Two New Soles of the Genus Aseraggodes (Pleuronectiformes: Soleidae) from the Hawaiian Islands

Abstract

A brief review is given of the literature of the soleid genus Aseraggodes, restricted to the Indo-Pacific region except for one species in the Galapagos Islands. Aseraggodes ocellatus, described from Sri Lanka by Weed (1961), is synonymized with Pardachirus pavoninus (Lacepede). Aseraggodes is represented in the Hawaiian Islands by two shallow-water endemic species: A. borehami Randall, n. sp., is distinct in its combination of having 71-75 dorsal rays; 49-52 anal rays; 66-70 lateral-line scales; a moderately elongate body (depth 2.55-2.8 in SL); front of upper lip not overlapping lower lip when mouth closed; caudal peduncle present but short; moderately large size (largest of 10 specimens, 102.8 mm SL); and an ocular-side color pattern of light brown with numerous irregular white spots, some scales variously edged in dark brown. Aseraggodes therese Randall, n. sp., has 72-79 dorsal rays; 5461 anal rays; 60-66 lateral-line scales; body depth 2.25 to 2.75 in SL; front of upper lip overlapping lower lip when mouth closed; no caudal peduncle; small size (largest of 27 specimens, 66 mm SL); and an ocular-side color pattern dominated by irregular dark brown blotches of variable size, the largest in three longitudinal series.