A new species of damselfish (Pomacentrus: Pomacentridae) from western New Guinea

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years ago

ABSTRACT – Pomacentrus fakfakensis is described from 13 specimens, 17.7– 57.0 mm SL, collected at the southern Bird’s Head Peninsula of western New Guinea (Irian Jaya Barat Province, Indonesia). It is distinguished from most similar species in the western Pacific by possessing 14 instead of 13 dorsal-fin spines. The only other drab-brown (when alive) Pomacentrus from the region with 14 dorsal spines, P. opisthostigma and P. armillatus, are distinguished by dark markings (thin bar or wedge-shaped mark) on the pectoral-fin base as well as having fewer lateral-line scales (usually 15–17 versus 18–19), fewer pectoral rays (17 versus 18, occasionally 17) and more gill rakers on the first arch (26–29 versus 19–21). The new species inhabits shallow reef flats around rock and coral outcrops, generally at depths less than about 8 m.