Exploring the Phylogeny and Species Diversity of Chelidoperca (Teleostei: Serranidae) From the Western Pacific Ocean by an Integrated Approach in Systematics, With Descriptions of Three New Species and a Redescription of C. lecromi Fourmanoir, 1982

With 11 species, the genus Chelidoperca is a small group of teleost fishes belonging to the Serranidae. They are bottom-dwelling fishes living on continental shelves/slopes in offshore areas or on remote seamounts/banks at depths ranging from around 40-400 m mostly in the tropical Indo-West Pacific. Over the past few years, efforts have been made to resolve the taxonomy of Chelidoperca, and subsequently four new species were described. However, these recent advances were made with a traditional approach (i.e., morphology) and limited examinable materials, usually preserved specimens, from ichthyological collections. Further investigations are still needed to address the gaps in our knowledge about their diversity, phylogeny, and biogeography. In this study, we collected 65 new samples, mainly during eight biodiversity expeditions carried out between 2007 and 2016 in the West Pacific under the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos program. Specimens were photographed after collection to record fresh color patterns, which are essential for species diagnosis. Our analytical approach includes state-of-the-art DNA-based methods for species delimitation. The combined evidence from both molecular and morphological examinations, as well as other information such as geography, is used to test species validity. This reveals 15 species, including six new ones. We formally describe herein C. leucostigmata sp. nov., C. microdon sp. nov., and C. barazeri sp. nov. on the basis of specimens collected on Macclesfield Bank in the South China Sea, on the Chesterfield and Island of Pines plateau of New Caledonia, and off the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea, respectively. These new species are morphologically distinct from all other known species of Chelidoperca by body color pattern and combinations of a few identified characters. We also redescribe one of the lesser known species, C. lecromi, from fresh specimens collected close to its type locality 6 and a new site in the Coral Sea. The distributional records for this and other known species are updated accordingly. Genetic references of the species as well as an updated identification key to western Pacific species are also provided.

Keyword(s)

fishes, new species, distribution, integrated taxonomy, diversity, West-Pacific, Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos

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263 Mo
Supplementary Figure 1. Scale rows between the lateral line and the middle of the spinous dorsal-fin base in Chelidoperca barazeri sp. nov. (A); C. leucostigmata sp. nov. (B); C. microdon ...
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Supplementary Figure 2. Interorbital regions (A,C,E,G) and ventral sides on dentary (B,D,F,H) in Chelidoperca barazeri sp. nov. (A,B); C. leucostigmata sp. nov. (C,D); C. microdon...
-1 Mo
Supplementary Figure 3. Teeth on both jaws in Chelidoperca barazeri sp. nov. (A); C. leucostigmata sp. nov. (B); C. microdon sp. nov. (C); and C. tosaensis (D). (A) NTUM15639 (PNG1830, holotype), ...
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Supplementary Figure 4. Pigmentation on the tips of the lower jaw of C. microdon sp. nov. (A) and C. tosaensis (B). (A) MNHN 2019-0020 (NC577, holotype), collected on 20 Aug 2016; standard...
-247 Ko
Supplementary Table 1. Taxa examined in this study, sample localities and depths (if known), corresponding accession numbers to tissues/vouchers (if any), and corresponding GenBank accession...
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Supplementary Data 1. Raw data from morphological examination of specimens of Chelidoperca spp. used in this study.
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How to cite
Lee Szu-Hsuan, Lee Mao-Ying, Matsunuma Mizuki, Chen Wei-Jen (2019). Exploring the Phylogeny and Species Diversity of Chelidoperca (Teleostei: Serranidae) From the Western Pacific Ocean by an Integrated Approach in Systematics, With Descriptions of Three New Species and a Redescription of C. lecromi Fourmanoir, 1982. Frontiers In Marine Science. 6. 465 (26p.). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00465, https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00620/73231/

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