taxonID	type	description	language	source
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. NCIP 6121, 38.8 mm SL, drop off at east end of Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia, 08 ° 18 ′ S, 115 ° 37 ′ E, hand net, 23 – 45 m depth, R. Kuiter, 24 May 1994. Paratypes. 8 specimens, 20.9 – 34.8 mm SL. NCIP 6122 – 28, 3 specimens, 23.1 – 33.0 mm SL, WAM P. 30515 - 0 0 1, 5, 20.9 – 34.8 mm SL, same data as holotype. Non-type specimens. 61 specimens, 29.9 – 61.2 mm SL. RED SEA: AMS I. 38145 - 001, 48.8 mm SL, El Hameira, Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Aqaba, 30 ° 30 ′ N, 34 ° 55 ′ E, 12 m, J. Randall & O. Gon, 25 April 1977. THAILAND: KAUM – I. 59686, 51.6 mm SL, KAUM – I. 59689, 51.7 mm SL, KAUM – I. 59691, 55.0 mm SL, KAUM – I. 59692, 56.9 mm SL, KAUM – I. 59693, 57.2 mm SL, off Phuket, bottom trawl; KAUM – I. 60980, 46.6 mm SL, off Phuket, purse seine. AUSTRALIA: CSIRO H 3443 - 02, 46.5 mm SL, CSIRO H 3443 - 03, 6, 41.4 – 47.8 mm SL, east of Sir Charles Hardy Islands, 11 ° 54 ′ S, 143 ° 34 ′ E, 21 m, 24 March 1993; CSIRO H 3451 - 01, 49.7 mm SL, York Peninsula, 11 ° 12 ′ S, 143 ° 46 ′ E, 33 m, 1 June 1993; NSMT-P 113800, 54.3 mm SL, NSMT-P 113801, 14, 48.1 – 55.0 mm SL, eastern Indian Ocean, 24 ° 56.1 ′ S, 112 ° 45.9 ′ E, 90 m, R / V Kaiyo-maru, 7 November 1975. NEW CALEDONIA: BPBM 33869, 3, 50.3 – 56.5 mm SL, Chesterfield Islands, 20 ° 37 ′ 04 ″ S, 161 ° 08 ′ 00 ″ E, R / V Alis, 31 August 1988. PHILIPPINES: KAUM – I. 63043, 53.5 mm SL, KAUM – I. 63052, 50.0 mm SL, off Iloilo, Panay Island, 10 ° 41 ′ N, 122 ° 35 ′ E. SOUTH CHINA SEA: USNM 261180, 53.7 mm SL, Macclesfield Bank, 16 ° 05 ′ 30 ″ N, 114 ° 40 – 43 ′ 00 ″ E, 76.8 – 80.0 m, R / V Cape St. Mary, 13 June 1964; USNM 262762, 9, 29.9 – 39.6 mm SL, Macclesfield Bank, 15 ° 49 ′ 24 ″ – 58 ʹ 48 ʺN, 114 ° 31 ′ 48 ″ – 33 ʹ 48 ʺE, 82.3 – 84.1 m, R / V Cape St. Mary, 15 June 1964. JAPAN: KAUM – I. 495, 49.0 mm SL, Hami, Kagoshima, 31 ° 20 ′ N, 130 ° 04 ′ E, set net, 40 m, K. Nakahata, 24 February 2006; KAUM – I. 53981, 57.6 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 9 April 2013; KAUM – I. 54004, 52.9 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanegashima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 14 April 2013; KAUM – I. 54080, 58.4 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 13 April 2013; KAUM – I. 54300, 58.3 mm SL, KAUM – I. 54301, 57.9 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanegashima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 5 May 2013; KAUM – I. 54340, 56.6 mm SL, KAUM – I. 54341, 58.3 mm SL, KAUM – I. 54342, 56.5 mm SL, KAUM – I. 54343, 49.8 mm SL, off Hirota Port, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 25 ′ 29 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 50 ″ E, set net, 20 m, M. Takayama, 4 May 2013; KAUM – I. 55487, 57.0 mm SL, Uchinoura Bay, Kimotsuki, Kimotsuki-gun, Kagoshima, 31 ° 17 ′ N, 131 ° 05 ′ E, set net, 40 m, M. Yamada, 11 June 2013; KAUM – I. 55994, 47.7 mm SL, Minamitane, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 27 ′ N, 130 ° 58 ′ E, set net, M. Yamada, 25 February 2013; KAUM – I. 62240, 61.2 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 4 May 2014; KAUM – I. 62493, 60.4 mm SL, KAUM – I. 62497, 59.2 mm SL, off Kumano, Tanega-shima island, Kagoshima, 30 ° 28 ′ 13 ″ N, 130 ° 58 ′ 32 ″ E, set net, 25 m, M. Takayama, 3 May 2014; KAUM – I. 68226, 45.1 mm SL, Uchinoura Bay, Kimotsuki, Kimotsuki-gun, Kagoshima, 31 ° 17 ′ 29 ″ N, 131 ° 06 ′ 59 ″ E, set net, 40 m, K. Koeda, 16 January 2015.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis A species of Rhabdamia with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays VI-I, 9; analfin rays II, 11 – 12 (modally 12); pectoral-fin rays 13 – 14 (modally 13); developed gill rakers 27 – 33 (modally 30 – 31); gill rakers including rudiments 27 – 33 (modally 30); a black stripe from jaw tips to anterior margin of orbit; 3 – 6 reddish-brown to blackish blotches on opercle and anterior of body; indistinct black pigment restricted to caudal fin outer margins.