REVISION OF THE CARDINALFISH SUBGENUS LEPIDAMIA (PERCIFORMES, APOGONIDAE, APOGON)

The apogonid subgenus Lepidamia is distinguished from all other subgenera of the genus Apogon in having eight spines in the first dorsal fin (last spine may not be visible externally), and smaller and more numerous scales. This subgenus contains four species: kalosoma, with 6-8 predorsal scales, 15 pectoral-fin rays, 9-10 developed gill rakers, and 39-45 lateral-line scales, is distributed from Bombay to Vietnam; multitaeniatus, with 3-6 predorsal scales, 14 pectoral-fin rays, 12-17 developed gill rakers, and 36-40 lateral-line scales, is distributed in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden; natalensis, with 2-5 predorsal scales, 15 pectoral-fin rays, 8-10 developed gill rakers, and 40-47 lateral-line scales, is distributed in the western Indian Ocean; and omanensis Con and Mee n.sp., with 3-5 predorsal scales, 16-17 pectoral-fin rays, 10-11 developed gill rakers, and 43-48 lateral-line scales, is described from Oman. Six characters are used for developing a phylogenetic hypothesis to describe realtionships in Lepidamia. The analysis shows that kalosoma is the most primitive species and mulitaeniatus is the most advanced one. A key and a map showing the distributional pattern of these species are provided.