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Jamandre, Brian Wade (2023): Freshwater fishes of the Philippines: a provisional checklist. Zootaxa 5301 (2): 151-181, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.1

FAMILY Apogonidae Yarica hyalosoma (Bleeker, 1852); Native; Humpbacked Cardinalfish; Found in rivers across the Philippines; USNM 424760; Kottelat 2013, Corpuz et al. 2016; LC

Abe, Kimiya, Sasaki, Daichi, Maclaine, James, Kimura, Seishi (2023): First Northwest Pacific Record of the Apogonid Fish, Pristiapogon taeniopterus (Actinopteri: Kurtiformes) from Minamidaito Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Species Diversity 28 (1): 117-122, DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.28.117, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.12782/specdiv.28.117

The goals of this study were to investigate the potential use of metomidate for one-step euthanasia of ornamental fish species representing commonly sold families in the ornamental fish trade and to determine a baseline euthanasia dose for most species tested. Metomidate hydrochloride, a rapid-acting, water-soluble, nonbarbiturate hypnotic related to etomidate, was tested at various concentrations and durations for euthanasia of species representing the following freshwater and marine aquarium fish families: Apogonidae, Ariidae, Blenniidae, Callichthyidae, Characidae, Cichlidae, Cyprinidae, Gobiidae, Gyrinocheilidae, Loricariidae, Melanotaeniidae, Osphronemidae, Pimelodidae, Poeciliidae, Pomacentridae, and Pseudochromidae. Fish in each trial were euthanized as a group (n = 1). Most groups contained 10-12 fish. Some higher doses required buffering. Euthanasia was considered successful if all fish in each group did not recover after 6 h in unmedicated water. All species immediately lost buoyancy and equilibrium, dropping to the tank bottom within 1 min and ceasing ventilation typically within minutes. However, reactivity to vibration, sound, or touch was noticeable for varying time periods afterward (8-66 min), so an additional 30 min of exposure after cessation of reactivity was included as part of the protocol. Although some species (Neon Tetras Paracheirodon innesi and Australian Rainbowfish Melanotaenia australis) were euthanized at a concentration of 40 mg/L metomidate for a total exposure time of 38 min, most species tested were successfully euthanized with metomidate at a concentration of 100 mg/L, with total exposure times ranging from 35-96 min. A few catfish species (Otocinclus sp. and Bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus) were refractory and recovered after 100 mg/L. However, Otocinclus sp. were successfully euthanized at 250 mg/L, and Bronze Corydoras were euthanized at 1,000 mg/L. Further studies are needed to provide additional data for these and other species and families, for different water chemistry conditions, and for various biological factors to fine-tune dosing regimens.

The lateral line system and its innervation were examined in two paedomorphic species of Apogonidae, Gymnapogon japonicus and Pseudamiops cf. springeri, both of which have been included in Gymnapogonini (Apogoninae) characterized by a small translucent body lacking canalized lateral line scales, but with many superficial neuromasts (total SNs: 2,691 and 2,197 in G. japonicus and Pseudamiops cf. springeri, respectively). Although scales are entirely absent in G. japonicus, the innervation pattern of the trunk lateral line system is basically similar to that in other apogonids having a single lateral line scale series. In comparison, Pseudamiops cf. springeri (and P. gracilicauda) have three series of inconspicuous lateral line scales with a distinct innervation pattern, implying a phylogenetic affinity with Pseudamia (Pseudamiinae). The monophyly of Pseudamiops and Pseudamia was also supported strongly by a molecular phylogenetic analysis, thus the paedomorphic nature is considered homoplasy between Pseudamiops and Gymnapogon. The innervation of head lateral line system in G. japonicus and Pseudamiops cf. springeri is basically the same with that of other apogonids, supporting homology of the presence of many head SNs among the species. The SN pattern and head canals of adult Pseudamiops cf. springeri are similar to those in juvenile Pseudamia gelatinosa, implying a paedomorphic truncation of lateral line system development in Pseudamiops cf. springeri.

Length-weight (LWR), length-length (LLR) relationships and relative condition factor (Kn) were determined for the conchfish Astrapogon stellatus (Cope, 1867) in the Mesoamerican Reef System, Mexico. A total of 26 specimens were collected between 2016 and 2018. The LWR for A. stellatus was W = 0.0159*TL2.972. LLR was highly significant (r2 = 0.989) and the range of Kn was 0.85–1.26. These findings have not been previously reported in the literature, such data is valuable for understanding population dynamics for this a poorly known species that could be within some endangered category.

