290 
THE CORAL TRIANGLE: HEARST BIODIVERSITY EXPEDITION 
Acropomatidae (Lanternbellies) 
Malakichthys elegans Doderlein, 1883 
Material.— CAS 235640 (2, 109.5-118.5 mm SL); HEPD-036, beam trawl in 216-262 m. 
Remarks. — A widely distributed bathypelagic fish found throughout the western Pacific and the eastern 
Indian Ocean. 
Synagrops japonicus (Doderlein, 1883) (Fig. 109) 
Material.— CAS 235380 (2, 70.2-74.1 mm SL, DC-1352), CAS 234012 (124 mm SL, DC-1319) and CAS 
236024 (139 mm SL); HEPD-009, otter trawl in 322-336 m. CAS 236023 (85.2 mm SL) and CAS 235743 
(44.7mm SL); HEPD-036, beam trawl in 216-262 m. 
Remarks. — Of four Japanese species, S. japonicus is the only one to lack sen'ations along the leading edge 
of the pelvcs-fln spine. It is a dark-colored species, with a head that is almost unifoimly dark brown; in its 
color it is similar to Synagrops bellus (Goode and Bean, 1896). Widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific 
from east Africa to Hawaii. 
Synagrops philippinensis (Gunther, 1880) (Fig. 110) 
Material.— CAS 236019 (81.9 mm SL, DC-1562); HEPD-036, beam trawl in 216-262 m. 
Remarks. — Widely distributed from India east to the western Pacific, including Japan, south through the 
Philippines and northern Australia (Ai'afura Sea). 
Synagrops sp. (Fig. Ill) 
Material.— CAS 235736 (63.0 mm SL, DC-1430); HEPD-017, beam trawl in 282-J28 m. 
Remarks.— We could not identify this specimen. It is deeper bodied than S. philippinensis and has well- 
developed serrations on the V spine, but none on the A or D spines. 
Serranidae (Seabasses) 
Plectranthias sagamiensis (Katayama,1964) (Fig. 112) 
Material.— CAS 235596 (41 mm SL, DC-1502); HEPD-026, beam trawl in 82-86 m. 
Remarks.— Previously known only from southern Japan to Taiwan, and in southern Indonesia. The HEPD 
specimen represents the first record from the Philippines. 
Plectranthias sp. (Fig. 113) 
Material.— CAS 235681 (53 mm SL, DC-1458); HEPD-021, beam trawl in 132-172 m. 
Remarks.— We were unable to identify this specimen. 
Cephalopholis aurantia (Valenciennes, 1828) (Fig. 114) 
Material.— CAS 235460 (240 mm SL; DC-1504); HEPD-026, beam trawl in 82-86 m. 
Remarks.— A deepwater grouper usually captured in depths greater than 100 m. Distributed in tropical 
waters from islands of southcenhal and western Pacific into Indian Ocean west to Madagascar and south¬ 
ern Africa. 
Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskal, 1775) (Fig. 115) 
Material.— CAS 235793 (131 mm SL, DC-1514); HEPD-028, beam trawl in 115-124 m. 
Remarks.— Widespread in Indo-West Pacific from southern Japan south to northern Australia, east to New 
Caledonia, and west to Africa, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf. 
Epinephelus fasciatus (Forrskal, 1775) 
Material.— CAS 234023 (144 mm SL); HEPD-012.5, hook and hne in 40 m. 
Remarks.— Common, widely distributed grouper, known from islands throughout tropical and subtropical 
Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea, but not the Persian Gulf or the Hawaiian Islands. 
