Citharoides orbitalis, a new sinistral citharid flounder from western australia (pleuronectoidei, pleuronectiformes)

A new citharid flounder,Citharoides orbitalis, is described based on four specimens from Western Australia. The new species can be distinguished from the only known congener,C. macrolepidotus, by its longer orbit, greater distance between the upper eye and dorsal profile, and wider space between each eye and the anterior rim of the orbit.     

Engyprosopon marquisensis, a new species of bothid flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae) from the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)

A new bothid flounder, Engyprosopon marquisensis, is described from 11 specimens collected in deep waters (108–408 m) off the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) during the French exploratory cruise MUSORSTOM 9 in 1997. Engyprosopon marquisensis is similar to E. bellonaensis from the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Plateau in the Coral Sea and E. vanuatuensis from off Vanuatsu Island, but is easily distinguished from E. bellonaensis by the following combination of characters: narrow interorbital space in both sexes, small mouth, short caudal fin, large number of vertebrae, and fewer gill rakers. It differs from E. vanuatuensis by many scales in the lateral line, small eyes, short ocular-side upper jaw, and short blind-side lower jaw. Engyprosopon marquisensis is the deepest occurring (408 m) species of the genus, and constitutes the second species of this genus with an eastern distribution.     

Engyprosopon vanuatuensis, a new species of bothid flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae) from off Vanuatu, South West Pacific

A new bothid flounder, Engyprosopon vanuatuensis, is described on the basis of 15 specimens (9 males and 6 females, 41.1–55.8mm in standard length) collected from deep waters (163–165m) off Vanuatu Island in 1994 during the French exploratory cruise MUSORSTOM 8. The new species clearly differs from its congeners in having a short body, big eyes, large scales, and many gill rakers without serrations. Remarkable sexual dimorphism appears in interorbital width, anterior curve of head profile, rostral and orbital spines, length of ocular-side pectoral fin, small dots on eyes, and pigmentation of blind-side body.     

A new righteye flounder, Poecilopsetta pectoralis (Pleuronectiformes: Poecilopsettidae), from New Caledonia

A new righteye flounder, Poecilopsetta pectoralis, is described from 4 specimens (2 males, 2 females) collected from deep waters (510–580 m) around New Caledonia. The species is easily distinguished from 13 congeners by having 99–105 lateral line scales, a narrow interorbit [male: 37.00–40.25 in head length (HL); female: 47.33–50.71], long pectoral fin on ocular side (male: 0.89–0.91 in HL; female: 1.04–1.20), no scales from snout to anterior interorbital region, and 4 spots on caudal fin. Sexual dimorphism is evident in this species, showing males bearing the ocular-side pectoral fin longer than females, and it is the first example in Poecilopsetta.     

Two new species of the genusAmblyeleotris (Pisces: Gobiidae) from the Ryukyu Islands,Japan

Two new shrimp-associated gobies,Amblyeleotris yanoi sp. nov. andA. masuii sp. nov. are described on the basis of specimens from Iriomote-jima Island and Okinawa-jima Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.A. yanoi is distinguished from other members of the genus by the combination of the following characters: 14 anal fin soft rays, 19 pectoral fin rays, 97–103 longitudinal scales, a candle flame-shaped marking on the caudal fin, a very low membrane connecting the pelvic fins and absence of a ventral frenum.A. masuii differs from all other congeners by having 92–97 longitudinal scales, the length of the interpelvic connecting membrane relative to the longest pelvic fin ray (0.43–0.66), black blotches on the sides of the chin, and blue spots on the opercle and preopercle.     

Review of the genusBembras Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) with description of three new species collected from Australia and Indonesia

The bembrid genusBembras Cuvier is reviewed. Five species,B. japonica Cuvier,B. adenensis Imamura & Knapp and three undescribed species, were assigned to the genus. Type species of the genus,Bembras japonica is redescribed on the basis of 36 specimens including the holotype, and three new species,B. macrolepis, B. longipinnis andB. megacephala, previously misidentified asB. japonicus, are also described on the basis of specimens collected from Australia and Indonesia.Bembras macrolepis differs from its congeners by having large body scales, a long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and a dark blotch on slightly upper portion to middle of margin, 14–15 anal-fin rays, small head and orbit, and caudal fin with a broad vertical dark band near posterior margin.Bembras longipinnis is distinguished from other members of the genus by having a slightly long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, caudal fin with a large dark spot most intense in lower lobe, 1–2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 13–14 anal-fin rays, slightly elong ated head and small orbit.Bembras megacephala is characterized by the following combination of characters: caudal fin with several irregular narrow vertical dark bands, small orbit, pectoral fin with 19–20 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, head elongate, 2–4 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 15 anal-fin rays and small body scales. A key separating the five species ofBembras is given.     

Citharichthys gnathus, a new species of paralichthyid flounder (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes) from the Galapagos Islands, eastern pacific Ocean

A new paralichthyid flounder,Citharichthys gnathus, is described from 25 specimens from the Galapagos Islands. The new species strongly resemblesC. fragilis Gilbert, distributed in the Gulf of California and adjacent waters, in general appearance, and meristic and morphometric characters, but is distinguished from the latter by two adult characters, a remarkable bony knob at the anterior tip of the lower jaw and larger proportion of snout length in standard length.     