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	description	Description. Meristics and morphometrics of the type and non-type specimens are shown in Table 1. Data for the holotype are presented first, followed by paratype or non-type data (if different) in parentheses. Body oblong, moderately deep and compressed; deepest at first dorsal-fin origin. Dorsal and ventral profiles of head and body convex. Caudal peduncle moderately deep. Head large, compressed. Eye large, rounded, orbit diameter 3.3 (2.7 – 4.1) in HL. Mouth moderate in size, oblique, forming angle of ca. 40 degrees to horizontal axis of body. Posterior margin of maxilla extending beyond vertical through anterior margin of eye; posterior edge of maxilla slightly concave; supramaxilla absent. Upper-jaw length 2.6 (2.2 – 3.0) in HL. Lower jaw projecting, its tip thickened and fitting into median indentation in upper jaw. No enlarged caniniform teeth on jaws. Villiform teeth in 1 – 3 rows on both jaws; several tiny teeth on vomer; teeth absent on ectopterygoid. Scattered papillae on upper surface of tongue. Anterior nostril with short oval tube, uppermost margin of opening level with dorsal margin of pupil. Posterior nostril oval, opening vertically, without rim, uppermost margin below level of dorsal margin of orbit. Gill rakers slender, moderately long. Gill filaments shorter than gill rakers. Single, flat, obtuse opercular spine. Preopercular and opercular margins smooth. Body scales cycloid, thin and deciduous. Lateral line well developed, more or less parallel with dorsal contour of body, ending a little beyond caudal-fin base (three pored scales posterior to hypural, last scale pointed). No scales on dorsal and anal fins, but a low sheath along bases of second dorsal and anal fins; small scales basally on caudal fin; midventral scales on bases of pelvic fins, paired fins otherwise lacking scales. Vertebrae 10 + 14. Formula for supraneural bones, anterior neural spines and anterior dorsal pterygiophores 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 + 1 / 1 / 1 + 1 /. Caudal skeleton (Fig. 4): five hypurals (first to fourth hypurals firmly fused, fifth hypural free), three epurals, one parhypural, uroneurals and autogenous haemal spines absent. First dorsal-fin origin posterior to vertical through pectoral-fin base; second spine of first dorsal fin damaged (second spine longest, its length 2.5 – 3.8 in HL). Posterior end of first dorsal-fin base anterior to vertical through posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin; all dorsal-fin soft rays branched. Second dorsal-fin origin anterior to vertical through anal-fin origin; second dorsal fin with concave margin; second dorsal-fin spine and rays damaged (first dorsal spine length of second dorsal fin 2.6 – 4.1 in HL; first soft ray of second dorsal fin longest, its length 1.5 – 2.3 in HL); all second dorsal-fin rays branched. Posterior end of second dorsal-fin base posterior to vertical through base of ninth (or eighth) anal-fin soft ray. Anal-fin origin below base of second soft ray of second dorsal fin; first spine of anal fin short, its length 12.0 (7.9 – 23.9) in HL; second anal spine damaged (its length 3.2 – 5.8 in HL); first soft ray of anal fin long, its length 1.9 (1.8 – 2.5) in HL; all anal-fin rays branched. Pelvic-fin origin anterior to vertical through origin of first dorsal fin; pelvic-fin spine long, its length 2.8 (2.6 – 3.9) in HL; first pelvic-fin soft ray longest, its length 2.0 (1.8 – 2.8) in HL. Posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin reaching to vertical through sixth spine base of first dorsal fin. Pectoral fin long, its length 1.1 (1.1 – 1.5) in HL, posterior tip extending beyond vertical through fourth soft ray of second dorsal fin; pectoral-fin base narrow, its width 5.7 (4.8 – 9.3) in HL. Caudal fin forked, length of upper lobe 1.2 (1.0 – 1.9) in HL. Anus midway between pelvic and anal fin origins.