''Latridopsis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of marine

ray finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class of bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built fins made of webbings of skin ...

belonging to the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Latridae Latridae commonly called trumpeters, is a family of marine ray-finned fish. They are found in temperate seas in the Southern Hemisphere. The classification of the species within the Latridae and the related Cheilodactylidae is unclear.They are ...

, the trumpeters. They are found in the southwestern

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

and the southeastern

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

Taxonomy

''Latridopsis'' was described in 1862 by the American ichthyologist Theodore Nicholas Gill who designated J.R. Forster's '' Anthias ciliaris'' as its type species, the genus was also monotypic when Gill described it. The name of the genus ''Latridopsis'' means "resembling ''

Latris ''Latris'' is a genus of marine ray finned fish belonging to the family Latridae, the trumpeters. They are found in the southern oceans. Taxonomy ''Latris'' was first formally described in 1839 by the Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and Arc ...

''.

Species

There are currently two recognized species in this genus: * '' Latridopsis ciliaris'' ( J. R. Forster, 1801) (Blue moki) * '' Latridopsis forsteri'' ( Castelnau, 1872) (Bastard trumpeter)

Characteristics

''Latridopsi''s is distinguished from ''Latris'' and '' Mendosoma'' using the following combined characters. They have a somewhat oval and compressed body with a pointed snout and a terminal mouth, which does not have thick, fleshy lips with a slim

caudal peduncle Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

. The

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates. Dorsal fins have evolved independently several times through convergent evolution adapting to marine environments, so the fins are not all homologous. They are found ...

contains 16-18 relatively uniform sized spines and 37-43 soft rays while the long

anal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported o ...

contains 3 spines and 31-37 soft rays, a deep incision separates the spiny and soft rayed part of the dorsal fin. The

pectoral fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish aquatic locomotion, swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the vertebral column ...

s have 16-19 rays, the upper rays are longer than the lower rays with none being very elongated and the tips of the fins are rounded. Theor overall colour is grey. They are relatively large fish with maximum

total length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies, for data used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fishery biology. Overall length Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish measured f ...

s being for ''L. forsteri'' and for ''L. ciliaris''.

Distribution and habitat

''Latridopsis'' trumpeters are found in the south eastern Indian Ocean and the southwestern Pacific Ocean in southern Australia, including Tasmania, and New Zealand. They are found up to in depth on rocky reefs.

Biology

''Latridopsis'' species prey on diverse taxa of benthic invertebrates. They are normally solitary, or in small aggregations but will form large schools for migration.

Fisheries

''Latridopsis'' species are targeted by commercial fisheries in some parts of their range.

References

{{Authority control Latridae Taxa named by Theodore Gill