Pseudochromis eichleri, Gill, Anthony C., Allen, Gerald R. & Erdmann, Mark, 2012

Gill, Anthony C., Allen, Gerald R. & Erdmann, Mark, 2012, Two new species of striped Pseudochromis from the Philippine Islands and Indonesia, with a redescription of P. c o l e i (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae), Zootaxa 3165, pp. 25-38 : 33-35

Pseudochromis eichleri sp. nov.

Eichler’s Dottyback

Figures 4–5 , Table 1

Pseudochromis colei [non Herre 1933]; Eichler and Myers 1997: 119 (colour photo; distribution in part). Pseudochromis cf. colei ; Gill 2004: pl. 5F (colour photo).

Holotype. WAM P.31398-014, 68.3 mm SL, Philippine Islands, Calamianes Group, off southeast tip of Galoc Island (11o57'N 119o50'E), spear, 10–20 m, G.R. Allen, 12 February 1998.

Paratypes. AMS I.45651-001, 56.4 mm SL, Philippine Islands, Palawan, south Dilumacad Island, Bacuit Bay, 11°12.395’N 119°20.138’E, 20 m, clove oil and net, M.V. Erdmann, 6 June 2007; WAM P.32997-001, 58.2 mm SL, Philippine Islands, Palawan, Daracotan, 11°21.682’N 119°31.771’E, 30 m, M.V. Erdmann, 7 June 2008; WAM P.33003-006, 2: 50.8–57.2 mm SL, Philippine Islands, Palawan, Tigpuro Ang Bobog, 11°15.330’N 119°34.563’E, 25 m, clove oil and net, M.V. Erdmann, 9 June 2008.

Diagnosis. Pseudochromis eichleri differs from other pseudochromids in having the following combination of characters: pelvic-fin rays I,5; dorsal-fin rays III,24; anal-fin rays III,14; anterior tip of palatine tooth patch directed medially behind posterolateral arm of vomerine tooth patch; dark (dark grey to black in life) longitudinal stripe on upper part of body, extending horizontally to or towards caudal-fin base; scales in lateral series 41–45; and circumpeduncular scales 22–23.

Description (based on five specimens, 50.8–68.3 mm SL; data for all types followed, where variation was noted, by data for holotype in parentheses). Dorsal-fin rays III,24, all segmented rays branched; anal-fin rays III,14, all segmented rays branched; pectoral-fin rays 18–19 (18/18); upper procurrent caudal-fin rays 7; lower procurrent caudal-fin rays 6–7 (7); total caudal-fin rays 30–31 (31); scales in lateral series 41–45 (45/43); anterior lateral-line scales 31–35 (35/33); anterior lateral line terminating beneath segmented dorsal-fin ray 16–19 (18/17); posterior lateral-line scales 5–13 + 0–2 (8 + 1/13 + 1); scales between lateral lines 4–5 (5); horizontal scale rows above anal-fin origin 15–18 + 1 + 3 = 19–22 (17 + 1 + 3/17 + 1 + 3); circumpeduncular scales 22–23 (22); predorsal scales 18–24 (21); scales behind eye 2–3 (2); scales to preopercular angle 6–8 (6); gill rakers 6–8 + 13–14 = 19–22 (6 + 13); pseudobranch filaments 11–13 (13); circumorbital pores 28–37 (31/32); preopercular pores 14–20 (19/ 20); dentary pores 4/4; posterior interorbital pores 1.

Lower lip incomplete; dorsal and anal fins without scale sheaths; predorsal scales extending anteriorly to mid AIO pores; opercle with 4–5 strong serrations; teeth of outer ceratobranchial-1 gill rakers in 2 rows running most of length of upper rakers, becoming confined to raker tips on lower rakers; anterior dorsal-fin pterygiophore formula S*/S/S + 3/1 + 1/1/1/1/1/1/1 + 1 (S/S/S + 3/1 + 1/1/1/1/1/1/1 + 1); dorsal-fin spines moderately stout and pungent; anterior anal-fin pterygiophore formula 3/1 + 1*/1/1/1 + 1/1/1 + 1 (3/1 + 1/1/1/1 + 1/1/1 + 1); anal-fin spines stout and pungent, second spine much stouter than third; pelvic-fin spine moderately stout and pungent; second segmented pelvic-fin ray longest; caudal fin slightly emarginate to emarginate; vertebrae 10 + 16; epineurals 13–14 (13); epurals 3.