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	materials_examined	Color of fresh specimens — Body semi-translucent, pinkish with silvery abdomen, 3 – 6 reddish-brown to blackish blotches on opercle and anteriorly on body below first dorsal-fin base. Two short reddish-brown to blackish stripes (sometimes one or none) above center of opercle. A longitudinal reddish-brown to blackish stripe on lateral surface of body from upper end of gill opening to below second dorsal-fin base (sometimes absent). Snout and tip of lower jaw yellowish with black pigmentation. Lower part of head silvery-white (rarely with some black pigmentation or a diffuse black stripe from posterior margin of preopercle to midpoint of opercle). Posteroventral margin of orbit to center of opercle silvery-white (rarely with diffuse black pigmentation). First and second dorsal fins translucent red, yellowish basally. Pectoral fin translucent yellowish-red. Pelvic and anal fins translucent red. Caudal fin translucent yellowish-red, with indistinct black pigmentation on outer margins. Color of preserved specimens — Head and trunk pale yellow. Black stripe and blotches on head and body. All fins translucent.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Currently known from the northern Indian Ocean (Red Sea and Andaman Sea) and western Pacific Ocean (Japan, South China Sea, Philippines, Indonesia, New Caledonia and Australia). The northernmost and easternmost recorded ranges of the species are Uchinoura Bay, Kagoshima, Japan and Chesterfield Island, New Caledonia (Fig. 3). Collection data for the specimens indicated capture depths from 12 to 90 m.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB4FFE79DC2C83BFD20BBE7.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Allen & Kuiter’s (1994) descriptions of R. spilota and supposed R. gracilis (hereinafter “ R. gracilis ”) indicated both as having 27 – 32 total gill rakers on the first gill arch, although examination of the two species concerned during this study showed that they differed from each other in gill raker numbers (27 – 33 in R. spilota vs. 23 – 27 in “ R. gracilis ”; Table 1). Allen & Kuiter (1994) also indicated that their “ R. gracilis ” had “ subdermal black spots at the base of the lower caudal rays and black tips on one or both lobes in some specimens ”. However, specimens of true Indo-West Pacific R. gracilis examined herein lacked black spots on the lower part of the caudal-fin base and had black pigmentation on the tips of the caudal-fin lobes. In addition, the preopercular margin of “ R. gracilis ” was described as weakly serrated or crenulated, but is smooth in true R. gracilis. Present indications point to “ R. gracilis ” being an undescribed species. Allen & Kuiter (1994) included body depth in the diagnostic characters of R. spilota (3.7 – 3.8 in SL vs. 3.1 – 3.5 in SL for “ R. gracilis ”). The present examination of many R. spilota specimens indicated its body depth to be 3.2 – 4.1 in SL, which broadly overlaps those of both “ R. gracilis ” and true R. gracilis (3.3 – 4.6 in SL; this study). Although Allen & Kuiter (1994) gave the number of total gill rakers (including rudiments) of the type specimens of R. spilota as 7 + 22, our re-examination of the type series showed total gill rakers numbered 9 + 22 in the holotype and 7 – 8 + 20 – 23 in the paratypes (Table 1). …… continued on the next page Gon & Randall (2003) also compared specimens of R. spilota with supposed R. gracilis, in fact the same (undescribed) species studied by Allen & Kuiter (1994). Accordingly, differences between R. spilota and true R. gracilis have remained unclear to