Monocentris chryadamas

Taxonavigation[edit]

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Berycimorphaceae
Ordo: Trachichthyiformes
Subordo: Trachichthyoidei
Familia: Monocentridae
Genus: Monocentris
Species: Monocentris chryadamas

Monocentris chryadamas Y. Su, H.-C. Lin & H.-C. Ho, 2022

Type locality: Off Dong-gang, Pingtung, southwestern Taiwan, northern South China Sea, circa 22°22'22"N, 120°27'34"E.

Diagnosis: A species of Monocentris differing from its congeners in having following combination of characters: LLS 12–15; LLB1 10–11, modally 10; LLB3 6–7; total gill rakers 16–20; scales between LLB4 and AS small, its posterior tip not reaching second postpelvic scute; vomer without teeth; and mouth large, reaching a vertical through posterior margin of eye.

Etymology: The specific name chrysadamas, treated as a noun in apposition, is a combination of Greek “chrys” and “adamas”, meaning “golden” and “diamond”, in reference to its yellowish body color when alive and diamondshaped body scales. Moreover, the meaning of these two words in Chinese also refers to a famous agricultural variety of pineapple in Taiwan, which this new pineapple fish resembles.

Distribution: Records from literature and this study suggest a wide distribution in the western Pacific, including Taiwan (Shao et al. 2013; Koeda & Ho 2019; this study), Korea (Kim & Nakaya 2013), Japan (Shimizu in Masuda et al. 1984; Okamura & Amaoka 1997), the Philippines (Fourmanoir 1981), Vanuatu (this study), the Solomon Islands (this study), and Western Australia and Queensland, Australia (this study). Records from Vanuatu imply it may inhabit depths to 341 m.

Misidentification
- Monocentris japonica (non Houttuyn): Fourmanoir 1981:91; Kweon in Kim & Nakaya 2013:68.
- Monocentris japonicus (non Houttuyn): Shimizu in Masuda et al. 1984:109; Okamura & Amaoka 1997:158; Shao et al. 2013:41; Koeda in Koeda & Ho 2019:442

Su, Y., H.-C. Lin and H.-C. Ho. 2022. A new cryptic species of the pineapple fish genus Monocentris (Family Monocentridae) from the western Pacific Ocean, with redescription of M. japonica (Houttuyn, 1782). Zootaxa, 5189(1):180-203.