Tomicodon australis Briggs 1955

Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Analsoft rays: 7 - 8; Vertebrae: 30 - 32

Tomicodon australis Briggs, 1955

Tomicodon fasciatus australis Briggs, 1955:67 [type locality: San Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil; holotype, USNM 88042].

DESCRIPTION (Table 1).—Dorsal-fin rays 7–9 (mode 8). Anal-fin rays 7 or 8. Pectoral-fin rays 19 or 20 (mode 20). Caudal-fin segmented rays 11 or 12. Vertebrae 13–14+17–19=30–32 (mode 14+18=32); last rib on vertebra 13 or 14 (mode 14); last epineural on vertebra 19–21 (mode 20). Anal fin originating at vertical from base of dorsal-fin ray 3–5 (usually 3 or 4). Upper jaw with 3 or 4 canines (mode 4), 8–10 incisors. Lower jaw with 3–6 canines (mode 4), 6 incisors. Anterior margin of pelvic disk crenulate, with well-developed flaps. Pelvic disk region A with 6 or 7 irregular rows of papillae; region B with 6 or 7 irregular rows (region C without papillae and not repeated in species descriptions that follow). Anus position varying from midway to near anal-fin origin, usually nearer anal-fin origin. Anterior nostril usually with well-developed dermal flap, flap sometimes tiny.

Body elongate, rounded in cross section. Head length 26.5%–30.1% SL (x = 28.5%). Head width 19.8%–24.5% SL (x = 21.8%). Pelvic disk small, length 23.3%–25.9% SL (x = 24.4%). Longest known specimen 26.8 mm SL.

Mature ovaries large, cigar-shaped, extending most or all of length of body cavity. One 25.7 mm SL specimen (USNM 87802) with well-developed ovaries, right ovary containing more than 50 eggs. Largest eggs among examined specimens about 0.6 mm in diameter in two females, 20.1 mm SL and 25.3 mm SL (both USNM 87808). Genital papilla of females short and conical with somewhat pointed tip; male papilla a slender, elongate tube.

ECOLOGICAL HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION.—No information is available on the ecological habitat of this species. It is known only from Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina on the coast of southeastern Brazil.

PRESERVED COLOR PATTERN (Figure 2).—Specimens seem to retain their pigmentation pattern after preservation.

Males: Head and body with dark brown bars on tan background. Head with five narrow dark bars radiating from eye: anteriormost bar from eye to middle of upper lip, extending anteriorly and meeting similar bar from other side; remaining bars extending posteroventrally from eye to just below ventrolateral curvature of head; posterodorsalmost bar extending from eye to border of opercle. Underside of head pale, with dark brown spots on each side of lower lip. Approximately six hourglass-shaped, dark saddles along dorsal profile: anteriormost saddle on top of head, posteriormost on top of caudal peduncle. Body laterally bearing approximately 9–11 narrow dark bars separated by broader pale interspaces: anteriormost bar behind pectoral-fin base, posteriormost bar on caudal peduncle. Dark lateral bars from anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base reaching ventral midline. Belly and region anterior to anal-fin origin pale. Dorsal fin generally dark brown with irregular pale streak submarginally. Anal fin varying from pale to having a dark blotch over bases of anterior four or five rays. Caudal fin pale basally and distally, with two intervening broad, dark bars separated by a pale interspace. Pelvic disk pale. Pectoral fin and base with two or three slightly irregular, diagonal dark bars: first (anteriormost) bar extending from beneath dorsal attachment of gill cover posteroventrally to base of ventral pectoral rays; second bar beginning on bases of dorsalmost pectoral rays and paralleling first bar to about middle of fin; third bar, when present, beginning at midlength of dorsalmost rays and paralleling second bar in dorsal half of fin.

Females: Similar to males except lateral bars irregular and forming mottled pattern along sides of body; only posteriormost one or two bars with a few scattered melanophores reaching ventral midline.

FRESH COLORATION.—Field note in jar with holotype states “markings were jet black, transverse bands sort of double on sides.”

ETYMOLOGY.—The specific epithet is based upon the Latin australis, meaning southern, referring to the southwestern Atlantic distribution (Briggs, 1955).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (Abbreviated).—BRAZIL. USNM 88042 (24.7 mm SL, male, holotype of Tomicodon fasciatus australis); paratypes of T. f. australis: USNM 87799 (1: 24.3 mm SL), USNM 87800 (1: 21.5 mm SL), USNM 87801 (1: 22.0 mm SL), USNM 87802 (11: 19.0–26.8 mm SL), USNM 163663 (1: 23.8 mm SL).