Pegasus tetrabelos Osterhage, Pogonoski, Appleyard & White, 2016

Family:  Pegasidae (Seamoths)
Max. size:  9.8 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 10 - 45 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-5; Anal soft rays: 5-5. This species is distinguished by the following characters: 12 tail rings with the anteriormost 9 mobile, articulating laterally, and remaining 3 are fused together, attenuated and dorsoventrally flattened; terminodorsal-lateral (tdl) and terminoventral-lateral (tvl) plates each with an anteriorly and posteriorly directed spine; no terminal-lateral plates (tl); with interpectoral plate (ip); with a single ventral preopercular notch; spatulate rostrum; carapace with 3 small posteriorly directed tubercles along each of the dorsal ridge, one at the centre of each dorsal plate; no scales on orbit; pectoral-fin soft rays 9-10 (usually 10), the 5th ray stouter than other rays; 7 abdominal centra, 14 caudal centra, 21 total centra; 4 dark saddles on tail and without dark saddle on tail ring XI (Ref. 117113).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 29 September 2016 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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