Trachinocephalus gauguini explained

Trachinocephalus gauguini, commonly known as the curious scad, is a species of lizardfish in the family Synodontidae. This species was described in 2016 by F.A. Polanco, P.A. Acero, and R. Betancur-R.^[1]

Size

This species reaches a length of .

Distinctive features

This species has a bluish-grey body with a black mark on the tip of the dorsal fin. The snout length is 62.5-66.7% of the eye diameter, and the lower jaw has a concave dorsal edge that does not protrude beyond the upper jaw. It has 12-13 rays in the pectoral fin, 50-52 scales in the lateral line, and 53-54 vertebrae.

Distribution

Endemic to the Marquesas Islands in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet). They inhabit tropical waters and are often found near coral reefs.

Etymology

The genus name Trachinocephalus is derived from Greek, with "trachys" meaning rough and "kephale" meaning head. The species name gauguini is in honor of the French painter Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), who died in the Marquesas Islands on May 8, 1903.^[2]

Diet

Feeds on small invertebrates and other marine organisms.

Reproduction

Information on their reproductive behavior is limited, but they are known to produce eggs.

Conservation status

IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC).

CITES: Not listed.

Notes and References

1. Polanco, F.A. . Acero, P.A. . Betancur-R, R. . 2016. No longer a circumtropical species: revision of the lizardfishes in the Trachinocephalus myops species complex, with description of a new species from the Marquesas Islands. Journal of Fish Biology . 89. 2. 1302–1323. 10.1111/jfb.13038 .
2. Web site: Order AULOPIFORMES (Lizardfishes) . 21 November 2024 . Christopher Scharpf . Kenneth J. Lazara . amp . The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database . Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara . 22 September 2018.