Genus Diagramma Oken, 1817

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Genus Diagramma Oken, 1817

Sweetlip, Sweetlip Bream

Diagramma Oken, L. 1817. V. Klasse Fische. Isis (Muenchen) 8(148): 1181-1183 (misprinted 1781-1783) [1182].
Type species:
Anthias diagramma Bloch, 1892 by monotypy.

Introduction

Genera ending in gramma have sometimes been considered as neuter, presumably implying derivation from the neuter Greek word, gramma, for letter or mark. However, Escymeyer in Genera of Fishes (http://research.calacademy.org, 30 Septemer 2011) has argued that most of these names are feminine suggesting a different derivation from the Greek word gramme meaning line, which unfortunately has also become gramma in Latin transliteration. Poey (1968) in naming the genus Gramma indicated the derivation was from line, clearly indicating the name was feminine. In most cases authors did not indicate derivation. In this case the prefix dia is more likely to be of Greek origin, rather than Latin. There was clearly no indication by Oken (1817) and it is possible that the origin is from dia + gramma indicating lines. However, Cuvier (1830), who proposed the name in the French vernacular as Diagramme in 1816, treated the genus as neuter. Diagramma is also listed in the Oxford Latin Dictionary as neuter. The derivation appears to be from dia plus the verb graphein = draw. One meaning of diagramma is a musical scale and it is possible that Cuvier (1830) regarded the fish of lines and spots as similar to a musical scale or a diagram. Consequently, we retain the traditional neuter endings, following Eschmeyer (1998).

There is also confusion about the type species, with Anthias diagramma Bloch, 1792 indicated by use of Anthias D Bloch, which is not the same as Perca diagramma Linnaeus 1758, which is currently placed in the genus Plectorhinchus.

There is also disagreement over the eastern Australian species, with McKay (2001) recognising Diagramma labiosum as a distinct species, but Johnson et al. (2001) treating it as a subspecies of Diagramma pictum.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-west Pacific.

IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Lord Howe Province (14), Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)