date. The present study revealed that R. spilota is distinguished from true R. gracilis by having modally 30 or 31 developed gill rakers (vs. 24 in R. gracilis; Table 1), modally 30 gill rakers including rudiments (vs. 24 or 25; Table 1), a black stripe from the jaw tips to the anterior margin of the orbit (vs. snout and tip of lower jaw with black pigmentation), 3 – 6 reddish-brown to blackish blotches on the opercle and anterior of the body (vs. blotches absent), and indistinct black pigmentation restricted to the outer margins of the caudal fin (vs. pigmentation scattered over entire fin). The largest individual of R. spilota examined here (KAUM – I. 62240, 61.2 mm SL) was collected from Tanega-shima island, Osumi Islands, Japan.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	description	Paralectotypes RMNH. PISC 34135, 36 specimens, 27.9 – 46.5 mm SL, same data as lectotype.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	materials_examined	Non-type specimens. 61 specimens, 28.3 – 59.3 mm SL. SEYCHELLES: ANSP 164501, 43.7 mm SL, Beacon Island, 04 ° 37 ′ S, 55 ° 31 ′ E, 12 – 15 m depth, J. Böhlke et al., 3 February 1964; ANSP 164505, 2, 38.5 – 41.3 mm SL, Beau Vallon Bay, Mahé, 04 ° 37 ′ S, 55 ° 25 ′ E, 6 – 7.5 m, J. Böhlke et al., 15 March 1964; ANSP 164538, 43.5 mm SL, southwest of Ressource Island, Saint Joseph Islands, Amirante Islands, 05 ° 26 ′ S, 53 ° 22 ′ E, 24 – 30 m, J. Böhlke et al., 7 March 1964; BPBM 35775, 12, 40.6 – 44.9 mm SL, D Arros, Amirante Islands, 05 ° 29 ′ S, 53 ° 18 ′ E, 50 – 55 m, R / V Tyro, 28 December 1992. MALDIVES: BPBM 34738, 40.8 mm SL, Haleem’s Island, Male Atoll, spear, 18 m, J. Randall, 20 October 1988. THAILAND: KAUM – I. 33319, 44.2 mm SL, KAUM – I. 33320, 44.6 mm SL, Kuraburi Fishing Port, Amphoe Kuraburi, Ranong Province, 09 ° 22 ′ N, 98 ° 23 ′ E, trawl. AUSTRALIA: AMS I. 26941 - 004, 7, 28.9 – 41.8 mm SL, west northwest of Dampier, WA, 21 ° 58 ′ S, 115 ° 57 ′ E, RV Soela; CSIRO B 2011, 2, 43.3 – 44.0 mm SL, northwest of Admiralty Gulf, 12 ° 16 ′ S, 124 ° 03 ′ E, 82 m, 16 July 1980; WAM P. 25371 - 012, 5, 35.7 – 46.4 mm SL, off Tantabiddi, WA, spear, 15 – 18 m, G. Allen, 30 June 1975. MALAYSIA: BPBM 21943, 6, 41.8 – 45.8 mm SL, Pulau Tioman Island, spear, 8 m, J. Randall, 3 August 1977. JAPAN: NSMT-P 100281, 59.3 mm SL, NSMT-P 100926, 58.9 mm SL, Iburi, Tosashimizu, Kochi, set net, M. Nakae, 24 July 2009; KAUM – I. 7033, 57.4 mm SL, east of Sakinoyama, Kataura, Kasasa, Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, 31 ° 25 ′ 44 ″ N, 130 ° 11 ′ 49 ″ E, set net, 27 m, M. Itou, 9 June 2007; KAUM – I. 7823, 28.3 mm SL, off Kouzaki-yama, Kataura, Kasasa, Minamisatuma, Kagoshima, 31 ° 26 ′ 00 ″ N, 130 ° 10 ′ 05 ″ E, set net, 36 m, M. Itou, 20 December 2007; KAUM – I. 19722, 54.9 mm SL, east of Sakinoyama, Kataura, Kasasa, Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, 31 ° 25 ′ 44 ″ N, 130 ° 11 ′ 49 ″ E, set net, 27 m, M. Itou, 13 May 2009; KAUM – I. 24808, 49.5 mm SL, 1 km southwest off Kawajiri Fishing Port, Kaimonkawajiri, Ibusuki, Kagoshima, 31 ° 10 ′ N, 130 ° 32 ′ E, set net, 40 m, G. Ogihara & T. Yoshida, 22 April 2009; KAUM – I. 26606, 51.5 mm SL, KAUM – I. 26607, 46.6 mm SL, KAUM – I. 26608, 53.1 mm SL, KAUM – I. 26609, 50.3 mm SL, KAUM – I. 26610, 48.9 mm SL, KAUM – I. 26617, 48.7 mm SL, 1 km southwest off Kawajiri Fishing Port, Kaimonkawajiri, Ibusuki, Kagoshima, 31 ° 10 ′ N, 130 ° 32 ′ E, set net, 40 m, G. Ogihara et al., 24 February 2010; KAUM – I. 27536, 53.2 mm SL, KAUM – I. 27537, 49.9 mm SL, KAUM – I. 27539, 49.6 mm SL, KAUM – I. 27541, 50.0 mm SL, KAUM – I. 27542, 51.1 mm SL, KAUM – I. 27544, 46.4 mm SL, 1 km southwest off Kawajiri Fishing Port, Kaimonkawajiri, Ibusuki, Kagoshima, 31 ° 10 ′ N, 130 ° 32 ′ E, set net, 40 m, G. Ogihara & T. Yoshida, 10 March 2010; KAUM – I. 29641, 54.2 mm SL, KAUM – I. 29642, 55.6 mm SL, off south coast of Ombosaki, Take-shima island, Mishima, Kagoshima, 30 ° 48 ′ 32 ″ N, 130 ° 24 ′ 33 ″ E, hand net, 5 – 40 m, KAUM fish team, 27 May 2010; KAUM – I. 29756, 55.1 mm SL, KAUM – I. 29757, 52.5 mm SL, off south coast of Ombosaki, Take-shima island, Mishima, Kagoshima, 30 ° 48 ′ 32 ″ N, 130 ° 24 ′ 33 ″ E, hand net, 5 – 20 m, KAUM fish team, 27 May 2010.