|
Vol. 42 No. 3, 2003
Myripristis earlei, a New Soldierfish (Beryciformes: Holocentridae) from the Marquesas and Phoenix Islands
John E. Randall1,*, Gerald R. Allen2 and D. Ross Robertson3
1Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817-2704, USA
2Conservation International, 1 Dreyer Road, Roleystone, Australia; Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Australia
3Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Balboa, Panama), Unit 0948 APO AA 34002, USA
John E. Randall, Gerald R. Allen and D. Ross Robertson (2003) The common holocentrid fish in the Marquesas Islands, previously regarded as an insular variant of the wideranging Myripristis berndti, is described as a new species, M. earlei, after discovering a typical M. berndti in the islands and also finding the species in the Phoenix Islands with M. berndti.
No meristic or proportional measurement differences were found to
separate the 2 species, and no mtDNA differences were detected. Myripristis earlei differs from M. berndti
by lacking or having only a few small scales on the lower 1/2 of the
pectoral-fin axil; the lower jaw of adults not as strongly projecting;
the leading edges of the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins not white;
and the spinous portion of the dorsal fin red instead of being
orange-yellow on the outer part as in M. berndti.
Key words: Fish taxonomy, Holocentridae, New soldierfish, Oceania.
*Correspondence: Tel: 808-848-4130. Fax: 808-847-8252. E-mail: jackr@hawaii.rr.com
|
