PLATE 16: KNIGHT FISHES, DORIES, FLUTEMOUTHS, ETC.

      1 KNIGHT FISH

      Cleidopus gloriamaris De Vis, 1882

      Inhabits coastal reefs, usually in caves or under ledges; similar to 2 below, but has very conspicuous light-producing organ on each side of lower jaw (appearing as orange spot in daylight or a blue-green one at night), and scales are more strongly outlined by dark colouration; also known as Pineapple fish; Australia only, mainly in subtropical and temperate waters of east and west coasts; to 28 cm. (MONOCENTRIDAE)

      2 JAPANESE PINEAPPLEFISH

      Monocentrus japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782)

      Inhabits deeper offshore reefs and trawling grounds; similar to 1 above, but light organs not as conspicuous, narrower dark margins around scales, and wider gap between eye and mouth; N.W. Australia, New S. Wales, and scattered localites in Indo-Malay region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (MONOCENTRIDAE)

      3 LITTLE DORY

      Cyttopsis cypho (Fowler, 1934)

      Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf; general shape similar to 4 and 5 below, but a much smaller fish lacking filamentous dorsal fin rays; found throughout the region; mainly W. Pacific; to 18 cm. (ZEIDAE)

      4 MIRROR DORY

      Zenopsis nebulosus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)

      Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shdf; similar to 5 below, but lacks scales (versus small scales present) and forehead profile distinctly concave (versus convex); found throughout the region; C. and W. Pacific; to 58 cm. (ZEIDAE)

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      5 JOHN DORY

      Zeus faber Linnaeus, 1758

      Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf, although sometimes found close to the coast; similar to 4 above, but has small scales versus no scales and forehead profile is concave versus convex; Australia, mainly in temperate seas; tropical and temperate E. Atlantic and lndo-W. Pacific; to 75 cm. (ZEIDAE)

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      6 PINK BOARFISH

      Antigonia rhomboidea McCuUoch, 1915

      Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf; distinguished by diamond-shaped body; red or pink colouration with yellowish fins; Australia only - shelf areas off eastern and western coasts in tropical and temperate seas; to 15 cm. (CAPROIDAE)

      7 HIGH-FINNED VEILFIN

      Velifer hypselopterus Bleaker, 1879

      Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf, although the young may appear in shallow coastal waters; distinguished by filamentous dorsal and anal fins and diffuse dark bars on side; shelf areas off eastern and western coasts of Australia in tropical and temperate seas, also Arafura Sea; Indo-W. Pacific; to 40 cm. (VELIFERIDAE)

      8 SMOOTH FLUTEMOUTH

      Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838

      Inhabits coastal waters in the vicinity of reefs; distinguished by long snout, trailing filament on tail, and greenish-brown colour of back; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 163 cm. (AULOSTOMIDAE)

      9 ROUGH FLUTEMOUTH

      Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803

      Inhabits coastal waters, also found well offshore; similar to 8 above, but has row of bony plates along middle of back (absent in 8) and is reddish or brownish-orange in colour (versus greenish-brown); found throughout the region; Atlantic and Indo-C. Pacific; to 185 cm. (FISTULARIIDAE)

      10 PAINTED FLUTEMOUTH

      Aulostomus chinensis (Linnaeus, 1766)

      Inhabits coral reefs; roughly similar shape to 8 and 9 above, but has shorter snout, has small scales (versus no scales), row of feeble dorsal spines on back, different shaped fins, and lacks tail filament; a yellow variety is frequently seen; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 50 cm. (FISTULARIIDAE)

      11 GHOST FLATHEAD

      Hoplichthys regani Jordan & Richardson, 1908

      Inhabits deep offshore trawling grounds; similar to flatheads (Plate 21) in body shape (i.e. greatly flattened), but lacks scales and has filamentous dorsal-fin rays; N.W. Ausralia and S. Indonesia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (HOPLICHTHYIDAE)

      12 ORIENTAL SEAROBIN

      Dactyloptaenia orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)

      Inhabits coastal waters, usually on sand bottoms near coral reefs; distinguished by huge wing-like pectoral fins; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 38 cm. (DACTYLOPTERIDAE)

      13 SLENDER SEAMOTH

      Pegasus volitans Linnaeus, 1758

      Inhabits sand or silt bottoms of bays and estuaries; distinguished by flattened head and tapered body encased in plate-like armour similar to seahorses, and fan-like pectoral fins; often identified as Parapegasusnatans; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 16 cm. (PEGASIDAE)

      14 SHORT SEAMOTH

      Emypegasus draconis (Linnaeus, 1766)

      Inhabits sand or silt bottoms, frequently in bays or estuaries; similar to 13 above, but wider body (when viewed from above), shorter snout and tail, and body is more “sculptured”; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 10 cm. (PEGASIDAE)

PLATE 17

      1 GROOVED RAZORFISH

      Centriscus scutatus Linnaeus, 1758

      Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by long snout and thin (highly compressed) body composed of bony plates; Great Barrier Reef and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 15 cm. (CENTRISCIDAE)

      2 HARLEQUIN GHOST PIPEFISH

      Solenostomus paradoxus (Pallas, 1770)

      Inhabits inshore reefs and weed beds, sometimes in floating seaweed; distinguished by skin flaps on head and body, stripes on body and spotted fins; N.W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 12 cm. (SOLENOSTOMIDAE)

      3 GHOST PIPEFISH

      Solenostomus cyanopterus Bleeker, 1855

      Inhabits inshore reef areas; distinguished by yellowish to green or brown colour; general shape similar to 2 above, but has fewer skin flaps and shorter tail base; N.W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 16 cm. (SOLENOSTOMIDAE)