“ Apogon ” americanus (Dante & Frizzell, 1965) Fig. 20F–J “ Myctophum ” americanum Dante & Frizzell in Frizzell & Dante, 1965: 696, pl. 86 figs 14–16. “ Apogonida ” americana – Nolf 2013: 96, pl. 230. Remarks This species is characterized by the nearly equal length of the ostium and cauda and by the large ostial colliculum. Therefore, it reasonably aligns with the features of apogonid otoliths. However, the massive and protruding rostrum and compact posterior part of the otolith is not seen in any of the Recent apogonid genera. We here follow Nolf’s (2013) interpretation and place it as an incertae sedis genus within Apogonidae. A very large specimen (9 mm length) was collected at the Stone City Bluff (Texas) (Fig. 20G), expanding the range of otolith ontogeny of the species. Stratigraphic and geographic distribution Lutetian: Weches Formation and “Stone City beds”, Texas. Bartonian: Wheelock Member, Texas., Published as part of Lin, Chien-Hsiang & Nolf, Dirk, 2022, Middle and late Eocene fish otoliths from the eastern and southern USA, pp. 1-122 in European Journal of Taxonomy 814 on pages 61-62, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.814.1745, http://zenodo.org/record/6484355, {"references":["Frizzell D. L. 1965. Otolith-based genera and lineages of fossil bonefishes (Clupeiformes, Albulidae). Senckenbergiana Lethaea 46 a: 85 - 110.","Frizzell D. L. & Dante J. H. 1965. Otoliths of some early Cenozoic fishes of the Gulf Coast. Journal of Paleontology 39: 687 - 718.","Nolf D. 2013. The Diversity of Fish Otoliths, Past and Present. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels.","Muller A. 1999. Ichthyofaunen aus dem atlantischen Tertiar der USA. Leipziger Geowissenschaften 9 / 10: 1 - 360."]}

Apogon sp. Fig. 20D–E Remarks Several small otoliths (n = 33) from localities in Texas are here assigned to Apogon. These likely belong to juveniles, and their non-diagnostic morphology does not allow further assignment. Stratigraphic and geographic distribution Lutetian: “Stone City beds”, Texas. Bartonian: Cook Mountain Formation, Texas., Published as part of Lin, Chien-Hsiang & Nolf, Dirk, 2022, Middle and late Eocene fish otoliths from the eastern and southern USA, pp. 1-122 in European Journal of Taxonomy 814 on page 62, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.814.1745, http://zenodo.org/record/6484355

The fossil otoliths of the southern USA have been known for more than 130 years and are among the richest assemblages worldwide. However, previous studies are often scattered and with outdated systematic scheme. A collection of over 25000 otoliths ranging in age from the Lutetian to the Priabonian from 47 sites in five states in the eastern and southern USA is analysed here. Combined with the earlier described material, at least 101 otolith-based taxa are documented, of which 83 are identified at species level. Fourteen of these are introduced as new species: Elopothrissus bernardlemorti sp. nov., “Muraenesox” barrytownensis sp. nov., Pseudophichthys texanus sp. nov., Paraconger wechesensis sp. nov., Neoopisthopterus weltoni sp. nov., “aff. Glyptophidium” stringeri sp. nov., Symmetrosulcus dockeryi sp. nov., Mene garviei sp. nov., “Citharus” varians sp. nov., Waitakia beelzebub sp. nov., Astroscopus compactus sp. nov., Parascombrops yanceyi sp. nov., Anisotremus rambo sp. nov., and Pagellus pamunkeyensis sp. nov. The assemblages are distinct fom contemporary European faunas by the complete lack of mesopelagic fish otoliths, and by the presence of sciaenids. Dominant taxa in the American Eocene are the Ophidiidae, Sciaenidae, Lactariidae, and Congridae. They indicate shallow-water environments for all the sampled sites. The notable abundance of those taxa suggests that they could have a higher turnover rate, and provided fundamental nutrition in the local Paleogene marine ecosystem. Further analyses of the species in the stratigraphic succession revealed that a faunal turnover between the Claiborne and Jackson seas was evident in teleosts, and it might be more widespread in other marine organisms in the region.

