Review of the Snappers of the Genus Lutjanus (Pisces: Lutjanidae) from the Indo-Pacific, with the Description of a New Species

Snappers of the genus Lutjanus (family Lutjanidae) represented in the Indo-west Pacific region by 39 species, are primarily inhabitants of shallow coral reefs, although some species range into deeper water to at least 265 m, and 3 species are mainly confined to freshwater. Diagnoses with remarks on distribution, habitat, and morphological comparisons are given for each species. In addition, primary synonymies, diagnostic diagrams, color illustrations, and distribution maps are also provided.

The species recognized in the present study, with their general distributions, include: L. adetii (eastern Australia and New Caledonia), L. argentimaculatus (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. bengalensis (Indian Ocean and Indonesian Archipelago), L. biguttatus (central Indian Ocean to Melanesia), L. bitaeniatus (eastern Indian Ocean and Indonesian Archipelago), L. bohar (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. boutton (eastern Indian Ocean to central-south Pacific), L. carponotatus (north-central Indian Ocean and Indo-Australian Archipelago), L. coeruleolineatus (Red Sea to Gulf of Oman), L. decussatus (central Indian Ocean to western Pacific), L. dodecacanthoides (Indonesia and Philippines), L. ehrenbergii (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. erythropterus (northwest Indian Ocean to western Pacific), L. fulviflamma (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. fulvus (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. fuscescens (fresh water of China, Philippines, Indonesia, and New Guinea), L. gibbus (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. goldiei (fresh water of southern New Guinea), L. guilcheri (central and western Indian Ocean), L. johnii (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. kasmira (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. lemniscatus (eastern Africa to western Pacific). L. lunulatus (central Indian Ocean to Melanesia), L. lutjanus (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. madras (eastern Africa to Indonesia and Philippines), L. malabaricus (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. maxweberi (fresh water of Philippines, Indonesia, and New Guinea), L. mizenkoi n. sp. (western Pacific), L. monostigma (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. notatus (southwestern Indian Ocean), L. quinquelineatus (central Indian Ocean to western Pacific), L. rivulatus (widespread Indo-Pacific), L. russelli (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. sanguineus (western Indian Ocean and Red Sea), L. sebae (eastern Africa to western Pacific), L. semicinctus (Indonesia to central-south Pacific), L. stellatus (northwest Pacific), L. timorensis (eastern Indian Ocean to western Pacific), and L. vitta (western Indian Ocean to western Pacific).

Lutjanus mizenkoi n. sp. is similar to L. madras but differs in interorbital width, snout shape, predorsal scalation, and structure of the preopercular and opercular margins.