Two new species of the genus Epigonus (Perciformes: Epigonidae) from the South Pacific, with a definition of the Epigonus constanciae group

Two new species of Epigonus are described from the South Pacific. Epigonus chilensis is described on the basis of five specimens (166.3–208.3?mm standard length) collected from off Chile. It closely resembles Epigonus?lenimen (Whitley 1935), but differs in the presence of a minute tubercle on symphysis of lower jaw, body depth, orbital diameter, and lower-jaw length. Epigonus machaera is described on the basis of eight specimens (157.2–174.3?mm standard length) collected from the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand. It closely resembles Epigonus?robustus (Barnard 1927), but differs in the shapes of tongue and two nub-like structures on symphysis of lower jaw and second dorsal-fin spine length. Besides the two new species, 14 species of the genus are characterized by having a pungent opercular spine, more than 40 pored lateral-line scales to end of hypural, and dorsal-fin rays VII-I, 8–10. These species belong to the Epigonus constanciae group, defined in this study. A key to the species in the group is provided.