Trachinotus baillonii Lacepède

Smith-Vaniz, William F. & Walsh, Stephen J., 2019, Indo-West Pacific species of Trachinotus with spots on their sides as adults, with description of a new species endemic to the Marquesas Islands (Teleostei: Carangidae), Zootaxa 4651 (1), pp. 1-37 : 11-15

Trachinotus baillonii Lacepède

Smallspot pompano, Smallspotted dart, Blackspotted dart, Blackspotted swallowtail

Figures 2B , 5B , 6–11 ; Tables 1–6 , 8

Caesiomorus baillonii Lacepède, 1801 :92,93, pl. 3, fig. 1 (original description, based on description and figure in Commerson manuscript [ Smith-Vaniz et al., 1979:36; locality not stated but Fort Dauphin, near Tôlanaro, Madagascar according to Fricke et al., 2019; no types known); Whitley, 1948:20 (Western Australia); Whitley, 1964:44 (listed).

Caesiomorus quadripunctatus Rüppell, 1829:90 , pl. 24, fig. 1 (original description; Massawa, Eritrea, Red Sea; holotype SMF 2896); Smith, 1967:163 (listed in synonymy of T. baillonii ).

Trachinotus oblongus Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1832:437 (original description; Java, Indonesia and Puducherry, India; syntype MNHN A-6824 ( Pondicherry); Boulenger, 1888:661 ( Muscat, Oman); McCulloch, 1929:192 (checklist Australian fishes; listed in synonymy of T. botla ); Smith-Vaniz et al., 1979:29 (listed as synonym of T. baillonii ).

Trachynotus oblongus . Günther, 1860:484 ( Pondicherry, Java and Sumatra).

Trachinotus quadripunctatus . Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1832:434 (redescription); Cantor, 1849:122 (description; Sea of Penang); Günther, 1860:484 (listed in synonymy of T. baillonii ); Wakiya, 1924:220, pl. 34, fig. 2 (Kii, Japan); Smith, 1967:164 (listed in synonymy of T. baillonii ).

Trachynotus baillonii . Günther, 1860:484 (in part, T. russelii listed in synonymy; India and Malaysia); Day, 1865:98 (Malabar); Playfair, 1868:861 ( Seychelles); Playfair and Günther, 1867:64 (Aden and Zanzibar); Klunzinger, 1871:449 (Red Sea); Day, 1875, 233, pl. 51A, fig. 4 (Aden and India); Alleyne and Macleay, 1877:330 (New Guinea); Macleay, 1881:545 (Port Jackson and Torres Straits); Fourmanoir, 1957:215, pl. 13A ( Madagascar).

