22 
Batan Island, past Mahate, White Beach (20°24'45"N 121°55'00"E), 
coral and encrusted boulders, 9-12 m, G.D. Johnson and W.F. 
Smith-Vaniz, 1 May 1987; USNM 292031, 1: 27.8 mm SL, Papua 
New Guinea, Hermit Islands, N side of W entrance (01°30'30"S 
144°59°15"E), 0-12 m, V.G. Springer et al., 4 November 1978; 
USNM 322986, 1: 31.8 mm SL, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, 
Ouvéa Atoll, Motu Veiloa Islet (20°26'06"S 166°28'30"E), reef 
crest, small patch reef of mostly dead coral surrounded by rubble, 
0.6-3.3 m, J.T. Williams and M. Kulbicki, 17 November 1991; 
USNM 322994, 1: 32.1 mm SL, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, 
Ouvéa Atoll, Récif Draule (20°34'12"S 166°14'12"E), large depres- 
sion on submerged reef crest, coral and rubble, 5 m, J.T. Williams, P. 
Tirard and J.L. Menou, 16 November 1991; USNM 328198, 1: 24.5 
mm SL, collected with MNHN 1994-45; USNM 356587, 1: 20.9 
mm SL, Vanuatu, Shepherd Islands, Judy Reef off NW tip of Tongoa 
Island (16°52'30"S 168°31'30"E), coral reef with extensive coral 
development, J.T. Williams et al., 9 June 1996; USNM 357981, 1: 
26.8 mm SL, Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands, Reef Islands, 
Fenualoa Island, just W of Nota Point (ca. 10°16'30"S 166°16'30"E), 
coral reef face and outer slope, rich coral growth with sand and 
rubble, 0-13 m, J.T. Williams et al., 18 September 1998; USNM 
358382, 1: 20.4 mm SL, Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands, Reef 
Islands, Lomlom Island, Nialo Point on E side of Forrest Passage 
(10°16'S 166°18'30"E), vertical reef wall and rocky surge channels 
at surface, 0-35 m, J.T. Williams er al., 18 September 1998; WAM 
P.26083-041, 1: 31.2 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, Ethel 
Beach, 3-6 m, G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 19 May 1978; WAM 
P.26085-030, 1: 25.9 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, Ethel 
Beach, 15-20 m, G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 20 May 1978; WAM 
P.26093-015, 1: 27.3 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, 1 km 
W of Margaret Beach, 10 m, G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 25 May 
1978; WAM P.26104-005, 1: 27.3 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Christmas 
Island, Flying Fish Cove (10°29'S 105°40'E), 6—8 m, G.R. Allen and 
R.C. Steene, | June 1978; WAM P.26107-004, 1: 24.0 mm SL, 
Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, Rhonda Beach (10°29'S 105°40'E), 
6-7 m, G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 2 June 1978; WAM P.26113- 
003, 2: 25.6-28.4 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Christmas Island, Winifred 
Beach (10°29'S 105°40'E), 12-14 m, G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 6 
June 1978; WAM P.27825-034, 3: 17.6-25.4 mm SL, Papua New 
Guinea, Manus Island, Los Negros Island, SE point at aerodrome, 
10-40 m, G.R. Allen and R. Knight, 5 October 1982; WAM P.29626- 
001, 1: 31.2 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby (09°30'S 
147°10'E), 5—6 m, P. Colin, 24 February 1987; WAM P.29927-004, 
1: 23.9 mm SL, Indian Ocean, Cocos-Keeling Islands, Direction 
Island (12°05'S 096°53'E), 0.1-2.0 m, G.R. Allen, 24 February 
1989. 
DIAGNOSIS 
A species of Pseudoplesiops with the following combination of 
characters: prominent intermandibular flap present; and operculum 
immaculate, without large dark spot. 
DESCRIPTION. (Based on 72 specimens, 15.0—33.8 mm SL) Dor- 
sal-fin rays 1,26—28 (1,27), last 3-11 (8) segmented rays branched; 
anal-fin rays I-II,16—18 (1,17), last 3-9 (5) segmented rays branched; 
pectoral-fin rays 15—18 (16/15), upper 1—5 (2/2) and lower 1-3 (1/1) 
rays simple; pelvic-fin rays I,3-4 (1,4), all segmented rays simple; 
principal caudal-fin rays 9-10 + 8 (9 + 8), the uppermost 1—2 (1) and 
lowermost 1—2 (1) rays unbranched; upper procurrent caudal-fin 
rays 3—5 (4); lower procurrent caudal-fin rays 2-4 (3); total caudal- 
fin rays 23—25 (24); scales in lateral series 32—39 (36/35); predorsal 
scales 7—12 (10); transverse scales 14—17 (16/16); scales behind eye 
1-2 (2); scales to preopercular angle 3-4 (3); circumpeduncular 
scales 16-17 (16); ctenoid scales beginning at 10-16 (14/14) trans- 
A.C. GILL AND A.J. EDWARDS 
verse scale rows behind branchial opening; gill rakers 14 + 6-10 = 
7-12 (2 + 8); pseudobranch filaments 5-8 (6). 
