RESEARCH ARTICLE
Plectranthias bennetti,
a new species of anthiine fish (Pisces: Serranidae)
from the Coral Sea, Australia
Gerald R. Allen & Fenton
Walsh
Abstract
A new species belonging to
the anthiine (Serranidae) genus Plectranthias
is described from a single specimen, 50.3 mm SL, collected
at Holmes Reefs, Coral Sea. Plectranthias bennetti
n. sp. is distinguished by a combination of features
including 15 dorsal-fin rays, the fourth dorsal spine
longest, unbranched pectoral-fin rays, a complete
lateral line of 29–30 tubed scales, dorsal scales
on the head extending forward to the anterior portion
of the interorbital space, no scales on the maxilla
and chin, 20 serrae and three antrorse spines on the
preopercular margin, an emarginate caudal fin, and
a color pattern of eight red bands on a white background.
It is most similar to P. sagamiensis from Japan,
which differs in having filamentous caudal and dorsal-fin
rays, two instead of three antrorse spines on the
preopercle, and a color pattern consisting of large
pinkish-orange blotches. The DNA barcode sequence
for the holotype is included.
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CITATION:
Allen, G.R. & Walsh,
F. (2015) Plectranthias bennetti, a new species
of anthiine fish (Pisces: Serranidae) from the Coral
Sea, Australia. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation,
16, 82-89.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1021465
publication date: 3 September
2015
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