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Abstract

The sandperch genus, Parapercis Bleeker, 1863 is the most diverse group of Family Pinguipedidae in the perciforms. One unusual specimen of sandperches recently collected from the Dongsha Island (Pratas Island), South China Sea from 2011 expedition belonging to Taiwan, the Republic of China is turned to a new species as Parapercis dongshaensis n. sp. closely related to the newly recorded species, Parapercis okamurai Kamohara, 1960 which also firstly collected from Taiwanese waters would been also documented herein. The new species, Parapercis dongshaensis n. sp., can be well distinguished from other congeners by the following unique combination of features: (1) fins: dorsal fin rays V, 22 with spines larger posteriorly; anal fin rays I, 18; pectoral fin rays 17; (2) squamation: lateral-line scales 66, median predorsal scales 10; (3) opercular spines 2; (4) larger eye with eye/head length as 41.5%; (5) smaller mouth with mouth/head length as 30.4%; (6) mandibular pores: 4+2+4; and (7) specific coloration: body with dorsally 2/3 region generally creamy yellow; belly snow white; about 12 crossing yellow stripes below mid-lateral body; spiny dorsal fin region grayish to black; lower jaw snow white; a cluster of black marks above pectoral fin; caudal fin translucent with about 5 vertical yellow lines and its upper base with a deep black blotch.

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