[Ichthyology • 2021] Lethrinus mitchelli • A New Species of Emperor Fish (Acanthuriformes: Lethrinidae) from Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Lethrinus mitchelli

Allen, Victor & Erdmann, 2021

DOI: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5172763 

Abstract 

A new species of emperor fish, Lethrinus mitchelli, is described on the basis of three specimens, 109.4–111.3 mm SL, collected from 20 m at the East Cape region of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. It is similar to the sympatric relatives L. semicinctus and L. rubrioperculatus, but differs in color pattern and has a narrower cheek (cheek height 3.2–3.6 in head length vs. 2.4–2.9). Other diagnostic features include head length (2.7 in SL) greater than body depth (3.0–3.1 in SL); the snout excluding the lip 1.3–1.4 in cheek height; the snout profile nearly straight, without a prominent hump, and about 55° to the upper jaw; conical lateral jaw teeth; the interorbital area nearly flat or convex; the fourth dorsal-fin spine longest; lateral-line scales 47; transverse scale rows below and above the lateral line 15 and 4.5 rows; and a fully-scaled area adjacent to the prominent bony spine at the posteriormost margin of the opercle (excluding fleshy flap). The new species has a distinctive color pattern: brown dorsally, whitish ventrally, with a broad, brown, posteriorly tapering band on the midlateral body, partially split anteriorly by a relatively broad, ascending diagonal white band. Lethrinus mitchelli is 6.11% sequence divergent (pairwise) in the mtDNA COI marker from its nearest relative, L. semicinctus, also from the East Indies. A table of COI divergences among mtDNA lineages assigned to 27 of the 28 known species of Lethrinus shows a set of distinctly different lineages, from 3.32% to 20.85% divergent from each other (minimum interspecific distances). 

Key words: taxonomy, ichthyology, phylogenetics, coral reef fishes, Indo-Pacific, DNA barcodes, mtDNA COI 

Lethrinus mitchelli n. sp.
blotchy pattern on rubble bottom, about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
 preserved holotype, 110.1 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

photos: G.R. Allen.

Lethrinus mitchelli n. sp.
[upper] about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Prov., Papua New Guinea; 
[lower] blotchy pattern on rubble bottom, about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

photos: G.R. Allen

 Allen, G.R., Victor, B.C. and Erdmann, M.V. 2021. Lethrinus mitchelli, A New Species of Emperor Fish (Teleostei: Lethrinidae) from Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 38, 66–77. DOI: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5172763 

[Ichthyology • 2025] Branchiostegus sanae • A New Species of Deepwater Tilefish (Eupercaria: Branchiostegidae) from the South China Sea

 

Branchiostegus sanae  

Huang, Chen, Ke & Zhang, 2025

幽灵方头鱼  |  Mononoke tilefish |  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1227.130512

A) B. ablus B) B. argentatus C) B. auratus D) B. biendong E) B. japonicus. 

Abstract

A new species of deepwater tilefish, Branchiostegus sanae sp. nov., is described based on five specimens collected from the area between the Xisha Islands and Hainan Island, China. This species can be distinguished from congeners by its unique cheek marker and a combination of characteristics. Among the tilefish species known to be distributed in the South China Sea, this species is the only one with vertical stripes on the body. Based on the COI, CytB, and 12S sequences, a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree shows that the B. sanae sp. nov. forms a separate clade and is the sister group to the clade consisting of B. sawakinensis, B. albus, B. argentatus, B. biendong, B. japonicus, B. auratus, and B. okinawaensis. A key to the genus Branchiostegus is also compiled.

Key words: Bottom fish, Hainan, Malacanthidae, phylogeny, taxonomy

 

 Branchiostegus sanae sp. nov. 

New standard Chinese common name: 幽灵方头鱼

New English common name: Mononoke tilefish

Diagnosis. The species can be distinguished from its congeners in having the following combination of characteristics: a unique white-red bar between the orbit and upper jaw; distal end of upper jaw vertical reaching or exceeding midpoint of orbit; yellow predorsal ridge with dark rim; dorsal fin membrane translucent greyish, with spines darker; dorsal fin spines grey and soft rays yellow; about 16 dark vertical stripes on each side; longest dorsal fin soft ray long, 20.6–22.7% in SL; no black spots on base of scales; and caudal fin nearly truncated, upper part pale orange mixed with yellow stripes, and lower part dark grey with inconspicuous yellow blotch near base.

Etymology: The name sanae refers to the heroine’s name, San in Hayao Miyazaki’s film Princess Mononoke, who has similar red under-eye stripes to this species and symbolizes the ideas and appeals of harmonious coexistence between man and nature that we want to share (Miyazaki 1997).

Common name: Both the Chinese and English common names of this species are derived from the title of the film and align with the common name used by Chinese fishermen, “鬼马头鱼” (Ghost horsehead fish), due to the unusual cheek patterns of this species.

Species of the genus Branchiostegus in Chinese waters except B. sanae
A) B. ablus B) B. argentatus C) B. auratus D) B. biendong E) B. japonicus.  

