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Vol. 46 No. 5, 2007
A New Species of Manonichthys
Gill, 2004 (Pisces: Pseudochromidae) from Irian Jaya Barat Province,
Indonesia
Gerald
R. Allen1,* and Mark V. Erdmann2
1Western
Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Perth, WA 6986,
Australia
2Conservation International, Jl. Dr. Muwardi No. 17,
Renon, Denpasar 80235, Indonesia. E-mail:mverdmann@attglobal.net
Gerald
R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann (2007) Manonichthys jamali sp. nov. is
described from 11 specimens, 13.3-58.4 mm standard length (SL),
collected in the Fak Fak Peninsula region of Irian Jaya Barat Province
(western New Guinea), Indonesia. It was observed on coral reefs at
depths of 9-16 m and was occasionally seen entering sponges of the
genus Callyspongia. It
apparently mimics Chromis
retrofasciata Weber, 1913, a small pomacentrid fish that
exhibits a similar color pattern. The new taxon is most similar to M. alleni, M. polynemus, and M. splendens from the Indo-Malay
Archipelago, but is distinguished from those species and all other
pseudochromines on the basis of the color pattern, particularly the
presence of a prominent black bar across the anterior caudal peduncle
and adjacent posterior body extending onto the basal 1/2 of the last
6-8 dorsal and anal fin rays. Additionally, adults have fewer predorsal
scales than M. polynemus
(20-24 vs. 25-30) and a different caudal-fin shape than M. alleni and M. splendens (emarginate rather
than rounded to truncate).
Key words: Pseudochrominae,
Species key, Coral reefs, Mimicry, Indo-Australian Archipelago.
*Correspondence: Dreyer Road, Roleystone WA 6111, Australia.
Tel: 61-8-94961143. Fax: 61-8-93976985.
E-mail:tropical_reef@bigpond.com.au
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