Common name: Bastard Red Cod (Australian Standard); northern bastard cod (New Zealand)
Figures 1, 3C, 5, 8; Tables 1–4
Lota breviuscula Richardson, 1846: 61, Pl. 38 (figs 1–2). Type locality: Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Holotype: BMNH 1855.9.19.1182.
Pseudophycis breviusculus. Günther, 1862: 350; Günther, 1863: 116; Hector in Hutton and Hector, 1872: 116, pl. 8; Hutton in Hutton and Hector, 1872: 47; Dambeck, 1879: 536, 547, 555; Hector, 1884: 55; Hector, 1886: 28; Sherrin, 1886: 304; Gill, 1893: 120 (list); Hutton, 1904: 48; Thomson, 1906: 551; Young, 1925: 370; Graham, 1938: 405; Graham, 1939 b: 365; Ayling and Cox, 1982: 143, fig. (description).
Austrophycis megalops Ogilby, 1897: 91. Type locality: Maroubra Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Holotype: AMS I.3655.
Austrophycis megalops. McCulloch, 1927: 32 (list); McCulloch, 1929: 129 (list); Munro, 1938: 62, fig. 443 (description); Whitley, 1964: 40 (list); Paxton and Hanley in Paxton et al., 1989: 302 (list).
? Pseudophycis breviusculus. Graham, 1939: 399.
Physiculus (Pseudophycis) breviusculus. Graham 1956: 173, 174 fig.; Whitley, 1956: 403 (list); Svetovidov, 1967: 1686, 1689; Whitley, 1968: 40 (list).
Pseudophycis breviuscula. Paulin, 1983: 93 (description, taxonomy); Francis, 1988: 21; Paxton and Hanley in Paxton et al., 1989: 302 (list); Paul, 1986: 58; Paulin, 1988: 450, 451, 453; Paulin et al., 1989: 119 (key), 255 (list); Cohen in Cohen et al., 1990: 375 (taxonomy); Paulin and Roberts, 1992: 128, fig. 68a (description); Kuiter, 1993: 60 (description); Gomon in Gomon et al., 1994: 335 (description); Francis, 1996: 21; Paul, 2000: 58; Francis, 2001: 25; Hutchins, 2001: 23 (distribution); Sazonov, 2001: 293 (taxonomy of A. megalops); Paxton et al., 2006: 616 (list); Gomon in Gomon et al., 2008: 314 (description); Roberts et al. in Gordon et al., 2009: 532 (list); McMillan et al., 2011a: 161, 162; McMillan et al., 2011b: 94; Francis, 2012: 52; Struthers et al., in Roberts et al., 2016: 864, fig. 107.22 (description); Roberts et al., 2015: S164; Roberts et al., 2017: 81, Roberts et al., 2019: 90 (listed).
? Austrophycis marginata (nec Günther, 1878). Cohen in Cohen et al., 1990: 356 (taxonomy of A. megalops).
Diagnosis. First dorsal fin with 8–10 rays, second dorsal fin with 44–52 rays; anal fin with 49–56 rays; total vertebrae 42– 45; nostrils adjacent to anterior margin of orbit, interval between nostril and orbital margin less than diameter of combined nostrils; posterior nostril with raised anterior border but without tubular flap posteriorly; gill rakers of outer arch moderately short, those near angle much shorter than opposing gill filaments; caudal peduncle short 28.8–33.4% HL; chin barbel of moderate length, 23.4–30.5% HL; scales above lateral line in oblique series from base of first dorsal fin ray 7–9; oblique rows of scales intersecting with lateral line 77–93; pyloric caeca 7–8; caudal fin rounded without angular corners, the middle rays equal to or longer than the rays above and below; no distinct dark blotch at base of pectoral fin; underside of head, body and anal fin tan to brown, anal fin with fine black distal margin. A small species reaching at least 151 mm SL.
