TRICHONOTUS SETIGER - (BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, 1801)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Gobiiformes (Order) > Trichonotoidei (Suborder) > Trichonotidae (Family) > Trichonotus (Genus)
Plongeur de sable pointillé, Anguille de sable, Blue-spotted sand-diver, Spotted sand diver, Spotted sand-diver, Sand lance, Beraginpo, ベラギンポ, 丝鳍鱚, 絲鰭鱚,
Synonymes
Trichonotus polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1854)
Trachinotus setigerus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Trichonotus setigerus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 4-7, three-four first spines elongate and filamentous in males; Dorsal soft rays (total): 39-41; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 34-36; Pectoral fin rays: 12-15; Lateral line scales: 52-55. Body elongate, cylindrical; Eye with dorsal iris flap consisting of numerous elongate strands extending ventrally; Lower jaw with fleshy extension that projects beyond upper jaw; Soft part of dorsal fin of male about twice height of fin of female; Body entirely scaled. Max. length: 22.0 cm TL. Depth range: 10 - 80 m.
Color
Whitish to pale brown with 9-12 dark brown saddles or bars on upper half of side; About 6 horizontal rows of dark-edged blue or yellow spots on side and scattered blue spots on head. Black blotch on membranes in anterior dorsal fin in females; Blotch absent in males.
Etymology
Trichonotus: from Ancient Greek, thríx = hair or ray + from Ancient Greek, nôton = the back or the dorsal aspect of the thorax in some species. Referring to elongate or filamentous anterior dorsal fin rays of Trichonotus setiger males.
setiger: from Latin, setae = bristle, different bristle or hair like structures + from Latin, gero = to carry, to bear. Referring to long, filamentous anterior dorsal-fin rays of males.
Original description: Trichonotus setiger Bloch & Schneider, 1801 - Type locality: In India orientali (eastern India).
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Fiji, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in steep sand slopes in large aggregations. Hovers above clean sandy bottoms. Darts into the sand when disturbed. Usually slightly silty habitat. Usually seen resting on substrate, leaving substrate to grab prey from zooplankton floating over, or when displaying.
Similar species
Plongeur de sable pointillé, Anguille de sable, Blue-spotted sand-diver, Spotted sand diver, Spotted sand-diver, Sand lance, Beraginpo, ベラギンポ, 丝鳍鱚, 絲鰭鱚,
Synonymes
Trichonotus polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1854)
Trachinotus setigerus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Trichonotus setigerus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 4-7, three-four first spines elongate and filamentous in males; Dorsal soft rays (total): 39-41; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 34-36; Pectoral fin rays: 12-15; Lateral line scales: 52-55. Body elongate, cylindrical; Eye with dorsal iris flap consisting of numerous elongate strands extending ventrally; Lower jaw with fleshy extension that projects beyond upper jaw; Soft part of dorsal fin of male about twice height of fin of female; Body entirely scaled. Max. length: 22.0 cm TL. Depth range: 10 - 80 m.
Color
Whitish to pale brown with 9-12 dark brown saddles or bars on upper half of side; About 6 horizontal rows of dark-edged blue or yellow spots on side and scattered blue spots on head. Black blotch on membranes in anterior dorsal fin in females; Blotch absent in males.
Etymology
Trichonotus: from Ancient Greek, thríx = hair or ray + from Ancient Greek, nôton = the back or the dorsal aspect of the thorax in some species. Referring to elongate or filamentous anterior dorsal fin rays of Trichonotus setiger males.
setiger: from Latin, setae = bristle, different bristle or hair like structures + from Latin, gero = to carry, to bear. Referring to long, filamentous anterior dorsal-fin rays of males.
Original description: Trichonotus setiger Bloch & Schneider, 1801 - Type locality: In India orientali (eastern India).
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Fiji, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in steep sand slopes in large aggregations. Hovers above clean sandy bottoms. Darts into the sand when disturbed. Usually slightly silty habitat. Usually seen resting on substrate, leaving substrate to grab prey from zooplankton floating over, or when displaying.
Similar species
- Trichonotus blochii (Castelnau, 1875) - Reported from Northern Australia: Western Australia to Queensland, Australia. Dorsal fin soft rays: 43-46; Anal fin soft rays: 39-41; Lateral line scales: 57-60; Gill rakers: 4-6 + 17-21; Vertebrae: 55; Infraorbital and supraorbital canals separated anterior to eye; Elongated dorsal fin spines: 4-6 in males; Caudal fin with Two black stripes in males.
- Trichonotus elegans (Shimada & Yoshino, 1984) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
- Trichonotus filamentosus (Steindachner, 1867) - Reported from Western Pacific.
- Trichonotus halstead (Clark & Pohle, 1996) - Reported from Western Pacific: Sulawesi (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea. Trichonotus halstead is similar to Trichonotus setiger but has a beautifully colored dorsal fin and no free pterygiophores under dorsal fin.