Review of the south American-Antarctic triplefin fish genus Helcogrammoides (Perciformes : Tripterygiidae)

The genus Helcogrammoides comprises three species of small, cryptic shorefi shes, H. antarcticus, H. chilensis, and H. cunninghami. All three species i nhabit shallow water along exposed rocky coasts. Specimens reported herein extend the known distributions of H. chilensis and H. cunninghami to the vi cinity of Lima, Peru, approximately 1 600 km north of their previously repo rted northernmost records in Chile. Helcogrammoides chilensis and H. cunnin ghami occur sympatrically over most of their ranges in Peru and Chile and a re frequently taken together in the same field collections. Lectotypes are designated for H. chilensis and H. cunninghami. Diagnoses and an identifica tion key are provided for the species.