Genus Astronesthes Richardson, 1845

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Genus Astronesthes Richardson, 1845

Astronesthes Richardson, J. 1845. Ichthyology. pp. 51-150, pls 35-64 in Hinds, R.B. (ed.). The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur under the Command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, during the years 1836–42. London : Smith, Elder & Co. Vol. 1(3). [97].
Type species:
Astronesthes nigra Richardson, 1845 by monotypy.

Introduction

The genus is now considered masculine, but the derivation from the Greek esthes = clothing given by Richardson, then genus should be feminine. Richardson listed the species as niger on the plate and nigra in text and listed derivation in Latin as from vestimentum, which means clothing, implying feminine from the Greek word. Subsequent workers (Kner 1860 and Günther 1864) selected niger over nigra, presumably assuming the name was derived from the Greek verb to eat. That change resulted in the misleading common name of Stareasters. However, it is clear form Richardson (1845) that the name was based on the minute white dots on the black skin, implying clothing of stars or star clothing. Eschmeyer (1990) treated the genus as feminine, but subsequently listed it as masculine in the online Eschmeyer's Catalogue. Because the genus has been treated as masculine in almost all literature since 1860, we follow current usage in treating genus as masculine. Dr. Richard van der Laan kindly provided information relating to Kner and the whole gender issue.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

STOMIIDAE: Astronesthes cyaneus (Brauer, 1902) — Parin, N.V. & Borodulina, O.D. 1997. A review of the "species group Astronesthes cyaneus" (Astronesthidae) with a description of two new species. Voprosy Ikhtiologii 37(6): 772-784 [in Russian, English translation in J. Ichthyol. 37(9): 737–748] [776]

STOMIIDAE: Astronesthes mertensii Klunzinger, 1872 [records from Australia apparently based on misidentified A. ijimai] — Paxton, J.R., J.E. Gates, D.J. Bray & D.F. Hoese 2006. Astronesthinae. pp. 434-439 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Circumglobal.

IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Tasmania Province (10), Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Central Eastern Transition (15), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Norfolk Island Province (21), Northwest Transition (3), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northwest Province (4), Central Western Transition (5), Southern Province (8), West Tasmania Transition (9)