A new species of cardinalfish (Perciformes: Apogonidae: Apogon) from New Caledonia, with comments and a key to related species

Abstract
A new species of Apogon in the subgenus Ostorhinchus is described from Nouméa, New Caledonia. This species differs from all others in Apogon by having numerous small dark spots on the body, 17 pectoral-fin rays, and eight well-developed gill rakers on the first gill arch. Phenetic characteristics, in the sense that a clear published basis for monophyly has not yet been demonstrated for grouping species within Apogon, are used. High pectoral-fin ray counts, fewer than ten well-developed gill rakers and general color patterns are used to compare with and relate to a number of species found in the Coral Sea and the Indo-West Pacific. Apogon chrysurus, A. brevicaudatus, A. opercularis and A. timorensis are considered related species.