Genus Ostracion Linnaeus, 1758
Type species:
Ostracion cubicus Linnaeus, 1758 by subsequent designation, see Jordan, D.S. & Gilbert, C.H. 1883. A synopsis of the fishes of North America. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 16: 1-1018 [Date published 30/Apr/1883: dated 1882] [853] (designates Ostracion cubiceps (sic); Bleeker, P. 1865. Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néerlandaises, publié sous les auspices du Gouvernement colonial néerlandais. Tome 5. Baudroies, Ostracions, Gymnodontes, Balistes. Amsterdam : Fréd. Müller 152 pp. pls 194-231 [27] (erroneously designates Ostracion tetragonus, a nom. nud.)).- Rhynchostracion Fraser-Brunner, A. 1935. Notes on the plectognath fishes. II. A synopsis of the genera of the family Ostraciontidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 10 16(29): 313-320 1 fig. [317, 319] [as subgenus of Ostracion].
Type species:
Ostracion nasus Bloch by original designation.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Klassen, G.J. 1995. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Ostraciinae (Tetraodontiformes: Ostraciidae). Bulletin of Marine Science 57(2): 393-441 [423]
Introduction
The name Ostracion from the Greek Ostrakion is apparently neuter (Steyskal 1980). Linnaeus (1758) in naming the genus treated it as masculine and most workers have followed that or treated it as feminine. Jordan & Snyder (1906) correctly treated the genus as neuter. In the interests of stability we retain the masculine gender, which is consistent with usage for the last 50 years.
Tentatively we treat Rhynchostracion as a junior synonym, following Klassen (1995). Santini et al. (2013) suggested that if retained it should only include nasus with rhinorhynchos going into Ostracion.
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Indo-Pacific.
IMCRA
Timor Transition (1), Lord Howe Province (14), Central Eastern Transition (15), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Norfolk Island Province (21), Cocos (Keeling) Island Province (22), Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Northwest Transition (3), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Other Regions
Coral Sea Islands Territory, Territory of Ashmore & Cartier Islands, Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater
General References
Jordan, D.S. & Seale, A. 1906. The fishes of Samoa. Description of the species found in the Archipelago, with a provisional checklist of the fishes of Oceania. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries (U.S.) for 1905 25: 173-455 figs 1-111 pls 33-53
Klassen, G.J. 1995. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Ostraciinae (Tetraodontiformes: Ostraciidae). Bulletin of Marine Science 57(2): 393-441
Santini, F., Sorenson, L., Marcroft, T., Dornburg, A. & Alfaro, M.E. 2013. A multilocus molecular phylogeny of boxfishes (Aracanidae, Ostraciidae; Tetraodontiformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66: 153-160
Steyskal, G.C. 1980. The grammar of family-group names as exemplified by those of fishes. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 93(1): 168-177
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |