Alexei M. Orlov, Alexei M. Tokranov and Igor A. Biryukov: New records of rex sole Glyptocephalus zachirus Lockington, 1879 (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae) from the north-western Pacific, pp. 89-98

The rex sole Glyptocephalus zachirus Lockinghton, 1879 is reported from eighteen new north-western Pacific records from off he northern Kuril Islands and south-eastern Kamchatka, Russia. This species ad been previously recorded in this area only once (Tokranova and Vinnikov, 2000), from near the tip of the Kamchatka peninsula. We report additional records here from the northern Kuril Islands and south-eastern Kamchatka. One of them represents a significant range extension of about 360 km for the species. Notes on the habitat and species associations of rex sole are presented, with a photograph of one specimens. 

James Wilder Orr, Ronald Alan Fitzsche, and John Ernest Randall:  Solenostomus halimeda, a New Species of Ghost Pipefish (Teleostei: Gasterosteiformes) from the Indo-Pacific, with a Revised Key to the known species of the Family Solenostomidae, pp. 99-108

Solenostomus halimeda is described as a new species of the solenostomidae, the ghost pipefishes, from specimens collected from the Maldives, western Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Mariana Islands. The new species differs from all other solenostomids in the length of its spinous dorsal pelvic, and caudal fins, its truncate caudal fin, lower dorsal and anal fin ray counts, and small size at sexual maturity. Solenostomus halimeda is most similar to S. cyanopterus, from which it also differs in its more slender snout, absence of a premaxillary spine in males, and presence of abdominal prickles. Unlike S. paradoxus, S. halimeda possesses multifid dermal papillae, nasal lamellae of males that fill only half the olfactory pit, and a reduced supraoccipital ridge. Unlike S. armatus, the new species ha a reduced supraoccipital ridge and a more robust body, and females have a small dorsal patch of nasal lamellae and a convex pelvic fin margin. A revised key to adults of the family, and colour photographs of Solenostomus halimeda, S. paradoxus, S. cyanopterus  and a diagram of S. armatus are provided.

Gerald R. Allen and John E. Randall: A new species of Wrasse (Labridae:  Choerodon) from the Tropical Western Pacific, pp. 109-113

Choerodon gomoni is described from six specimens, 86.1-103.9 mm SL, from the Chesterfield Bank, Coral Sea and the Banggai Islands, Indonesia. It belogs to the Peaolopesia ”complex’ of species that includes C. sugilltum (northern Australia), C. margaritiferus (Philippines), C. japonicus (Taiwan and Japan), C. gymnogenys (East Africa), and another undescribed East African species. The members of this complex are morphologically similar and best separated on the basis of colour pattern. Choerodon gomoni is distinguished by its male and female colour patterns. The male pattern, which includes a large reddish spot on the middle of the back and a pale yellow lateral stripe, is particularly distinctive.

Gerald R. Allen and John E. Randall: Four new Indo-Pacific species of cardinalfishes (Apogonidae), pp. 115-126

The following four Indo-Pacific cardinalfishes of the genus Apogon are described as new. A. lineomaculatus from Bali and Flores, Indonesia from 8-32 m (usually over 18 m) is distinct in having 15 pectoral rays, 4 predorsal scales, 5 + 18-20 developed gill rakers, a narrow mid-lateral black stripe ending in a large black spot at caudal fin base, a black blotch above anal fin base, and numerous faint narrow blackish bars on lower side; A. microspilos, described from two specimens taken in 21.5 m off Lombok, Indonesia, has 13 pectoral rays, 3 median predorsal scales, 3-5 + 14-15 devoloped gill rakers, and is orange-red in life with a very small dark spot at mid-base of caudal fin; A. cladophilos, described from six specimens taken in 20 m at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef but also photographed in Flores (at both localities in association with soft corals), has 14 pectoral rays, 4 median predorsal scales, 4-5 + 16-17 developed gill rakers, a thin dark mid-lateral stripe and a pupil-size black spot at caudal fi base; ad A. posterofasciatus, described from three specimens from the Solomon Islands, Flores, and Philippines at depths of 18-37 m and distinguished by VI dorsal spines (the above three species with VII), 6 predorsal scales, 2 + 11 developed gill rakers, a membranous flap at the angle of the preopercle, and two dusky bars posteriorly on body, one below rear base of second dorsal fin and one at base of caudal fin.

Ivan Sazima, João Luiz Gasparini and Rodrigo Leão de Moura: Labrisomus cricota, a new scaled blenny from the coast of Brazil (Perciformes: Labrisomidae), pp. 127-132

Labrisomus cricota, a scaled blenny from the coast of Brazil, is described. The new species differs from its nine West Atlantic congeners by the combination of the following characters: opercle with a dark ocellus, 64 to 68 lateral line scales, first and second dorsal fin spines noticeably longer than the third, and not flexible.