[Ichthyology • 2017] Pempheris familia • A New Species of Pempheris (Perciformes: Pempheridae) endemic to the Ogasawara Islands, Japan

Pempheris familia  Koeda & Motomura, 2017

    DOI:  10.1007/s10228-017-0586-3 

Abstract

Pempheris familia sp. nov. is described on the basis of two specimens collected from the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The new species is most similar to Pempheris japonica Döderlein in Steindachner and Döderlein 1883, endemic to Japanese and Korean waters, in having adherent scales with strong ctenii on the lateral and ventral surfaces of the body, each scale expanded basally and distally due to central narrowing, the abdomen with a U-shaped cross-sectional outline, a large ventral fenestra between the coracoid and cleithrum, 10 dorsal-fin soft rays and 35 or 36 anal-fin soft rays. However, Pempheris familia can be distinguished from P. japonica by the following combination of characters: 84–88 pored lateral-line scales; 14 or 15 scale rows above the lateral line; 50–55 predorsal scales; 26 circumpeduncular scales; and a distinct blackish blotch on the pectoral-fin base. Pempheris familia appears to be endemic to the Ogasawara Islands.

Keywords: Sweeper, Taxonomy, Morphology, New species, Coral reefs 

Fig. 1 Fresh specimens of Pempheris familia sp. nov. from Ototo-jima Island, Ogasawara Islands, Japan.
 KAUM–I. 74713, holotype, 153.1 mm SL (upper); NSMT-P 124563, paratype, 139.5 mm SL (lower); photo by K. Kuriiwa  

Pempheris familia sp. nov.

(Standard Japanese name: Bonin-hatampo) 

Diagnosis. A species of Pempheris with the following combination of characters: lateral and ventral body scales strongly ctenoid, adherent, with distinct basal and distal portions; abdomen cross-sectional outline U-shaped; large ventral fenestra between coracoid and cleithrum; 10 dorsal-fin soft rays; 35–36 anal-fin soft rays; 84–88 pored lateral-line scales; 14–15 scale rows above lateral line; 50–55 predorsal scales; 26 circumpeduncular scales; body orange-copper; blackish blotch on fins limited to tip of dorsal, anal and caudal fins; distinct blackish blotch on pectoral-fin base.

Etymology. The specific name of the new species, familia, means “family” in Greek. The Ogasawara Islands include ca. 30 islands, many of them having been given family-like names; for example, Chichi-jima = father island, Haha-jima = mother island, Ane-jima = older sister island. Ototo-jima, where the type specimens were collected, and Ani-jima, where the underwater photographs were taken, refer to younger and older brothers, respectively.

Fig. 2 Underwater photographs of Pempheris familia sp. nov. from Ani-jima Island, Ogasawara Islands, Japan.
Single individual (upper); school in an underwater rock recess (lower) (ca. 10 individuals) 

 Keita Koeda and Hiroyuki Motomura. 2017. A New Species of Pempheris (Perciformes: Pempheridae) endemic to the Ogasawara Islands, Japan.
  Ichthyological Research.  DOI:  10.1007/s10228-017-0586-3

[Ichthyology • 2016] Pempheris gasparinii • A New Species of Sweeper Fish (Teleostei, Pempheridae) from Trindade Island, southwestern Atlantic

Pempheris gasparinii 

 Pinheiro, Bernardi & Rocha, 2016

 DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.561.7263 

Abstract

Pempheris gasparinii sp. n. is described from five specimens, 59.1–68.0 mm in standard length. It is only known to occur in the shallow reefs of Trindade Island, 1200 km east of the Brazilian coast, in the southwestern Atlantic. Pempheris gasparinii is the third recognized species of Pempheris in the Atlantic Ocean. This new species is morphologically similar to its close relative, P. poeyi, differing by the number of lateral-line scales (51–54 in P. gasparinii vs. 47–49 in P. poeyi), scales below lateral line (10–11 vs. 9), circumpeduncular scales (11–12 vs. 13), head and caudal peduncle lengths (2.7–3.3 vs 3.5–4.0 in head length). Moreover, Pempheris gasparinii shows a 4% genetic divergence from P. poeyi at the cytochrome oxidase I locus (COI), consistent with a lineage split at the beginning of the Pleistocene. This new species represents the 12th endemic fish species from Trindade Island.

