Xanthichthys greenei, a new species of triggerfish (Balistidae) from the Line Islands

By

Pyle, Richard
Earle, John, 1824-1903

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2013-09-16

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

1

Pages

1--13

Subjects

Balistidae , Line Islands , mesophotic coral ecosystem , mesophotic coral ecosystem , Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem , new species , Xanthichthys

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.1.e994
eLocator: e994

 

Abstract

Xanthichthys greenei sp. n. is described from six specimens, 97-154 mm standard length (SL) collected from mesophotic coral ecosystems (90-100 m) at Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Line Islands, part of the Republic of Kiribati in the Central Pacific. Of the six species of Xanthichthys, it is most similar to the Atlantic X. ringens and the Indo-West Pacific X. lineopunctatus, sharing with these species the character of three pigmented cheek grooves. It is distinctive in its low body scale row count (33-35, other Xanthichthys species with 39 or more), small size (maximum SL 154 mm, other species over 225 mm), and color pattern of scattered dark spots sub-dorsally and no other spots or lines on body.