Review of Hawaiian Razorfishes of the Genus Iniistius (Perciformes: Labridae)

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific labrid fishes of the genus Xyrichtys Cuvier, popularly referred to as razorfishes, are reclassified in Iniistius Gill. The razorfishes of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific currently placed in Xyrichtys remain in that genus except for the Indo-Pacific Iniistius pavo Valenciennes, which also ranges to the eastern Pacific. The Indo-Pacific Novaculichthys woodi Jenkins, sometimes classified in Novaculops, is shifted to Xyrichtys. Five species of razorfishes of the genus Iniistius are recognized for the Hawaiian Islands: the wide-ranging Indo-Pacific I. aneitensis (Giinther), I. baldwini (Jordan & Evermann), I. pavo, the endemic 1. umbrilatus (Jenkins), and I. celebicus (Bleeker), a new record for Hawai'i (otherwise known in the western Pacific from the Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, and American Samoa). Hemipteronotus evides Jordan & Richardson is a synonym of I. baldwini. Iniistius niger (Steindachner) is a melanistic color phase of I. pavo.