New and rare tropical and subtropical fishes from northern New Zealand

Five fish species (Platax teira, Abudefduf vaigiensis, Chromis flavomaculat a, Coris dorsomacula, and Aluterus scriptus) are recorded from New Zealand for the first time, and five species (Forcipiger flavissimus, Chromis vande rbilti, Chrysiptera rapanui, Parma kermadecensis, and Thalassoma lutescens) are newly recorded from mainland New Zealand. Five other species that have been reported previously in the popular press, or by name only, are confir med as members of the New Zealand fauna (Carcharhinus longimanus, Etelis ca rbunculus, Istiophorus platypterus, Acanthocybium solandri, and Aseraggodes bahamondei). New observations of 20 previously reported tropical and subtr opical species are also presented. Many of the fishes were observed in autu mn 1996, 1998, and 1999, indicating recruitment or immigration when sea sur face temperature (SST) was higher than average. Major influxes of tropical and subtropical fishes apparently occur during warm summers, although some warm periods were not accompanied by influxes, and a few tropical and subtr opical fishes arrived when SST was average or below average. The most likel y upstream source of reef fish larvae is Norfolk Island, and the principal transport mechanism is probably the East Auckland Current. The discovery in north-eastern New Zealand of single individuals of Parma kermadecensis and the yellow form of Chrysiptera rapanui, both previously regarded as Kermad ec Islands endemics, provides evidence for occasional larval transport from the Kermadecs to north-eastern New Zealand.