Author: Miller, 1968
Pomatoschistus tortonesei Miller, 1968
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Pomatoschistus tortonesei Miller, 1969 (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: lateral line system with sub-orbital row a having 1 transverse row; row b ending anteriorly below rear of eye; transverse rows below level of row b little developed, and only cp may descend slightly behind row d; head canals with pore d, but no pore w on anterior oculoscapular canal. Eyes dorsolateral. Branchiostegal membrane attached to entire isthmus side. Predorsal area, back to anterior half of first dorsal base, and breast, naked. Pelvic disc anterior membrane with straight to deeply crenate or minutely villose rear edge. Caudal fin rounded. Dl VI (V-Vl); D2 1 + 7 (6-8); A I + 7 (6-8); P 18 (17-20). Scales in lateral series 32-34 (30-36). Vertebrae 31 (30-31). Colour: fawn with darker ferruginous reticulation; males with numerous, ill-defined, vertical dark markings across sides, and pelvic disc, breast and branchiostegal membrane more or less uniformly dark, the last suffused yellow; females with 3 conspicuous, long, vertical dark bars; pelvic disc with concentric dark band (but rest pale) and branchiostegal membrane bright yellow along ventral midline; dark chin marking. Size: to 3.7 cm.
Habitat: lagoons, brackish to slightly hypersaline, in shallows on sand near sea-grass prairie. Food: small crustaceans and gastropods. Reproduction: breeding in May (Farwah, Libya); probably mature by 1 year old.
Distribution: Mediterranean (Marsala, Sicily and Farwah Lagoon, western Libya).
Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.