Fowleria

Gon, Ofer & Bogorodsky, Sergey V., 2010, The cardinalfish Fowleria isostigma in the Red Sea and the validity of F. punctulata (Perciformes: Apogonidae), Zootaxa 2677, pp. 27-37 : 35-36

Key to the Red Sea species of Fowleria

1 Large, dark, usually ocellated spot on opercle; dark bars on body, if present, 8–12 .................................................... 2

- No dark spot on opercle; body usually with 5–8 broad dark bars of varying intensity .................................. F. vaiulae

2 Pectoral fin rays 12–14; tubed lateral-line scales 9–12; no dark bars on body (bars sometimes present in F. variegata , see 3a below)................................................................................................................................................................. 3

- Pectoral fin rays 15 (rarely 14); tubed lateral-line scales 7–10; body with 10–12 darker bars, the posterior 4–5 less distinct (dusky spots in pattern similar to F. isostigma sometimes present) ............................................. F. marmorata

3 Body and fins (except pectoral) with irregular spots or blotches of varying intensity separated by pale areas usually forming variegated pattern ( Figs. 1 B, C); spots and blotches sometimes align to form 8–12 dusky bars on body ....... ..................................................................................................................................................................... F. variegata

- No variegated pattern on body and fins; dark spots, if present, arranged in distinct series.......................................... 4

4 Median predorsal scales 4 (rarely 5); body brown to reddish brown peppered with minute dark dots ............ F.aurita

- Median predorsal scales 6 (rarely 5); body purplish to dark brown with about seven horizontal series of distinct dark brown spots ( Fig. 1 A) ................................................................................................................................. F. isostigma

Figures

FIGURE 1. (A) Fowleria isostigma, SAIAB 87545, 84.2 mm, Hamata, Egypt, Red Sea (S. V. Bogorodsky). (B) Fowleria variegata, 43.0 mm (specimen apparently lost), Eilat, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (J. E. Randall). (C) Fowleria variegata, SAIAB 87543, 38.8 mm, Hamata, Egypt (S. V. Bogorodsky).