Abstract
Two specimens (116,119 mm TL) of Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) and four specimens (171–190 mm TL) of Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskal, 1775) were collected from Iraqi marine waters of the Arabian Gulf. These findings confirm the presence of H. acuminatus and establish the first record of P. maculosus from Iraqi waters. The samples were captured by hook and line off the coasts of Al–Fao City Peninsula, southern Iraq. Arabian Gulf. morphometric and meristic data are provided and compared with data from other parts of the world.
Highlights
Members of the butterfly fish group are varied and abundant marine perciform fishes with remarkable coloration, d on reefs throughout shallow, tropical seas
The genus Heniochus comprises eight species (Eschmeyer, 2014). Due to their anatomical similarities, species of this family have been included within the family Chaetodontidae (Allen & Erdmann, 2012) but controversy has arisen on this issue
The two species reported in the present study showed a narrow (P. maculosus) to wide range of distribution (H. acuminatus) (Froese & Pauly, 2014; Hodge et al, 2013)
Summary
Members of the butterfly fish group are varied and abundant marine perciform fishes with remarkable coloration, d on reefs throughout shallow, tropical seas. The two species reported in the present study showed a narrow (P. maculosus) to wide range of distribution (H. acuminatus) (Froese & Pauly, 2014; Hodge et al, 2013) Both species have been recorded previously from the Arabian Gulf waters, but their presence in the Iraqi waters has not been published to date. No other species within the genera Pomacanthus and Heniochus have been detected in this area These two species have been recorded previously in Arabian Gulf waters, confirmation of these and any other coral reef associated species in local waters will support the present efforts of the Iraqi government to evaluate, protect and maintain the coral reef habitats in the Iraqi marine waters (Ali, 2013).
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