Platycephalus grandispinis Cuvier

Platycephalus grandispinis Cuvier View in CoL in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829

Common English name: Longspine flathead ( Figs. 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 )

Platycephalus grandispinis Cuvier View in CoL in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1829: 242 ( type locality: unknown); Imamura, 2013b: 187 View Cited Treatment , figs. 1–3, 5–6, 8–9.

Platycephalus longispinis Macleay, 1884: 170 View in CoL ( type locality: outside Port Jackson, NSW, Australia); McCulloch, 1929: 401; Coleman, 1980: 108, unnumbered color fig.; Hutchins & Thompson, 1983: 78, fig. 111; Hutchins & Swainston, 1986: 127, fig. 199; May & Maxwell, 1986: 276, unnumbered fig.; Paxton & Hanley, 1989: 469; Knapp, 1991: 29, tab. 3; Kuiter 1993: 102, unnumbered fig.; Hoese et al., 2006: 942; Imamura, 2006: 305, tab. 1.

Longitrudis longispinis: Whitley, 1931a: 327 ; Whitley, 1931b: 159; Whitley, 1964: 57.

Material examined. Holotype: MNHN 6844, 212 mm SL, locality unknown [see Imamura (2013b) who inferred the holotype as having been collected from the area between Shark Bay (ca. 25°S) and Doubtful Islands (ca. 120°E)].

Other specimens: 44 specimens, including AMS I.16355-001, 233 mm SL, holotype of Platycephalus longispinis Macleay, 1884 , 120– 286 mm SL, from southeastern to southwestern Australia, listed in Imamura (2013b).

Diagnosis. A species of Platycephalus with the following combination of characters: 14 second dorsal- and anal-fin rays; 73–82 pored lateral-line scales; gill rakers 4–7 + 14–19 = 19–26; interorbit becoming broader with growth, shorter than orbital diameter; a distinct interopercular flap absent (sometimes a small flap or weak convexity present); supraoccipital with a ridge, usually ending in a spine; lower preopercular spine much longer than upper, usually closely approaching posterior margin of opercle, ratio of lower/upper spines 1.9–3.3, tending to become smaller with growth; upper jaw without large caniniform teeth; head and body without small dark dots; posteroventral portion of caudal fin with a blackish or dark brownish marking.

Description. A full description was given by Imamura (2013b).

Distribution. Known from southeastern to southwestern Australia, from Fraser Island, Qld (ca. 25°S), across NSW, Vic and SA to Shark Bay, WA (ca. 25°S) in depths from ca. 17 to 91 m (e.g., Hutchins and Thompson, 1983; Kuiter, 1993; Hoese et al., 2006; Imamura, 2013b; this study).

Size. Maximum length 38 cm ( May & Maxwell, 1986; Kuiter, 1993). The largest specimen examined during the present study was 286 mm SL ( 332 mm TL).

Remarks. The name Platycephalus grandispinis had been largely forgotten until Imamura (2013b) showed it to have priority over a well-known species, P. longispinis , following detailed examinations of holotypes of the two nominal species ( Figs. 7 View FIGURE 7 ) and non-type specimens. See Imamura (2013b) for a discussion of P. grandispinis . A comparison of P. grandispinis with P. bassensis is provided herein under the latter.