Keywords: Endemism, COI, Vitória-Trindade Chain, oceanic island, Brazil, reef fish

   

Figure 1. Underwater picture of Pempheris gasparinii sp. n. at the Parcel Pool, Trindade Island (top; photo J.L. Gasparini), and a specimen shortly after death (bottom; photo T. Simon). 

Diagnosis: Pempheris gasparinii differs from its congeners by the following combination of character states: Head 3.2–3.7 in SL; body depth 2.7 in SL; head length 3.2–3.7 in SL; orbit diameter 1.9–2.7 in HL; caudal-peduncle depth 2.7–3.3 in HL; dorsal rays IV, 8–9; anal-fin rays III, 24–25; pectoral rays 15; lateral-line scales 51–54; scales below the lateral line 10–11; circumpeduncular scales 11–12; and gill rakers 23–25. Color in life mostly silvery, darker from mid-body to the lateral line and greenish above; fins are translucent with a darker tail. Color in alcohol light brown to silvery with darker dorsum and translucent fins; caudal fin darker. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA COI sequences show a divergence of at least 4% from all Atlantic congeners.

Etymology: The specific name honors our ichthyologist colleague and friend João Luiz Rosetti Gasparini, one of the pioneers on the study of taxonomy and biodiversity of reef fishes in Brazil and Trindade Island. “Gaspa” has contributed to nearly half of the descriptions of reef-fish species from Brazilian waters in the last two decades. To be treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution and habitat: Pempheris gasparinii sp. n. is known only from the type locality, Trindade Island, Espírito Santo, Brazil. It has only been found schooling in the very shallow waters of the rocky Parcel pools (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Parcel Pool, Trindade Island, Brazil, type locality of Pempheris gasparinii sp. n. (photo H.T. Pinheiro). 

 Hudson T. Pinheiro, Giacomo Bernardi and Luiz A. Rocha. 2016. Pempheris gasparinii, A New Species of Sweeper Fish from Trindade Island, southwestern Atlantic (Teleostei, Pempheridae). ZooKeys. 561; 105-115. DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.561.7263

[Ichthyology • 2013] Pempheris flavicycla • a new pempherid fish (Perciformes: Pempheridae) from the Indian Ocean, previously identified as P. vanicolensis Cuvier

Pempheris flavicycla Randall, Bogorodsky, Alpermann, Satapoomin, Mooi & Mal 2013

Pempheris flavicycla flavicycla Randall, Bogorodsky, Alpermann, Satapoomin, Mooi & Mal 2013

Pempheris flavicycla marisrubri Randall, Bogorodsky, Alpermann, Satapoomin, Mooi & Mal 2013

Abstract

Pempheris flavicycla is described as a new species of sweeper (Perciformes: Pempheridae) from the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea. It has a bright yellow ring around the pupil of the eye, a black outer border on the anal and caudal fins, a black spot at the base of the pectoral fins, 38–44 anal soft rays, 54–61 lateral-line scales, and 29–33 gill rakers. It is found in clear-water, coral-reef areas not exposed to heavy seas, and usually in less than 15 m. 

Two subspecies are recognized: Pempheris flavicycla flavicycla from Oman, Tanzania (type locality Mafia Island), Kenya (Wasini Island), Seychelles, Republic of Maldives, Lakshadweep, Sri Lanka, and islands of the Andaman Sea; and Pempheris flavicycla marisrubri from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Tadjoura off Djibouti. The Red Sea subspecies differs in having a larger eye, longer pectoral fins, more ctenoid scales, the posterior nostril largest, and modally one fewer pectoral-fin rays. 

Both subspecies have usually been misidentified as Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier in C. & V. (type locality, Vanikoro Island, Santa Cruz Islands), which differs in having a brownish green iris, no black spot at the base of the pectoral fins, 63–68 lateral-line scales, and 26–29 gill rakers. The range of P. vanicolensis is extended west to Papua New Guinea, Raja Ampat Islands, Bali, Sumatra, and the island of Phuket, Thailand in the Andaman Sea.

Key words: taxonomy, Pempheridae, Red Sea, sweeper, new species, subspecies, coral reef fishes, biogeography

Randall, J.E., Bogorodsky, S.V., Alpermann, T.J., Satapoomin, U., Mooi, R.D. & Mal, A.O. 2013. Pempheris flavicycla, a new pempherid fish from the Indian Ocean, previously identified as P. vanicolensis Cuvier. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. Vol. 9. 1-23. http://www.oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf9a.pdf

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