Taxonomic analysis of a group of morphologically similar ponyfishes (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) establishes a complex comprising three valid species: Leiognathus aureus Abe and Haneda, 1972, widely distributed in the western Pacific Ocean (Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and northern Australia); L. hataii Abe and Haneda, 1972, currently known only from Ambon, Indonesia; and L. panayensis sp. nov. Kimura and Dunlap, currently known only from Panay Island, the Philippines. The L. aureus complex can be defined by the following combination of characters: mouth protruding forward, not downward; small but sharp conical teeth uniserially on jaws; a black line between lower margin of eye and lower jaw articulation; and lateral line incomplete, ending below posterior part of dorsal fin base or on anterior caudal peduncle. Leiognathus hataii differs from both L. aureus and L. panayensis in having a large dark blotch below the spinous dorsal fin base and fewer counts of scales (lateral line scales 50-58 vs. 64-85 in the latter two species; scales above lateral line 7-10 vs. 12-18; scales below lateral line 22-26 vs. 30-41). Leiognathus panayensis is distinguished from L. aureus in having a deeper body (41-51% SL vs. 35-45% SL in the latter), long posterior limb of maxilla (21-25% HL vs. 15-23% HL), wholly scaled belly (vs. naked along preanal median keel), and a dark blotch on nape (vs. absent).

Two new goatfishes of the genus Upeneus (Mullidae) belonging to the putative japonicus species group are described and compared with congeneric species using a large set of meristic, morphometric and colour characters. Upeneus farnis n. sp. Uiblein & Peristiwady is described based on 14 adult specimens (> 65 mm SL) collected at the local fish market of Bitung, NE Sulawesi, Indonesia. Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. Uiblein & Gledhill is described based on 16 adult and seven subadult specimens (< 65 mm SL) specimens collected by trawling surveys off NE Australia and one non-type adult specimen collected off southern Indonesia. The new species differ from all other congenerics in the combination of dorsalfin spine, pectoral-fin ray and gill raker numbers, body and head depth, length of head, snout, barbels and paired fins, height of anal and dorsal fins, eye size, and body, barbel and caudal-fin colour patterns. When compared in detail with the 12 other species of the japonicus group, Upeneus farnis n. sp. can be distinguished by smaller eyes, shallower anal and second dorsal fins, more pectoral-fin rays and gill rakers, and the lower caudal-fin lobe almost completely dark pigmented. Upeneus spottocaudalis n. sp. differs from the other japonicus-group species in larger eyes, higher second dorsal fin, pectoral fin shorter than pelvic fin, and presence of rounded, dark spots on the lower caudal-fin lobe. Subadults differ from adult U. spottocaudalis n. sp. mainly in longer pelvic fins. The high diversity of Upeneus species in relation to divergence in colour patterns and the need of further taxonomic exploration of the genus Upeneus is discussed.

Taxonomic analysis of a group of morphologically similar ponyfishes (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) establishes the Leiognathus splendens complex comprising four valid species: L. jonesi

Abstract. The present study investigated the growth, mortality, recruitment and food habits of Monacanthus tomentosus. A total of 1 038 specimens were collected by beach seine from the seagrass beds of Kotania Bay (Moluccas, Indonesia) from March 1988 to January 1989. Their "length-weight relationship" was W= 0.011 L 3"242" Based on the von Bertalanffy formula, the asymptotic length, L~, and growth coefficient, K, were determined as 11.79 cm and 0.86, respectively. Total mortality, Z, was low (2.033). Mean length of minimum capturable size (Lc) was 6.21 cm, and recruitment occurred throughout the year. Food consisted principally of gastropods (21.41 %), seagrasses (14.11%), sponges (12.11%), algae (10.82%), amphipods (9.76%) and sedentary polychaetes (9.29%). Pelecypods, opisthobranchs, isopods, copepods, ostracods, foraminiferans, bryozoans, ascidians, nematodes, mollusc eggs and fish eggs were found only in small percentages.

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