Apogon kiensis Jordan & Snyder, 1901

Thomas H. Fraser, 2005, A review of the species in the Apogon fasciatus group with a description of a new species of cardinalfish from the Indo-West Pacific (Perciformes: Apogonidae)., Zootaxa 924, pp. 1-30 : 26-27

Apogon kiensis Jordan & Snyder, 1901

Synonyms: None.

Type Material: Holotype CAS (SU) 6514 , 56.9 mm SL; Japan, Wakanoura Kii; Jordan and Snyder; 1900. Paratypes: CAS (SU) 6739 ; (21, 47-59) same data as holotype . USNM 49904 ; (6, 50-55); same data as holotype ; x-ray.

Other material: Japan: USNM 71232 ; (13, 30-60); Shimizu ; Albatross; 1906; x-ray; cleared and stained. USNM 59633 ; (1, 50); Urado ; 1903; x-ray. USNM 59634 ; (2, 55); Urado ; 1903; x-ray. FMNH 57112 ; (1, 25); Misaki . China: USNM 171463 ; (21, 29-42); Hong Kong; D5303 ; 8 Aug 1908.

Diagnosis. A species of Apogon (Ostorhinchus) with VI spines in first dorsal fin; two dark stripes, a broad one from snout through eye to end of caudal fin, a narrow one from above eye to or past base of second dorsal fin; no dark stripes in second dorsal or anal fins; 16-18 gill rakers and rudiments (rarely 15, 19-20) (Table 2); 14-15 pectoral rays (rarely 16); blackish stomach and intestine, peritoneum silvery with many melanophores.

Description. See Figures 10-11 for general body shape and Table 1 for proportional percentages.

Dorsal fin VI-I,9; anal fin II,8; pectoral fin 14-14(3), 15-14(2) or 15-15(4); pelvic fin I,5; principal caudal rays 9 + 8; pored lateral-line scales 24; transverse scale rows above lateral line 2; transverse scale rows below lateral line 5-6; median predorsal scales 5-6; circumpeduncular scale rows 12 (5+2+5).

Villiform teeth in a wide band on premaxilla and on dentary; two rows on the palatine and vomer; none on ectopterygoid, entopterygoid or basihyal. rudiments and gill rakers on first arch (Table 3), 1-3 rudiments and 3-4 gill rakers on upper arch, 0-3 rudiments and 13-14, rarely 12 or 15-16 gill rakers on lower arch, total well developed gill rakers 16-18 rarely 17 or 19-20; total rudiments and gill rakers 19-22, rarely 23.

Vertebrae 10 + 14; 5 free hypurals; 1 pair of slender uroneurals; 3 epurals; a free parhypural; 3 predorsals; 1 spine on first dorsal pterygiophore; supramaxilla absent; posttemporal serrate on posterior margin; preopercle serrate on vertical and horizontal margins; infraorbital shelf present on third bone. Ctenoid scales on opercle, subopercle, cheek, breast, nape body and pelvic areas; ctenoid pored lateral-line scales from posttemporal to base of hypural; central pore canal on lateral-line scale with 2-3 pores on dorsal side, simple below with 1 pore, rarely with multiple pores.

Color in alcohol. No median stripe from interorbit area to predorsal area, stripe from interorbit over eye on each side of the body above the lateral line fades out by posterior end of second dorsal fin, mid lateral stripe (about width of pupil) from snout extending to end of caudal fin, no stripes in second dorsal or anal fins, ventral edge of midlateral stripe on body smooth. Stomach black, intestine pale with melanophores more intense and appearing black near the anal opening, peritoneum silvery with many melanophores.

Life colors. Color photographs from Shao and Chen (1986: fig 30) and Kuiter and Kozawa (1999:15).

Distribution. This species is known from Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, principally from shallow waters and tide pools (Lindberg & Krasyukova, 1969; Mori, 1952; Snyder, 1912; Jordan & Thompson, 1914). Reports of this species from the Indian Ocean are based on specimens of A. bryx .

Remarks. All of the ANSP material reported by Fowler & Bean (1922) and Fowler (1931 & 1937) from Hong Kong as Amia kiensis are Apogon fasciatus . Specimens listed by Fowler & Bean (1930) as Amia kiensis from the Philippines with seven first dorsal spines, are Apogon fasciatus (USMN 122345). Shen & Lam (1977) and Shao & Chen (1986) identified Apogon kiensis from Taiwan. The VI first-dorsal spines and gill raker counts they report fit this species.