A revision of Indo-Pacific Bembrops, family Percophidae (suborder Trachinoidei)

Abstract

A recent study recognized six species of Bembrops from the Indo–Pacific: B. caudimacula, B. curvatura, B. filiferus, B. morelandi, B. nematopterus and B. platyrhynchus. Now, two species are elevated; B. adenensis is removed from the synonymy ofB. caudimacula and B. philippinus from B. platyrhynchus. In addition, a new sister species to B. adenensis is recognized from southern Indonesia and the Philippine Islands, bringing the total number of Indo–Pacific Bembrops to nine. Many early records of B. caudimacula are shown to be B. curvatura, a species not described until 1952. Information is presented on meristics, morphometrics, colour pattern and sexual dimorphism for the Indo–Pacific species, with comparisons with the ten Atlantic forms. B. adenensis and the new species are the only two members of the genus with a complete suborbital canal. B. nematopterus, elsewhere considered to be a synonym of either B. platyrhynchus or caudimacula, is a valid species found along the Indian Ocean coast of Africa. New information is provided on the distribution of most Indo–Pacific Bembrops species. Bembrops morelandi, considered a New Zealand endemic, is reported for the first time from Australia. Geographic variation in body pigment pattern is presented for Bembrops caudimacula, B. filiferus and B. philippinus.