Relationships of fishes of the labrid tribe Hypsigenyini

The subfamily Bodianinae is the only currently recognized, suprageneric grouping within the family Labridae which warrants such recognition virtually as first proposed by Norman (1966). The assemblage properly comprises the genera Achoerodus (2 species), Bodianus (39 species), Choerodon (25 species), Clepticus (1 species), Decodon (4 species), Polylelpion (2 species), Semicossyphus (3 species), Xiphocheilus (I species) and, provisionally, Anchichoerops (1 species), but is more appropriately regarded as a tribe, taking the earlier name Hypsigenyini Gunther. The genera Lachnolaimus and Graus (Girellidae) are referred elsewhere. Members of the tribe have a large number of primitive characters relative to the family and appear to be more closely related to species currently placed in the family Scaridae than to most other labrids. Synopses of hypsigenyin genera and keys to species of each genus, except Bodianus and Choerodon, are provided.