The new cardinalfish Apogon soloriens is described on the basis of nine specimens collected from the Bonin Islands (northern island chain of Ogasawara Islands), Japan. The new species resembles Apogon caudicinctus Randall and Smith 1988 in coloration, lacking a black band below the second dorsal fin but with a black band on the caudal peduncle, but differs in having 13 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 12 rays in A. caudicinctus), greater interorbital width [9.1–11.1% of standard length (mean 9.8%) vs. 6.6–7.9% (7.3%)], and a wider blackish band on the caudal peduncle (vs. narrower black band). A key to the Apogon talboti look-alike group is provided.

Vertebrates exhibit diverse visual systems that vary in terms of morphology, number and distribution of spectrally distinct photoreceptor types, visual opsin genes and gene expression levels.In fish, such adaptations are driven by two main factors: differences in the light environment and behavioural tasks, including foraging, predator avoidance and mate selection. Whether visual systems also adapt to small-scale spectral differences in light, between microhabitats, is less clear.We suggest that differences in microhabitat use by cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) on coral reefs drive morphological and molecular adaptations in their visual systems. To test this, we investigated diurnal microhabitat use in 17 cardinalfish species and assessed whether this correlated with differences in visual opsin gene expression and eye morphology.We found that cardinalfishes display six types of partitioning behaviours during the day, ranging from specialists found exclusively in the water column to species that are always hidden inside the reef matrix.Using data on visual opsin gene expression previously characterized in this family, it was discovered that species in exposed habitats had increased expression of the short-wavelength sensitive violet opsin (SWS2B) and decreased expression of the dim-light active rod opsin (RH1). Species of intermediate exposure, on the other hand, expressed opsins that are mostly sensitive to the blue-green central part of the light spectrum (SWS2AsandRH2s), while fishes entirely hidden in the reef substrate had an increased expression of the long-wavelength sensitive red opsin (LWS).We found that eye size relative to body size significantly differed between cardinalfish species, and relative eye size decreased with an increase in habitat exposure.Retinal topography did not show co-adaptation with microhabitat use, but instead with feeding mode.We suggest that, although most cardinalfishes are nocturnal foragers, their visual systems are also adapted to both the light intensity and the light spectrum of their preferred diurnal microhabitat.

Apogon guadalupensis (Osburn & Nichols, 1916). Guadalupe Cardinalfish. To about 13 cm (5 in) TL (Miller and Lea 1972). Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island, southern California (Richards and Engle 2001) to tip of Baja California (Robertson and Allen 2002) and Islas Revillagigedo (Sandknop and Watson in Moser 1996). Depth: 10���30 m (33���98 ft) (Robertson and Allen 2002). Likely a synonym of Apogon atricaudus Jordan & McGregor, 1898 (Pi��eros et al. 2019)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Miller, D. J. & Lea, R. N. (1972) Guide to the coastal marine fishes of California. California Department of Fish and Game Fish Bulletin, 157.","Richards, D. V. & Engle, J. M. (2001) New and unusual reef fish discovered at the California Channel Islands during the 1997 - 1998 El Nino. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 100, 175 - 185.","Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2002) Shorefishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system. CD-ROM. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama.","Moser, H. G. (Ed.). (1996) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. CALCOFI Atlas, No. 33.","Pineros, V. J., Beltran-Lopez, R. G., Baldwin, C. C., Barraza, E., Espinosa, E., Martinez, J. E. & Dominguez-Dominguez, O. (2019) Diversification of the genus Apogon (Lacepede, 1801) (Apogonidae: Perciformes) in the tropical eastern Pacific. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 132, 232 - 242. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2018.12.010"]}

Apogon atricaudus Jordan & McGregor, 1898. Plain Cardinalfish. To 9 cm (3.5 in) TL (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California).Anacapa (Christopher Grossman, pers. comm. to M.L.) and San Clemente Islands, southern California (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California) and Isla Guadalupe, central Baja California (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California) to Gulf of California to central Mexico (Robertson and Allen 2015) and islands of eastern Pacific (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983). Depth: 1���50 m (3���165 ft) (min.: Kuiter and Kozawa 2019; max.: Sandknop and Watson in Moser 1996)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Robertson, D. R. and Allen, G. R. (2015) Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific: an Information System. Version 2.0 (2008). Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa. http: // biogeodb. stri. si. edu / sftep / en / pages","Eschmeyer, W. N. & Herald, E. S. (1983) A Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.","Kuiter, R. H. & Kozawa, T. (2019) Cardinalfishes of the World. Aquatic Photographics, Victoria and Anthis, Okazaki, Aichi.","Moser, H. G. (Ed.). (1996) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. CALCOFI Atlas, No. 33."]}

