D Z, i, 9; A U, 9; P1 15; P2 T, 5; GR 10+1+21=32; BR 7; X 11+14=25; LLS 57.
Hl 30.6 of SL; ED 9.3; BD 19.6; SN 6.4; IO 6.6; UJ 13.1; CP 10.7; P1L 17.6.
Body elongate, moderately compressed, body depth about 6 times in SL. Head large, about 3.5 times in SL. Eye large, about 3 times in HL, longer than snout. Mouth oblique, slightly protrusible, maxilla extending to anterior margin of pupil. Lower jaw protruding anterior to upper jaw, bearing a small nub on anterior tip of mandible. No teeth on upper jaw, fine conical teeth uniserial on anterior part and no teeth on posterior part of lower jaw. Many fine conical teeth on vomer. Palatines edentate. No lingual teeth on tongue. Nostrils paired, both small and circular, closely situated each other. Opercular spine well ossified and pungent. Gill-rakers long, awl-like. Interorbital region fairly flat, its width about as long as snout. Pseudobranchiae present. Scales large ctenoid, deciduous except lateral line scales. Lateral line single, extending nearly parallel to dorsal profile on dorsolateral part of trunk, descending to midline on posterior part of caudal peduncle, ending at caudal base. Pectoral fin low, slightly longer than pelvic fin. Pelvic fin situated slightly behind posterior insertion of pectoral fin. Base of first dorsal, second dorsal and anal fins short. Caudal fin weakly forked. Body brown above and paler below. Body very oily.
Distribution:
Atlantic coasts of South America, from southern Brazil to Argentine Patagonia; also known from off South Africa and off Tasmania (Mayer, 1974).
Remarks:
There have been known about 10 species of Epigonus (telescopus, macrops, pandionus, fragilis, occidentalis, denticulatus, oligolepis, trewavasae, pectinifer, and lenimen) plus 2 species described here (Mayer, 1974).
(Izumi NAKAMURA)
Distribution of Epigonus robustus in Patagonia.
Head with an opercular spine (1) and nub-like lower jaw tip (2).