Trachinotus baillonii . Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1832:431 (redescription); Boulenger, 1888:661 ( Muscat, Oman); Waite, 1903:25 (Lord Howe Island); Waite, 1904:200 (Lord Howe Island); Kendall and Goldsborough, 1911:271, pl. 2, fig. 1 (Funafuti, Ellice Islands); Oshima, 1925:407 (Taiwan); Fowler, 1928:152 (Funafuti, Bonin and Society Islands); Mc- Culloch, 1929:182 (checklist Australian fishes); Fowler, 1934a:406 ( New Hebrides and Funafuti, after Whitley); Fowler, 1938:279 (Malden, Christmas and Society islands, Bora Bora, Mangareva); Schultz, 1943:87 (Enderbury and Canton islands); Fowler, 1949:78 ( Baker Island); Smith, 1967:163, pl. 37 ( Mozambique and Seychelles); Maugé, 1967:225 (Toliara [=Tuléar], Madagascar); Klausewitz, 1967:66 (Sarso Island, Saudia Arabia); Allen et al., 1976:401 (Lord Howe Island); Schroeder, 1980:182, color fig. 265 ( Philippines); Gushiken, 1983:164 (Okinawa); Gushiken in Masuda et al., 1984:154, color pl. 137-D (Japanese Archipelago); Dor, 1984:131 (Red Sea); Masuda et al., 1984:154, pl. PL 137-D (southern Japan); Wass, 1984:15 ( Samoa); Talwar and Kacker, 1984:486 ( India); Kojima, 1985:10, fig. 3 (description of juveniles); Allen, 1985:2337, color fig. 192 (Kendrew Island, Dampier Archipelago); Smith-Vaniz, 1986:658, fig. 210.48 (Natal to Marshall Islands); Myers, 1988:144 (Marianna Islands); Paxton et al., 1989:585 (Zoological Catalogue of Australia); Winterbottom et al., 1989:35, fig. 193 (Chagos Archipelago); Manilo and Bogorodsky, 2003:S107 ( Oman, Gulf of Aden and Somali); Allen 2009:83, unnumbered color fig. ( Brunei); Francis, 1991:221, fig. 17 ( Norfolk Island, Cemetery Bay); Francis, 1993:161 ( Australia, Lord Howe and Norfolk islands); Okiyama, 1993:465-466, unnumbered figs., 9.2 and 17.2 mm SL (description of early stage); Kulbicki and Williams, 1997:15 (Ouvéa Atoll, New Caledonia); Randall, 1992:53, color fig. 111 ( Maldive Islands); Randall and Anderson, 1993:17 ( Maldive Islands); Randall, 1995:472, color fig. 470 (Gulf of Oman); Chen et al., 1997:listed in Appendix ( Spratly Islands); Lin and Shao, 1999:65, color figs. 79–80 (Taiwan); Fricke, 1999:257 ( Réunion and Mauritius); Randall and Lim, 2000 (South China Sea); Smith-Vaniz, 1999:2745, unnumbered fig. (broadly distributed Indo-West Pacific species); Hutchins, 2001:33 (Western Australia); Allen and Adrim, 2003:38 (Indian Ocean and W. Java); Durville et al., 2003:99 (Glorieuses Is., listed); Randall et al., 2003:15 ( Tonga checklist); Lobel and Lobel, 2004:71 ( Wake Atoll); Heemstra et al., 2004:3315 (Rodriques Island); Kuiter and Tonozuka, 2004:245, unnumbered color photographs; ( Maldives and Bali); Letourneur et al., 2004:211 ( Reunion Island checklist); Randall, 2005:238, unnumbered color pl. (South Pacific); Kim et al., 2005: 313, unnumbered color photo ( Korea); Senou et al., 2006:456 (Sagami Sea); Springer and Smith-Vaniz, 2008:31 (supraneural and pterygiophore insertion patterns); Fricke et al., 2009:58 ( Reunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues); Kimura et al, 2009:126, unnumbered color fig. (southern Thailand); Rahman et al., 2009:226, unnumbered color photograph ( Bangladesh); Mundy et al., 2010:29 (Howland and Baker islands); Motomura and Matsuura, 2010:117, color fig. 201 (Yaku-shima Island, southern Japan); Golani and Bogorodsky, 2010:30 (Red Sea); Allen and Erdmann, 2012:439, unnumbered color fig. (East Indies); Rainboth et al., 2012:86, pl.68, color fig. 1420 (Binh Chang Bay, Viet Nam and Gulf of Thailand); Abdussamad et al., 2013:25, color fig. 11 ( India); White et al., 2013:174, color fig. 63.44 ( Indonesia); Hussain and Jawad, 2014:254, color fig. 3 ( Iraq); Fricke et al., 2014:81 ( Papua New Guinea); Moore et al., 2014:186 (Kimberly region, Australia); Psomadakis et al., 2015:230, pl. 17, color fig. 142 ( Pakistan); Ikeda and Nakabo, 2015:401, color pl. 137-8 (Minabe, southern Japan); Stuart-Smith et al., 2015:146, unnumbered color photograph; Australia); Koeda et al., 2016:38, color fig. 173 (Yonaguni-jima Island); Joshi et al., 2016:44 (Gulf of Mannar, checklist); Fricke et al., 2018:187 ( Madagascar checklist); Golani and Fricke, 2018:86 (Gulf of Aqaba and Red Sea); Jawad et al., 2018:106, fig. 6F (Arabian Gulf); Kimura et al., 2018:138, unnumbered color fig. (Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam); Fricke et al., 2019:149 (New Ireland, Papua New Guinea).