A new species of deepwater flathead,Bembras adenensis (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) from the western Indian Ocean

A new bembrid,Bembras adenensis, is described on the basis of specimens collected from the Gulf of Aden, western Indian Ocean. This species is easily distinguished fromB. japonica, the only known congener of the genus, by the following combination of characters: larger orbital diameter, longer head length, pectoral-fin with a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, 3 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 19 pectoral-fin rays, and 15 anal-fin rays (vs. smaller orbital diameter, shorter head length, pectoral-fin with several small spots forming irregular bands, 2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, usually 17 pectoral-fin rays, and 14 anal-fin rays inB. japonica).     

A new species ofRhinogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Fujian Province, China

A new freshwater goby,Rhinogobius xianshuiensis sp. nov. was collected from the upper Mulan River basin of Xianyou County, Fujian Province, eastern China. The species is distinguished from related species in the region by 3–7 predorsal scales, 27 vertebrae, cephalic lateralis canals always always with 2 derived post-orbital pores (ε1) in adults, a reddish-brown vertical line below the anterior margin of the eye, and a red netlike pattern on the opercle. A key to species ofRhinogobius with higher vertebral numbers (27–29) from eastern China, Taiwan and Japan is provided.     

Cladocera (Crustacea) from Nicaragua

Thirty-one Cladocera taxa are recorded from lakes, rivers and ponds of Western Nicaragua. They include Alona bromelicola sp. nov. found in water accumulations in epiphytic Bromeliads. The Cladocera recorded are neotropical and circumtropical. Other invertebrates found are also listed.     

Four new species of the genusSporobolomyces isolated from leaves in Thailand

Thirteen undescribed strains of ballistoconidium-forming yeasts, isolated from leaves collected in the suburbs and along the southeast seacoast of Bangkok, Thailand, were divided into four different groups in the genusSporobolomyces on the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and chemotaxonomical characteristics, and analyses of the sequences of 18S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer regions. DNA-DNA reassociation experiments with related species revealed that these four groups were four new distinct species.Sporobolomyces nylandii sp. nov.,S. poonsookiae sp. nov.,S. blumeae sp. nov. andS. vermiculatus sp. nov. are proposed for these strains.     

A new species of the genusDiaphanosoma Fischer, 1850 (Crustacea: Daphniiformes: Sididae) from Central Asia and China

Diaphanosoma macrophthalma sp.nov. is described based on material (parthenogenetic females and males) obtained from a number of water bodies of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China. Intra- and interpopulation morphological variability, size range, sex structure and geographical distribution are analyzed.     

A new species of Cyzicidae (Crustacea: Conchostraca) from Iraq

A new species of Conchostraca, Eocyzicus mesopotamiensis sp. nov., from a small pond in Iraq is described and illustrated. The account includes structural details and means of recognition. Information on the habitat is also given.     

The subterranean genus Niphargus (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in the Middle East: A faunistic overview with descriptions of two new species

The Middle East is at the southeastern borderline of the range of the subterranean amphipod Niphargus. The review of new and published data identified two new species and set the guidelines for the future research in the area. The genus in this part of the world seems to be insufficiently studied. The taxonomic status of Niphargus valachicus, population identified as N. spoeckeri and some populations, identified as N. nadarini, need to be reviewed. According to present data, we expect the highest diversity in Western Turkey. The eventual new records of the genus in the Middle East can be expected from those areas where even the longest periods of drought in the recent geological history did not affect the water supply.     

Review of the genusLimnichthys (Perciformes: Creediidae) from Japan, with description of a new species

A taxonomic review of Japanese species of the creediid genusLimnichthys recognised the following:L. fasciatus, L. nitidus (a senior synonym ofL. donaldsoni) andL. orientalis sp. nov.L. fasciatus has an antitropical distribution.L. orientalis sp. nov. differs from its most similar congener,L. nitidus, in having fewer scales above and below the lateral line (2 vs. 3) and the fifth pelvic fin ray shorter or absent, and in the shape of cirri on the lower jaw.     

A new anthiine fish (Perciformes: Serranidae),Holanthias kingyo, from the Ryukyu Islands

A new anthiine fish,Holanthias kingyo sp, nov., is described on the basis of two specimens (male and female) from the Ryukyu Is., Japan. The new species is most similar toH. natalensis (Fowler, 1925), known only from South Africa, in having the following characters: dorsal fin soft rays 16 or 17, anal fin soft rays 9, pored lateral line scales 46 or 47, scale rows above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin 9 1/2 or 10 1/2, and gill rakers 10 or 11 +24 or 25=34–36. It differs from the latter in having more scales below the lateral line to the origin of the anal fin (27 1/2 vs. 18–24), a U-shaped caudal fin with paddle-like lobes (vs. deeply forked caudal fin with each lobe ending in a long slender filament), the outer margin of the soft anal fin vertical (vs. gently convex) and brown spots on the body in female (vs. spots absent in females).     

Apterichtus keramanus, a new snake-eel from Okinawa, southern Japan (Ophichthinae, Ophichthidae)

A new snake-eel,Apterichtus keramanus, is described on the basis of a single 276-mm TL specimen trawled from the coast of Kerama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The species is unique in the genus in having the posterior nostril opening entirely inside the mouth and a dark band running from the anteroventral margin of the eye to the upper lip.