Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus

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Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Haemulidae
Genus: Plectorhinchus
Species:
P. caeruleonothus
Binomial name
Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus, the blue bastard, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, the sweetlips, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It was discovered in Australia in 2015.

Contents

Description

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus adults are mostly silvery-grey in colour, but the cheek and the operculum are uniformly bluish-grey. The orbit of the eye and upper edge of the upper jaw are sooty yellow, while the posterior edge of the gill membrane is silvery-grey. The juveniles are blackish brown and marked with 10 uneven, horizontal, slender white stripes on the head and body. The caudal fin is marked with diagonal white bars that converge on the central margin, while the pectoral fins are yellow with a dark brown blotch in the middle of their inner bases. [1] The dorsal fin contains 12 spines and 18-20 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6-7 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 100 cm (39 in). [2]

Distribution

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus is endemic to Australia. It ranges from Rottnest Island in Western Australia around the northern coast to Lizard Island in Queensland. [1]

Habitat and biology

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus is found over sand, rubble, and reef substrates, although it prefers intertidal areas or reefs in shallow water. It has been taken as deep as 30 m (98 ft). Larger individuals are solitary, spending the day foraging over quite open areas of sand or silt. These fish have frequently been recorded interacting in highly aggressive conflicts with other conspecifics. [2] Such confrontations involve the individuals coming face-to-face and locking their jaws, as well as participating in prolonged and violent struggles close to the top of the water column. [1]

Discovery, systematics and naming

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus was previously considered to be a legendary fish [3] which existed only in fishermen's tales. The fish is very difficult to catch. [4] Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus was identified through several features unique to it, such as a distinctive pattern on juveniles and small nostrils. [5] It is thought that the fish likely evolved its tough ways to survive the many sharks and crocodiles that share its habitat in reef waters off northern Australia. [6] It was formally described in 2015 by Jeffrey W. Johnson and Jessica Worthington Wilmer with the type locality given as Boyd Bay, southwest of Weipa in Queensland. [7] Previously, this species was thought to be synonymous with the minstrel sweetlips ( Plectorhinchus schotaf ) of the western Indian Ocean, as were the sombre sweetlips ( Plectorhinchus unicolor ) of Japan to northern Australia and Plectorhinchus griseus from India and Sri Lanka, but all are now recognised as valid species [5] [7] The specific name is a compound of caeruleus meaning “blue”, which refers to the blue sheen in life, and nothus meaning “bastard”, reflecting the name given to this species by anglers. [8]

Utilisation

Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus Is sometimes taken as bycatch in commercial fisheries. [1] It is sought after by recreational anglers, mainly due to the difficulty of catching it. The flesh is not regarded as highly palatable. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Plectorhinchus</i> Genus of fishes

Plectorhinchus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae which also includes the grunts. The species in this genus are found in fresh, brackish, and salt waters.

<i>Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides, the harlequin sweetlips, clown sweetlips, spotted sweetlips or many-spotted sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips</span> Species of fish

The Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips, also known as the oriental sweetlips or oriental blubberlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ribboned sweetlips</span> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus polytaenia, the ribboned sweetlips, also known as Tesone di mare or yellow-ribbon sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Plectorhinchus pica</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus pica, the painted sweetlips, dotted sweetlips, magpie sweetlips or spotted sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to coral reefs of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is a commercially important species and can be found in the aquarium trade.

<i>Plectorhinchus diagrammus</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus diagrammus, the striped sweetlips, fourbanded sweetlips or silver-banded sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It feeds on benthic invertebrates. This species can reach 40 cm (16 in) in TL. It can be found in the aquarium trade and is farmed. It is native to the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, from the Andaman Islands to the Philippines, north as far as Japan, where it is an inhabitant of coral reefs. This species was first formally described in 1758 by Linnaeus in the 10th edition of the Systema Naturae, he gave it the name Perca diagramma. Its specific name diagrammus was not explained by Linnaeus but he cites Gronovius in his description who described “irregular longitudinal yellow lines”, so the name is inferred to “a figure marked with lines”.

<i>Plectorhinchus albovittatus</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus albovittatus, the two-striped sweetlips or giant sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, part of the grunt family Haemulidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackfin slatey</span> Species of fish

The blackfin slatey, also known as blackfoot sweetlips, blackfin sweetlips or blacktip sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western central Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Painted sweetlips</span> Species of fish

The painted sweetlips, also known as the Australian slatey, blackall, bluey, grey sweetlips, moke, morwong, mother-in-law fish, painted blubber-lips, slate bream, slate sweetlips, smokey bream, thicklip or yellowdot sweetlips is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region.

Plectorhinchus ceylonensis, the Sri Lanka sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka. It inhabits waters over coral reefs at depths from 5 to 20 m. This species is rarely found in the aquarium trade.

<i>Pomadasys kaakan</i> Species of fish

Pomadasys kaakan, the javelin grunter or barred javelin is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from Africa to Australia.

Plectorhinchus macrospilus, the largespot sweetlips, largespot thicklips or Andaman sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the north eastern Indian Ocean.

<i>Plectorhinchus gibbosus</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus gibbosus, commonly known as the Harry hotlips, black sweetlips, brown sweetlips, dusky sweetlips, gibbous sweetlips, hairy hotlips or humpback sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.

<i>Macolor macularis</i> Species of fish

Macolor macularis, the midnight snapper, midnight seaperch or black and white snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

<i>Lutjanus lemniscatus</i> Species of fish

Lutjanus lemniscatus, the yellowstreaked snapper, darktail snapper, darktail seaperch or maroon sea-perch is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.

<i>Plectorhinchus lineatus</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus lineatus, also known as the yellowbanded sweetlips, oblique-banded sweetlips, diagonal-banded sweetlips, Goldman's sweetlips, lined blubber-lips, lined sweetlips, many-lined sweetlips, striped sweetlips and yellowband sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It inhabits coral reefs of the western Pacific Ocean, where it occurs at depths from 1 to 35 m.

<i>Plectorhinchus gaterinus</i> Species of fish

Plectorhinchus gaterinus, commonly known as the blackspotted rubberlip or African grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is found in the western Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailfin rubberlip</span> Species of fish

The sailfin rubberlip is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Indian Ocean.

<i>Diagramma labiosum</i> Species of fish

Diagramma centurio, the painted sweetlips, Australian slatey, greysweetlips, painted blubber-lips or yellowdot sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubberlip grunt</span> Species of fish

The rubberlip grunt is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. (2020). "Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus" in FishBase . February 2021 version.
  3. ↑ Joshua Robertson (8 September 2015). "'Blue bastard': newly recognised fish is blue when adult and 'a bastard to catch'". The Guardian .
  4. ↑ Marcus Strom (11 September 2015). "Newsmaker: the blue bastard, a new fish species". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. 1 2 Jeffrey W. Johnson & Jessica Worthington Wilmer (2015). "Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus, a new species of sweetlips (Perciformes: Haemulidae) from northern Australia and the resurrection of P. unicolor (Macleay, 1883), species previously confused with P. schotaf (Forsskål, 1775)". Zootaxa. 3985 (4).
  6. ↑ "Tough New Fish 'Blue Bastard' Inhabits Shark-Infested Waters". discovery.com.
  7. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Plectorhinchus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  8. ↑ Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (5 January 2021). "Order LUTJANIFORMES: Families HAEMULIDAE and LUTJANIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  9. ↑ Peter Morse (1 May 2018). "Blue Bastards". Sage. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
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