Upper jaw with 2–4 pairs of curved, enlarged caniniform teeth, and about 6–7 (at symphysis) to 2–3 (on sides of jaw) inner rows of small conical teeth, outermost of rows of conical teeth much larger and more curved than inner rows; lower jaw with 2–3 pairs of curved, caniniform teeth, and about 3–4 (at symphysis) to 1 (on sides of jaw) inner rows of small conical teeth, teeth on middle of jaw larger and curved; vomer with 1–2 rows of small conical teeth, forming chevron; palatine with 1–2 irregular rows of small conical teeth arranged in elongate patch, anterior tip of patch directed medially behind posterolateral arm of vomerine tooth patch; ectopterygoid edentate; tongue moderately pointed and edentate.

As percentage of SL: head length 24.2–26.2 (24.2); orbit diameter 8.3–9.3 (8.3); snout length 6.5–7.7 (6.6); fleshy interorbital width 4.6–6.1 (5.3); bony interorbital width 3.7–4.2 (3.8); body width 11.2–12.4 (12.0); snout tip to posterior tip of retroarticular bone 14.9–15.4 (14.9); predorsal length 32.4–35.0 (32.4); prepelvic length 30.4– 31.4 (30.9); posterior tip of retroarticular bone to pelvic-fin origin 15.9–17.3 (17.3); dorsal-fin origin to pelvic-fin origin 27.7–28.9 (27.7); dorsal-fin origin to middle dorsal-fin ray 31.8–34.4 (31.8); dorsal-fin origin to anal-fin origin 40.8–43.4 (40.8); pelvic-fin origin to anal-fin origin 29.5–33.9 (32.2); middle dorsal-fin ray to dorsal-fin termination 25.4–26.1 (25.5); middle dorsal-fin ray to anal-fin origin 25.7–26.5 (25.8); anal-fin origin to dorsal-fin termination 32.1–35.6 (34.4); anal-fin base length 24.5–27.8 (26.5); dorsal-fin termination to anal-fin termination 15,8–16.8 (16.8); dorsal-fin termination to caudal peduncle dorsal edge 11.8–12.7 (12.7); dorsal-fin termination to caudal peduncle ventral edge 19.3–20.4 (20.4); anal-fin termination to caudal peduncle dorsal edge 20.6–22.2 (21.5); anal-fin termination to caudal peduncle ventral edge 12.9–14.8 (14.8); first dorsal-fin spine 1.6–2.4 (2.2); second dorsal-fin spine 4.0–5.8 (5.3); third dorsal-fin spine 7.5–8.6 (7.9); first segmented dorsal-fin ray 11.4–13.1 (12.2); fourth last segmented dorsal-fin ray 15.8–17.0 (16.8); first anal-fin spine 1.4–2.2 (1.9); second anal-fin spine 4.7–6.3 (6.3); third anal-fin spine 6.7–7.6 (7.6); first segmented anal-fin ray 10.8–12.3 (12.3); fourth last segmented anal-fin ray 14.8–16.0 (16.0); third pectoral-fin ray 13.8–16.6 (14.8); pelvic-fin spine 9.4–10.2 (10.2); second segmented pelvic-fin ray 17.7–20.3 (18.6); caudal-fin length 23.9–25.0 (25.0).