Unidentified opistognathid. Lissner and Dorsey (1986) observed from a manned submersible a jawfish they were unable to identify at Tanner��� Cortes Bank, southern California., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 150, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Lissner, A. L. & Dorsey, J. H. (1986) Deep-water biological assemblages of a hard-bottom bank-ridge complex of the southern California continental borderland. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 85, 87 - 101."]}

Apogon retrosella (Gill, 1862). Barspot Cardinalfish. To 10.2 cm (4.1 in) TL (Thomson et al. 1979). La Jolla, southern California (Walker et al. 2020); Islas San Benito, Isla de Cedros, and Isla Natividad, central Baja California (Ram��rez-Valdez et al. 2015) and, on mainland, Rocas Chester (27��53���N, 115��04���W), central Baja California (M.L., unpubl. data) to Colombia (Beltr��n-Le��n and Rios Herrera 2000), including Gulf of California (Sandknop and Watson in Moser 1996). Depth: intertidal to 61 m (200 ft) (min.: Thomson and Lehner 1976; max.: Sandknop and Watson in Moser 1996)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Thomson, D. A., Findley, L. T. & Kerstitch, A. N. (1979) Reef Fishes of the Sea of Cortez. John Wiley and Sons, New York.","Walker, H. J. Jr., Hastings, P. A., Hyde, J. R., Lea, R. N., Snodgrass, O. E. & Bellquist, K. F. (2020) Unusual occurrences of fishes in the Southern California Current System during the warm water period of 2014 - 2018. Estuarine and Coastal Shelf Science 236. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ecss. 2020.106634","Ramirez-Valdez, A., Aburto-Oropeza, O., Palacios-Salgado, D. S., Reyes-Bonilla, H., Dominguez Guerro, I., Hinojosa Arango, G., Correa S., F., Villasenor-Derbez, J. C., Cota-Nieto, J. J. & Hernadez-Velasco, A. (2015) The nearshore fishes of the Cedros Archipelago (north-eastern Pacific) and their biogeographic affinities. CalCOFI Reports, 56, 143 - 167.","Beltran-Leon, B. S. & Rios Herrera, R. (2000) Estadios Tempranos de Peces del Pacific Colombiano. Republica de Colombia. Instituto Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura INPA.","Moser, H. G. (Ed.). (1996) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. CALCOFI Atlas, No. 33.","Thomson, D. A. & Lehner, C. E. (1976.) Resilience of a rocky intertidal fish community in a physically unstable environment. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 22, 1 - 29."]}

Apogon pacificus (Herre, 1935). Pink Cardinalfish. To 10 cm (3.9 in) TL (Allen and Robertson 1994). San Clemente Island, southern California (Richards and Engle 2001) and mainland off Arrecife Sacramento (29��40���N, 115��47���W) (M.L., unpubl. data), central Baja California to Cabo San Lucas, southern Baja California (Grove and Lavenberg 1997) to Pucusana, Peru (Chirichigno and V��lez 1998), including Gulf of California (Robertson and Allen 2002), Islas San Benito (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California), and Islas Gal��pagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Depth: 1���96 m (3���315 ft) (min.: Robertson and Allen 2002; max.: Amezcua Linares 1996). Apogon parri Breder, 1936, is a junior synonym., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Allen, G. R. & Robertson, D. R. (1994) Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.","Richards, D. V. & Engle, J. M. (2001) New and unusual reef fish discovered at the California Channel Islands during the 1997 - 1998 El Nino. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 100, 175 - 185.","Grove, J. S. & Lavenberg, R. J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.","Chirichigno, F. N. & Velez D, J. (1998) Clave para identificaticar los peces marinos del Peru (segunda edicion, revisada y actualizada). Instituto de Mar de Peru Publicacion Especial.","Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2002) Shorefishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system. CD-ROM. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama.","Amezcua Linares, F. (1996) Peces Demersales de la Platforma Continental del Pacifico Central de Mexico. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico."]}

