Resurrection and Re-description of Pampus candidus (Cuvier)Silver Pomfret from the Northern Indian Ocean

摘要

Pomfrets (Genus ) are commercially important fish in theIndo-Pacific region. The systematics of this genus is complicated because of morphologicalsimilarities between species. The silver pomfret from Indian waters has long beenconsidered to be . Morphological and molecularexamination of specimens from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal regions suggested thesilver pomfret from the region represents two species that are distinct both from eachother and from from the South China Sea. Based on detailedmorphological, meristic and molecular examinations, the most common species from theIndian Ocean was found to correspond with the descriptions of (Cuvier), which is resurrected from the synonymy of and redescribed here as (new combination). Thesecond species, which has restricted distribution in Indian waters needs further studiesto arrive at taxonomic conclusions and is hence not described in the current study.Lectotypes are also designated for .