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis A species of Rhabdamia with the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays VI-I, 9; analfin rays II, 12; pectoral-fin rays 12 – 14 (modally 13); developed gill rakers 22 – 27 (modally 24); gill rakers including rudiments 23 – 27 (modally 24 – 25); snout and tip of lower jaw with black pigmentation; blackish blotches absent from opercle and anterior of body; black pigmentation scattered over entire caudal fin.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	description	Description. Meristics and morphometrics of the type and non-type specimens are shown in Table 1. Data for the lectotype is presented first, followed by paralectotypes and non-type data (if different) in parentheses. Body oblong, moderately deep and compressed; deepest at first dorsal-fin origin. Dorsal and ventral profiles of head and body convex. Caudal peduncle moderately deep. Head large, compressed. Eye large, rounded, orbit diameter 3.4 (2.8 – 4.2) in HL. Mouth moderate in size, oblique, forming angle of ca. 40 degrees to horizontal axis of body. Posterior margin of maxilla extending beyond vertical through anterior margin of eye; posterior edge of maxilla slightly concave; supramaxilla absent. Upper-jaw length 2.7 (2.3 – 3.0) in HL. Lower jaw projecting, its tip thickened and fitting into median indentation in upper jaw. No enlarged caniniform teeth on jaws. Villiform teeth in 1 – 3 rows on both jaws; several tiny teeth on vomer; teeth absent on ectopterygoid. Scattered papillae on upper surface of tongue. Anterior nostril with short oval tube, uppermost margin of opening below level of dorsal margin of pupil. Posterior nostril oval, opening vertically, without rim, uppermost margin below level of dorsal margin of orbit. Gill rakers slender, moderately long. Gill filaments shorter than gill rakers. Single, flat, obtuse opercular spine. Preopercular and opercular margins smooth. Body scales cycloid, thin and deciduous. Lateral line well developed, more or less parallel with dorsal contour of body, ending a little beyond caudal-fin base. No scales on dorsal and anal fins, but a low sheath along bases of second dorsal and anal fins; small scales basally on caudal fin; midventral scales on bases of pelvic fins, paired fins otherwise lacking scales. Vertebrae 10 + 14. Formula for supraneural bones, anterior neural spines and anterior dorsal pterygiophores 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 + 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 /. Caudal skelton (Fig. 8): five hypurals (first to fourth hypurals firmly fused, fifth free), three epurals, one parhypural, uroneurals and autogenous haemal spines absent. First dorsal-fin origin posterior to vertical through pectoral-fin base; second spine of first dorsal fin damaged (second spine longest, its length 2.7 – 3.9 in HL). Posterior end of first dorsal-fin base anterior to vertical through posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin; all dorsal-fin soft rays branched. Second dorsal-fin origin anterior to vertical through anal-fin origin; second dorsal fin with concave margin; first dorsal spine length of second dorsal fin 3.5 (2.7 – 4.6) in HL; second dorsal-fin rays damaged (first soft ray of second dorsal fin longest, its length 1.8 – 2.5 in HL); all second dorsal-fin rays branched. Posterior end of second dorsal-fin base posterior to vertical through base of ninth (or eighth) anal-fin soft ray. Anal-fin origin below base of first soft ray of second dorsal fin; first spine of