Key to the Indian Ocean species of Cercamia: overlapping variation may render the key unsatisfactory for single specimens 1 Second dorsal fin I,10; no melanophores on cheek................................................ C. laamu n. sp. - Second dorsal fin I,9; melanophores on cheek present......................................................... 2 2 Developed gill rakers on lower limb 10–11; anal-fin rays usually 11; oblique iridescence bluish stripe dorsoposteriorly on peritoneum................................................................................. C. spio n. sp. - Developed gill rakers on lower limb usually 12–13; anal-fin rays usually 12–13; no iridescence stripe posteriorly on peritoneum.......................................................................................... 3 3 Developed gill rakers on lower limb usually 12; anal-fin rays usually 12................................... C. eremia - Developed gill rakers on lower limb usually 13; anal-fin rays usually 13........................... C. mascarene n. sp., Published as part of Fraser, Thomas H., Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Mal, Ahmad O. & Alpermann, Tilman J., 2021, Review of the cardinalfishes of the genus Cercamia (Percomorpha: Apogonidae) of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean with descriptions of three new species, pp. 363-394 in Zootaxa 5039 (3) on page 369, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5039.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/5511436

The representatives of Cercamia from the Indian Ocean including Red Sea are reviewed and three new species are described: Cercamia spio n. sp., formerly known as C. eremia (Allen, 1987), is described from 14 specimens, 17–33 mm SL, collected in 10–15 meters from northern (Duba) to central (Jeddah) Saudi Arabia and from Jezirat Fara’un, Egypt. It also has been photographed from the Gulf of Aqaba (Dahab, Egypt) and El Quseir (Mangrove Bay, Egypt). The new species is distinguished from other Indian Ocean Cercamia in having fewer developed gill rakers on lower limb (usually 11 versus usually 12–13) and fewer anal-fin rays (11 versus usually 12–13). Another new species, Cercamia laamu, n. sp., is described only from the Maldives and Chagos Archipelago based on five specimens 16.0–30.5 mm SL. It differs from all Indian Ocean Cercamia in having more greater number of the second dorsal-fin rays (10 versus usually 9), and a translucent body devoid of reddish marks versus small reddish dots and crisscross lines. The third new species, Cercamia mascarene, n. sp., is described from 40 specimens 19–36 mm SL, from Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. It differs from Cercamia eremia in having a greater number of developed gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch (usually 13 versus usually 12). Free neuromasts and cephalic pores are illustrated for Cercamia mascarene and free neuromasts on the body and caudal fin are illustrated for Japanese specimens of C. cf. eremia. New diagnoses are provided for Cercamia cladara, the type species of the genus, and C. eremia. A map of collection locations for species of Cercamia is presented to show the breath of known occurrences in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. A new morphologic diagnosis is provided for Cercamia. A phylogenetic analysis of the barcoding portion of the mitochondrial COI gene, including all available sequences from members of the genus Cercamia, displays a much higher species diversity than expected, with high levels of divergence among recognized and undescribed species. A key to the described Indian Ocean species is provided.

