Parapercis sagma Allen & Erdmann, 2013

Ho, Hsuan-Ching, 2015, Description of a new species and redescriptions of two rare species of Parapercis (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae) from the tropical Pacific Ocean, Zootaxa 3999 (2), pp. 255-271 : 269

Parapercis sagma Allen & Erdmann, 2013

Parapercis sagma Allen & Erdmann, 2012:1154 , figs. 1-3 (type locality: Palau Panjang, 2°58.560'S, 132°17.732'E, Fakfak Peninsula, Papua Barat Province, Indonesia, depth 60 meters).

Specimen examined. MNHN 2001-3370 (2, 55.1–71.4), 15°52’1”S, 167°19’1”E, Vanuatu, Coral Sea, 397–439 m, 5 Oct. 1994. MNHN 2008-1527 (1, 87.7), 15°36’29”S, 167°2’17”E, Santo, Vanuatu, Coral Sea, 71-122 m, 19 Oct. 2006. MNHN 2010-0684 (1, 65.6), 15°27’47”S, 167°15’43”E, Palikulo Bay, Vanuatu, Coral Sea, 146–153 m, 19 Sep. 2006. MNHN 2010-0687 (1, 45.5), 15°24’0”S, 167°13’30”E, Palikulo Bay, Vanuatu, Coral Sea, 102–120 m, 19 Sep. 2006.

Remarks. This species was described based on three specimens collected from Indonesia and Vanuatu at depths from 60- 80 m. The MNHN specimens have one row of faint spots along the body axis and two faint spots on the caudal fin base which were not clear in illustrations presented with the original description. Also, the dorsal fins of all specimens are uniformly pale, without spots. These differences may be due to preservation.

It is notable that these specimens were collected from greater depths, most from 71-153 m, but one lot from 397– 439 m. Although this species seems to be a deep water species, it is unusual for a Parapercis species to have such wide range of depth distribution.