Abstract
A new perchlet species is described on the basis of four specimens collected from southwestern Taiwan. It is similar to congeners with relatively few lateral‐line scales (35–38) and can be distinguished by having third to sixth dorsal‐fin spines notably long; eighth and ninth dorsal‐fin spines notably short; developed gill rakers 1 + 7–8; scale rows between lateral line and sixth dorsal‐fin spine 4 (the dorsalmost half‐sized); tip of upper corner of caudal fin reddish; four reddish bands midlaterally on body with groups of melanophores in these bands. DNA barcoding analysis reveals the new species is a distinct lineage and closest to Chelidoperca microdon . The average interspecific genetic distance calculated by the K2P model is 15.4%, whereas the mean distance from the new species to C. microdon is 18.3%. The inferred phylogenetic tree supports monophyly of Chelidoperca . Including the new species, six nominal species of Chelidoperca are recognized in Taiwanese waters.