Head pores (all bilaterally paired; Fig. 2): nasal pores 2—3 (2/2); 
anterior interorbital pores 1; posterior interorbital pores 0; supraotic 
pores 2; suborbital pores 7—9 (8/8); posterior otic pores 0; 
preopercular pores 7—8 (7/7); dentary pores 4; intertemporal pores 1; 
anterior temporal pores 0; posttemporal pores 1; parietal pores 2. 
As percentage of standard length (based on 34 specimens, 22.8— 
33.8 mm SL): body depth at dorsal-fin origin 22.8-26.3 (23.8); 
greatest body depth 23.1—28.1 (26.5); body width 11.5—13.3 (12.4); 
head length 28.8-32.6 (29.9); snout length 5.3-6.2 (6.0); orbit 
diameter 7.7—9.9 (8.1); interorbital width 2.2—3.6 (3.0); upper jaw 
length 10.0—11.2 (10.1); depth of caudal peduncle 13.2—15.3 (14.8); 
caudal peduncle length 7.3—9.4 (8.1); predorsal length 29.5-32.6 
(29.5); preanal length 54.7—57.6 (56.7); prepelvic length 26.4—29.2 
(28.2); length of first segmented dorsal-fin ray 8.7—10.8 (9.7); 
length of third from last segmented dorsal-fin ray 16.4—20.8 (17.4); 
dorsal-fin base length 60.5—67.8 (63.1); length of first segmented 
anal-fin ray 9.3—12.3 (11.1); length of third from last anal-fin ray 
13.6—20.4 (17.8); anal-fin base length 33.3-37.7 (35.6); caudal fin 
length 20.4—26.9 (24.8); pectoral fin length 18.4—21.8 (18.5); pelvic 
fin length 25.7—32.0 (27.8). 
Lower lip complete; prominent intermandibular flap present 
(Fig. 2); fin spines weak and flexible; anterior dorsal-fin 
pterygiophore formula S/S/S + 2/1 + 1, S/S/SY + 2/1 + 1 or S/S/2/ 
1 + 1 (S/S/SY + 2/1 + 1); 20-22 (21) consecutive dorsal-fin 
pterygiophores inserting in 1:1 relationship directly behind neural 
spine 4; anterior anal-fin pterygiophore formula 2 + 1/1, 3 + 1/1 or 
2+ 1 +4 1/1 (2 + I/1); 11-12 (11) consecutive anal-fin 
pterygiophores inserting in 1:1 relationship directly behind hae- 
mal spine 2; second segmented pelvic-fin ray longest; caudal fin 
rounded to truncate or slightly emarginate; scales without distinct 
centres, and with radii confined to anterior field; dorsal and anal 
fins without distinct scale sheaths, although sometimes with inter- 
mittent scales overlapping fin bases; anterior lateral line 
represented by single tubed scale at branchial opening, followed 
by intermittent series of centrally pitted scales, which terminate at 
vertical through base of segmented dorsal-fin ray 21-27, or extend 
slightly past end of dorsal fin (extending slightly beyond end of 
dorsal fin/to vertical through base of segmented dorsal-fin ray 26 
in holotype); second intermittent series of centrally pitted scales 
originating on midside above anterior part of anal fin, extending 
on to middle of caudal-fin base; additional centrally pitted scales 
present on caudal-fin base, pits usually aligned vertically on pos- 
terior part of scale sheath; scales present on cheeks (not extending 
posteriorly over upper part of preopercle) and operculum (Fig. 2); 
predorsal scales extending anteriorly to supratemporal commis- 
sure (Fig. 2); vertebrae 12 + 20-22 (12 + 21); epurals 2; epineurals 
present on vertebrae | through 17—21 (1 through 19); ribs present 
on vertebrae 3 through 11-12 (3 through 12), rib on ultimate 
precaudal vertebra very small to moderately small or absent. 
Upper jaw with 2-6 pairs of curved, enlarged caniniform teeth 
anteriorly, the medial pair smallest, and 3-4 (at symphysis) to 1—2 
(on sides of jaw) irregular inner rows of small conical teeth, the teeth 
of outer row of conical teeth largest; lower jaw with 2-4 pairs of 
curved, enlarged caniniform teeth, the medial pair smallest, and 2— 
4 (at symphysis) to 1 (on sides of jaw) irregular inner rows of small 
conical teeth, the conical teeth gradually increasing in size and 
becoming more curved on middle part of jaw, then becoming 
abruptly smaller on posterior part of jaw; vomer with | row of small, 
stout conical teeth arranged in a chevron; palatines edentate or with 
small irregular patch of small conical teeth; tongue acutely pointed, 
edentate. 
