远东拟隆头鱼Pseudolabrus eoethinus(Richardson,1846)曾为日本拟隆头鱼P.japonicus(Houttuyn,1782)的同物异名。由于这2种拟隆头鱼外部形态十分相似,导致其分类上的误鉴,目前部分文献中仍存在同物异名。本文对采自福建沿海的远东拟隆头鱼标本重新进行了形态描述,并与日本拟隆头鱼进行了形态学比较研究,发现两者间存在明显的形态差异。远东拟隆头鱼头部具1条自口角稍前向后经眼下缘伸达胸鳍基部的弧状纹线,侧线鳞孔纹为2次二分叉状,背鳍起点前鳞片数为8,背鳍鳍棘间无黑斑等特征,可与日本拟隆头鱼(头部纹线较为平直、后端不达胸鳍基部,侧线鳞孔纹为3次以上二分叉状,背鳍起点前鳞片数为5,背鳍第3-6鳍棘间具有1黑斑)相区别。
Far east wrasse Pseudolabrus eoethinus (Richardson, 1846) was previously synonymized with a Japanese wrasse P. japonicus ( Houttuyn, 1782). Due to their morphological similarities, there are taxonomic confusions with both, which results in erroneous records and misidentifications in taxonomy. A redescription of P. eoethinus was given based on the specimen collected from Fujian Province. Through the comparison of P. eoethinus and P. japonicus, we identified several clear characteristics to distinguish them. P. eoethinus can be distinguished from P. japonicus by ( 1 ) the surface of head with a darkly curve stripe extending from the margin of the upper jaw to the base of pectoral fin through the lower edge of eye ( the stripe on the surface of head is straight, not up to the base of pectoral fin) ; (2) the muciferous canals on lateral line scale were formed of bifurcations thrice repeated ( the bifurcated canals on each scale were more than thrice repeated) ; ( 3 ) predorsal scales 8 ( predorsal scales 5 ) ; (4) dorsal spines without blotch ( a dark blotch between third to sixth dorsal spines).