Trachinotus bailloni . Castelnau, 1879:352 (listed; Port Jackson); Steindachner, 1902:22 (southern Arabia and Socotra Island); Jordan and Seale, 1906:235 (listed; Samoa); Jordan and Starks, 1907:495, fig. 2 (Naha, Okinawa); Jordan and Richardson, 1909:180 (Takao, Formosa); Ogilby, 1916:149, pl. 18 (synonymy; Queensland Australia); Wakiya, 1924:219 ( Taiwan); Oshima, 1925:407 ( Philippines); McCulloch, 1929:182 (checklist of Australian fishes); Weber and de Beaufort, 1931:288 (synonymy; description; distribution); Herre, 1936:117 (Malekula Island, New Hebrides); Roxas and Agco, 1941:66, pl. 11, fig. 2 ( Philippines); Blegvad and Løppenthin, 1944:103, fig. 57 (Larak Island, Iran); Smith, 1949:223, fig. 541 (rare in South Africa, reaches to Natal); Woods, 1953:509 (Bikini Island, Eniwetok, Rongelap and Rongerik atolls and Guam); Herre, 1953:284 (synonymy; Philippines); Munro, 1955:131, pl. 22, fig. 369 ( Ceylon); Munro, 1956:184 (New Guinea); Williams, 1958:424, pl.26, fig. 26 (East Africa); Arnoult et al., 1958:67 (Aldabra); Scott, 1959:66, unnumbered fig. (Malaya); Munro, 1960:133, fig. 850 (Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland, Australia); Suzuki, 1962:151, fig. 51 (skeletal anatomy); Fourmanoir and Gueze, 1962:13 ( Réunion); Taylor, 1964:178 (Arnhem Land, northern Australia); Schultz, 1966:163 (Agfayan Point, Guam); Munro, 1967:233, pl. 26, fig. 392 (New Guinea); Smith and Smith, 1969:22, pl. 10, fig. G ( Seychelles); Lindberg and Krasyukova, 1969:196, fig. 223 (Sea of Japan); Bagnis et al., 1972:47, unnumbered color photo (misidentification, in part [upper photo = T. macrospilus ]; Polynesia); Burgess and Axelrod, 1973:813, fig. 322 ( Maldives); Randall, 1973:189 (Society Islands); Kailola, 1975:122 (Baxter Bay and Daugo Island, Papua New Guinea); Fourmanoir and Laboute, 1976:181, unnumbered color fig. ( New Caledonia); Grant, 1978:218, unnumbered fig. (northern Queensland, Australia); Jones and Kumaran, 1980:290, fig. 246 ( Laccadive Islands); Russell, 1983:56 (Capricorn group, Great Barrier Reef); Randall, 1985:472 (Rapa and Society islands); Hutchins and Swainston, 1986:58, 130, fig. 287 (Western Australia to New South Wales); Allen and Swainston, 1988:74, color fig. 457 (northwestern Australia); Allen & Steene, 1988:170, fig. 171 ( Christmas Island, Indian Ocean); Myers, 1989:132, fig. 1j ( Micronesia); Randall et al., 1990:168, pl. V-10 (Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea); Randall et al., 1990:20 (Rapa); Allen and Smith-Vaniz, 1994:11 (Cocos-Keeling); Sadovy and Cornish, 2000:108, unnumbered color photo ( Hong Kong); Larson et al., 2013:125 (Northern Territory, Australia); Rajan et al., 2013:60 (Andaman and Nicobar Is.).

Trachinotus russelli (not of Cuvier). Jordan and Seale, 1906:235 (listed, New Guinea; record unreliable, probably based on T. baillonii ); Jordan and Richardson, 1909:180 ( Taiwan); Munro, 1955:131 ( Ceylon).

Trachynotus cuvieri Wakiya, 1924:220 (original description; Misaki, Japan; no types known).

