Saurida fortis Furuhashi, Russell et Motomura, 2022

Furuhashi, Ryusei, Seah, Ying Giat & Motomura, Hiroyuki, 2025, Southernmost record of Saurida fortis (Actinopterygii, Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) from Malaysia, Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 55, pp. 211-215 : 211-215

Saurida fortis Furuhashi, Russell et Motomura, 2022

English name: dorozome lizardfish; new standard Malay name: conor lumpur Figs 1 , 2

Material examined.

KAUM –I. 212397, 128.3 mm SL, off Tanjung Sedili , Johor, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, western Malaysia, South China Sea, bottom trawl, depth unknown, 23 Sept. 2024, coll. R. Furuhashi et al.

Description.

Dorsal-fin rays 12; anal-fin rays 11; pectoral-fin rays 14; pelvic-fin rays 9; caudal-fin rays 19; lateral-line scales 53; scale rows above lateral line 4.5; scale rows below lateral line (TRb) 5.5; TRb with melanophores 2; pre-dorsal-fin scale rows 19; pre-adipose-fin scale rows 18; post-adipose-fin scale rows 11; vertebrae 51; procurrent caudal-fin rays 11 + 11; rows of endopterygoid teeth 5; rows of palatine teeth 2; rows of ectopterygoid teeth 2; vomerine teeth 3; rows of across tongue teeth 3; spots along upper margin of caudal fin 4. Proportional measurements as percentage of SL: pre-dorsal-fin length 39.9; pre-adipose-fin length 80.1; pre-anal-fin length 74.4; pre-anal length 71.4; pre-pectoral-fin length 27.1; pre-pelvic-fin length 37.5; head length 25.4; body depth at pelvic-fin origin 13.2; body depth at anal-fin origin 10.7; body width 12.9; pelvic girdle width 8.8; pectoral-fin length 13.2; pelvic-fin length 17.3; 2 nd dorsal-fin ray length 20.3; last dorsal-fin ray length 6.2; dorsal-fin base length 13.6; 2 nd anal-fin ray length 7.4; last anal-fin ray length 5.2; anal-fin base length 9.4; caudal-peduncle length 17.9; caudal-peduncle depth 6.8; caudal-peduncle width 5.4. Proportional measurements as percentage of HL: snout length 20.3; orbit diameter 22.9; interorbital width 16.4; postorbital length 59.6; upper-jaw length 64.1.

Body elongate, cylindrical; head somewhat depressed, moderation, length 3.9 in SL; caudal peduncle compressed, length moderation, 3.0 times of orbit diameter, with slightly raised lateral-line scales forming low ridge. Scales moderately large, cycloid, deciduous, present on cheek and opercle. Snout rounded in dorsal view, length moderation, 5.0 in HL. Nostrils similarly sized, located about midway between snout tip and anterior margin of orbit; anterior nostril with short broad dermal flap posteriorly. Eye circular, directed laterally, diameter 1.1 in snout length; fleshy adipose eyelid undeveloped, uncovered eye. Interorbital region broad, slightly concave, width 1.4 in orbit diameter. Mouth very large, upper-jaw length 1.6 in HL, gape extending well beyond posterior margin of eye. Dorsal-fin origin just posterior to midpoint between snout and adipose fin origin, base longer than anal-fin base, dorsal-fin rays not elongated. Adipose fin above posterior half of anal fin base. Anus just anterior to anal-fin origin. Pectoral fin moderately long, its tip just reaching to P – D line. Pectoral fin with long pointed axillary scale. Caudal fin deeply forked, dimensions of upper and lower lobes similar. Teeth on jaws numerous, small, canine-like, in four regular rows, outermost teeth smallest, innermost longest, visible when mouth closed; similar teeth on palate and tongue. Palate with two separate teeth series; outer series long, anteriorly comprising longer palatine teeth in two convergent rows separated by vomer bearing 3 teeth, and posteriorly shorter ectopterygoid teeth; inner teeth series short, in 5 poorly defined rows comprising endopterygoid teeth, innermost teeth larger and longer. Vomerine teeth entirely separated from each other, not forming a single cohesive unit. Tongue short, spatulate, fleshy, with long patch of teeth in 3 rows posteriorly. Lower jaw same length as upper jaw, fitting into groove between teeth at upper-jaw tip. Gill rakers very small, plate-like, unobtrusive, branchial arches each with about 4 rows of teeth, innermost largest. Anterior end of base of anteriormost gill raker on lower gill arch located behind posterior end of basibranchial / hypobranchial junction.

Color when fresh (Fig. 1 ).

Body ground color below lateral line silver-gray. A indistinct brownish-black blotch behind adipose-fin base. Some scales narrowly edged with black above lateral line. Dorsum of head dark brown. Preopercle with a vertical brown line behind middle of eye. A black line along upper jaw. Iris yellowish-brown, lower edge dark. Dorsal fin membrane dusky. Adipose fin with brown blotch anteriorly. Pectoral fin dusky, lower part translucent. Pelvic fin whitish, membrane translucent. Anal-fin rays white, membrane translucent. A single row of distinct black spots along caudal-fin upper margin. Lower lobe of caudal fin slightly darker than upper lobe.

Color after preservation.

Pale brown above lateral line, gradually becoming pale below lateral line. Melanophores below lateral line restricted to two scale rows from lateral line. Fin pigmentation as in fresh specimen. Stomach and intestines dark gray.

Distribution (Fig. 2 ).

Saurida fortis has been recorded previously only from the Ogasawara and Ryukyu islands, Japan and southern Taiwan ( Furuhashi et al. 2022; Furuhashi and Motomura 2023; but not Vilasri et al. 2023), the presently reported specimen represents the southernmost record, extending the distribution to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Figures

Figure 1. Fresh specimen of Saurida fortis (KAUM – I. 212397, 128.3 mm SL) collected off Tanjung Sedili, Johor, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Figure 2. Distributional map of Saurida fortis. Star and circles indicate localities determined during the present study and previous records (Furuhashi et al. 2022; Furuhashi and Motomura 2023), respectively. Use QGIS to create.