Parupeneus insularis Randall & Myers, 2002
(DOUBLEBAR GOATFISH)
This is not really a new fish, it's our common Doublebar Goatfish under a new name. In 2002, Dr. John E. Randall (Bishop Museum), and Robert F. Myers (author of Micronesian Reef Fishes) published a paper showing that three similar goatfish species have long been lumped under the single scientific name Parupeneus bifasciatus. Moreover, the species name bifasciatus is not correct for any of them! (The reasons are too convoluted to go into here; for more details see the article cited below.). The three species are Parupeneus trifasciatus (Indian Ocean), P. crassilabrus (Eastern Indian Ocean to Fiji, Tonga, and the Caroline Islands) and P. insularis (Hawaii, French Polynesia, Marshalls, Marianas, Phoenix and Samoa). Randall and Myers suggest the common name Island Goatfish for P. insularis, although a case could certainly be made for keeping the old name. Photo: Hanauma Bay, O`ahu. 3 ft.
Randall, John E & Robert F. Myers, 2002. Parupeneus insularis, a new Central Pacific species of goatfish (Perciformes: Mullidae) of the P. trifasciatus complex. Zoological Studies 41(4): 431-440