Trachynotus jordani Wakiya, 1924:221 , pl. 35, fig. 1 (original description; Bonin Islands, Japanese seas; holotype FMNH 59374); Fowler, 1934a:406 (listed as synonym of T. baillonii ).

Trachinotus botla (not of Shaw). Fowler, 1934a:406 (Guadalcanal, Solomon Island, after Whitley).

Trachynotus bailloni . Bleeker, 1879:18 ( Mauritius); Baissac, 1952:69 (Rodriques); Fourmanoir, 1957:215, pl. 13A ( Madagascar).

Type material examined. SMF 2896 (258 mm FL), dry mount, holotype of Caesiomorus quadripunctatus Rüppell, Massawa , Red Sea ; MNHN A.6824 (117 mm FL), syntype of Trachinotus oblongus Cuvier , Pondicherry, India , Leschenaut; FMNH 59374 (323 mm FL), holotype of Trachinotus jordani, Bonin (= Ogasawara) Islands , Japan .

Other material examined. 361 specimens, 15–432 mm FL: Mozambique: SAIAB 11339 (1, 283), Pinda (14°13’S, 40°46’E) . Chagos Archipelago: ANSP 152963 (3, 299–328), ANSP 153004 (4, 69–79), Diego Garcia Atoll ; ROM 37027 (2, 271–337), ROM 37039 (2, 224–301), ROM 37040 (2, 259–275), ROM 37041 (18, 60–118) ; USNM 265653 (4, 265–301) . Mascarene Islands: Cargados Carajos Shoals (= St. Brandon Shoals ) (16°35’S, 59°37’E) : ROM 37027 (2, 271–337), ROM 37037 (1, 64), ROM 37039 (2, 224–301), ROM 37040 (2, 259–275), ROM 37041 (18, 63–114), USNM 229490 (2, 278–298), USNM 265653 (4, 265–301), USNM 265654 (1, 175) and USNM 444910 (2, 46–51) . Seychelles: ANSP 148763 (1, 205) and ANSP 131949 (10, 223–329), Amirante Islands ; ANSP 153036 (1, 215), Curieuse Island ; ANSP 131733 (17, 36–50), ANSP 131734 (14, 15–79), ANSP 148746 (2, 101–104) and CAS 58524 (6, 95–113), Mahé Island (4°43’S, 55°28’E) ; SAIAB uncat. (1, 227), Assumption Is. (9°47’S, 46°31’E) . Mauritius: BPBM 20273 (3, 35–141) and MCZ 6071 (2, 243–257) . Gulf of Oman: BPBM 21446 (1, 276), Muscat, Port Qaboos fish market. Pakistan: ANSP 172852 (1, 160) and ANSP 172854 (1, 82), Sonmiani Bay near Hab River mouth (24°53’N, 66°41’E) ; AMS I.40 (1, 148), Karachi (25°07’N, 63°48’E) . India: ANSP 153042 (1, 216), Porto Nova (11°49’N, 79°76’E) ; BPBM 27614 (1, 221), Kerala State, Kovalam. Cocos- Keeling Islands : ANSP 134305 (12, 48–94) . Sri Lanka: ANSP 148741 (4, 141–170, including 2, 141–145 C&S), ANSP 151001 (1, 320), ANSP 151101 (9, 240–345), ANSP 158301 (1, 189), ANSP 158302 (1, 226) and CAS 16479 (2, 226–237) . Bay of Bengal : CAS 44283 (1, 218) , SW of Ranang. Singapore: CAS-SU 18037 (1, 412) . Myanmar: CAS-SU 39572 (2, 124–138), Southern Moscos Group. Viet Nam: CAS 32188 (18, 47–102), Binhchang Bay (12°21’40”N, 109°15’38”E) . Taiwan: FMNH 52144 (1, 280), CAS-SU 13072 (1, 252) and CAS-SU 20998 (1, 163), Takao (= Kaohsiung) . Japan: CAS-SU 21227 (1, 164), Okinawa, Naha ; FMNH 59496 (1, 170), Kii ; UMMZ 181499 (1, 34 SL), Nagasaki ; FMNH 59374 (1, 325) and USNM 5703 (4, 91–166), Ogasawara Islands. Marcus Island : BPBM 7048 (1, 198) . Thailand: CAS 16367 (3, 308–337) and CAS 32196 (1, 131), Gulf of Thailand (10°25’51”N, 99°15’46”E) . Indonesia: ANSP 153377 (1, 203) and BPBM 29911 (1, 204), Lombok (08°06’S, 116°00’E) ; USNM 191874 (1, 84) , between Gillolo and Makyan Ids.; USNM 383045 (1, 72), Moluccas, near Ambon (03°37’S, 128°14’E) . Philippines: CAS 49636 (1, 268) . Manila Bay ; CAS-SU 13606 (1, 265), Dumaguete ; USNM 56203 (1, 167), Mindano , Zamboanga ; USNM 168319–20 (2, 238–248), Baganga Bay ; USNM 168321 (1, 248), Cotabato Market ; USNM 191878 (3, 119–151), Masbate Island ; USNM 191879 (1, 145), Panay, Nogas Island ; USNM 195238 (2, 216–232), Matnog Bay ; USNM 195239 (1, 203), Pandanon Island ; USNM 195240 (1, 185), Ticao Island ; USNM 438080 (1, 200), Auroa Prov., Dinadiawa City Market (15°02’S, 121°36’E) ; USNM 345997 (1, 347), Iloilo City fish Mkt. Fiji: ANSP 149651 (2, 258–260), near Suva. Western Australia: WAM P.29183–001 (1, 293), Coulomb Point (17°21’S, 122°09’E) ; WAM P.24349–001 (1, 239), Kendrew Islands (20°29’N, 116°32’E) ; NTM S.10813–002 (11, 77–142), Dampier Archipelago, Rosemary Island (20°29’S, 133°36’E) ; WAM P.23968–9 (2, 112–148); WAM P.5573 (1, 189), Perth vicinity ; WAM P.3093–001 (1, 195), Bunbury (33°20’S, 116°36’E) ; AMS I.6996 (1, 99), Mandurah (32°32’S, 115°43’E) . N orthern Australia: AMS IA.1642 (1, 280), AMS IA.2564 (1, 240) and QM I.3978 (1, 223), Gulf of Carpentaria, Pellew Group (15°33’S, 136°47’E) ; USNM 173951 (1, 284), Gulf of Carpentaria, Groote Eylandt (13°49’S, 136°38’E) ; NTM S.10588–001 (5, 200–292), New Year Island (10°54’S, 133°02’E) ; NTM S.11287–001 (1, 207), East Woody Island. Eastern Australia: AMS I.11895 (1, 241), Torres Strait, Murray Island (09°56’S, 144°04’E) ; QM I.11242 (1, 111), north Cairns, Turtle Bay ; AMS I.13954 (1, 292), AMS I.19448–017 (1, 152) and QM I.19497 (1, 210), Queensland, Lizard Island (14°40’S, 115°11’E) ; QM I.5661 (1, 124), Townsville ; CAS-SU 20581 (1, 175), Maryborough ; AMS IA.2698 (1, 179), Michaelimas Cay (16°42’S, 146°10’E) ; QM I.20079 (1, 110), Queensland, Russell River (17°22’S, 145°58’E) ; USNM 176828 (2, 280–289), Great Barrier Reef ; QM I.11243 (1, 141), Magnetic