Iniistius geisha ( Araga et Yoshino, 1986 )

Iniistius geisha ( Araga et Yoshino, 1986) View in CoL

Fig. 3 A View Figure 3

Xyrichtys geisha Araga et Yoshino, 1986. — Araga and Yoshino (1986): 75 (type locality Okinawa Islands, Japan). — Shimada (2002): 1011 (Okinawa Islands, Japan). View in CoL

Iniistius geisha ( Araga et Yoshino, 1986). — Myers and Donaldson (2003): 631 ( Mariana Islands). — Parenti and Randall (2010): 35. — Akaike et al. (2021): 45 (Amami, Okinawa, and Ogasawara islands, Japan). — Furuhashi and Motomura (2022): 16 (Tokara Islands, Japan). View in CoL

Material examined.

LBRC-F 1681, 236.5 mm SL, off Lembeh Island , Bitung, Indonesia, hook and line, 100–150 m (purchased at Girian Fish Market, Bitung, northern Sulawesi, T. Peristiwady, 2 April 2012) .

Description.

Dorsal fin with 9 spines and 12 soft rays, second and third dorsal fin spines connected by low membrane; anal fin with 3 spines and 14 soft rays; pectoral fin with 12 rays; lateral line interrupted on posterior half of body, with 19 + 6 pores; scales above lateral line 3.5; scales below lateral line 12; gill rakers on upper limb of first gill arch 7, lower limb 11, total 18; body relatively deep, its depth 2.9 in SL; body strongly compressed, its width 3.1 in depth; head rounded, long, its length 2.9 in SL; anterior profile of head steep; interorbital space convex, its width 4.8 in HL; snout length 2.0 in HL; eye diameter 6.3 in HL; depth of caudal peduncle 2.3 in HL, its length 1.4 in caudal peduncle depth; mouth terminal, gape horizontal, posterior end of maxilla not reaching to vertical through anterior margin of orbit; pair of large, slightly recurved canine teeth projecting from tip of each jaw, lower pair inserted into space between somewhat separated upper canine teeth when mouth closed; 8 to 10 conical teeth in single row along sides of each jaw; cheeks with several scales, without grooves or ridges; origin of dorsal fin just above posterior margin of orbit; caudal fin short, its length 1.9 in HL, posterior margin slightly rounded; pectoral fin relatively long, its length 1.5 in HL; pelvic fin length 1.5 in HL, origin of pelvic fin just below pectoral fin base.

Color when fresh.

Snout and ventral surface of head whitish-grey, dorsal and ventral surface of body black, remainder of head and body yellowish red; dorsal, anal and pelvic fins entirely black; upper and lower half of caudal fin whitish and blackish, respectively; pectoral fin white, with black base (Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 ).

Remarks.

Iniistius geisha is easily distinguishable from other congeners due to its distinctive coloration (see Araga and Yoshino 1986: fig. 1; Akaike et al. 2021: fig. 1 F; Furuhashi and Motomura 2022: fig. 5 F; vs. Fig. 3 A View Figure 3 of this study).

A relatively rare species, I. geisha has been reported (based on several specimens) as having a limited Northern Hemisphere distribution, including southern Japan, Taiwan, and the Mariana Islands, ranging from 16 to 30 ° N ( Shimada 2002; Myers and Donaldson 2003; Akaike et al. 2021; Furuhashi and Motomura 2022). The discovery of I. geisha off Lembeh Island significantly extends the known geographical range of the species, being the first record of the species in equatorial waters and the southernmost occurrence reported to date (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).