Description. (Values for non-type specimens when different from type in parentheses; see Tables 2–4 for summary of selected meristic and comparative morphometric values.) First dorsal fin 9 (8–10, rarely 8), first ray often minute; second dorsal fin 46 (44–52, rarely less than 46); anal fin 50 (49–56); pectoral fin 21 (20–23); pelvic fin 4 (4–5); caudal fin 26 (26–32, rarely 26); gill rakers 3 (2–3) + 8 (7–8) = 9–12; lateral line pores not associated with individual scales; oblique scale rows intersecting with lateral line 93 (77–93); scales in oblique series above lateral line 7 (7–9), scales in oblique series below lateral line 23 (22–28, rarely 28); vertebrae 13 (11–14, rarely 11) + 31 (30–33) = 42–45, rarely 42; pyloric caeca 7–8.
Body of moderate depth, moderately compressed laterally (fig. 8), greatest depth at or just in advance of anal fin origin 22.8 (20.6–23.3)% SL, tapering gradually from second dorsal fin origin to posterior portion of fin and then more steeply to shallow caudal peduncle; caudal peduncle short, 4.8 (5.7– 8.5)% SL, strongly compressed, depth subequal to orbital diameter. Distance between middle of anus and base of anal fin less than diameter of posterior nostril. Body cavity extending to above origin of anal fin.
Head acute, moderately short, length 25.8 (23.4–26.0)% SL, its width 16.6 (12.4–17.9)% SL and depth 12.1 (10.8–15.2)% SL; snout moderately short 5.9 (5.1–7.0)% SL, not projecting in advance of upper jaw, rounded in dorsal view. Nostrils small, located on posterior half of snout just in front of eye, distance from nostrils to orbital margin less than diameter of combined nostrils; nostrils positioned above horizontal through centre of eye; diameter of posterior opening about 1.5 diameter of anterior, separated from it by raised skin flap; posterior opening without tubular flap encircling posterior margin. Interorbital of moderate width, slightly convex. Eye of moderate size, orbital diameter 27.4 (24.7–35.7)% HL, 0.91 (0.53–1.10) times in interorbital space, 3.72 (2.20–5.78) times suborbital distance, circular, upper edge of eye just below dorsal margin of head in lateral view, skin covering eye unpigmented. Postorbital moderately long, 1.09 (0.97–1.50) times length of upper jaw. Mouth large, terminal, upper jaw terminating just posterior to vertical through posterior margin of eye. Jaw teeth small, caniniform, slightly curved, depressible, band of up to four or five irregular rows in upper jaw with narrow hiatus at symphysis; band tapering near rear of jaw. Teeth of lower jaw similar in form to those of upper jaw; band of several rows with broader patch on either side of symphysis, tapering posteriorly; rows almost contiguous across symphysis. Vomerine teeth absent. Opercular bones strong; upper extremity of gill opening at horizontal through middle of eye; gill membranes continuous across isthmus. Gill rakers on outer arch club-shaped, moderately short, about 0.3–0.8 times length of opposing gill filaments at angle, 15–23 times in head, slightly denticulate. Chin barbel of moderate length, subconical 21.0 (19.6–30.5)% HL.
Moderately small cycloid scales covering all of head and body except for branchiostegal membranes, surface of maxilla and premaxilla, lower lip and distal parts of fins; very thick mucus covering obscuring scales and pores in freshly preserved material. Most head pores tiny, following main cephalic sensory canals; row of slightly raised pores extending from tip of snout posteriorly just above lower edge of suborbital; row of enlarged mandibular pores on underside of lower jaw. Lateral line comprising pores on tubes arising above upper end of gill opening, anterior end curved upwards slightly, then gradually descending to lateral midline below posterior third of second dorsal fin, remaining on lateral midline posteriorly.