Island (19°08’S, 145°28’E) ; AMS IB.6358 (1, 314), Queensland, Cleveland bay (19°13’S, 146°55’E) ; WAM P.8900–02 (3, 155–206), Flinders Reef (26°58’S, 153°29’E) ; AMS I.22862 (1, 432), Coffs Harbour (30°18’S, 153°08’E) ; USNM 47836 (1, 217), Port Jackson ( Sydney Harbour ) (33°51’S, 151°15’E) . Papua New Guinea: CSIRO C241 (1, 207), Woodlark Island (09°6’S, 152°50’E) ; CSIRO C868 (1, 276), Port Moresby, Daugo Island. New Britain: CSIRO C176 (1, 248), Jacquinot Bay ; CSIRO C1053 (1, 297), Pulie River ; CAS-SU 28209 (1, 108), Rabaul ; CAS-SU 64420 (1, 186), Atliklikun Bay ; AMS IB.1522 (1, 189), Bismark Archipelago. Solomon Islands: AMS I.15113 (1, 255), Guadalcanal ; ANSP 153026 (1, 67), Bougainville. Vanuata ( New Hebrides Is. ): USNM 356227 (1, 125) ; AMS I.11291 (1, 191) and CAS-SU 25190 (1, 230), Malekula Island (16°22’S, 167°31’E) . Palau: CAS 32179 (12, 50–156), Augulpelu Reef (07°17’N, 134°31’E) . Caroline Islands: CAS 32078 (2, 191–198), CAS 32079 (2, 153–186) and CAS 32710 (2, 152–186), Ifaluk Atoll (07°14’N, 144°27’E) . Wake Island: CAS 24035 (1, 343), (19°18’N, 186°38’E) . Tuvalu (Ellice Islands): USNM 66063 (1, 107) ; USNM 66064 (1, 190) ; AMS I.3563 (1, 83), Funafuti Atoll (08°32’S, 179°07’E) . Marshall Islands: USNM 142035 (9, 44–143) and UW 11063 (4, 80–121), Bikini Atoll ; CAS 96485 (2, 176–237), BPBM 12206 (1, 196) and UF 42442 (4, 79–106), Eniwetok Atoll ; USNM 142034 (2, 258–296) and UW 13397 (2, 37–78), Rongelap Atoll. Kiribati (Gilbert Islands): BPBM 7634 (1, 206), Fanning Island (03°52’N, 159°20’W) . Baker and Howland Is.: ANSP 148764 (2, 306–334), Baker Island (0°11’41”N, 176°29’W) ; ANSP 153023 (2, 56–59), Howland Island (0°48’S, 176°38’W) . Phoenix Islands: ANSP 158303 (3, 58–67), CAS 40466 (1, 228) and USNM 115322 (3, 41–78), Canton Island (02°50’S, 171°40’W) ; ANSP 148759 (5, 230–342), McKean Island (03°59’S, 174°13’W) ; Niue: NMNZ P.14444 (1, 295), (19°04’S, 169°52’W) . Cook Island: NMNZ 14445 (1, 354), Aitutaki (18°52’S, 159°45’W) . Kiritimati ( Christmas Island): ANSP 105573 (1, 182), (01°52’S, 157°20’W) . Line Islands: ANSP 153045 (6, 111–179) and BPBM 3890 (1, 246), Malden Island (04°01’S, 154°56’W) ; ANSP 148762 (2, 317–234), Vostok Island (10°06’S, 152°23’W) . Society Islands : MCZ 17088 (2, 316–340), no precise locality ; USNM 392381 (1, 219), Moorea. Rapa (27°36’S, 144°21’W) : BPBM 13066 (1, 325) . Gambier Archipelago: AMNH 8264 (1, 207), Mangareva (32°15’S, 134°56’W) ; USNM 400969 (1, 216), Kouaku Island (32°13’S, 134°52’W) .

