A new species of damselfish (Chrysiptera: Pomacentridae) from coral reefs of the Solomon Islands
- 1. Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Perth, Western Australia 6986
- 2. Conservation International Indonesia Marine Program, Jl. Dr. Muwardi No. 17, Renon, Denpasar 80235 Indonesia California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
- 3. Indonesia Biodiversity Research Centre, Udayana University, Denpasar 80226, Indonesia
Description
A sixth member of the Chrysiptera oxycephala group of Pomacentridae, Chrysiptera burtjonesi, is described
on the basis of 24 specimens, 20.5–48.2 mm SL, collected at the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific Ocean.
It differs from other members of the group, including C. ellenae (Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua Province in
Indonesia), C. maurineae (Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua Province), C. oxycephala (central Indonesia, Philippines,
and Palau), C. papuensis (northeastern Papua New Guinea), and C. sinclairi (Bismarck Archipelago and islands
off northeastern Papua New Guinea), on the basis of its distinctive color pattern and a 6.9% divergence in the
sequence of the mitochondrial control region from its closest relative (C. maurinae). Adults are primarily grayish
brown to greenish except bright yellow on the ventralmost head and body, including the adjacent pelvic and anal
fins. Juveniles are mostly neon blue to dark blue with bright yellow pelvic and anal fins. In addition, it is the only
species besides C. sinclairi that usually lacks embedded scales on the preorbital and suborbital bones.
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