Moonstone Chromis

description

Comparisons. Chromis tingting is one of several deep-water Chromis with 14 dorsal fin spines. Lecchini & Williams (2004) listed 20 species in which at least some specimens had been recorded with 14 spines, including their new species Chromis planesi. An additional five species of Chromis with 14 dorsal fin spines have been described since: Chromis onumai Senou & Kudo (2007), C. abyssus Pyle et al. (2008), C. circumaurea Pyle et al. (2008), C. degruyi Pyle et al. (2008), and C. unipa Allen & Erdmann (2009). Of these species, C. tingting, most closely resembles C. mirationis Tanaka (1917), C. okamurai Yamakawa & Randall (1989) and C. struhsakeri Randall & Swerdloff (1973) in coloration and in having similar tubed lateral-line scale and fin-ray counts (including only two versus three spinous caudal rays dorsally and ventrally). All four species have mostly white to greyish-blue adults but are easily separated based on color patterns (Figure 7; Table 2). Chromis tingting differs from all three species in having a larger eye (13.7 – 19.4 % SL versus 12.2 – 14.5 % SL in C. mirationis, 13.6 % SL in C. okamurai, and 12.0 – 15.6 % SL in C. struhsakeri), fewer gill rakers (5 – 6 + 17 – 20 =

Chromis tingting, a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of southern Japan, with notes on C. mirationis Tanaka (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)

description

Description. Dorsal rays XIV, 13 – 14 (XIV, 13), all segmented rays branched except only last 8 in smallest paratype; anal rays II, 12, all segmented rays branched; pectoral rays 19 – 20 (20 / 20), the upper 2 – 3 (2 / 2) and lower 2 – 3 (2 / 2) unbranched; pelvic rays I, 5; principal caudal rays 8 + 7, the upper and lower rays unbranched; upper and lower procurrent caudal rays 4, the anteriormost 2 rays (dorsally and ventrally) spiniform; tubed lateral-line scales 15 – 17 (17 / 17); posterior mid-lateral scales with a pore or deep pit 6 – 8 (8 / 6); scales above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin 3.5; scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin 11 – 12 (11 / 12); gill rakers 5 – 6 + 17 – 20 = 22 – 26 (16 + 19); vertebrae 11 + 15; predorsal formula (after Ahlstrom et al., 1976) 0 / 0 / 0 + 1 / 1 + 1; ribs present on vertebrae 3 through 10; epineurals present on vertebrae 1 through 15. Body moderately deep, depth 1.9 – 2.0 (2.0) in SL, and compressed, the width 2.9 – 4.7 (3.5) in body depth; head length 2.5 – 3.0 (3.0) in SL; dorsal profile of head with convexity anterior to eye and concavity dorsal to eye; snout shorter than orbit diameter, its length 3.7 – 5.7 (3.9) in HL; o

Chromis tingting, a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of southern Japan, with notes on C. mirationis Tanaka (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)

description

English common name: Moonstone Chromis Figures 2 – 8, Tables 1 – 2

Chromis tingting, a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of southern Japan, with notes on C. mirationis Tanaka (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters distinguishes C. tingting from all congeners: dorsal rays XIV, 13 – 14; anal rays II, 12; pectoral rays 19 – 20; tubed lateral-line scales 15 – 17; gill rakers 5 – 6 + 17 – 20 = 22 – 26; caudal fin with two spinous procurrent rays dorsally and ventrally. Chromis tingting can be further distinguished from congeners based on color patterns, and in having a large black spot on the pectoral fin base that reaches the lower limits of the axil.

Chromis tingting, a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of southern Japan, with notes on C. mirationis Tanaka (Teleostei: Pomacentridae)