Synonymy of Cymbacephalus staigeri (Castelnau 1875) and Cymbacephalus nematophthalmus (Günther 1860), and validity of Cymbacephalus parilis (McCulloch 1914) (Scorpaeniformes: Platycephalidae).

Although Cymbacephalus staigeri (Castelnau 1875) has been regarded as a valid species, several authors have suggested that it may be a junior synonym of Cymbacephalus nematophthalmus (Günther 1860). Because the whereabouts of the holotype of C. staigeri is unknown, this study compared the original description of C. staigeri with two syntypes and 18 non-type specimens of C. nematophthalmus. It was confirmed that C. staigeri is conspecific with C. nematophthalmus, with the latter name having priority. Accordingly, Cymbacephalus parilis (McCulloch 1914), having been treated as a junior synonym of C. staigeri, becomes the valid name of the species, because no species having priority over C. parilis exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]