Clarification of the cardinalfishes (apogonidae) previously confused with Apogon moluccensis Valenciennes, with a description of a related new species

Apogon moluccensis Valenciennes, 1832, is redescribed and its range noted as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. Geographic variation of gill rakers and rudiments on the first gill arch is noted among three populations. Apogon chrysosoma Bleeker, 1852, A. monochrous Bleeker, 1856, and A. ventrifasciatus Allen, Kuiter & Randall, 1994, are regarded as junior synonyms. Lectotypes of A. chrysosoma and A. monochrous are designated and described. Apogon monospilus, previously misidentified as A. moluccensis, is described as a new species. It is distinguished from A. moluccensis by having 25-28 gill rakers plus rudiments and darkly pigmented roof of mouth including some of the gill arches versus 21-25 gill rakers with pale roof of mouth and gill arches. The new species was frequently collected in depths greater than 20 meters. New records from India and the Maldives are reported for Apogon oxina, a related species.