Threadfin Pearl Perch

Description

A pearl perch with three dark vertical bands: the first through the eye, the second along the edge of the preopercle, and the third down to the pectoral-fin base. Meristic features: Dorsal fin VIII, 14; Anal fin III, 12. Dorsal fin with 8 spines increasing in length from a small anterior spine to a long posterior one; soft dorsal rays 14, much higher than spinous part and with the anterior ray produced into a short filament, the third ray prolonged into a long simple filament which extends past the caudal fin and the fourth and fifth rays also extended to beyond the hypural joint; anal fin with 3 slender spines and 12 soft rays, the second ray prolonged beyond the caudal fin and the third ray almost as long in small specimens.

Distribution and habitat

Known in Australia from Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia, throughout the Northern Territory to the Torres Straits, and around Cape York to Shelburne Bay, Queensland. Almost certainly present in southern Papua-New Guinea.