A new species of sardine, Sardinella pacifica from the Philippines (Teleostei, Clupeiformes, Clupeidae).

A new sardine, Sardinella pacifica sp. n., is described on the basis of 21 specimens collected from the Philippines. The new species closely resembles Sardinella fimbriata (Valenciennes, 1847), both species having lateral scales with centrally discontinuous striae, a dark spot on the dorsal-fin origin, more than 70 lower gill rakers on the first gill arch, the pelvic fin with eight rays, and 17 or 18 prepelvic and 12 or 13 postpelvic scutes. However, the new species is distinguished from the latter by lower counts of lateral scales, pseudobranchial filaments, and postpelvic scutes (38-41, 14-19 and 12-13, respectively vs. 44-46, 19-22 and 13-14), and a shorter lower jaw (10.4-11.6% of standard length vs. 11.1-12.2%). Sardinella pacifica sp. n. is known only from the Philippines, whereas S. fimbriata is restricted to the Indian Ocean, although previously considered to be an Indo-West Pacific species, distributed from India to the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]