Pseudanthias calloura (Teleostei: Perciformes), a new serranid fish from Palau, Central Pacific

A new anthine fish, Pseudanthias calloura, is described on the basis of three specimens from Palau. The new species differs from other congeners in having a complicated color pattern of the caudal fin and the following characters: moderately forked caudal fin; dorsal fin with 10 spines, the anterior ones being shorter than the rest, and with 16 soft rays; second anal spine shorter than the third; 19 pectoral rays; scales on lateral line 51 (holotype) to 53 (paratypes) in number; tongue without teeth; circumorbital rim with several fleshy projection on posterior part; a row of fine scales occurring asymmetrically behind alternate dorsal spines on both left and right sides; preopercle margin finely serrated; interopercle and subopercle margins smooth. Received: June 9, 1999 / Revised: September 23, 2000 / Accepted: February 23, 2001     

A new cave‐dwelling loach,Triplophysa xichouensis sp. nov. (Teleostei Nemacheilidae) from Yunnan,China

A new cave‐dwelling loach of the genus Triplophysa, T. xichouensis, is described from an outlet of a subterranean river in Xisa Town, Xichou County, Yunnan Province, China. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: dorsal‐fin rays iii, 8; anal‐fin rays ii, 6; pectoral‐fin rays i, 9 or 10; pelvic‐fin rays i, 5 or 6; branched caudal‐fin rays 16(8+8); eyes highly degenerated to a very tiny black dot; dorsal‐fin origin closer to snout tip than to caudal‐fin base and anterior to vertical line of pelvic‐fin origin; pectoral fin length about two‐thirds the distance between pectoral‐fin origin to pelvic‐fin origin; caudal peduncle slender, its length about three times its depth; caudal fin emarginate; body smooth and scaleless; lateral line complete and straight; anterior chamber of air bladder wrapped in dumbbell‐shaped bony capsule and the posterior one well developed, long, oval; intestine short, bending in zigzag shape behind stomach. A key for the cave‐dwelling species of Triplophysa is provided. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9162FFB1‐7911‐47C3‐AE50‐6A00E9590327     

A new zoarcid, Lycodes mcallisteri, from eastern Arctic Canada (Teleostei: Perciformes)

A new zoarcid fish, Lycodes mcallisteri, is described on the basis of nine specimens (230–375 mm SL) from eastern Arctic Canada, Nunavut (Hudson Strait, 298 m; Cumberland Sound and Baffin Bay, 579 m). It resembles about 15 other Lycodes spp. in having a long tail and a "ventromediolateral" type of lateral line. It is distinguished from Arctic members of this group (Lycodes marisalbi, L. palearis, and L. sagittarius) by the high number of pectoral fin rays (22–23), short pelvic fins, low submental crests, and coloration (6–10 light patches dorsally). It resembles two Pacific species (L. macrochir and L. soldatovi) by the high number of pectoral fin rays, but differs by coloration, meristics, and shape of the pectoral fin. Received: April 13, 2000 / Revised: September 7, 2000 / Accepted: January 11, 2001     

Review of Polydactylus species (Perciformes: Polynemidae) characterized by a large black anterior lateral line spot, with descriptions of two new species

Nominal Polydactylus species characterized by a large black spot anteriorly on the lateral line, P. microstomus (Bleeker), P. sextarius mullani (Hora), P. sextarius sextarius (Bloch and Schneider), and P. zophomus Jordan and McGregor, are reviewed. Polydactylus zophomus, with 5 pectoral filaments, is synonymized under P. microstomus, and P. sextarius mullani, with 7 pectoral filaments, is elevated to species level (as P. mullani). Polydactylus microstomus and P. mullani together with P. sextarius (characterized by 6 pectoral filaments) are considered as valid species and redescribed accordingly. Two new species, P. malagasyensis and P. persicus, each with 6 pectoral filaments, collected from the east coast of Africa, including Madagascar and the Persian Gulf, are also described. Polydactylus sextarius and the 2 new species are characterized by 6 pectoral filaments. However, P. sextarius is distinguished from the latter by having lower gill raker counts (mode 28 vs. 31 in the latter) and an atrophied swimbladder (vs. well-developed). Polydactylus malagasyensis differs from P. persicus in having higher pectoral fin ray counts (14 vs. mode 12 in the latter), the palatines inwardly turned anteriorly (vs. straight), and a longer pectoral fin (mean 24% of standard length vs. 19%). Received: February 5, 2001 / Revised: April 29, 2001 / Accepted: May 1, 2001     

Balitora eddsi,a new species of hillstream loach (Ostariophysi: Balitoridae) from Nepal

A new species of hillstream loach Balitora eddsi is described from the Karnali River drainage in south‐western Nepal. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: six to seven unbranched pectoral‐fin rays, pelvic‐fin length 12–14% standard length (L_S), dorsal surface without circular or irregular shaped dark blotches, snout pointed, median lobe between anterior rostral barbels pointed posteriorly, dorsal‐fin origin posterior to pelvic‐fin origin, lateral line scales 66–67, caudal peduncle length 22–23·2% L_S, caudal peduncle depth 4·1–4·2 times its length.     