Membranes of first and second dorsal fins continuous at base; first dorsal originating distinctly behind vertical through pectoral fin base; anterior two-thirds of second dorsal of uniform height, 7th to 9th ray from posterior end of fin longest, its height about 1.2 times length of 2nd ray at anterior end of fin, last eight or so rays progressively shorter; rays of both dorsal fins mostly unbranched, only about last 14 or 15 rays, except last few, branched. Fleshy basal sheath on base of first dorsal and anterior portion of second dorsal fins not especially prominent with scales apparently confined to basal margin of fin; fin rays interconnected by membranes to tips; sheath more obvious on body below much of combined dorsal fin base, broadest anteriorly, narrowing posteriorly. Profile of anal fin similar to that of second dorsal fin, with comparable unbranched and branched rays. Fleshy sheath on and below anal fin similar to that of dorsal fins. Caudal fin rounded without distinct dorsoposterior and ventroposterior corners, posterior margin distinctly convex; all but anteriormost rays of similar length; base of fin covered by indistinct sheath (sheath demarcated from scales of caudal peduncle). Pectoral fin tip reaching past vertical through anal fin origin, seventh or eighth ray longest. Pelvic fin inserted anterior to vertical through posterior edge of preopercle; outer two rays longer than inner rays; second ray longest, 17.6 (16.6–21.6)% SL, two to four times length of subsequent ray, reaching vertical through first dorsal fin origin.
Fresh colour. (Based on images of non-type material; fig. 8B.) Medium brown to pale brown above, paler below with white chest and belly in smaller individuals, bronze in larger individuals; lateral line not distinctive. Underside of head and jaws brownish; ventral edge of suborbital darker brown; barbel white. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins very pale brown in smaller individuals, darker in large individuals; fins with distinct broad to narrow black margin distally, more diffuse in large individuals. Pectoral fin orange with very faint semi-circular brown blotch basally. Pelvic fin rays white with pink to orange hue.
Preserved colour. Head, body and fins pale dusky to dusky, chest and belly very pale, ventral edge of suborbital darker; distal edges of dorsal, caudal and anal fin with diffuse darker margins.
Etymology. The name breviuscula is Latin for “rather short”, probably in reference to the relatively small maximum size of the species compared with others of the genus, although Richardson separated it from other New Zealand morids simply by fin counts.
Distribution. Endemic to coastal waters of Australia and New Zealand, from Perth, Western Australia (32° 01' S, 115° 30' E), to Tweed Heads, New South Wales (28° 14' S, 153° 50' E), including all of Tasmania and around the North Island of New Zealand (fig. 3C). A demersal reef-dwelling species at 0–273 m, although most often encountered at less than 100 m on rocky and boulder reefs (Struthers et al. in Roberts et al., 2016: 864).
Remarks. P. breviuscula is the smallest of the four species in the genus, reaching less than half the maximum length of its congeners. It also occurs in slightly warmer waters compared with the other three members of the genus, reaching well onto the northern New South Wales coast in eastern Australia and around New Zealand’s North Island.
Paulin (1983: 94) provided a thorough synonymy of P. breviuscula from a New Zealand perspective but failed to mention Austrophycis megalops Ogilby, 1897, which was based on a specimen from New South Wales, Australia. This omission was possibly due to the widespread uncertainty about the identity of Waite’s shrivelled 65 mm type specimen. Some authors regarded Ogilby’s species as congeneric with Günther’s (1878: 19) A. marginatus based on material from the south-eastern Pacific and others thought the two were likely to be conspecific (Cohen in Cohen et al., 1990: 356). Sazonov (2001: 343) reported that he had examined the type specimen and found it to be P. breviuscula relegating the name A. megalops to synonymy with that species.
Material examined. Types. Lota breviuscula BMNH 1855.9.19.1182 (152, holotype) Bay of Islands, New Zealand (fig. 8a); Austrophycis megalops AMS I. 3655 (65, holotype) Maroubra Bay, New South Wales, Australia, 33° 57' S, 151° 16' E, T. Whitelegge, 1897 (after Sazonov, 2001: 343, holotype, not re-examined for this study).
