Symphysanodon Explained

Symphysanodon, also known as the slopefishes, is a genus of small marine fishes. Most are found in the Indo-Pacific, but three species, S. berryi, S. mona, and S. octoactinus, are found in the Western Atlantic. They are found on rocky reefs at depths of 50m-700mm (160feet-2,300feetm). Traditionally, this genus is the only member of the family Symphysanodontidae, but in 2017 a new species, C. aureolateralis, was placed in its own genus Cymatognathus.^[1]

Description

The largest species of Symphysanodon can reach 20cm (10inches) in length. Their bodies are slender and compressed, with blunt snouts. They are red, pink, oranges or yellow in colour. The caudal fin is usually distinctively forked. The dorsal fins have 9 dorsal spines and 10 soft rays, whereas the anal fin has three anal spines and seven or eight soft rays.^[2]

Species

There are currently 12 recognized species in this genus:

• Symphysanodon andersoni Kotthaus, 1974 (Buck-toothed slopefish)^[3]
• Symphysanodon berryi W. D. Anderson, 1970 (Slope bass)
• Symphysanodon disii Khalaf & Krupp, 2008 (Disi's slopefish)
• Symphysanodon katayamai W. D. Anderson, 1970 (Yellow-stripe slopefish)
• Symphysanodon maunaloae W. D. Anderson, 1970 (Long-tailed slopefish)
• Symphysanodon mona W. D. Anderson & V. G. Springer, 2005 (Akarnax slopefish)
• Symphysanodon octoactinus W. D. Anderson, 1970 (Insular slopefish)
• Symphysanodon parini W. D. Anderson & V. G. Springer, 2005 (Sala y Gómez slopefish)
• Symphysanodon pitondelafournaisei Quéro, Spitz & Vayne, 2009 (Réunion slopefish)
• Symphysanodon rhax W. D. Anderson & V. G. Springer, 2005 (Maldives slopefish)
• Symphysanodon typus Bleeker, 1878 (Insular shelfbeauty)
• Symphysanodon xanthopterygion W. D. Anderson & Bineesh, 2011 (Indian slopefish)^[4]

Notes and References

1. Kimura, S. . G.D. Johnson . T. Peristiwady . K. Matsuura . 2017 . A New Genus and Species of the family Symphysanodontidae, Cymatognathus aureolateralis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes) from Indonesia . Zootaxa . 4277 . 1 . 51–66 . 10.11646/zootaxa.4277.1.4. 30308660 .
2. Book: Anderson, W.D.. 2002. [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/y4161e/y4161e50.pdf The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic]. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Charleston. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. 1020-6868. 2. 1304–1307. 92-5-104826-6.
3. Anderson, W.D.Jr., Chesalin, M.V., Jawad, L.A. & Al Shajibi, S.R. (2015): Redescription of the percoid fish Symphysanodon andersoni Kotthaus (Symphysanodontidae) from the northwestern Indian Ocean, based on the holotype and the second known specimen. Zootaxa, 4021 (3): 475-481.
4. Anderson, W.D.Jr. & Bineesh, K.K. (2011): A new species of the perciform fish genus Symphysanodon (Symphysanodontidae) from the Arabian Sea off the southwestern coast of India. Zootaxa, 2966: 31-36.