RESEARCH ARTICLE

Peristedion longicornutum, a new species of armored gurnard from the western Pacific Ocean (Teleostei: Peristediidae)

Ronald Fricke, Toshio Kawai, Takuji Yato & Hiroyuki Motomura

Abstract

The Longhorn Armored Gurnard Peristedion longicornutum n. sp. is described from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, based on 28 specimens collected with a beam trawl at depths of 340-506 meters. The new species is characterized among the Indo-Pacific species of the genus by 21-23 dorsal-fin soft rays; 20-22 anal-fin soft rays; 29-33 bony plates in the dorsal row; 35-38 in the upper lateral row; 26-29 in the lower lateral row; 23-26 in the ventral row; 3 lip and 6-7 chin groups of barbels; 14-26 branches on the filamentous barbel; 15-24 total chin barbels; the anterior edge of the 4th sensory pore of the rostral projection half a pupil diameter anterior to the anterior edge of the premaxilla; a very long and needle-like rostral projections, length 14.2-22.3% SL; a wide interspace between rostral projections, 0.20-0.30 in rostral-projection width, and a rounded margin on the medial side at the base; a smooth and straight perifacial rim; the upper detached pectoral-fin ray longer than the joined pectoral fin; and the peritoneum pale. A key to the Indo-West Pacific species of the genus Peristedion Lacepède, 1801 is presented.