Leaf goblinfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Subfamily: Tetraroginae
Genus: Neovespicula
Mandritsa, 2001
Species:
N. depressifrons
Binomial name
Neovespicula depressifrons
Synonyms[1]
  • Apistes depressifrons Richardson, 1848
  • Vespicula depressifrons (Richardson, 1848)

The leaf goblinfish (Neovespicula depressifrons) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a waspfish belonging to the subfamily Tetraroginae, which is classified as part of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. This is the only species in the monotypic genus Neovespicula. It is found in coastal habitats of the Indo-West Pacific region.

Taxonomy

The leaf goblinfish was first formally described in 1848 as Apistes depressifrons by the Scottish naval surgeon, Arctic explorer and naturalist John Richardson with its type locality given as the Sea of Japan.[2] The genus Neovespicula was described in 2001 by the Russian zoologist Sergey Anatolyevich Mandritsa as a monotypic genus for the leaf goblinfish.[3] This taxon is included in the subfamily Tetraroginae within the Scorpaenidae in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World[4] however other authorities place that subfamily within the stonefish family Synanceiidae,[2] while other authorities classify this subfamily as a family in its own right.[1]

The genus name is a compound of neo , which means “new” and Vespicula, the genus this species had previously been placed in and which derives from Vespa which means “wasp”. The specific name combines depressus meaning “pressed down” and frons, which means “brow” or “forehead”, an allusion to the low angle of the dorsal profile of the head of this species.[5]

Morphology

The leaf goblinfish is a small species, reaching a maximum size of 10 cm.[1] It is similar to the bullrout in shape and colouration - mottled brown with a distinctive light stripe running along the dorsal surface from the nose and along the back of the fish.[6] It has two dorsal fins, the first being notably taller than the second.[6]

Distribution

The leaf goblinfish has been reported from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.[1]

Ecology

The leaf goblinfish, like other waspfishes, is a stealthy predator that feeds on various small fish and invertebrates.[7] Also in common with other waspfish, it is equipped with venomous spines.[7][8] N. depressifrons is a euryhaline species, so may be found in saltwater, brackish water, and freshwater environments.[1]

Commercial importance

The leaf goblinfish is of no commercial importance, but occasionally gets traded as an aquarium fish.[1] They have the alternative names of freshwater waspfish or phantom goby in the aquarium trade.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Neovespicula depresifrons" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  2. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Neovespicula". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Tetraroginae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  4. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 468–475. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6.
  5. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (10 March 2022). "Order Perciformes (Part 10): Suborder Scorpaenoidei: Families Apistidae, Tetrarogidae, Synanceiidae, Aploacrinidae, Perryenidae, Eschmeyeridae, Pataceidae, Gnathanacanthidae, Congiopodidae and Zanclorhynchidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Butterfly-goby Waspfish". Neale Monks. Archived from the original on 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  7. 1 2 Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Tetrarogidae" in FishBase. Aug 2007 version.
  8. 1 2 Matt Clarke. "Leaf goblinfish, Neovespicula depressifrons". Practical Fishkeeping. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
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