Marine Fishes of South-East Asia. Gerry Allen
STRIPED ANGLERFISH
Antennarius striatus (Shaw, 1794)
Inhabits inshore reefs, often in weeds; distinguished by narrow dark streaks and elongate blotches on body and fins; also entirely black variety; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 22 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
10 WHITE-FINGER ANGLERFISH
Antennarius nummifer (Cuvier, 1817)
Inhabits inshore reefs; similar to 11 below, but has distinct tail base and usually a dark spot at base of dorsal fin; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 13 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
11 FRECKLED ANGLERFISH
Antennarius coccineus (Lesson, 1830)
Inhabits offshore coral reefs; similar to 10 above, but lacks distinct tail base and black spot on dorsal fin base; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 13 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
12 SHAGGY ANGLERFISH
Antennarius hispidus (Schneider, 1801)
Inhabits coastal reefs; distinguished by scattered dark blotches on side and fins, and diagonal, elongate streaks and blotches on dorsal fin; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
13 PAINTED ANGLERFISH
Antennarius pictus (Shaw & Nodder, 1794)
Inhabits coastal reefs; distinguished by scattered dark spots (some pale-edged) and with light patches on nape, cheek, and pectoral regions; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 24 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
14 SPOTTED-TAIL ANGLERFISH
Lophiocharon trisignatus (Richardson, 1844)
Inhabits coastal reefs, also found under wharves; distinguished by dark-edged pale spots on tail; Indo-Australian Archipelago; to 18 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
15 SARGASSUM FISH
Histrio histrio (Linnaeus, 1758)
Usually found in clumps of floating sargassum weed; distinguished by smooth skin (most other anglerfishes have prickles), often with skin flaps and filaments on head and body; found throughout the region; worldwide temperate and tropical seas; to 16 cm. (ANTENNARIIDAE)
16 RED CUSKEEL
Ogilbia sp.
Inhabits coral reef crevices; distinguished by yellow to orange colour; elongate, tapering shape, blunt snout and tail separated from dorsal and anal fins; found throughout the region;W. Pacific; to 9 cm. (BYTHITIDAE)
17 PEARLFISH
Onuxodon margaritiferae (Rendahl, 1921)
Inhabits coastal waters, lives in the mantle cavity of oysters; other similar species found inside sea cucumbers and cushion starfish; distinguished by long slender, transparent body; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 9 cm. (CARAPIDAE)
18 BLACK-EDGED CUSKEEL
Ophidion muraenolepis (Gunther, 1880)
Inhabits continental shelf and slope; distinguished by long tapering body, low, dark edged dorsal and anal fins, no barbels, but thread-like pelvic fins just behind chin; N.W. Australia and S. Indonesia; mainly eastern Indian Ocean; to 20 cm. (OPHIDIIDAE)
19 BEARDED CUSKEEL
Brotula multibarbata Temminck & Schlegel, 1847 Inhabits coastal reefs; distinguished by elongate body, barbels around mouth, and thread-like pelvic fins; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 90 cm. (OPHIDIIDAE)
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20 GOLDEN CUSKEEL
Sirembo imberis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1847)
Inhabits trawling grounds; similar to 18 above, but with broken stripes and spots on side; found throughout the region; N. Indian Ocean and W. edge of Pacific; to 20 cm. (OPHIDIIDAE)
PLATE 13: FLYING FLSHES, GARFISHES, LONGTOMS AND HARDYHEADS
1 FLYINGFISH
Cypselurus sp.
Inhabits oceanic waters, frequently well offshore; several species of flyingfishes are common in the region, but only one is shown here as they are seldom caught by anglers and identification at the species level is frequently difficult; flyingfishes are distinguished by the wing-like pectoral fins and elongated lower tail lobe which facilitate long gliding flights over the sea surface; found throughout the region; to 27 cm. (EXOCOETIDAE)
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2 SNUB-NOSED GARFISH
Arrhamphus sclerolepis Gunther, 1866
Inhabits coastal waters, sometimes entering brackish estuaries and the lower reaches of freshwater streams; distinguished by its short snout and lack of elongated lower jaw (as in other garfishes); N. Australia and New Guinea; to 38 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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3 BUFFON'S GARFISH
Zenarchopterus buffonis (Valenciennes, 1847)
Inhabits coastal waters, sometimes entering estuaries; distinguished by truncate tail (forked in other genera of garfishes) and prominent dark brown stripe along midline of snout; male (shown here) has elongate and thickened anal fin; several similar species in region, usually in brackish or fresh waters; found throughout the region; Andaman Sea and Indo-Australian Archipelago: to 13 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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4 BARRED GARFISH
Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775)
Inhabits coastal waters, frequently in schools near reefs; distinguished by 4-6 prominent dark bars on side; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 35 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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5 ROBUST GARFISH
Hemiramphus robustus Gunther, 1866 Inhabits coastal waters; similar to 4 above, but lacks dark bars on side (may have a single dark blotch below dorsal fin); both these species differ from 6 and 7 below in lacking scales on the triangular-shaped surface of the upper jaw; also known as Three by Two garfish; tropical and temperate Australia only; to 48 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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6 TROPICAL GARFISH
Hyporhamphus afftnis (Günther, 1866)
Inhabits coastal waters, occurring in schools; similar to 4 and 5 above, but has scales (versus no scales) on the triangular-shaped surface of the upper jaw, is more slender, and lacks bars or blotches on side; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 25 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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7 QUOY’S GARFISH
Hyporhamphus quoyi (Valenciennes, 1847)
Inhabits coastal waters, occurring in schools; distinguished by the relatively short lower jaw; found throughout the region; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 34 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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8 LONG-FINNED GARFISH
Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823)
Inhabits coastal waters, but sometimes encountered well offshore; distinguished by strongly compressed ribbon-like body, very long lower jaw, and wing-like pectoral fins; exhibits gliding behaviour similar to flyingfishes; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 60 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
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9 BARRED LONGTOM
Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846)
Inhabits oceanic waters, often well offshore; distinguished by bars on rear part of body below dorsal fin; found throughout the region; worldwide tropical and subtropical seas; to 120 cm. (BELONIDAE)
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