Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Serranoidei (Groupers) >
Grammistidae (Soapfishes)
Etymology: Pseudogramma: Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, gramma = letter, signal (Ref. 45335); paucilepis: Name from Latin 'paucus' meaning few, and the feminine Greek noun 'lepis' meaning scale; noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 15 - 29 m (Ref. 116906). Subtropical
South Pacific: Gambier Archipelago and Austral Is.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 116906)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 17; Vertebrae: 2 - 26. This species is distinguished by the following characters: dorsal fin with 20 segmented rays; anal fin with modally 16 segmented; relatively long lateral line, 1.8-2.3 (mean= 2.0) in SL; a relatively reduced scalation on interorbital, suborbital and dentary; HL 2.3-2.4 in SL, peduncle depth 4.2-5.0 in HL (Ref. 116906).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
A cryptic species found in outer reef slopes (Ref. 116906).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Williams, J.T. and J. Viviani, 2016. <>iPseudogramma polyacantha complex (Serranidae, tribe Grammistini): DNA barcoding results lead to the discovery of three cryptic species, including two new species from French Polynesia. Zootaxa 4111(3):246-260. (Ref. 116906)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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