Cybium, Revue Internationale d’Ichtyologie
Copyright © 2002 Société Française d’Ichtyologie

(1) Université d’Ottawa, Département de biologie, Casier postal 450, Succursale A, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, CANADA.

Résumé. - Poecilopsetta megalepis Fowler, 1934, décrite à partir de spécimens capturés aux Philippines, lors des expéditions du vaisseau Albatross au début du xx^e siècle, est un synonyme de P. plinthus (Jordan & Starks, 1904). Douze des 13 paratypes appartiennent au genre Nematops (11 spécimens de N. macrochirus et un N. grandisquama). Le treizième paratype correspond à la description de P. megalepis.

Abstract. - Poecilopsetta megalepis Fowler, 1934, a junior synonym of P. plinthus (Jordan & Starks, 1904) (Pleuronectiformes: Poecilopsettidae).

Poecilopsettids are dextral flatfishes with large eyes, a pronounced curve in their lateral line over the pectoral fin, and the lack of lateral line on the blind side. Three genera are found in this family, Nematops, Marleyella and Poecilopsetta. The genus Poecilopsetta is represented by 14 species. The monophyly of this genus has yet to be determined. Seven species of Poecilopsetta are found in the Pacific Ocean including Poecilopsetta megalepis described by Fowler in 1934. We have validated and examined the type material of this species and compared it with a closely related Pacific Ocean congener, P. plinthus (Jordan & Starks, 1904). All but two specimens (holotype - USNM 93094 and a paratype - USNM 93572) of P. megalepis can be identified as species from another genus (Nematops) within the family. The holotype and paratype are similar to P. plinthus. Thus, the species P. megalepis is a synonym of P. plinthus.

Key words. - Pleuronectiformes - Poecilopsettidae - Poecilopsetta megalepis - Poecilopsetta plinthus - Synonymy.