Rarotonga squirrelfish

Description

Dorsal rays XI, 13, the last ray branched to base; anal rays IV,9, the last ray branched to base; principal caudal rays 17, the upper and lower unbranched; upper procurrent caudal rays 7, the first spinous, the last slender and segmented; lower procurrent caudal rays 6, the first 5 spinous, the last slender and segmented; pectoral rays 14, the uppermost rudimentary, the second and lowermost unbranched; pelvic rays I,7; lateral line scales 49 (48-52); scales above lateral line to base of dorsal spines 5; scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin 6 (6-7); oblique rows of scales on cheek 5; vertical row of 9 (8-10) scales on opercle; gill rakers 6+13 (6-7+13); vertebrae 25; body depth 3.2 (2.9-3.3) in SL; head length 2.8 (2.6-2.9) in SL; snout length 3.5 (3.4-3.8) in head length; orbit diameter 3.0 (2.6-3.0) in head length; interorbital width 4.8 (4.1-4.8) in body depth; upper-jaw length 2.3 (2.3-2.6) in head length; preopercular spine 2.2 (2.0-2.9) in orbit diameter; caudal peduncle depth 3.9 (3.7-4.3) in body depth; caudal peduncle length 7.3 (6.5-7.7) in SL, predorsal length 2.7 (2.4-2.7) in SL; preanal length 1.3 (1.2-1.3) in SL; prepelvic length 2.4 (2.4-2.6) in SL; first

Neoniphon pencei, a new species of holocentrid (Teleostei: Beryciformes) from Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Diagnosis

Dorsal rays XI,13; anal rays IV,9; pectoral rays 14; lateral-line scales 48-52 (usually 49); scales above lateral line to base of dorsal spines 5; scales below lateral line to base of anal fin 6-7; oblique rows of scales on cheek 5; gill rakers 6-7+13 (usually 6+13); body slender, the depth 2.9-3.3 in SL; head length 2.6-2.9 in SL; orbit diameter 2.7-3.0 in head length; interorbital width 4.1-4.8 in body depth; upper jaw length 2.3-2.6 in head; lower jaw strongly protruding; preopercular spine 2.0-2.9 of orbit diameter; first dorsal spine 3.3-4.1 in head length; last dorsal spine shortest; third anal spine the longest, its length 1.1-1.3 in head length; body red with white stripes dorsally, front edge of pelvic and anal fins white, white on base of dorsal fin; reaches 24cm.

Neoniphon pencei, a new species of holocentrid (Teleostei: Beryciformes) from Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Etimology

Named for David F. Pence, Dive Safety Officer for the University of Hawai'i, a member of the deep diving team that discovered this species, in recognition of his efforts to collect the type specimens.

Neoniphon pencei, a new species of holocentrid (Teleostei: Beryciformes) from Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Distribution

All type specimens of N. pencei were collected at Rarotonga, Cook Islands. An individual Neoniphon closely matching the life colors of N. pencei (and different from all other known species) was captured on video by Robert K. Whitton at a depth of 90 m at Moorea, in February 2012 (Fig. 3). It is likely that the species is more broadly distributed throughout the southeastern tropical Pacific, but has escaped noticed due to insufficient collecting activities at mesophotic depths in this region.

Neoniphon pencei, a new species of holocentrid (Teleostei: Beryciformes) from Rarotonga, Cook Islands