Cercamia cladara Randall & Smith, 1988 (Figures 1–3, 4A; Table 2) Frail Cardinalfish Cercamia cladara Randall & Smith, 1988: 7, fig. 2 (type locality, French Polynesia, Society Islands, Rapa; holotype: BPBM 31978)— Randall 2005: 197 (South Pacific); Williams et al. 2006: 255 (Wallis Islands). Holotype. BPBM 31978, 27.1 mm SL, French Polynesia, Society Islands, Rapa, reef at entrance to Haurei Bay, JER 71-11-10, 15– 18 m, 10 Feb 1971. Paratypes. All same data as holotype: AMNH 75135, 23.3 mm SL, cleared and double stained; CAS 61348, 28.5 mm SL; NSMT-P44801, 30.5 mm SL, digital x-ray from film; USNM 290959, 32.6 mm SL; WAM P29655.001, 25.7 mm SL. Other material examined. Tonga: USNM 444209, 19, 21.6–33.5 mm SL, Ha’apai Group, Tuaniu Reef, 19°16’48”S 174°22’59”W, JTW 93-27, 2– 7 m, 10 Nov 1993, photograph 1, 28.8 mm SL, glycerin with cartilage stain; USNM 334714, 26, 16.8–38.8 mm SL, Tongatapu Group, Malinoa I., 21°01’39”S 175°07’21”E, 11–17 m, 27 Oct 1993, 1, 32 mm SL, glycerin with cartilage stain, dissected (reported as USNM 334713, a typo). Society Islands : ROM 60988, 3, 30.0– 32.5 mm SL, Moorea, half way down W side of Opunohu Bay off Green Beacon, 17°30’23.9998”S, 149°51’23.9998”E, RW89-26, 21.3 m, photograph, 11 Dec 1989. Diagnosis. A species of Cercamia with anal-fin spines and rays II,12–13; second dorsal-fin spine and rays I,9; developed gill rakers on upper limb 2–3, developed gill rakers on lower limb 14–16; translucent reddish body with reddish dots and crosshatching; cheek with stellate melanophores (Fig. 1A). Distribution. Possibly distributed in the South Pacific only, from the Chesterfield Island (Coral Sea) and Tonga, east to French Polynesia. Additional study is needed to know its distribution. Additional Description. Combined notes on a radiograph of paratype NSMT-P44801 (Fig. 1B), a cleared and stained paratype AMNH 75135 of 23.3 mm SL (Fig. 2) and a cleared and stained specimen USNM 334714 of 32 mm SL (Fig. 3). The latter specimen double stained, bone stain very faint, likely a combination of small size and too long in unbuffered formalin, cartilage stained elements dominate. Eye sclera a narrow circular cartilaginous ring; 0/0/1/2/1/ for anterior dorsal elements; one supernumerary dorsal-fin spine and one supernumerary anal-fin spine; distal radials on first four proximal middle pterygiophores of first dorsal fin, present on all second dorsal and anal fin pterygiophores; ribs start on third vertebra, epineurals on vertebrae 1 and 2, then on ribs of third and fourth vertebrae, on parapophysis of fifth to ninth vertebrae; basihyal absent; cleithrum narrow without upper posterior process; single postcleithrum thin, very long from near supracleithrum to edge of abdomen, well behind the pelvics (Figs 2A, 3); first pharyngobranchial present, cartilaginous; interarcual cartilage long and slender; tooth patches on 2 nd, 3 rd, and 4 th epibranchial; no teeth on tongue; no developed supraoccipital crest; most bones poorly ossified; infraorbitals complete, shelves unknown. Remarks. Randall & Smith (1988) did not include much osteological information for Cercamia cladara based on their cleared and stained specimen. Baldwin & Johnson (1999) cited literature and provided some new comparative information. Their published information was based on cleared and stained specimens identified in the list of material as C. cladara, USNM 341821 and USNM 444209 cataloged as C. eremia, both from Tonga. We think it needs study to determine if this is an undescribed species. They reported 2–5 short spines on the posterior edge of the preopercle (Fig. 4A), gill rakers on the second arch, two pair of epineurals, no basisphenoid and an unossified third epural. Although Bergman’s (2004) figure 1 shows the basic organization of the cephalic canals, she omitted the coronal commissure. Her illustration, figure 17 of C. cladara show evidence for a series of pores along this cross connection. Cercamia cladara differs from all known species of the genus by higher count of developed gill rakers 2–3 + 14–16 = 17–20 (Randall & Smith 1988). The scales we examined are cycloid scales consistent with other species even though Randall & Smith described the scales as weakly ctenoid. In the phylogenetic analysis of the COI barcoding region, Cercamia cladara specimens form a monophyletic clade (see Fig. 5). Two specimens representing the species were previously identified as C. eremia, the specimens were re-identified herein based on their placement in the phylogeny. These two specimens (FUT258-18 and FUT360- 18) were collected at Wallis and Futuna Islands and they differ in eight diagnostics (> 1.2 %), albeit translationally silent, nucleotide substitutions from the residual seven specimens of this species, which were collected from French Polynesia (Moorea or Gambier Islands). As detailed morphological examination of the sequence vouchers was not feasible in the frame of the current study, we are not aware of morphological distinctions among specimens of the two geographically separated populations. Overall intraspecific divergence with a mean p-distance of 1.1 %, however, appears to be relatively high in C. cladara over the sampled distribution range, when compared to other species of Cercamia studied herein (see Discussion). This clade is unlikely to survive with more molecular data based on geographic distance and known distribution of these two species. In the ML tree, the clade composing C. cladara forms a sister clade to the new species C. spio n. sp. from the Red Sea, from which it is well divergent., Published as part of Fraser, Thomas H., Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Mal, Ahmad O. & Alpermann, Tilman J., 2021, Review of the cardinalfishes of the genus Cercamia (Percomorpha: Apogonidae) of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean with descriptions of three new species, pp. 363-394 in Zootaxa 5039 (3) on pages 369-373, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5039.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/5511436, {"references":["Randall, J. E. & Smith, C. L. (1988) Two new species and a new genus of cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) from Rapa, South Pacific Ocean. American Museum Novitates, 2926, 1 - 9.","Randall, J. E. (2005) Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific: New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. University of Hawai'i, Hawaii, 707 pp.","Williams, J. 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The new cardinalfish Gymnapogon sagittarius sp. nov. is described on the basis of eight specimens from Vietnam, Malaysia and the Andaman Sea. The new species is most similar to the Red Sea species G. melanogaster Gon and Golani 2002 (known only from two specimens) in having 9 soft dorsal-fin rays, 8 soft anal-fin rays, and 13 total gill rakers, but differs in having 16 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 14 or 15 rays in G. melanogaster), body depth 12.0–15.1% of SL (mean 14.2%) (vs. 21.7–24.0%), eye diameter 5.2–6.1% (5.6%) (vs. 10.0–11.6%), interorbital width 3.7–4.4% (4.0%) (vs. 5.7–8.2%), and longest pelvic-fin soft ray length 12.0–15.6% (14.1%) (vs. 25.4–34.3%).

