ACTA ICHTHYOLOGICA ET PISCATORIA (2016) 46 (2): 119–121 DOI: 10.3750/AIP2016.46.2.08 FIRST REPORT OF TEARDROP THREADFIN BREAM, NEMIPTERUS ISACANTHUS (ACTINOPTERY GII: PERCIFORMES: NEMIPTERIDAE), FROM THE SOLOMON SEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Ken LONGENECKER 1 and Ham GIAMSA 2 1 Department of Natural Sciences, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 2 Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Lababia, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea Longenecker K., Giamsa H. 2016. First report of teardrop threadfi n bream, Nemipterus isacanthus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Nemipteridae), from the Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea. Acta Ichthyol. Piscat. 46 (2): 119–121. Abstract. The teardrop threadfi n bream, Nemipterus isacanthus (Bleeker, 1873), is reported from northern New Guinea for the fi rst time based on specimens caught by hook and line, and photographed in June 2008 and September 2014 at Kamiali Wildlife Management Area (KWMA), Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. A large, permanent population exists at KWMA, thus the known range of N. isacanthus is extended by at least 1400 km. Morphometric and meristic data for specimens caught in September 2014 are provided. Keywords: Lababia, Morobe Province, new record, range extension Nine Nemipterus species have been reported, in monitoring curriculum (Longenecker et al. 2012). The checklists and aids to identifi cation, from the island of senior author encountered the species again at KWMA on New Guinea: Nemipterus balinensis (Bleeker, 1858) 11 September 2014 when photographing another catch by by Fricke et al. 2014; Nemipterus celebicus (Bleeker, the junior author. 1854), Nemipterus hexodon (Quoy et Gaimard, 1824), Several lines of evidence suggest that a large and Nemipterus peronii (Valenciennes, 1830) by Munro permanent population of Nemipterus isacanthus exists 1958; Nemipterus aurifi lum (Ogilby, 1910) by Kailola at KWMA. First, the species is common enough to have 1987; Nemipterus bathybius Snyder, 1911, Nemipterus a local name. It is called imili in Kala (the vernacular furcosus (Valenciennes, 1830), Nemipterus marginatus language at KWMA and fi ve nearby villages). Second, (Valenciennes, 1830), and Nemipterus nematopus (Bleeker, KWMA residents can describe the habitat where 1851) by Russell 1990. Only three of these, N. balinensis, N. isacanthus is most likely to be caught (over sand near N. hexodon, and N. peronii, have known distributions that the edge of coral reefs, at depths between 30 and 90 m). include the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea Third, fi shermen at KMWA suggested it would make on which Kamiali Wildlife Management Area (KWMA) is a good candidate for rapid reproductive analysis (see situated (7°18′S, 147°10′E). Longenecker et al. 2014) because they could easily catch Alongi et al. (1992) reported catching three Nemipterus the required 125 specimens within the four-month period isacanthus (Bleeker, 1873) specimens in the Gulf of Papua allotted for collection. In fact, they caught 98 specimens (approximately 9°1′S, 143°53′E), off the southern coast of during 12 days of fi shing in February 2015. Fourth, it New Guinea. However, the specimens may have been appears to form a large part of the subsistence fi sh catch waifs; there appears to be no other reports of the species at KWMA. N. isacanthus represents 23% of individuals from New Guinea waters, and the island was not included in the senior author’s photographs of the junior author’s within the range of N. isacanthus in a later treatment of two catches. nemipterids (Russell 1990). The presence of Nemipterus isacanthus at The senior author observed Nemipterus isacanthus in KWMA represents an approximately 1400 km range Papua New Guinea when photographing a June 2008 catch extension for the species (Fig. 1). Russell (1990) listed by the junior author, who resides at KWMA. An image its distribution as the Philippines, Gulf of Thailand, Strait including several individuals was used by Longenecker of Malacca, Indonesia, and northern Australia. The et al. (2008) to represent a typical subsistence catch at distribution map in Russell (1990) indicates that, north KWMA, and later appeared on the cover of a fi shery- of New Guinea, the eastern limit is located between * Correspondence: Dr. Ken Longenecker, Department of Natural Science, Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, HI, 96817, USA, phone: +1 808 847 8273, fax +1 808 847 8252, e-mail: (KL) [email protected]. 