Iniistius bimaculatus (Rupell, 1829)

Mohanty, Swarup Ranjan, Mishra, Ankita & Mohapatra, Anil, 2020, Short Communication New record of the genus Iniistius Gill, 1862 (Perciformes: Labridae) from Odisha coast, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 120 (4), pp. 503-505 : 504

Iniistius bimaculatus (Rupell, 1829)

1829. Xyrichthys bimaculatus Rüppell , Atlas zu der Reiseimnördlichen Afrika, Fische des Rothen Meeres : 43, Pl. 10, fig. 2 (Bay of Massawa, Eritrea, Red Sea).

2011. Iniistius bimaculatus : Parenti & Randall, Smithiana, Bulletin No. 13: 35.

Material examined: EBRC /ZSI F11389, 4 ex, 140 – 164 mm SL, Boxipalli fish landing centre (19˚15’8.83’’N; 84˚54’13.14’’), Odisha, India, 10.xi.2019, coll. Swarup Ranjan Mohanty.

Diagnosis: Body deep and flattened, covered with cycloid scales, its depth 2.7-2.8 in SL. Pre-anal length 1.9-2.0 in standard length (SL). Head 3.0- 3.3 in SL; compressed and edge of the dorsal profile sharp and strongly lower in front of eye. Eye small, 5.5-5.6; inter-orbital space,

5.5-5.6 in head length (HL). Snout very arduous and compressed, jaws prominent with 2 large slender canines situated anteriorly in each jaw. Pre-dorsal length 3.6-3.8

Body depth Pectoral fin length in SL. Dorsal fin continuous and origin at hind edge of eye. Lateral lines interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal fin, with 24-26 pored scales. Cheeks with 8 rows of rudimentary scales. Dorsal fin with 9 spines and 14 soft rays; first 2 dorsal spines flexible and size of these spines longer than others, but with a gap between second and third spines, the membrane deeply notched, but not to base of fin. Anal fin with 1 spines and 11 soft rays; pectoral fin well developed with 11-12 rays; pelvic fins with 1 spine and 5 rays; caudal fin asymmetrically rounded with 14 rays.

Colour: Fresh specimen’s bright pink, with a black spot below lateral line and end of pectoral fin; body is covered with pale orange dots mainly along lateral line; edge of head is pale blue and tinge yellow colour on snout. Dorsalfin tip darker pink in colour; caudal-fin with pale blue or light orange-yellow coloured vertical lines; anal-fin with a pale blue line.