Scolopsislacrima, a new species of monocle bream (Teleostei, Perciformes, Nemipteridae) from New Caledonia

Abstract The new monocle bream Scolopsislacrimasp. nov. is described from a single specimen (213.6 mm standard length) collected from Grande-Terre Island, New Caledonia. The new species closely resembles S.meridiana, both species having the upper part of the pectoral-fin base with reddish blotch when fresh, two bands across the top of the snout, a dorsal scaled area on the head reaching anteriorly to between the anterior margin of the eye and anterior nostril, a similar number of lateral-line scales, and absence of a small antrorse spine below the eye. However, S.lacrimasp. nov. is distinguished from S.meridiana by having diagonal lines on the body absent (vs. 18–20 diagonal lines in the latter), a dark longitudinal band below the lateral line (vs. longitudinal lines absent), the caudal fin central area not patterned (vs. with several dark horizontal lines), a narrower body and shallower caudal peduncle.

During a taxonomic study of Scolopsis, a single specimen from New Caledonia, having a distinctively elongate body and unique colouration, was examined. It is described herein as a new species of Scolopsis.

Materials and methods
Counts and proportional measurements followed Nakamura et al. (2018). All measurements were made with calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Standard length is abbreviated as SL. Institutional codes follow Sabaj (2016), with the following addition: Département d'Archéologie du Service des Musées de Nouméa, New Caledonia (DASMN). Examined specimens of S. meridiana and Scolopsis taenioptera (Cuvier, 1830) are listed in Nakamura et al. (2018). Diagnosis. A species of Scolopsis with the following combination of characters: pectoral-fin rays 17; lateral-line scales 47; no antrorse spine below eye; dorsal scaled area on head reaching anteriorly to between anterior margin of eye and anterior nostril; bony opercular ridge and lower limb of preopercle without scales; 3 rd anal-fin spine  longer than 2 nd anal-fin spine; narrow body, its depth at dorsal, pelvic, and anal fin origins 29.2, 29.5 and 26.6% of SL, respectively; caudal-peduncle depth 10.4% of SL; head length 29.9% of SL; upper part of pectoral-fin base with reddish blotch when fresh; two dark bands across dorsum of snout; body below lateral line with a dark longitudinal band, without diagonal lines; no blotches or lines on central area of caudal fin.
Body oblong, rather compressed, deepest at pelvic-fin origin. Dorsal profile rising from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin, lowering slightly between origins of 1 st to 10 th dorsal-fin spines, thereafter more steeply to caudal peduncle. Ventral profile of body lowering from lower-jaw tip to anus, thereafter rising to caudal peduncle. Dorsal-fin origin just above posteriormost point of opercle, base extending posterior to posteriormost point of anal-fin base. First to 5 th dorsal-fin spines gradually lengthening, 5 th to 8 th spine lengths similar, 8 th to 10 th spines gradually shortening. Seventh dorsal-fin soft ray longest. All dorsal-fin soft rays non-filamentous. Uppermost point of pectoral-fin base slightly posterior to posteriormost point of opercle. Lowermost point of pectoralfin base anterior to pelvic-fin origin. Posterior tip of pectoral fin pointed, reaching to vertical through 7 th dorsal-fin spine origin. Pelvic-fin origin posterior to dorsal-fin origin. Posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin reaching anus, not reaching anal-fin origin. Anal-fin origin below 1 st dorsal-fin ray origin, ending below 6 th dorsal-fin ray origin. First anal-fin spine shortest, 3 rd spine longest. Caudal-fin forked, upper lobe longer than lower lobe. Posterior tip of both lobes of caudal fin pointed, non-filamentous. Anus oblong, anterior to anal-fin origin. Eye and pupil round. Lower margin of eye above a line from snout tip to uppermost part of pectoral-fin base. Nostrils round, paired, positioned close together anterior to orbit, anterior nostril with small dermal flap. Snout pointed. Posterior tip of maxilla not reaching to vertical through anterior margin of eye. Distinct suborbital spine posteriorly directed. Small antrorse spine below eye absent. Posterior margins of suborbital and preopercle serrated. Scales ctenoid; both lips, snout, area around eye, and bony opercular ridge and lower limb of preopercle scaleless. Lateral line complete, originating above opercle, extending to central part of caudal-fin base. Both jaws with small conical teeth, forming dense bands. Canine teeth absent. Gill rakers long, slender.
Colour when fresh. Based on colour photograph of holotype (MNHN 2002-2930; Fig. 1a). Head and body reddish-brown dorsally, silver-white ventrally. Upper lip blue. Two brown bands across dorsum of snout, connecting eyes. Upper band above posterior nostril, lower band below anterior nostril. Blue band on suborbital from anteroventral margin of orbit to just short of upper lip. Gill membrane yellow. A dark longitudinal band below lateral line from behind posterior margin of opercle to caudal peduncle. No diagonal lines on body. Distinct reddish blotch on upper end of pectoral-fin base. Pectoral fin pale yellow. Dorsal-fin membrane yellowish, semi-transparent, with yellow outer margin. Pelvic and anal fins white. Several indistinct yellowish longitudinal stripes on caudal peduncle. Upper base of caudal fin with blue blotch. Caudal fin red with yellowish upper margin. Central area of caudal fin without blotches or lines.
Colour in alcohol. (Fig. 1b) Head, body, and caudal fin uniformly pale brown. Three dark bands radiating from orbit. A dark brown longitudinal band below lateralline. Dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins pale yellow.
Distribution. Currently known only from New Caledonia (Fig. 2). Etymology. The specific name lacrima is derived from Latin meaning a tear, in reference to the distinct blue band below the eye of the species.
Scolopsis meridiana and S. taenioptera are restricted to northern Australia and Southeast Asia, respectively (Fig. 2), probably not occurring in New Caledonia, suggesting that the three species of Scolopsis with a reddish blotch on the upper part of the pectoral-fin base are allopatrically distributed in the Indo-West Pacific. Conservation in the Satsunan Islands" project of Kagoshima University adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan; and the "Island Research" project of Kagoshima University.