PSEUDOCHROMIS MARSHALLENSIS - (SCHULTZ, 1953)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Blenniiformes (Order) > Pseudochromidae (Family) > Pseudochrominae (Subfamily) > Pseudochromis (Genus)
Marshall dottyback, Orange-spotted dottyback, Yellow-tail dottyback, Yellowspeckled dottyback, Hoshinise suzume, ホシニセスズメ, 馬島擬雀鯛,
Synonymes
Pseudochromis aurea marshallensis (Schultz, 1953)
Pseudochromis marchallensis (Schultz, 1953)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11-14; Pectoral fin rays: 16-17; Pelvic fin rays: I, 5; Branched caudal fin rays: 8 + 7; Scale rows from beginning of lateral line to caudal fin base: 40-43; scales in an oblique row from anal origin forward to lateral line: 11-12, above lateral line: 2; Gill rakers on first gill arch: 4 + 1 + 10-11; Scales ctenoid, edges finely denticulate, occurring on body, head, basal half of caudal fin, but lacking on bases of other fins; Snout and jaws naked; Four rows of scales on cheek; Premaxillary teeth in a villiform band, narrowing posteriorly, and with 4 (usually) canines anteriorly on outer edge of villiform teeth; Dentary with a villiform band of teeth anteriorly, becoming a single row laterally, and with two canines on outside of villiform band anteriorly, a single row of teeth on vomer, and a patch of villiform teeth on palatines; Median fins and pectoral fin rounded posteriorly, pelvic fins pointed, the second soft ray longest; Greatest depth of body at dorsal origin; Maxillary reaches past a vertical line through front of eye but not quite to one through front of pupil; Gill membranes joined at an acute angle moderately far forward and forming a broad free fold across isthmus; interorbital space with a row of minute pores around edge of orbit but no enlarged pore; Pelvic fins reach a little over halfway to anus; no free, silky, pectoral fin rays; No spine on posterior margin of preopercle; Dorsal lateral line ending under two-thirds the way along dorsal fin base and continued again on median axis of caudal peduncle with about 24-26 pores in dorsal lateral line and 8-9 in peduncular one; Pelvic fins inserted under base of pectoral fins; Third dorsal spine contained about two times in longest soft dorsal ray, first three rays of both dorsal and anal fins represented by stiff spines; Second anal spine thick and stronger than others, but not projecting quite so far as third anal spine; Gill rakers short and thick; Anterior nostril a short tube, separated from posterior one by a dermal isthmus; Dorsal edge of opercle sometimes with traces of minute serrations; Premaxillaries protractile; Lower jaw projecting a little in front of tip of snouts. Max. length: 8.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 30 m.
Color
Etymology
Pseudochromis: from Greek, pseudes = false + from Greek, chroemo = to neigh. A name dating to Aristotle, referring to a drum (Sciaenidae) and its ability to make noise; Later applied to this damselfish and subsequently expanded to embrace dottybacks, cichlids and wrasses (all perch-like fishes once thought to be related).
marshallensis: named from the locality type, Marshall Islands.
Original description: Pseudochromis aurea marshallensis Schultz, 1953 - Type locality: lagoon coral head off Rongelap Island, Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands, western Pacific.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Vietnam east to Marshall Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Indonesia, Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs. Solitary or in pairs under ledges or in caves. Dottybacks lay their egg mass in a nest and the eggs are guarded by the male. Dottybacks are protogynous hermaphrodites, and form small harems with a dominant male and several females. Aquarium fish (rare).
Similar species
Pseudochromis fuscus (Müller & Troschel, 1849) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Last update: 8, April 2023
Marshall dottyback, Orange-spotted dottyback, Yellow-tail dottyback, Yellowspeckled dottyback, Hoshinise suzume, ホシニセスズメ, 馬島擬雀鯛,
Synonymes
Pseudochromis aurea marshallensis (Schultz, 1953)
Pseudochromis marchallensis (Schultz, 1953)
-------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11-14; Pectoral fin rays: 16-17; Pelvic fin rays: I, 5; Branched caudal fin rays: 8 + 7; Scale rows from beginning of lateral line to caudal fin base: 40-43; scales in an oblique row from anal origin forward to lateral line: 11-12, above lateral line: 2; Gill rakers on first gill arch: 4 + 1 + 10-11; Scales ctenoid, edges finely denticulate, occurring on body, head, basal half of caudal fin, but lacking on bases of other fins; Snout and jaws naked; Four rows of scales on cheek; Premaxillary teeth in a villiform band, narrowing posteriorly, and with 4 (usually) canines anteriorly on outer edge of villiform teeth; Dentary with a villiform band of teeth anteriorly, becoming a single row laterally, and with two canines on outside of villiform band anteriorly, a single row of teeth on vomer, and a patch of villiform teeth on palatines; Median fins and pectoral fin rounded posteriorly, pelvic fins pointed, the second soft ray longest; Greatest depth of body at dorsal origin; Maxillary reaches past a vertical line through front of eye but not quite to one through front of pupil; Gill membranes joined at an acute angle moderately far forward and forming a broad free fold across isthmus; interorbital space with a row of minute pores around edge of orbit but no enlarged pore; Pelvic fins reach a little over halfway to anus; no free, silky, pectoral fin rays; No spine on posterior margin of preopercle; Dorsal lateral line ending under two-thirds the way along dorsal fin base and continued again on median axis of caudal peduncle with about 24-26 pores in dorsal lateral line and 8-9 in peduncular one; Pelvic fins inserted under base of pectoral fins; Third dorsal spine contained about two times in longest soft dorsal ray, first three rays of both dorsal and anal fins represented by stiff spines; Second anal spine thick and stronger than others, but not projecting quite so far as third anal spine; Gill rakers short and thick; Anterior nostril a short tube, separated from posterior one by a dermal isthmus; Dorsal edge of opercle sometimes with traces of minute serrations; Premaxillaries protractile; Lower jaw projecting a little in front of tip of snouts. Max. length: 8.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 30 m.
Color
Anterior part of body, including head, chrome-yellowish, grading into the purplish posterior half of body and fins; Pale spots on scales grayish pink. Yellow tail.
Etymology
Pseudochromis: from Greek, pseudes = false + from Greek, chroemo = to neigh. A name dating to Aristotle, referring to a drum (Sciaenidae) and its ability to make noise; Later applied to this damselfish and subsequently expanded to embrace dottybacks, cichlids and wrasses (all perch-like fishes once thought to be related).
marshallensis: named from the locality type, Marshall Islands.
Original description: Pseudochromis aurea marshallensis Schultz, 1953 - Type locality: lagoon coral head off Rongelap Island, Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands, western Pacific.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Vietnam east to Marshall Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Indonesia, Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs. Solitary or in pairs under ledges or in caves. Dottybacks lay their egg mass in a nest and the eggs are guarded by the male. Dottybacks are protogynous hermaphrodites, and form small harems with a dominant male and several females. Aquarium fish (rare).
Similar species
Pseudochromis fuscus (Müller & Troschel, 1849) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Last update: 8, April 2023