Pseudogramma polyacantha complex (Serranidae, tribe Grammistini): DNA barcoding results lead to the discovery of three cryptic species, including two new species from French Polynesia
Author
Williams, Jeffrey T.
Author
Viviani, Jeremie
text
Zootaxa
2016
4111
3
246
260
journal article
39056
10.11646/zootaxa.4111.3.3
662f3029-c9b0-4de7-9567-c5ac57252f14
1175-5326
265897
89E9A206-8D5B-45D9-ABD9-4EC317610A23
Pseudogramma xantha
Randall, Baldwin & Williams, 2002
Yellow Podge
Figure 10
Pseudogramma xanthum
Randall, Baldwin & Williams, 2002
(
type
locality Temoe Atoll)
Pseudogramma australis australis
(in part)
Randall and Baldwin, 1997
Remarks.
Randall
et al.
(2002)
discussed the taxonomic history and confusion related to this species. They described
P. xantha
as a new species for the non-Easter
Island
specimens previously referred to as
P. australis australis
. Our genetic analysis (
Fig. 4
) shows
P. xantha
to be highly divergent from its congeners.
Pseudogramma xantha
was previously known only from four localities, Temoe Atoll,
Pitcairn
Island, Rarotonga, and
Tonga
. One of us (JTW) subsequently collected specimens of this species from outer reef slopes around
30 m
depth at small islets of the Gambier archipelago and from outer reef slopes at Maria Atoll in the Austral Islands. These cryptic fishes are undoubtedly more widespread, but their depth of occurrence and cryptic habits make them difficult to collect. It appears to be a subtropical species with no specimens yet collected north of about 20 degrees S latitude. Like other members of
Pseudogramma
, they have only been seen and/or collected after the application of a rotenone solution used for sampling cryptic species.
Additional material examined:
GAMBIER:
USNM
400617, 41.0 mm; 400622,
34.4 mm
; 400624,
31.8 mm
; 400626,
33.1 mm
; 411811, 4 spec. AUSTRAL ISLANDS, Maria Atoll:
USNM
422907,
17.5 mm
;
USNM
423287,
34.3 mm
.