Species Mola alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839)
Short Sunfish, Bump-head Sunfish
- Orthragoriscus alexandrini Ranzani, C. 1839. Dispositio familiae Molarum in genera et in species. Novi Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Instituti Bononiensis 3: 63-82 [75, pl. 6] (foldout table, left side).
Type data:
Holotype MZUB unnumbered mounted skin (see Sawai et al. (2018) for type specimen details), Adriatic Sea. - Orthragoriscus ramsayi Giglioli, E.H. 1883. Zoology at the Fisheries Exhibition II. Notes on the Vertebrata. Nature (London) 28: 313-316 [315].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH 1888.11.29.22 stuffed skin, NSW.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Sawai, E., Yamanoue, Y., Nyegaard, M. & Sakai, Y. 2018. Redescription of the bump‑head sunfish Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839), senior synonym of Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), with designation of a neotype for Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758) (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae). Ichthyological Research 65: 142-160 [144] (published online 5 December 2017)
Generic Combinations
- Mola alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839). —
Barnard, K.H. 1947. A pictorial guide to South African fishes, marine and freshwater. Cape Town : Maskew Miller Ltd. pp. i-xvii, 1-226. [212, pl. 25] (new combination) - Mola ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883). —
Whitley, G.P. 1931. Studies in Ichthyology No. 4. Records of the Australian Museum 18(3): 96-133 figs 1-2 pls 11-16 [126]
Introduction
This species was referred to M. ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883) in the literature until the rediscovery of the holotype of M. alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839). Sawai et al. (2018) provided a redescription of M. alexandrini based on the holotype and additional fresh specimens, and found it to be synonymous with M. ramsayi, making the latter a junior synonym based on priority.
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Circumglobal in tropical to temperate waters, with Australian records from Coffs Harbour, NSW (30°18'S) to Geographe Bay, WA (33°37'S) including TAS, also Cobourg Peninsula, NT, and Lord Howe Island, absent from the polar regions.
IMCRA
Tasmania Province (10), Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Tasman Basin Province (13), Lord Howe Province (14), Norfolk Island Province (21), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Southwest Transition (7), Southern Province (8), West Tasmania Transition (9)
Distribution References
- Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2 [442] (as M. ramsayi)
- Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293 [240] (as M. ramsayi)
- Sawai, E., Yamanoue, Y., Nyegaard, M. & Sakai, Y. 2018. Redescription of the bump‑head sunfish Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839), senior synonym of Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), with designation of a neotype for Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758) (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae). Ichthyological Research 65: 142-160 [149, 150]
General References
Bray, D.J. 2008. Family Molidae. pp. 858-861 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [860] (as M. ramsayi)
Fraser-Brunner, A. 1951. The ocean sunfishes (family Molidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Historical Series 1(6): 89-121 figs 1-18 [111] (as M. ramsayi in part)
Glover, C.J.M. 1994. Family Molidae. pp. 915-920, figs 808-810 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [919] (as M. ramsayi)
Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs. [68, 87] (as M. ramsayi)
Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs. [521] (as M. ramsayi)
Scott, T.D., Glover, C.J.M. & Southcott, R.V. 1974. The Marine and Freshwater Fishes of South Australia. Adelaide : Government Printer 392 pp. figs. [335] (as M. ramsayi)
Swainston, R. 2011. Swainston's Fishes of Australia: The complete illustrated guide. Camberwell, Victoria : Penguin Australia 836 pp. [781] (as M. ramsayi)
Whitley, G.P. 1933. Sunfishes. Victorian Naturalist 49: 207-213 [210] (as M. ramsayi)
Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [59] (2445, as M. ramsayi)
Yoshita, Y., Yamanoue, Y., Sagara, K., Nishibori, M., Kuniyoshi, H., Umino, T., Sakai, Y., Hashimoto, H. & Gushima, K. 2009. Phylogenetic relationship of two Mola sunfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae) occurring around the coast of Japan, with notes on their geographical distribution and morphological characteristics. Ichthyological Research 56(3): 232-244 [published online 25 Dec 2008] (as Mola sp. group A)
Common Name References
Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs. [521] (Short Sunfish)
Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Short Sunfish)
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Standard names of Australian fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 9: 1-64 [65] (as Mola ramsayi) (Short Sunfish)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOLIDAE | 01-Sep-2020 | ADDED | Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (ABRS) |