The lateral line system and its innervation were examined in two species of the family Apogonidae (Cercamia eremia [Apogoninae] and Pseudamia gelatinosa [Pseudamiinae]). Both species were characterized by numerous superficial neuromasts (SNs; total 2,717 in C. eremia; 9,650 in P. gelatinosa), including rows on the dorsal and ventral halves of the trunk, associated with one (in C. eremia) and three (in P. gelatinosa) reduced trunk canals. The pattern of SN innervation clearly demonstrated that the overall pattern of SN distribution had evolved convergently in the two species. In C. eremia, SN rows over the entire trunk were innervated by elongated branches of the dorsal longitudinal collector nerve (DLCN) anteriorly and lateral ramus posteriorly. In P. gelatinosa, the innervation pattern of the DLCN was mirrored on the ventral half of the trunk (ventral longitudinal collector nerve: VLCN). Elongated branches of the DLCN and VLCN innervated SN rows on the dorsal and ventral halves of the trunk, respectively. The reduced trunk canal(s) apparently had no direct relationship with the increase of SNs, because these branches originated deep to the lateral line scales, none innervating canal neuromast (CN) homologues on the surface of the scales. In P. gelatinosa, a CN (or an SN row: CN homologue) occurred on every other one of their small lateral line scales, while congeners (P. hayashii and P. zonata) had an SN row (CN homologue) on every one of their large lateral line scales.

Many vertebrates form monogamous pairs to mate and care for their offspring. However, genetic tools have increasingly shown that offspring often arise from matings outside of the monogamous pair bond. Social monogamy is relatively common in coral reef fishes, but there have been few studies that have confirmed monogamy or extra-pair reproduction, either for males or for females. Here, long-term observations and genetic tools were applied to examine the parentage of embryos in a paternally mouth-brooding cardinalfish, Sphaeramia nematoptera. Paternal care in fishes, such as mouth-brooding, is thought to be associated with a high degree of confidence in paternity. Two years of observations confirmed that S. nematoptera form long-term pair bonds within larger groups. However, genetic parentage revealed extra-pair mating by both sexes. Of 105 broods analysed from 64 males, 30.1% were mothered by a female that was not the partner and 11.5% of broods included eggs from two females. Despite the high paternal investment associated with mouth-brooding, 7.6% of broods were fertilized by two males. Extra-pair matings appeared to be opportunistic encounters with individuals from outside the immediate group. We argue that while pair formation contributes to group cohesion, both males and females can maximize lifetime reproductive success by taking advantage of extra-pair mating opportunities.

Fishes of family Apogonidae popularly known as cardinalfishes are of high ecological importance owing to its trophic role. Though the presence of apogonids from the coastal waters of the northeastern Arabian sea are reflected in diets of predatory fishes of the region and bycatch of trawls, limited reports are available on species composition. Three species namely Apogonichthyoides pseudotaeniatus (Gon, 1986), Jaydia queketti (Gilchrist, 1903) and Jaydia lineata (Temmink & Schlegal, 1842) have been reported for the first time from the region, adding to the apogonids diversity of the region. Ostorhinchus fasciatus (White, 1790) is also reported for the first time from the coastal waters of Gujarat. Morphometric assessment of the four species revealed several discriminating attributes capable of separating the species from each other.