Onigocia Bimaculata, A New Species of Flathead Fish (Scoprpaeniformes: Platycephalidae) from the Indo-Pacific

A new platycephalid, Onigocia bimaculata, is described from 67 specimens collected from across the Indo-Pacific. This wide-ranging species has been taken in shorefish collections from southern Japan to American Samoa, Australia, Mauritius, Comoro Islands and Gulf of Aqaba. It is distinguished from known congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a broad interopercular flap; lateral-line scales 32-39 (mean 35.7), anterior 2-4 scales bearing a spine; anal-fin rays usually 11; total gill rakers on first arch 6-9; interobital width 0.5-1.9% SL; no ocular flaps; iris lappet bilobed; two small blackish spots near margin of first dorsal fin; and pelvic fin with a large black spot on upper surface near base and usually one or two small black spots or bands distally.