Caesioscorpis
| Caesioscorpis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Centrarchiformes |
| Suborder: | Terapontoidei |
| Family: | Caesioscorpididae Randall & Parenti, 2020 |
| Genus: | Caesioscorpis Whitley, 1945 |
| Species: | C. theagenes
|
| Binomial name | |
| Caesioscorpis theagenes Whitley, 1945
| |
Caesioscorpis theagenes, also known as the blowhole perch, fusilier sweep, or southern fusilier,[1] is a species of marine ray-finned fish endemic to the southwestern coast of Australia. It is the only species in the genus Caesioscorpis and of the family Caesioscorpididae, the blowhole perches.[2][3][4][5]
Its phylogenetic affinities were long uncertain, with it being placed as an indeterminate member of the Serranidae for many decades after its description. It was only in 2020 that it was found to belong to the recently-circumscribed Centrarchiformes and forming its own family.[4] The genus name is thought to be a portmanteau of two different fish genera, Caesio and Scorpis, referencing its physical similarities to both genera.[6] It is relatively closely related to the latter, although phylogenetic evidence suggests that its closest relatives are the stripeys (family Microcanthidae).[7]
It is a slender, schooling fish with an overall silvery coloration, with a greenish-yellow back.[1]
References
- ^ a b Bray, D.J. (2020). "Caesioscorpis theagenes in Fishes of Australia". Retrieved 22 Aug 2025.
- ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Caesioscorpididae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ a b Parenti, Paolo; Randall, John E. (2020-05-23). "An annotated checklist of the fishes of the family Serranidae of the world with description of two new related families of fishes". FishTaxa - Journal of Fish Taxonomy. 15.
- ^ "Caesioscorpis theagenes summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ^ "Order CENTRARCHIFORMES: Families CENTRARCHIDAE, ELASSOMATIDAE, ENOPLOSIDAE, SINIPERCIDAE, APLODACTYLIDAE, CHEILODACTYLIDAE, CHIRONEMIDAE, CIRRHITIDAE, LATRIDAE, PERCICHTHYIDAE, DICHISTIIDAE, GIRELLIDAE, KUHLIIDAE, KYPHOSIDAE, OPLEGNATHIDAE, TERAPONTIDAE, MICROCANTHIDAE, SCORPIDIDAE, PARASCORPIDIDAE and CAESIOSCORPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project. 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ^ Near, T. J.; Thacker, C. E. (2024). "Phylogenetic Classification of Living and Fossil Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii)". Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 65 (1). doi:10.3374/014.065.0101.