Trachinocephalus gauguini

Trachinocephalus gauguini, commonly known as the curious scad, is a species of lizardfish in the family Synodontidae. This species was described in 2016 by F.A. Polanco, P.A. Acero, and R. Betancur-R.

Description

This species reaches a length of. It has a bluish-grey body with a black mark on the tip of the dorsal fin. The snout length is 62.5-66.7% of the eye diameter, and the lower jaw has a concave dorsal edge that does not protrude beyond the upper jaw. It has 12-13 rays in the pectoral fin, 50-52 scales in the lateral line, and 53-54 vertebrae. It feeds on small invertebrates and other marine organisms.

Distribution and habitat

Endemic to the Marquesas Islands in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. They inhabit tropical waters and are often found near coral reefs.

Etymology

The genus name Trachinocephalus is derived from Greek, with "trachys" meaning rough and "kephale" meaning head. The species name gauguini is in honor of the French painter Paul Gauguin, who died in the Marquesas Islands on May 8, 1903.