TWO NEW SANDPERCHES (PERCIFORMES: PINGUIPEDIDAE: PARAPERCIS) FROM SOUTH CHINA SEA, BASED ON MORPHOLOGY AND DNA BARCODING

Abstract

Two new cryptic sandperch species of the pinguipedid genus Parapercis are described from off southern Taiwan, northern South China Sea. Parapercis kentingensis n. sp., described from 25 specimens, is morphologically similar to P shaoi Randall, 2008. Parapercis rubromaculata n. sp., described from four specimens, is morphologically similar to P randalli Ho & Shao, 2010. The four species have sympatric distributions in southern Taiwan. Both new species differ from their congeners in colouration and a combination of other characters. Morphological evidence for establishing new species status is also supported by DNA barcoding.