PARAPERCIS-COLEMANI, A NEW PINGUIPEDID FISH FROM NORFOLK ISLAND, SOUTH-WESTERN PACIFIC-OCEAN

Parapercis colemani is described as a new species of pinguipedid fish from a single female collected at 1.5 m depth in the lagoon of Norfolk Island. It belongs to a group of species of the genus which lack pala tine teeth, and have three canine teeth on each side at the front of t he lower jaw, five dorsal spines with the fourth longest, and the last interspinous membrane joining the first dorsal soft ray above the bas e of the first ray. In addition to its colour pattern, P. colemani dif fers from other species in this group in having 57-58 lateral-line sca les, 6 scales above the lateral line, 3 + 11 gill rakers, penultimate dorsal and anal rays the longest, pelvic fins not reaching anus, and c audal fin with a rounded lower half and emarginate upper half with a s hort prolonged upper lobe.