Alabes
Alabes | ||||||||||||
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Alabes dorsalis |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name of the subfamily | ||||||||||||
Cheilobranchinae | ||||||||||||
Günther , 1870 | ||||||||||||
Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
Alabes | ||||||||||||
Cloquet , 1816 |
Alabes is a genus of tortoiseshell fish (Gobiesocidae). The small fish, known as “shore-eels” in English, live in temperate Australian coastal waters and on the coast of the Norfolk Island .
features
Alabes species have an elongated, eel-like body and reach lengths of 2.3 to 12 cm. They are often brightly colored. The caudal fin is small and has grown together with the dorsal and anal fin to form a continuous fin edge. The latter lack the fin rays and rather resemble low skin folds. The caudal fin is supported by 4 to 12 fin rays. Pectoral fins are missing. The pelvic fins are also absent or are reduced to a small rudiment immediately in front of the gills. The suction disk typical for shield fish is not designed. Only alabes dorsalis has a rudimentary suction disk. The skin of the fish is smooth, flaky and covered with a thick layer of mucus. The lateral line system consists of small pores and papillae. The urogenital opening has conspicuous papillae. The head is small, the muzzle short and rounded or pointed when viewed from above. The nostrils are small but clearly visible, the anterior ones elongated like a tube and the posterior ones with a raised rim. The gill openings are small and are located on the underside of the head. The number of gill arches and the Branchiostegalray are each three. Palatine teeth are missing.
species
There are eleven types:
- Alabes bathys Hutchins, 2006
- Alabes brevis Springer & Fraser, 1976
- Alabes dorsalis (Richardson, 1845)
- Alabes elongata Hutchins & Morrison, 2004
- Alabes gibbosa Hutchins & Morrison, 2004
- Alabes hoesei Springer & Fraser, 1976
- Alabes obtusirostris Hutchins & Morrison, 2004
- Alabes occidentalis Hutchins & Morrison, 2004
- Alabes parvula (McCulloch, 1909)
- Alabes scotti Hutchins & Morrison, 2004
- Alabes springeri Hutchins, 2006
literature
- Barry Hutchins & Sue Morrison: Five New Fish Species of the Genus Alabes (Gobiesocidae: Cheilobranchinae). (PDF; 206 kB) Records of the Australian Museum (2004) Vol. 56: 147–158. ISSN 0067-1975
Web links
- Alabes on Fishbase.org (English)