Malacanthus brevirostris Guichenot 1848 —Flagtail tilefish (Fig. 66)

Status at New Ireland. First recorded from Namatanai, New Ireland by Kailola (1975: 114). KFRS material. A specimen photographed at Lissenung Island, Kavieng District, 24 m depth, by Dean Tully on 26 June 2013; a video of a specimen taken on east side of Tsoileunung Island, southeast of New Hanover, at 6–21 m depth, St. KR 124, in 2014 (identified by Barry C. Russell).

Distribution and habitat. New Ireland: 1, 2, 3.—General distribution: Red Sea and East Africa east to Hawaiian Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to nortehrn New Zealand. Solitary or in pairs, on sand-rubble bottom on seaward reef slopes, 14–45 m depth. Marine.