Pseudogramma xanthum, a new replacement name for a serranid fish from the subtropical South Pacific Ocean with description of the species

Abstract

The subtropical South Pacific serranid fish Pseudogramma australis Randall & Baldwin, 1997, was divided by Randall & Baldwin (1997) into two subspecies, P. a. pasquensis from Easter Island (type locality of P. australis) and P. a. australis from the Pitcairn Islands to Tonga. The latter is now regarded as a valid species, distinct in its yellow ground color, small size, modally one more dorsal, anal, and pectoral rays, 16 instead of 17 caudal vertebrae, larger head, and other proportional differences. Because of errors in the type designations for the two subspecies, the name P. australis is occupied by the Easter Island species and does not apply to the western Pacific P. a. australis. We provide a new replacement name, P. xanthum nomen novum, for P. a. australis and redescribe it based on the 12 known specimens, including the holotype from Temoe Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago.