A new species of Cardinalfish 
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Table 1 Proportional measurements of type specimens of Apogon fuscomaculatus expressed as percentage of the 
standard length. 
Character 
Holotype 
NTM 
S.13284 
-014 
Para type 
NTM 
S.11672 
-027 
Paratype 
WAM 
P.30992 
-001 
Paratype 
NTM 
S.13337 
-003 
Paratype 
NTM 
S.11673 
-037 
Standard length (mm) 
48.5 
51.1 
48.5 
45.0 
43.7 
Body depth 
35.1 
32.1 
34.8 
34.9 
28.4 
Body width 
19.6 
14.1 
16.1 
15.8 
14.4 
Head length 
43.5 
39.3 
45.4 
44.2 
42.3 
Snout length 
10.5 
10.0 
10.3 
10.9 
8.9 
Orbit diameter 
13.6 
13.1 
13.2 
12.9 
14.0 
Interorbital width 
11.3 
10.4 
11.3 
11.1 
10.3 
Upper jaw length 
21.9 
21.5 
22.9 
22.0 
21.1 
Caudal peduncle depth 
15.9 
14.5 
14.0 
15.8 
13.5 
Caudal peduncle length 
17.7 
18.0 
17.5 
16.0 
15.3 
Predorsal length 
43.9 
45.2 
47.0 
40.7 
44.4 
Preanal length 
71.8 
71.8 
75.1 
72.2 
74.1 
Prepelvic length 
39.2 
38.6 
38.1 
38.9 
39.6 
Length 1st dorsal spine 
4.5 
4.5 
3.7 
4.9 
3.9 
Length 2nd dorsal spine 
10.1 
10.0 
7.8 
10.2 
8.2 
Length 3rd dorsal spine 
17.3 
16.4 
14.2* 
10.7* 
15.6 
Spine of 2nd dorsal fin 
13.0 
13.2 
13.2 
13.2 
13.2 
Longest soft dorsal ray 
23.1 
22.1 
18.8 
23.1 
22.4 
Length 1st anal spine 
2.9 
3.7 
3.3 
3.1 
3.7 
Length second anal spine 
10.3 
10.2 
11.1 
11.3 
10.1 
Longest anal soft ray 
19.8 
18.4 
17.7 
19.3 
20.1 
Caudal fin length 
27.0 
29.2 
27.4 
25.6 
27.2 
Pectoral fin length 
21.9 
19.6 
20.2 
22.4 
20.1 
Pelvic spine length 
13.4 
11.4 
11.5 
12.9 
12.4 
Pelvic fin length 
23.9 
22.1 
22.1 
23.6 
23.8 
* indicates damaged condition 
(four pored scales posterior to hypural, the last 
pointed). No scales on dorsal and anal fins except 
low sheath at base of second dorsal and anal fins; 
small scales on basal third of caudal fin; no scales 
on paired fins except pair of large midventral 
scales at base of pelvic fins. 
Origin of first dorsal fin above third lateral-line 
scale; first dorsal spine slender and short, 9.6 (8.7- 
12.2) in head; third dorsal spine longest, 2.5 (2.4- 
4.1) in head; middle soft dorsal rays longest, 1.9 
(1.8-2.4) in head; origin of anal fin below base of 
third dorsal soft ray; first anal spine very short, 
15.1 (10.6-14.2) in head; second anal spine 4.2 (3.9- 
4.2) in head; middle anal soft rays longest, 2.2 (2.1- 
2.6) in head; caudal fin slightly rounded, 1.6 (1.3- 
1.7) in head; middle pectoral rays longest, 2.0 (2.0- 
2.2) in head; origin of pelvic fins slightly anterior to 
pectoral-fin base; first pelvic soft ray longest, 
reaching to about anus, its length 1.8 (1.8-2.1) in 
head. 
Colour in alcohol: Overall pale tan, nearly white, 
with 3-4 horizontal rows of large (largest are 
nearly size of pupil), irregular brown spots on side 
of body; abdomen slightly silvery; a pair of faint 
brownish, diagonal lines radiating from rear 
margin of eye across upper preoperculum; a 
similar, slightly wider band from lower edge of 
eye across cheek; fins whitish, except for fine 
pepper-like pigmentation most heavily 
concentrated on membranes of first dorsal fin, 
outer edge of anal fin and along anterior edge of 
pelvic fins. Colour in life is unknown. 
Remarks 
Apogon fuscomaculatus has been collected from 
the vicinity of Darwin, Northern Territory and on 
the outer edge of the North West Shelf of Western 
Australia. It apparently inhabits flat sand or rubble 
bottoms, probably sheltering among gorgonians 
and sponges. Depth of collection ranged between 
18-86 m, which is relatively deep compared to the 
shallow range (less than 20 m) for most members 
of the family. 
A. fuscomaculatus belongs to the subgenus 
Nectamia Jordan, as defined by Fraser (1972); 
however, this name is now replaced by 
Oslorhmchus Lacepede (Randall et al. 1990). This 
subgenus is by far the largest within Apogon, 
containing at least 60 species. A. fuscomaculatus 
appears to be closely related to A. striatus (Smith 
and Radcliffe 1912) from the Indo-Malay 
Archipelago. The two species have similar low gill 
