A Revision of the Labrid Fish Genus Pseudojuloides, with Descriptions of Five New Species

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific labrid fish genus Pseudojuloides Fowler is characterized chiefly by a slender body (depth usually 4-5 in standard length) , IX,1l or 12 dorsal rays, a single pair of canine teeth anteriorly in jaws followed by incisiform teeth, and a small truncate or near-truncate caudal fin. Eight species are recognized: P. cerasinus (Snyder), ranging widely from East Africa to eastern Polynesia; P. argyreogaster (Gunther) from the western Indian Ocean; the related P. elongatus Ayling and Russell, which exhibits an anti tropical distribution in the western Pacific (Japan, Australia, and New Zealand); and the five new species P. atavai from southeast Oceania, P. pyrius from the Marquesas Islands, P. mesostigma from the Philippine Islands, and P. xanthomos and P. erythrops from Mauritius. These fishes are small (only two species are known to exceed 100 mm standard length) , bottom-dwelling (frequently on rubble or weedy substrata), and most often found at depths of about 10 to 60 m. All appear to be sexually dichromatic (xanthomos is known only from a single male specimen); the females of five of the species are uniform light red and difficult to distinguish from one another.