Species that contain: Halichoeres and lapillus [ 2 ] records

lapillus, Halichoeres Smith [J. L. B.] 1947:801 [Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 11) v. 13 (no. 108) (art. 77); ref. 4073] Inhaca Island, Delagoa Bay, Mozambique, southwestern Indian Ocean. Holotype (unique): SAIAB [formerly RUSI] 282. •Valid as Macropharyngodon lapillus (Smith 1947) -- (Kuiter 2010:282 [ref. 35285]). •Valid as Halichoeres lapillus Smith 1947 -- (Randall 1986:695 [ref. 5706], Randall 1995:279 [ref. 22896], Fricke 1999:415 [ref. 24106], Parenti & Randall 2000:21 [ref. 24943], Manilo & Bogorodsky 2003:S114 [ref. 27377], Heemstra & Heemstra 2004:344 [ref. 28072], Fricke et al. 2009:86 [ref. 30213], Fricke et al. 2013:266 [ref. 32706], Fricke et al. 2018:284 [ref. 35805], Randall & Victor 2022:204 [ref. 39916]). Current status: Valid as Halichoeres lapillus Smith 1947. Labridae. Distribution: Western Indian Ocean: Oman, East Africa and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) to Madagascar and western Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius). Habitat: marine.

melas, Halichoeres Randall [J. E.] & Earle [J. L.] 1994:296, Pl. 8 [Fauna of Saudi Arabia v. 14; ref. 21642] Reef on west side of Sawda Island, Al Halaniyat (Kuria Muria Islands), southern Oman, Arabian Sea, depth 10 meters. Holotype: BPBM 36014. Paratypes: BPBM 36013 (1), USNM 329428 (1). •Synonym of Macropharyngodon lapillus (Smith 1947) -- (Kuiter 2010:282 [ref. 35285]). •Valid as Halichoeres melas Randall & Earle 1994 -- (Randall 1995:280 [ref. 22896], Parenti & Randall 2000:22 [ref. 24943], Manilo & Bogorodsky 2003:S114 [ref. 27377], Randall & Victor 2022:206 [ref. 39916]). Current status: Valid as Halichoeres melas Randall & Earle 1994. Labridae. Distribution: Northwestern Indian Ocean: southern Oman. Habitat: marine.