Live coloration (based on photographs of individuals in northern Palawan, Boracay Island and the Calamianes Islands, Philippine Islands; Figure 5 ): snout and dorsal contour of head and body bluish grey; dark grey to black stripe extending from behind middle of eye to midanterior part of caudal peduncle, stripe diffuse on head; remain- der of head below dark stripes pale pinkish or yellowish grey to white; short dark blue to grey bar behind midposterior edge of eye, this edged posteriorly with longer, anteroventrally curved pale to bright blue bar; additional pale blue to bright blue bars and spots sometimes present on cheek and upper part of operculum; iris reddish brown to dark grey, with bright blue suboval ring around pupil; scales of nape, bluish grey area on body, dark stripe and area surrounding dark stripe each with mauve to blue basal spot; dark stripe on body sometimes becoming bright yellow posteriorly on caudal peduncle and extending on to mid-upper caudal-fin base; dorsal part of caudal peduncle above stripe yellow to pinkish grey; indistinct pale pink to salmon stripe extending from lower part of abdomen to lower part of caudal-fin base, becoming distinct and bright yellow posteriorly; area between stripes on body pale pink to white; breast sometimes pale blue to pale purplish grey; dorsal fin bluish grey (anteriorly) and yellow to orangish grey (posteriorly) on fin base, with remainder of fin bluish (anteriorly) to yellowish (posteriorly) hyaline; basal part of dorsal fin sometimes with blue-grey to blue (anteriorly) or yellow (posteriorly) spot at base of each fin ray; remainder of fin sometimes with bluish grey to pale blue stripes or rows of spots; distal margin of dorsal fin pale blue distal; anal fin hyaline to pinkish or yellowish hyaline, sometimes bright yellow basally, with two or three bluish grey to blue stripes and blue distal margin; caudal fin yellowish hyaline, with bright yellow to black stripe on caudal-fin base extending to fin-ray tips; lower stripe also extending on to fin-ray tips, area between stripes white basally, becoming yellowish hyaline posteriorly; upper and lower margins of caudal fin pale yellow or pale blue to white; pectoral pinkish to yellowish hyaline; pelvic fins white to pinkish or yellowish hyaline.

Preserved coloration: pattern similar to live coloration, the dark stripe on body remaining, though becoming less distinct on head; snout and dorsal part of head brown, the remainder of head pale yellowish brown; short dark blue to dark grey bar behind eye becomes dark grey to black; nape and dorsal part of body above dark stripe becomes yellowish brown; body below dark stripe becomes pale yellowish brown, the lower stripe no longer distinguishable; dorsal fin pale yellowish brown anteriorly, the remainder of fin becoming greyish hyaline basally and hyaline proximally, with about three (on anterior part of fin) to eight (on posterior part of fin) greyish brown stripes and rows of small spots; anal fin similar to dorsal fin, but without greyish hyaline coloration along base; caudal fin pale yellow to pale yellowish brown, with dark body stripe barely extending on to fin base; pectoral and pelvic fins pale yellow to hyaline.

Habitat and distribution. Pseudochromis eichleri is known only from the Philippine Islands, from northern Palawan, Boracay Island off the north-western tip of Panay Island, and from the Calamianes Group, northern Palawan Province ( Figure 4 ). The second author observed this species at 12 of 38 sites in the Calamianes. It was most common on the western side of the group, particularly along the western coasts of Busuanga, Galoc and Culion Islands. It inhabited depths between 15–40 m, but was most common below 20 m, invariably in rubble habitats in low rocky outcrops. All individuals observed in northern Palawan were similarly below 20 m and in rubble habitats with low coral heads. The Boracay Island individual was photographed at a depth of 5 m in an open area with sand and some isolated corals and rocks (D. Eichler, pers. comm.).

Comparisons. See comparisons above for P. ammeri .

Remarks. The specific epithet is for Dieter Eichler, who first photographed the species.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution records for Pseudochromis ammeri (dots) and P. eichleri (stars).

FIGURE 5. Pseudochromis eichleri, AMS I. 45651 - 001, 56.4 mm SL, paratype, Bacuit Bay, Palawan, Philippines. (Photo by G. R. Allen)