Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Aploactinidae

Aploactinidae

<I>Aploactisoma milesii</I>, holotype of <I>Aploactis milesii</I>

Aploactisoma milesii, holotype of Aploactis milesii

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CAAB: 37290000

Family APLOACTINIDAE

Velvetfishes


Compiler and date details

4 April 2015 - Dianne J. Bray, Ursula E. Smith, Gerald R. Allen, Norbert J. Cross & Douglass F. Hoese

Gerald R. Allen, Norbert J. Cross, Dianne J. Bray & Douglass F. Hoese

Introduction

The Aploactinidae comprise approximately 49 species belonging to 17 genera (Johnson 2013). Twenty-one described species and 14 genera are thus far known from Australia. Aploactinids (velvetfishes) are closely allied to scorpaenids (scorpionfishes), and are confined to the western Pacific and Indian oceans. One has been identified as a member of the Paraploactis kagoshimensis complex from Australia, but the precise identity of that species has not been determined (J. Johnson, in litt.).

Although little is known of the ecology and life history, most velvetfishes are likely to inhabit crevices on rocky coral rubble, or coralline algae substrates, or amongst vegetation, while some are common on trawl grounds. Food items include small benthic invertebrates and fishes. Most species are less than 10 cm standard length.

Poss & Eschmeyer (1978) revised Paraploactis and Poss (1999) provided a key to many tropical species. Johnson (2004) described two new species and a new genus from Australia, and in 2012 and 2013, described a further two Australian species .

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
06-May-2015 SCORPAENIFORMES 04-Apr-2015 MODIFIED Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
12-Feb-2010 (import)