Plectranthias maculicauda

Plectranthias maculicauda (Regan)

Figures 32–33; Tables 1–16, 19, 21

Common name: Spot-tail Perchlet

Serranops maculicauda Regan 1914: 15 (type locality: off North Cape, Aupori Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand).

Plectranthias maculicauda.— Randall 1980: 151 (New South Wales).— Paxton et al. 1989: 507 (checklist).— Allen et al. 2006: 990 (checklist).— Williams et al. 2006: appendix 8: 29 (colour photos).— Anderson 2018: 30 (checklist).— Parenti & Randall 2020: 27 (checklist).

Plectranthias cf. maculicauda.— Kuiter 2004: 113 (regarded as distinct from New Zealand populations; colour figure, New South Wales).

Diagnosis. A species of Plectranthias with the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X,15; pectoral rays 15, rarely 14 or 16; lateral line complete with 32–35 tubed scales; no antrorse serrations on lower edge of preopercle; scales with basal cteni; melanophores on caudal peduncle form a large (larger than pupil) dark spot mid-laterally.

Remarks. Regan (1914) described Serranops maculicauda from nine syntypes collected off North Cape, New Zealand. Randall (1980) examined four of the syntypes and compared them with nine specimens from off New South Wales. He noted that the New Zealand specimens had more gill rakers than the New South Wales (7–8+17 versus 6–7+15). Kuiter (2004) recognised two species, based in part on Randall’s observed gill-raker count differences, and in part on apparent differences in live coloration. We refrain from further comment pending the completion of more detailed comparisons in progress by C.D. Roberts & A.C. Gill.

We add the following new observations: scales with basal cteni; vertebrae 10+16; supraneurals 3; predorsal formula 0/0+0/2/1+1; dorsal pterygiophores in interneural spaces 9–13 1/1/1/1+1/1 or 1/1/1/1+1/1+1; 0–2 trisegmental pterygiophores associated with dorsal fin; terminal dorsal pterygiophore in interneural space 17–18; 1–5 trisegmental pterygiophores associated with anal fin; terminal anal pterygiophore in interhaemal space 4–6; ribs present on vertebrae 3 through 10; epineurals present on vertebrae 1 through 12–13; parhypural and hypurals autogenous; well-developed hypurapophysis on parhypural; epurals 3; single uroneural (posterior uroneural absent); ventral tip of cleithrum with well-developed posteroventral process; proximal tip of first anal-fin pterygiophore near distal tips of parapophyses on vertebra 10.

Morphometric data are summarised in Table 19.

Material examined. Australia. AMS I.20605-017, 54.4 mm SL, New South Wales, North Solitary Island, 29°54′S, 153°36′E, 106–113 m, prawn trawl, FRV Kapala, 2 Aug 1978; AMS I.23476-001, 6: 47.1–75.2 mm SL, east of Hat Head, 31°05′S, 153°13′E, 155 m, demersal prawn trawl, K. Graham, FRV Kapala, 24 Aug 1977; AMS I.23477-001, 58.0 mm SL (radiograph only), off North Solitary Island, 29°54′S, 153°36′E, 56–60 m, prawn trawl, FRV Kapala, 2 Aug 1978; AMS I.23713-004, 71.0 mm SL, New South Wales, east of Wooli, 29°56′S, 153°36′E, 121–128 m, demersal fish trawl, K.J. Graham, FRV Kapala, 17 Jul 1982 (field number K 82-13-01); AMS I.24437- 008, 62.1 mm SL, New South Wales, off Smoky Cape, 30°58′S, 153°13′E, 146–155 m, demersal fish trawl, K.J. Graham, FRV Kapala, 8 Aug 1983 (field number K 83-07-09); AMS I.26716-001, 94.5 mm SL, New South Walers, off Bass Point, 34°35′S, 151°07′E, 141–144 m, demersal fish trawl, K.J. Graham, FRV Kapala, 21 Nov 1985 (field number K 85-18-08); AMS I.42723-001, 67.6 mm SL, Tasman Sea, Lord Howe Rise, large seamount north of Middleton Reef, 29°13.12′S, 159°00.45′E, 292–330 m, NIWA epibenthic sled, NORFANZ team, R. V. Tangaroa, 21 May 2003 (TAN 0308-055); CSIRO H 3763-01, 50.7 mm SL, Victoria, Bass Strait, south of Lakes Entrance, 38°55.6′S, 148°27.7′E, 150–210 m, benthic sled, G. Yearsley, FRV Southern Surveyor, 26 Aug 1994 (field number SS0594/4); CSIRO H 4258-01, 44.5 mm SL, New South Wales, south of Green Cape, 37°21.23′S, 150°06.03′E to 37°20.1′S, 150°06.52′E, 90–94 m, epibenthic sled, R. Daley, FRV Southern Surveyor, 7 May 1996 (field number SS0296/185); CSIRO H 6159-02, 39.3 mm SL, Victoria, south of Cape Everard, 37°57.01′S, 149°14.53′E, 115 m, CSIRO, FRV Southern Surveyor, 26 Apr 2004 (field number SS0404/86). New Zealand. AIM MA2495, 83.9 mm SL, Northland, off North Cape, 34°26′S, 173°14′E, 143–165 m, RV Acheron, 20 Feb 1974.

Additional specimens identified for distribution information. Australia. AMS I.35890-001, 30.0 mm SL, New South Wales, Taupo Seamount, 33°16.85′S, 156°09.15′E, 244 m, 1.2 m sled, J.K. Lowry, RV Franklin, 2 May 1989.