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Type: Article
Published: 2004-02-12
Page range: 1–10
Abstract views: 50
PDF downloaded: 23

Description of a new species of the fish genus Acanthoplesiops Regan (Teleostei: Plesiopidae: Acanthoclininae) from Tonga

Vertebrate Zoology Section, Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 West Wells Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, U.S.A.
School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-4501, U.S.A.
Pisces Plesiopidae Acanthoclininae Acanthoplesiops naka new species taxonomy Tonga

Abstract

Acanthoplesiops naka sp. n. is described from the 9.9 mm SL holotype collected at Ofolanga Island of the Ha apai Group of Tonga. Its dorsal-fin spine count of XVIII is unique in the genus. The following combination of characters also distinguishes it from congeners: first two dorsal-fin pterygiophores in the 3 rd interneural space (anterior dorsal-fin formula ?/?/I+I/I/I/I/I//I/I/I); 3 dentary pores; 2 intertemporal pores; head and body generally brownish with darker pigment spots (from shrunken melanophores), excepting a paler stripe from the anterior half of the symphyseal flap on the lower lip to the origin of the dorsal fin (continuing on to the first dorsal spine), a pale spot on the pectoralfin base, and a pale caudal peduncle continuous with pale bases of last 3 segmented dorsaland anal-fin rays; regular ctenoid scales; no membranous attachment of last dorsalor anal-fin rays to caudal fin. The new species might be the sister taxon to A. psilogaster as they share the putative derived character of two dorsal-fin pterygiophores in the 3 rd interneural space.

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