM 36809 (1, 40.0), Luzon, St. Bernadino Straits, Sep 1995, 40 m. LACM 37395-5 (1, 50), Lingayen Gulf, Pangasinan, Panacalan Island, 22 Feb 1978. WAM P.31397.004 (2, 27–40), Philippines, Calamian Islands, Talampulan Island, 2 Nov 1998, 3– 5 m. Australia: Queensland: AMS I. 20780-0012 (1, 25). QM I.820 (3, 23–31), Darnley I. QM I.8507 (1, 28), Green I. off Cairns. Western Australia: Timor Sea: Ashmore Reef: NTM S.11972-002 (2, 37.2–43.0), Reef Flat NW of West Islet, 12.23°S 122.98°E, 25 Jul 1986, 0– 1 m. NTM S.11978-005 (3, 35.0–41.7), E of West Islet, 12.23°S 122.93°E, 27 Jul 1986, 12– 15 m. NTM S.11980-008 (2, 37.1–46.2), S Side Westernmost Tip, 12.23°S 122.92°E, 28 Jul 1986, 15– 18 m. NTM S.12292-005 (1, 56.0), Rubble Bank near West Is, 12.23°S 122.98°E, 13 Sep 1987. NTM S.12324-002 (1, 30.4), West Islet, 12.23°S 122.97°E, 21 Sep 1987, 0– 2 m. NTM S.12328-019, (1, 56.0), North of West Islet, 12.16°S 123.02°E, 24 Sep 1987, 19 m. NTM S.13435- 0 0 3 (1, 31.7), Hibernia Reef, 11.98°S 123.38°E, 15 May 1992, 0– 1 m. WAM P.30397.040 (4, 25–57), Sabah: Manukan Island, Tunku Abdul Rahman, 30 Jan 1992, one cleared and stained.

Diagnosis: Blackish-tipped first-dorsal fin; narrow darkish cheek mark; two faint brownish bars on body; high postocular darkish spot; pectoral-fin rays 16 without small darkish spot above axil.

Description: Range of proportions (as percentage of standard length) in Table 1 with holotype first and paratypes in parentheses.

Dorsal fin VII(I)-I,9; anal fin II,8; pectoral-fin rays 15–17 usually 16; pelvic fin I,5; longest procurrent caudal rays segmented, 1+8-7+1 principal caudal rays; pored lateral-line scales 24; transverse scale rows above lateral line 2, one large, one small; transverse scale rows below lateral line 6; median predorsal scales 3; circumpeduncular scale rows 12 as 5+2+5; total gill rakers and rudiments 15–17, well developed 6–9, upper arch 2-3+1, lower arch 5-8+4-7; second arch with small tooth patches or low rudiments.

Villiform teeth in band on premaxilla and dentary; 1–3 rows on vomer; 1–2 rows on the palatine; none on ectopterygoid, endopterygoid or basihyal.

Vertebrae 10+14. Interhamal gap with 1+4 ( Table 2 ). Five free hypurals; one pair of slender uroneurals; three epurals; a free parhypural. Three thin supraneurals, two supernumerary spines on first dorsal pterygiophore. No procumbent spines (spurs). Basisphenoid present. Supramaxilla absent. Posttemporal serrate on posterior margin. Preopercle serrate on vertical margin ventral edge smooth becoming serrate posteriorly; ridge smooth. Infraorbitals smooth. Infraorbital shelf present on third bone. Eighth dorsal spine a hidden nubbin, distal radial free. A pair of rounded scleral bones.

Scales ctenoid on cheek, subopercle, opercle, isthmus, base of pectoral fin, ctenoid behind pectoral fin and on body, nape and predorsal scales ctenoid. Two large scales, weakly ctenoid on base of pelvic fin, axillary scale nearly covered. Pored lateral-line scales complete, fourth scale with three pores above and two below main canal; last pored lateral-line scale elongate with small accessory lateral pores along edges.

Head with many small pores. Anterior end of supra-orbital canal as a broad slit pore at edge of snout with a cleft-like distal edge open, no large pore over eye; lachrymal with large, elongated anterior pore near both nares, two large ventral slit pores along edge of lachrymal; anterior portion of dentary with dentary (anterior) and mental (ventral) pores, posterior with a medium, slit-like articular pore just anterior to end of preopercle near crease; supratemporal canal with well developed posterior canals onto nape and first predorsal scales.

Anterior nare tubular, posterior nare flat.

Caudal fin emarginate; second dorsal and anal fin with rounded distal edges.

Life colors: See Figure 2E. Dark-brownish marks on head, body brownish with whitish areas; no snout stripes; narrow dark-brownish cheek mark from eye to angle of preopercle; two small dark-brownish marks behind and above eye near edge of preopercular ridge; brownish bar from base of first-dorsal fin on to side of abdomen behind pectoral fin, lighter tannish below lateral line onto abdomen; brownish bar from base of second-dorsal fin to base of anal fin; whitish bar on anterior caudal peduncle; first-dorsal fin with blackish area distally between third and fifth spines, whitish membranes behind third, sixth and seventh spines, yellowish behind fourth and fifth spines; second-dorsal fin with stripe-like brownish marks on membranes between second and seventh fin rays, whitish along base of fin, yellowish anteriorly to base of fin and proximally above stripe-like region; caudal fin with yellowish membranes and small brownish marks on the fin rays; anal fin pale near base, rest of membranes yellowish; pelvic fin yellowish, dark-brownish edge; pectoral fin pale; iris dark brownish.

Preserved color pattern: See Figure 2F. Narrow darkish cheek mark from lower margin of eye to corner of preopercle; small darkish mid-postocular spot; small darkish spot at upper edge of preopercle; no snout stripes; lips and gular area uniform; body with faint darkish bars, bar from below posterior portion of seconddorsal fin to mid-anal fin; bar at base of caudal fin; first dorsal, second dorsal, anal and caudal fins dusky; base of pelvic fin darkish; pectoral fins pale without axil spot; peritoneum, intestine and stomach pale.

Post-mortem photographs examined by the first author from the Philippines, Red Sea, Oman, and Natal, South Africa vary from having an almost complete yellowish body cast with faint bars ( Philippines) to welldeveloped brownish bars ( Natal, Red Sea) or more uniform brownish ( Oman).

Distribution: This species is wide spread from the Red Sea, through out the Indian Ocean and West Pacific.

Remarks: Bleeker described Apogon timorensis based on one specimen from Timor (1854b). No color pattern remains on the holotype. The pectoral fin-ray counts of 15–16 for the holotype and the color pattern in Bleeker’s Atlas were used to identify the type with recent material. He compared this species with Nectamia bandanensis ( Bleeker, 1854a) a very different species. In his revision of cardinalfishes (1874) and in the Bleeker Atlas (Volume VII, 1871–76 and Volume VIII, 1875–76), he supplemented his original description with a few minor changes and compared the species with Apogon cantoris Bleeker, 1851 . The color plates of the two species in the Atlas (Volume VII, Perc XXXII, fig. 1 and Volume VIII, Perc LVII, fig. 2) are very similar with darkish dorsal saddles for both species. Bleeker noted that the pectoral fin-ray count was 14 for Apogon cantoris instead of 16 for A. timorensis . We have confirmed these differences and recognize A. cantoris as valid, although Weber and de Beaufort (1929) referred it to the synonymy of Apogon taeniatus . However, according to Gon and Randall (2003) the latter species is restricted to the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. We believe that Apogon cantoris is the valid name for a West Pacific species with 17–19 gill rakers and rudiments, 10–11 well-developed gill rakers and a darkish saddle (bar?) under each dorsal fin.

Alleyne and Macleay (1877) described Apogonichthys darnleyensis based on one specimen from Darnley Island, Northern Territory of Australia. No species comparisons were made. Taylor (1964) treated Apogon darnleyensis as valid. Smith (1961) described Apogonichthyoides fraxineus from 23 specimens ( Mozambique, Zanzibar, Seychelles) and compared the new species with Apogon taeniatus . Fourmanoir and Crosnier (1964) described Apogon striatus from three specimens collected at Madagascar. They noted that Apogon striatus was close to Apogonichthyoides fraxineus . All these species ( darnleyensis , fraxineus and striatus ) are now considered synonyms of Apogonichthyoides timorensis (see Eschmeyer & Fricke, 2009 for brief summaries of references).

Head pore pattern differs from Ostorhinchus fleurieu , particularly in not having any large supraorbital pores, many more micro-pores on snout and interorbit, no large mandibular pores, more mandibular pores and size of the terminal lachrymal pore (see Bergman, 2004). While noting some differences among six species for the head pores and sensory papillae, Bergman was unable to group species complexes or support changes to the existing classification within Ostorhinchus .

Tables

TABLE 2. Supraneurals and pterygiophore insertion formulae for some Apogonichthyoides. 0 = supraneural, / = vertebral spines 1,2,3,4 = number of pterygiophores between spines, - = no pterygiophore, c = caudal vertebral complex.

Species & Vertebrae		Insertion Pattern
chrysurus	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
	anal	1 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
enigmaticus	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 4 / 2 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
	anal	2 / 3 / 2/ / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
euspilotus	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	2 / 4 / 2 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
timorensis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 4 / 2 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
opercularis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
pharaonis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	2 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
nigripinnis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	2 / 4 / 2 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
sialis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	2 / 3 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
taeniatus	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	2 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
	anal	2 / 4 / 2 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
umbratilis	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 3 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
uninotatus	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	anal	1 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
10+14	dorsal	0 / 0 / 0-1 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 4 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c
	anal	1 / 4 / 3 / 1 / 1 / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / - / c