Alert pigfish

Alertichthys blacki

Alertichthys blacki is a little known, occurring in New Zealand Meeresfischart of the order Perciformes ( Perciformes ). The species was observed previously at a depth 458-549 m.

Features

Alertichthys blacki is 15 to 20 cm long and has a laterally flattened body, which is covered with relatively small scales. The dorsal fin is divided in two by a deep incision. It is supported by seven strong spines and 17 soft rays. The anal fin has two spines and nine soft rays, the ventrals one spine and five soft rays. The pectoral fins are sitting relatively far down and are likely to be similarly used spinifer as in the closely related Zanclorhynchus, together with the ventral fins, a vein-like, quadrupedal locomotion on the ground, a way of locomotion, which is very unusual for fish.

System

Alertichthys blacki in most sources associated with the pig fish ( Congiopodidae ). In Ishii and Imamura type together with Zanclorhynchus spinifer and in contrast to the genus Congiopodus ( subfamily Congiopodinae ) the subfamily Zanclorhynchinae. Mandrytsa (2001) and Betancur -R. (2013 ) raise the Zanclorhynchinae the rank of a separate family, the Zanclorhynchidae.