120 Longenecker and Giamsa Mindanao (Philippines) and the northeastern tip of obtained by examination of photographs of one of Sulawesi (Indonesia), whereas south of New Guinea, the the specimens (Fig. 2). Morphometric measurements eastern limit is the Gove Peninsula, northern Australia. were made with image analysis software. Meristic and The distance between these limits and KWMA is morphometric data are presented in Table 1. Head: lower approximately 2750 and 2300 km, respectively. The latter margin of eye located above a line drawn from tip of snout distance is the shortest water route between Gove Peninsula to upper base of pectoral fi n; a line drawn from posterior and KWMA (i.e., around the eastern tip of New Guinea). edge of suborbital reaching dorsal profi le 2 scale rows We also examined georeferenced occurrence records from before origin of dorsal fi n. Body: scales below lateral the Global Biodiversity Information Facility [GBIF.org line arranged in near-horizontal rows. Pectoral fi ns reach (23rd February 2016) GBIF Occurrence Download http:// beyond anus. Dorsal fi n continuous; membrane between doi.org/10.15468/dl.shlvzh GBIF]. These records indicate spines slightly emarginate; fi rst two spines separated by that, north of New Guinea, the collection site nearest a membrane, shorter than the following spines, and not KWMA was on the west side of Luzon (Philippines), produced into a long fi lament. Anal fi n: last ray elongate. whereas south of New Guinea, the collection site nearest Caudal fi n: forked; upper lobe falcate, not produced into KWMA was in the Gulf of Carpentaria The distance an elongate point or extended into a narrow fi lament. between these points and KWMA is approximately 3750 Colour: background of head and body pink dorsally, fading and 1900 km, respectively. Again, the latter distance to silver-white ventrally; upper lip yellow; yellow bar represents the shortest water route. Finally, the shortest extending obliquely forward from bottom of eye toward water route between KWMA and the site where it was angle of mouth; two pale yellow stripes along body, the reported by Alongi et al. (1992) in the Gulf of Papua is superior one from beneath origin of lateral line to upper approximately 1400 km. caudal fi n base, the inferior one from behind pectoral fi n Habitat suitable for Nemipterus isacanthus almost base to lower caudal fi n base; ventral surface yellow from certainly exists between KWMA and its previously isthmus to caudal fi n base; dorsal fi n translucent, with reported occurrences and distributional limits. The rarity narrow yellow margin and submedial stripe; caudal fi n of previous reports from New Guinea may refl ect limited pink, tip of upper lobe bright yellow. The maximum and collecting effort. It seems reasonable to include New average fork length of 125 specimens collected February– Guinea in the principal range of N. isacanthus. June 2015 was 24.9 and 15.2 cm, respectively. These No specimens of Nemipterus isacanthus from New characters agree completely with Russell (1990), the aid- Guinea have been deposited in museum collections. to-identifi cation used to identify the specimens. Here we use the terminology of Russell 1990 to describe N. isacanthus at KWMA based on meristic counts taken Table 1 from fresh specimens collected 11 September 2014; and Meristic and morphometric data for Nempiterus isacanthus morphological, morphometric, and colour characters from Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Papua New Guinea Character Value 105°E 120°E 135°E 150°E Dorsal fi n X, 9 ASIA Anal fi n III, 7 15°N Pectoral fi n 14 Philippine PACIFIC N Islands Suborbital depth/eye diameter 0.94 OCEAN Snout/eye diameter 1.15 Head length/eye diameter 3.31 Borneo Sulawesi 0° Standard length/body depth 3.10 Sumatra Pectoral fi n length/head length 1.00 New Guinea Java Timor INDIAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OCEAN 15°S We thank Barry C. Russell for identifying Nemipterus AUSTRALIA 1000 km isacanthus from our photographs. A private foundation, wishing to remain anonymous, provided fi nancial support. Fig. 1. Occurrence records for Nemipterus isacanthus; This is contribution 2016-001 to the Pacifi c Biological Red circle indicates Kamiali Wildlife Management Survey. Area, Papua New Guinea. Dashed line indicates the approximate distribution boundaries presented by REFERENCES Russell (1990); Black circles indicate georeferenced Alongi D.M., Christoffersen P., Tirendi F., Robertson records from the Global Biodiversity Information A.I. 1992. The infl uence of freshwater and material Facility, exclusive of questionable records from Africa export on sedimentary facies and benthic processes [GBIF.org (23rd February 2016) GBIF Occurrence within the Fly Delta and adjacent Gulf of Papua Download http://doi.org/10.15468/dl.shlvzh GBIF]; (Papua New Guinea). Continental Shelf Research 12 Blue circle indicates the approximate location of (2–3): 287–326. specimens reported by Alongi et al. (1992) Range extension for Nempiterus isacanthus 121 Fig. 2. Nemipterus isacanthus taken by handline from Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Papua New Guinea on 11 September 2014 Fricke R., Allen G.R., Andréfouët S., Chen W., Hamel Papua New Guinea. Bishop Museum Technical Report M.A., Laboute P., Mana R., Hui T.H., Uyeno D. No. 46. 2014. Checklist of the marine and estuarine fi shes of Longenecker K., Langston R., Bolick H., Kondio U. Madang District, Papua New Guinea, western Pacifi c 2014. Rapid reproductive analysis and length– Ocean, with 820 new records. Zootaxa 3832 (1): weight relation for red-bellied fusilier, Caesio 1–247.