RESEARCH ARTICLE
Seven new species of labrid
fishes (Coris, Iniistius, Macropharyngodon,
Novaculops, and Pteragogus) from the
Western Indian Ocean
John E. Randall
Abstract
The following
labrid fishes are described as new species from the
Western Indian Ocean: Coris latifasciata from
the Chagos Archipelago and Maldive Islands, most recently
identified as C. batuensis Bleeker, is distinguished
from this species by much smaller maximum size, fewer
lateral-line scales, more gill rakers, and in color;
Iniistius brevipinnis from Eastern Cape, South
Africa, unusually colorful for a razorfish, is distinguished
mainly by color from I. griffithsi Randall
(type locality Mauritius); Novaculops alvheimi
from St. Brandon's Shoals, very similar in color
to N. pastellus Randall & Earle from Lord
Howe Island, differs in having a more slender body,
lower dorsal fin, and one fewer pectoral rays; the
Red Sea subspecies Macropharyngodon bipartitus
marisrubri Randall is elevated to an endemic Red
Sea species, distinct from M. bipartitus of
the Indian Ocean in having a deeper body, progressively
longer dorsal spines, and in color of the male. Pteragogus
clarkae and P. trispilus from the Red Sea,
and P. variabilis from Mauritius, St. Brandon's
Shoals, and Aldabra, all three previously identified
as P. pelycus Randall, are distinguished by
smaller size, straight instead of concave dorsal profile
of the head, nearly flat interorbital, and color.
A key is provided for the seven Western Indian Ocean
species of Pteragogus. Underwater photographs
are included that appear to represent five undescribed
species from the region for which specimens are not
available, two in the genus Iniistius and three
in the genus Pteragogus.
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CITATION:
Randall, J.E. (2013) Seven
new species of labrid fishes (Coris, Iniistius,
Macropharyngodon, Novaculops, and Pteragogus)
from the Western Indian Ocean. Journal of the Ocean
Science Foundation 7, 1-43.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1041964
publication date: 15 May
2013
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