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| Stigmatopora harastii Short & Trevor-Jones, 2020 |
Abstract
A new species of pipefish, Stigmatopora harastii sp. nov., is described based on the male holotype and two female paratypes, 136.3–145.5 mm SL, collected from red algae (sp.?) at 12 meters depth in Botany Bay, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The new taxon shares morphological synapomorphies with the previously described members of Stigmatopora, including principle body ridges, fin placement, slender tail, and absence of a caudal fin. It is morphologically and meristically similar to Stigmatopora nigra, including snout length and shape, dorsal-fin origin on 6th–7th trunk ring, and lateral trunk ridge terminating on the first tail ring. Stigmatopora harastii sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners, however, by characters of the head and first trunk ring, distinct sexual dimorphic markings on sides and venter of anterior trunk rings, and red background coloration in life. The new taxon can be further differentiated by genetic divergence in the mitochondrial COI gene (uncorrected p-distances of 9.8%, 10.1%, 10.7%, and 14.6%, from S. argus, S. macropterygia, S. narinosa, and S. nigra, respectively). The type locality is characterised by semi-exposed deep-water sandy areas interspersed with boulders, flat reefs, and an absence of seagrass beds, in which S. harastii has been observed living in facultative associations with a finger sponge and red algae at depths of 10–25 meters, compared to the shallow coastal and estuarine habitats preferred by the fucoid algae and seagrass-associating members of Stigmatopora. Stigmatopora harastii sp. nov. represents the fourth species of Stigmatopora recorded in temperate southern Australia.
Keywords: Botany Bay, COI, cryptobenthic, ichthyology, Jervis Bay, marine fish, morphology, South Pacific, Sydney, systematics, taxonomy
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| Figure 3. Stigmatopora harastii in situ, AMS I. 49510-001, holotype, male A (right individual) B (left individual); The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 13.5 meters depth, 18 June 2020. The male holotype was photographed with a paired female individual, which was not collected. Note the large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad on venter of anterior trunk rings in the male (photographs: Andrew Trevor-Jones). |
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| Figure 4. Stigmatopora harastii in situ, AMS I.47267 paratypes, female, The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia at 11–12 meters depth, 06 June 2017 (photographs: David Harasti). |
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| Figure 1. Stigmatopora harastii, preserved directly after collection, AMS I. 49510-001, holotype male, 145.5 mm SL A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view; Australia: NSW, Botany Bay, Kurnell (photograph: Kerryn Parkinson). Figure 2. Stigmatopora harastii, preserved directly after collection, paratypes, female A AMS I.47267-001, 136.3 mm SL B AMS I.47267-002, 138.2 mm SL; Australia: NSW, Botany Bay, Kurnell (photograph: Kerryn Parkinson). |
Stigmatopora harastii sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Stigmatopora harastii differs from its congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: median ridge, distinct, low, present on dorsum of head and first trunk ring starting from the posterior third of the frontal, over the supraoccipital, to the anterior and posterior nuchal plates; opercular ridge prominent, complete, not angled dorsad; lateromedial ridge, distinct, low, present between opercle and pectoral fin base; dorsal-fin origin on 6th–7th trunk rings, subdorsal rings 19–20 (12 trunk rings + 7 or 8 tail rings); lateral trunk ridge ends on first tail ring. Colouration: red background colour; dorsum of snout with large, irregular pale white spots; sides of head and anterior trunk rings with large, irregular pale white spots or with diffuse pale white stripe; venter of first trunk ring with distinct red elongated spots in longitudinal row, almost forming a stripe, on midline present in male (AMS I. 49510-001); venter of anterior trunk rings pale red with a large cluster of distinct red spots extending posteriad from second trunk ring in male (AMS I. 49510-001), few scattered small red spots in females (AMS I.1.47267).
Etymology: This species is named after David Harasti, one of the first to recognize S. harastii as being a new species, for recognition of his efforts towards conservation of Syngnathidae in Australia, and for being an aficionado extraordinaire of his beloved genus Stigmatopora. David has stated he counts green pipefish to fall asleep. Harasti’s Pipefish and the Red Wide-bodied Pipefish are proposed here as the common names for S. harastii.
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| Figure 6. Aerial view of the scuba dive site The Steps, Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia A shore and entrance B inshore boulders (photographs: Michael McFadyen). |
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| Figure 8. Stigmatopora harastii in situ, male-female pair A lateral view B anterior view, Minmi Trench, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, 18 meters depth, 17 February 2019 (photographs: Duncan Heuer). |
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| Figure 9. Stigmatopora harastii in situ A–C male D female, The Gutter, Bass Point, Shellharbour, NSW, Australia, 18 meters depth, 17 Feb 2017 (photographs: Craig Taylor). |
Graham Short and Andrew Trevor-Jones. 2020. Stigmatopora harastii, A New Species of Pipefish in Facultative Associations with Finger Sponges and Red Algae from New South Wales, Australia (Teleostei, Syngnathidae). ZooKeys. 994: 105-123. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.994.57160
Meet the spectacular Red Wide-bodied Pipefish: Australia's newest endemic fish species
