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Two new species of deepwater cardinalfish from the Indo-Pacific, with a definition of the Epigonus pandionis group (Perciformes: Epigonidae)

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Abstract

Two new Indo-Pacific species of deepwater cardinalfish, Epigonus lifouensis and E. tuberculatus are described based on the specimens collected from the Loyalty Islands and Cocos-Keeling Islands, respectively. These species belong to the Epigonus pandionis group defined as lacking an opercular spine, having more than 43 pored lateral-line scales to the end of the hypural and dorsal-fin rays VII-I, 9–11. Epigonus lifouensis is distinguished from other members of the group by a combination of the following characters: ribs present on the last abdominal vertebra; tongue toothless; tubercle absent on inner symphysis of lower jaw; eye elliptical; total gill rakers 24–25; pectoral-fin rays 18–19; pyloric caeca 10–13; body depth 17.0–17.1 % SL; and posterior half of oral cavity and tongue black. Epigonus tuberculatus is distinguished from other members of the group by a combination of the following characters: ribs on the last abdominal vertebra reduced or absent; tongue toothless; tubercle present on inner symphysis of lower jaw; total gill rakers 21–22; pectoral-fin rays 19–20; pyloric caeca 8–10; orbital diameter 14.5–15.4 % SL; and lower-jaw length 16.0–17.6 % SL. A key to the species and some comments on the group are provided based on examination of all members (nine species, including two new species) of the group.

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Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to the following persons and institutions for specimen loans: M. McGrouther, A. Hay and S. Reader (AMS); A. Suzumoto (BPBM); A. Graham (CSIRO); Y. Kai (FAKU); M. Yabe and T. Kawai (HUMZ); K. Hartel (MCZ); K. Matsuura, G. Shinohara and M. Nakae (NSMT); F. Krupp (formerly SMF); K. Conway and H. Prestridge (TCWC); L. Page, R. Robins and R. Singer (UF); and J. Williams and E. Wilbur (USNM). We also thank A. Balushkin, M. Nazarkin and V. Spodareva (ZIN) for providing data on the type specimens, T. Carter (CSIRO) for photographing of specimens, and M. Love (Marine Science Institute, University of California) for his critical reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, 1551-8 Taira-machi, Nagasaki, 851-2213, Japan

    Makoto Okamoto

  2. The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan

    Hiroyuki Motomura

Authors
  1. Makoto Okamoto
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  2. Hiroyuki Motomura
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Correspondence to Makoto Okamoto.

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This article was registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) as A987BB74-B30C-4A79-9E77-D4E1AC200436.

This article was published as an Online First article on the online publication date shown on this page. The article should be cited by using the doi number.

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Okamoto, M., Motomura, H. Two new species of deepwater cardinalfish from the Indo-Pacific, with a definition of the Epigonus pandionis group (Perciformes: Epigonidae). Ichthyol Res 60, 301–311 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-013-0352-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-013-0352-0

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