JapaneseJapaneseSociety Society ofSystematicZoologyof Systematic Zoology Species Diversity, 2001,6, 73-81 A New Dextral Flounder, Poecilopsetta macrocephala (Pisees: Pleuronectiformes: Poecilopsettidae), fr'om Northwestern Australia Koichi Hoshinoi, Kunio Amaoka2 and Peter R. Last3 j Division ofFishes, Department of Vlertebrate ZOolQgy, Alational Museum ofIVtitural Htstor:v, Smithsonian bzstitution, WZxshington, D.CL 205600159, U S. A. E-mait;
[email protected],edu 2 rl-1-606 U}"ata. Kaizuka-shi, Cigaka, 5970061 tJapan E-mail:
[email protected] 3 CSIRO, Division ofMarine Research, dastra), Esplanade, Hbbar4 roOl, Australia E-mail:
[email protected],au (Received 7 June 20oo; Accepted 25 January 2001) A new species of poecilopsettid flounder, PoecilQpsetta macrocophala, is de- scribed based on seven specimens from 550-555m depth on the continental slope off northwestern Australia. This species resembles P. vqynei Quero et al., 1988 and P. natalensis Norman, 1931 in number of lateral Iine scales (75- 78), but it can be distinguished from these species in the more-expanded pro- file above the upper eye; the relatively larger head (26.6 29.6% of SL), shal- lower body (34.9-37.3e/6 of SL), larger upper (11.6-12.3% of SL) and lower (11.3-13.e[k of SL) eye diameters, larger orbit length (11.7-13.0Vv of SL), and larger ]ower jaw length (11.4-12,5% of SL [ocular side], 11.0-12.7% [blind side]); and its fewer caudal vertebrae (28-29). Key Words: PoecilQpsetta macrocephata, Poecilopsettidae, Australia. Introduction The dextral poecilopsettid fieunder genus PoecilQpsetta GUnther, 1880 is diag- nosed by short pelvic fin bases with six rays, absence of a lateral 1ine on the blind side, five autogenous hypurals lacking any fusion with the first preural centrum, absence of a tentacle on either eye, and no prolongation of dorsal and pelvic fin rays in either sex (Norman 1934; Sakamoto 1984a).