Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Leptoscopidae

Leptoscopidae

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CAAB: 37398000

Family LEPTOSCOPIDAE

Pygmy Stargazers, Southern Sandfishes, Surf Sandfishes


Compiler and date details

19 September 2015 - Douglass F. Hoese & Dianne J. Bray

May 2012 - Douglass F. Hoese & Dianne J. Bray

Introduction

Members of the Leptoscopidae, the southern sandfishes, are restricted to the temperate regions of Australia and New Zealand where they bury themselves in sand in coastal environments. Currently, three genera and four species are known, with two genera and two described species recorded from Australia.

Last (2001) and Gomon & Last (2008) characterised the family, and Gomon & Last (2008) treated the Australian species, and Neira (1998) described the larvae. An undescribed species of Lesueurina is known from Australia (Neira & Gaughan, 1989). Leptoscopus macropygus (Richardson, 1846), supposedly described from New South Wales, is restricted to New Zealand (McDowall 1990).

Odani & Imamura (2011) proposed a close relationship with the Creediidae. Thacker et al. placed the family within the Uranoscopiformes, along with the Uranoscopidae, Cheimarrichthyidae, Ammodytidae and Pinguipedidae based on molecular studies.

 

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

LEPTOSCOPIDAE: Leptoscopus macropygus (Richardson, 1846) — McDowall, R.M. 1990. New Zealand Freshwater Fishes, a Natural History and Guide. New Zealand : Heinemann Reed 553 pp. (type locality of New South Wales apparently in error and species restricted to New Zealand)

 

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)
08-Oct-2015 TRACHINOIDEI 23-Sep-2015 MODIFIED Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
22-Sep-2011 22-Sep-2011 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)