Other material. (47 specimens examined for meristic or morphometric values, 70.2–139 mm SL; see Appendix 2 for additional material in Australasian collections.) Australia, Victoria : NMV A2261-002 (2, 106–111) Portland Harbour, end of lee breakwater, 38° 21' S, 141° 36' E, 12 m, R. Kuiter, R. Wilson and I. Head, 21 October 1981; NMV A8882 (2, 84.0–127) Bass Strait, 80 km south-east of Loch Sport, 38° 34.3' S, 148° 18.2' E, 86 m, Victorian Marine Sciences Laboratory, 6 June 1984. Tasmania: CSIRO H 7698-09 † (66) Huon Commonwealth Marine Reserve, 43° 42.72' S, 147° 11.32' E – 43° 42.97' S, 147° 10.35' E, 122 m, A. Graham and J. Pogonoski, 8 April 2015. Western Australia: WAM P.25342.004 (112) Cape Naturaliste, 33°32' S, 115°01' E, J. Scott, 16 February 1964; WAM P.25343.017 (2, 108–119) Fremantle, 32°02' S, 115°40' E, L.M. Marsh et al, 24 June 1975; WAM P.26616.005 (125) Point Clune, 32°00' S, 115°30' E, 8 m, J.B. Hutchins et al, 29 March 1979; WAM P.28297.006 (5, 59.4–139) Lucky Bay, 34°08' S, 122°15' E, 8–10 m, J.B. Hutchins, 13 April 1984; WAM P.28300.005 (5, 63.8–131) Lucky Bay, 34°05' S, 122°15' E, 11– 12 m, J.B. Hutchins et al, 16 April 1984. New Zealand, North Island : NMNZ P.028044 (9, 82–127) Matatuahu Point, Tawharanui Peninsula, Hauraki Gulf, 36° 23' S, 174° 49' E, 0–5 m, A.L Stewart and C.D. Paulin, 8 April 1992; NMNZ P.028118 (7, 62–119) Onepoto Bay, Hicks Bay, East Cape, 37° 35.25' S, 178° 18.00' E, 0–3 m, NMNZ East Cape 1992 field team, 4 May 1992; NMNZ P.029805 (3, 55–135) Waihau Bay, Bay of Plenty, 37° 36.8' S, 177° 54.6' E, 4–6 m, NMNZ East Cape 1993 field team, 27 January 1993; NMNZ P.030036 (4, 103–135) inside of Tuamotu Island, Gisborne Harbour, 38° 42.2' S, 178° 2.4' E, 4–7 m, NMNZ East Cape 1993 field team, 21 January 1993; NMNZ P.046263 (103) north of Tom Bowling Bay; North Cape, 34° 22.56' S, 172° 55.28' E, 61–72 m, RV Tangaroa, 14 July 2009; NMNZ P.046285 † (2, 72.2–81.4) east of Purerua Peninsula, Bay of Islands, 35° 6.36' S, 174° 17.10' E, 119–121 m, RV Tangaroa, 7 July 2009; NMNZ P.048310 (70.4) western end of Omapere wharf, 35° 32.05' S, 173° 23.14' E, 4 m, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 13 February 2011; NMNZ P.048311 (70.5) western end of Omapere wharf, 35° 32.05' S, 173° 23.14' E, 4 m, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 13 February 2011; NMNZ P.048312 (82.6) western end of Omapere wharf, 35° 32.05' S, 173° 23.14' E, 4 m, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 13 February 2011; NMNZ P.048380 (124), NMNZ P.048381 (96.8) and NMNZ P.048382 (3, 59.9–101) reef inside southern headland of Hokianga Harbour, 35° 32.01' S, 173° 22.10' E, 5–8 m, WCN 11/09, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 15 February 2011; NMNZ P.049600 (84.8) and NMNZ P.049703 (93) Tauroa Point, Ahipara, 35° 10.48' S, 173° 2.73' E, 21 m, WCN 11/35, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 22 February 2011; NMNZ P.049708 (100) Tauroa Point, Ahipara, 35° 9.96' S, 173° 3.12' E, 14 m, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 22 February 2011; NMNZ P.051786 (119) Tauroa Point, Ahipara, 35° 10.48' S, 173° 2.73' E, 21 m, NMNZ & AIM Northland 2011 field team, 22 February 2011; NMNZ P.057218 † (78.5) and NMNZ P.052719 † (82.3) Ranfurly Bank, 37° 32.78' S, 178° 53.42' E, 68–70 m, RV Tangaroa, 30 May 2011.