Diagnosis. A species of Trachinotus in which adults have 3–7 black spots with well-defined margins on lateral line (spots usually absent in specimens <10–13 cm FL), the largest spot usually smaller than iris diameter (larger than iris diameter in T. macrospilus and equal to or larger than eye diameter in T. botla and T. coppingeri ), and adults usually have no large spot positioned above the pectoral fin although small individuals may have 1 or 2 very small spots (adults of T. botla and coppingeri have 1 or 2 large spots above the pectoral fin). Dorsal fin VI-I, 20–25; anal-fin II-I, 20–24; vomerine tooth patch usually chevron shaped and palatine tooth patch relatively long ( Fig. 2B , Table 2 ). Selected mensural data for specimens ≥ 200 mm FL are given in Table 8 and selected measurements are plotted ( Figs. 6–8 ).

Comparisons. Trachinotus baillonii is superficially similar to the allopatric T. macrospilus but has smaller spots on its side ( Fig. 6 ) (usually smaller than iris diameter vs. larger than iris diameter, and in T. botla and T. coppingeri the largest spot equal to or larger than eye diameter), and the heights of the dorsal- and anal-fin lobes are usually longer ( Fig. 7 ). Adults usually have no large spots above the pectoral fin, although 1 or 2 faint small spots are often present in smaller specimens of T. baillonii (vs. 1 or 2 large spots above the pectoral fin in T. botla and T. coppingeri ).

Size. Largest specimen examined 43 cm FL, 53 cm TL and about 0.9 kg.

Ecology. According to Kuiter and Tonozuka (2004:245), “juveniles of Trachinotus baillonii form schools in sheltered bays. Adults are usually seen in pairs or small groups in surface waters, patrolling reef edges or beaches.”

Distribution. ( Fig. 11 ) Red Sea, East Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to the northern Line and Gambier Islands, north to southern Japan and Korea, and south to Australia, Lord Howe, Norfolk Island, Tonga and Rapa.

Etymology. Named for the French botanist and zoologist Louis Antoine François Baillon (1778–1851).

Remarks. In his account of Trachinotus baillonii, Woods (1953:510) correctly noted that “ Wakiya’s (1924) attempt to separate the species T. quadripunctatus Rüppell , T. cuvieri Wakiya , and T. jordani Wakiya is based on nothing more than normal variation within this species, in view of (1) the variation in spots along the sides …; (2) the fact that the lobes of the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins increase in length with size, while the paired fins apparently do not increase in the same proportion; (3) the variation in nostril size in our series (the size of the posterior nostril varies in relation to that of the anterior, while one specimen with a much larger posterior nostril has the lower jaw slightly protruding).” Kendall and Goldsborough (1911) also discussed the confused application of names in the literature, and in their key to species recognized T. quadripunctatus and T. oblongus (the latter a misidentification of T. macrospilus , see Fig. 3 ) as valid species distinct from T. baillonii but failed to appreciate that absence or presence of spots changes with growth while spot size in adults is relatively consistent. One specimen from the Gulf of Oman ( BPBM 21446) is exceptional in having five spots on the left side and none on the right side.

Figures

TABLE 2. Frequency distribution of vomerine and palatine dentition types A or B (see Fig. 2) in selected Indo-West Pacific Trachinotus species

FIGURE 3. Trachinotus macrospilus, MCZ 29732, 211 mm FL, Marquesas Islands. After Kendall and Goldsborough, 1911, plate 1, as “Trachinotus oblongus.”

FIGURE 5. Trachinotus juveniles: A, T. macrospilus, USNM 409386, 65 mm SL, Marquesas Island; B, T. baillonii, ANSP 134305, in preservative, 87 mm FL, Cocos-Keeling Island; C, T. botla, ANSP 54830, in preservative, 74 mm FL, Pakistan. Photographs by Jeffrey T. Williams (A) and Zachary Randall (B, C).

FIGURE 6. Height of largest spot on mid-side of body plotted against head length in four species of Trachinotus.

FIGURE 7. Heights of dorsal- and anal-fin lobes plotted against fork length in two species of Trachinotus.

FIGURE 8. Pectoral-fin length plotted against pelvic-fin length and fork length in four species of Trachinotus.

FIGURE 9. Trachinotus baillonii, ANSP 149651, 260 mm FL, near Suva, Fiji. Drawn by Tracy D. Pedersen.

FIGURE 10. Trachinotus baillonii: A, KAUM I57304, 230 mm SL, Okiakima-jima Island, Japan (Hiroyuki Motomura); B, Exmouth Gulf, Australia (John Sear).

FIGURE 11. Distributions of Trachinotus macrospilus and T. baillonii. Solid symbols indicate specimens examined; open symbols indicate acceptable literature or photographic records.