Branchiostegus sanae at a seafood market.

photo: Jiangyuan Chen

 Haochen Huang, Jingxuan Chen, Zhixin Ke and Chi Zhang. 2025. Branchiostegus sanae, A New Species of Deepwater Tilefish (Eupercaria, Branchiostegidae) from the South China Sea. ZooKeys 1227: 129-142. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1227.130512

[Ichthyology • 2019] Phylogenetic Position of the Fish Genera Lobotes, Datnioides and Hapalogenys, with A Reappraisal of Acanthuriform Composition and Relationships based on Adult and Larval Morphology

Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790)

in Gill & Leis, 2019. 

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4680.1.1 

Abstract

Lobotes, Datnioides and Hapalogenys are assigned to a newly defined Acanthuriformes on the basis of their pattern of tooth replacement (termed posterolateral tooth replacement), where new teeth form at the posterolateral ends of series. Posterolateral tooth replacement is shown to be a synamorphy of the order. The order is expanded to include Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae, Drepaneidae, Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Antigonia, Scatophagidae and Capros, along with the more traditional members, Siganidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae. Three-item analysis of 63 adult and larval morphological characters yields two optimal trees that differ only in the relative positions of Capros and Siganidae. The intersection tree of the two optimal trees is: (((Hapalogenys (Datnioides, Lobotidae)) (Pomacanthidae (Drepaneidae (Chaetodontidae (Ephippidae (Leiognathidae (Scatophagidae (Antigonia (Siganidae, Capros (Luvaridae (Zanclidae, Acanthuridae)))))))))))). This cladogram is compared with recent phylogenies based on analyses of sequence data, and few differences are found once the weakly-supported interior nodes of the latter are collapsed. Aside from expansion of the Acanthuriformes, the following classification changes are proposed in order to reflect the phylogenetic relationships: redefinition of the Lobotidae to include Lobotes, Datnioides and Hapalogenys; separate families for Antigonia and Capros (Antigoniidae and Caproidae, respectively); continued recognition of Drepaneidae (often considered a synonym of Ephippidae). The larvae of Capros aper are illustrated to show features overlooked in earlier descriptions.

Keywords: Pisces, Osteology, comparative anatomy, dentition, larval development, ichthyology, phylogenetics, three-item analysis

Adult Lobotes surinamensis, ca. 150 mm SL, Swansboro, North Carolina, USA.

Photo by A.K. Gardner.

 Anthony C. Gill and Jeffrey M. Leis. 2019. Phylogenetic Position of the Fish Genera Lobotes, Datnioides and Hapalogenys, with A Reappraisal of Acanthuriform Composition and Relationships based on Adult and Larval Morphology. Zootaxa. 4680(1); 1–81. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4680.1.1

[Ichthyology • 2017] Acanthurus albimento • A New Species of Surgeonfish (Acanthuriformes: Acanthuridae) from northeastern Luzon, Philippines, with Comments on Zoogeography

Acanthurus albimento 

 Carpenter, Williams & Santos, 2017

  OceanScienceFoundation.org 

Abstract

Acanthurus albimento is described as a new surgeonfish from northeastern Luzon from six specimens collected during extensive fish-market surveys in the Philippines.The new species is characterized by a distinctive white band below the lower jaw; many irregular, wavy, thin, blue lines on the head; a brown-orange pectoral fin with a bluish tinge on the outer membrane of the rays and a dark band on the posterior margin; a narrow rust-orange stripe along the base of the dorsal fin; and a large blackish caudal spine and sheath with the socket broadly edged in black. An analysis using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI), supported by an independent multi-locus analysis, suggests phylogenetic affinities with an Acanthurus clade that includes A. auranticavus, A. bariene, A. blochii, A. dussumieri, A. gahhm, A. leucocheilus, A. maculiceps, A. mata, A. nigricauda, and A. xanthopterus; a clade that shares a suite of color characteristics. Based on the sampling history in the region, the new species may be a limited-range endemic in the westernmost Pacific Ocean, which is unusual for members of this genus. This raises potential questions about drivers of dispersal and long-held assumptions about zoogeographic patterns along the Kuroshio Current.

Acanthurus albimento, n. sp.

[upper] fresh paratype, USNM 438101, 226.6 mm SL, northeast Luzon, Philippines
[lower] fresh holotype, PNM 15199, 252.4 mm SL, northeast Luzon, Philippines.

photos: J.T. Williams.

      

Acanthurus albimento, n. sp. 

Whitechin Surgeonfish

Etymology. The new species is named albimento for its distinctive white chin. The specific epithet is derived from a combination of white (Latin albus) and a variation of the word for chin (Latin mentum), and is treated here as a noun in apposition

Kent E. Carpenter, Jeffrey T. Williams and Mudjekeewis D. Santos. 2017.

Acanthurus albimento, A New Species of Surgeonfish (Acanthuriformes: Acanthuridae) from northeastern Luzon, Philippines, with Comments on Zoogeography.
Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 25 33–46.

http://www.OceanScienceFoundation.org/josf25d.html