Tuesday, January 10, 2017

[Ichthyology • 2016] Redescriptions of Two Closely related East Asian Flatfish Species of the Genus Pleuronichthys, Pleuronichthys lighti & P. cornutus


(A–C) Pleuronichthys lighti Wu, 1929
(F–H) Pleuronichthys cornutus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)


Abstract

Because of the taxonomic confusion, including misapplication of their scientific names, resulting from the morphological similarity of two East Asian flatfish species, Pleuronichthys lighti Wu, 1929 and Pleuronichthys cornutus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846), both species are redescribed, with particular emphasis on some new key characters. New common names are proposed for each species.

Keywords: Pisces, Pleuronichthys lightiPleuronichthys cornutus, redescription, morphology, scale


Pleuronichthys lighti Wu, 1929
(New English name: Common frog flounder)

Pleuronichthys cornutus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
(New English name: Phantom frog flounder)


FIGURE 5. Ocular side coloration variations in fresh Pleuronichthys lighti (A–E) and P. cornutus (F–J).
A: BSKU 114101; B: BSKU 118425; C: BSKU 118426 (A–C were photographed by K. Yokogawa); D: KAUM–I. 20492; E: KAUM–I. 5064;
F, G: Uncatalogued specimens (F and G were photographed by K. Watanabe); H: KAUM–I. 30446; I: KAUM–I. 29267; J: KAUM– I. 4229 (KAUM specimens were photographed by the Kagoshima University Museum).

Kōji Yokogawa, Ken-Ichi Watanabe and Gota Ogihara. 2016. Redescriptions of Two Closely related East Asian Flatfish Species of the Genus Pleuronichthys.
  Zootaxa. 4205(1); DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4205.1.1