Helcogramma melanolancea, a new triplefin (Perciformes: Tripterygiidae) from Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

The new triplefin Helcogramma melanolancea sp. nov. (Perciformes: Tripterygiidae), described from five specimens collected from Bali, Indonesia, most closely resembles Helcogramma rhinoceros Hansen 1986 in having a dermal prolongation on the tip of the upper lip in males (absent in females, although represented by a distinct bump), but is distinguished from the latter by the following features: second dorsal-fin spines 13 or 14 [vs. 14–16 (mode 15) in the latter]; anal-fin soft rays 18–20 [vs. 19–22 (rarely 19 and 22)]; pored lateral-line scales 18 or 19 [vs. 18–24 (usually 19–22), rarely 18]; scale rows in longitudinal series 37 or 38 (vs. 39–42); anterior medial supratemporal canal with a single pore (vs. branched canal with more than two pores); interorbital space narrow, its width 1.8–2.1% SL (vs. 1.7–2.6%); upper-jaw length 11.5–13.3% SL (vs. 10.9–14.4%); postorbital length 11.9–13.3% SL (vs. 10.8–12.8%); head and body blackish in mature males, except for upper half of head, and anterodorsal region of body pale (vs. body entirely reddish, except for blackish regions from lower half of head to pectoral-fin base and around pelvic-fin base); second and third dorsal fins each with three blackish bands in mature males (vs. spotted melanophores forming a single band along distal margin of each fin); pectoral fin entirely blackish in mature males (vs. lower half of fin blackish, remainder translucent); anal and caudal fins entirely blackish in mature males (vs. reddish); anal-fin base and lower caudal peduncle with seven or eight and a single brown blotch, respectively, in females and young males (vs. blotches absent).