anal fin short, its length 16.1 (8.5 – 23.0) in HL; second anal spine 4.2 (3.5 – 5.2) in HL; anal-fin rays damaged (first soft ray of anal fin longest, its length 2.1 – 3.3 in HL); all anal-fin rays branched. Pelvic-fin origin anterior to vertical through origin of first dorsal fin; pelvic-fin spine long, its length 3.4 (2.6 – 4.2) in HL; first pelvic-fin soft ray longest, its length 2.6 (1.9 – 2.9) in HL. Posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin reaching to vertical through sixth spine base of first dorsal fin. Pectoral fin damaged (its length 1.2 – 1.6 in HL); pectoral-fin base narrow, its width 7.5 (5.6 – 9.6) in HL. Caudal fin damaged (caudal fin forked, its upper lobe length 1.3 – 1.8 in HL).	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	materials_examined	Color of fresh specimens — Body semi-translucent pinkish with silvery abdomen. Females of this species with one or two longitudinal reddish-brown to blackish stripes on lateral surface of body from above pectoral-fin base to below posterior end of second dorsal-fin base (sometimes to below posterior end of first dorsal-fin base). Snout and tip of lower jaw yellowish with black pigmentation. Posteroventral margin of orbit with diffuse black pigmentation (rarely absent). First and second dorsal, and pectoral fins translucent red. Anal fins translucent red (tip sometimes yellowish). Pelvic fin translucent. Caudal fin translucent red, with black pigmentation on tips of lobes. Color of preserved specimens — Head and trunk pale yellow. Black stripe and blotches on head and body. Caudal fin blackish, other fins translucent.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Currently known from the northern Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Maldives and Andaman Sea) and western Pacific Ocean (Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia) (Fig. 7). Collection data for the specimens examined indicated capture depths from 5 to 83 m.	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
038287D0FFB2FFEA9DC2C816FE6EBDE6.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Rhabdamia gracilis was originally described by Bleeker (1856) based on 39 specimens collected from Indonesia, one having been apparently lost since (R. de Ruiter, pers. comm.). Of the remaining 38 syntypes, one specimen (38.1 mm SL) was identified as Verulux solmaculata Yoshida & Motomura 2016 (re-registered as RMNH. PISC 34136), the others being conspecific and recognized here as R. gracilis. Bleeker’s (1876 – 1877) figure of R. gracilis (as Amia gracilis) illustrates characters of both R. gracilis and V. solmaculata: i. e., VI-I, 9 dorsal-fin rays; II, 12 anal-fin rays; a black stripe from above the pectoral-fin base to the middle of the caudal peduncle; a black stripe from the posterior margin of the orbit to the end of the opercle; a black stripe from the snout to the anterior margin of the orbit; a black blotch at the caudal-fin base; and a black band along each caudal fin lobe. The first three characters are applicable to R. gracilis and the remainder to V. solmaculata (see Yoshida & Motomura 2016; this study). Clearly, Bleeker’s figure of R. gracilis was based on more than one specimen, thereby nullifying the ICZN recommendation (ICZN 1999: article 74.7, recommendation 74 B) that an illustrated specimen be designated as lectotype. Consequently, RMNH. PISC 5609 (30.7 mm SL, Fig. 5), which has been preserved in good condition, is herein designated as the lectotype of R. gracilis, the remaining syntypes becoming paralectotypes (re-registered as RMNH. PISC 34135).	en	Yoshida, Tomohiro, Motomura, Hiroyuki (2018): Redescription of the Indo-West Pacific cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) Rhabdamia spilota Allen & Kuiter 1994 and R. gracilis (Bleeker 1856). Zootaxa 4377 (2): 178-190, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4377.2.2