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.     

Pethia sanjaymoluri,a new species of barb (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the northern Western Ghats,India

Pethia sanjaymoluri, a new cyprinid, is described from the Pavana and Nira tributaries of Bhima River, Krishna drainage, Maharashtra, India. It can be distinguished from congeners by a combination of characteristics that includes an incomplete lateral line, absence of barbels, upper lip thick and fleshy, 23–25 lateral series scales, 7–12 lateral‐line pored scales, 10 predorsal scales, 11–14 prepelvic scales, 17–20 pre‐anal scales, 4½ scales between dorsal‐fin origin and lateral line, four scales between lateral line and pelvic‐fin origin, 8–15 pairs of serrae on distal half of dorsal‐fin spine, 12–14 branched pectoral‐fin rays, 4 + 26 total vertebrae, 4 + 5 predorsal vertebrae, 4 + 13 abdominal vertebrae, 13 caudal vertebrae and a unique colour pattern comprising a humeral spot positioned below the lateral line and encompassing the third and fourth lateral‐line scales and one scale below, one caudal spot on 17th–21st lateral‐line scales with a yellow hue on its anterior side and apical half of dorsal fin studded with melanophores making the fin tip appear black. Genetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence suggests that the species is distinct from other known species of Pethia for which data are available.     

A new blind loach, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreonectes elongatus</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae) from Guangxi,China

A new loach, Oreonectes elongatus sp. nov. is described based on collections from Mulun Township, Huanjiang County, Guangxi in China. It is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: most elongate body (body depth/SL 8.62–10.68%), blind, a forked caudal fin, obvious adipose dorsal crest and ventral crest; entire body naked and de-pigmented. Although the new species has a similar distribution with O. macrolepis, it can be distinguished by scales (absent in O. elongatus vs. present in O. macrolepis), shape of snout (elongate vs. round), the opposite position of the dorsal and pelvic fins origins (behind vs. front). The new species shares the same possession of dorsal and ventral crests, a forked caudal fin, eyeless, naked body and incomplete lateral line with O. translucens, but can be distinguished from the latter by caudal fin crest (more developed and translucent in O. translucens), longer anterior nostril tube and barbel, extreme of pectoral fin reaching 2/3 of the distance between origin of pectoral and pelvic fins, more vertebrae (4 + 38–39 vs. 4 + 32).     

Description of Triplophysa luochengensis sp. nov. (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from a karst cave in Guangxi,China

A new cave‐dwelling fish Triplophysa luochengensis is described based on specimens collected from a karst cave in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, that is interconnected to the Hongshui River drainage. The species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters: eyes degenerated, anal fin with six branched rays, caudal fin with 16–17 branched rays, pectoral‐fin length 72·4–95·8% of the distance between pectoral‐fin origin and pelvic‐fin origin, lateral head length 26·2–28·2% of standard length (L_S), eye diameter 7·5–8·6 of L_S, body covered by sparse scales, lateral line complete and 7–8 pre‐operculo‐mandibular pores. Dark pigments irregularly present on dorsum of head, dorsum and flank.     

Redescription of a rare threadfin (Perciformes: Polynemidae), Polydactylus macrophthalmus (Bleeker, 1858), with designation of a lectotype and notes on distributional implications

A rare threadfin, Polydactylus macrophthalmus (Bleeker, 1858), having long been included in the genus Polynemus, is redescribed on the basis of 9 specimens and a lectotype designated. Polydactylus macrophthalmus is characterized by the following combination of characters: 7 pectoral filaments, upper 3 filaments extending beyond posterior margin of hypural; 13 or 14 pectoral fin rays; 87–94 pored lateral line scales; 11 scales above lateral line, 15 or 16 below; 10–12 upper series gill rakers, 15 or 16 lower, 26 or 27 total; occipital profile concave in adults; second spine of first dorsal fin very strong; pectoral fin rays long (mean 24% [range 24–26%] of SL). The presently known distribution of the species, including the Kapuas River, Kalimantan, and the Musi and Batanghari Rivers, Sumatra, Indonesia, apparently reflects the ancient Central or North Sunda River during the last period of lowered sea levels, ca. 12 000 years ago. Received: November 1, 2000 / Revised: March 2, 2001 / Accepted: March 15, 2001     

Review of seven-spined <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polynemus</Emphasis> species (Perciformes: Polynemidae) with designation of a neotype for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polynemus paradiseus</Emphasis> Linnaeus, 1758

 A taxonomic review of seven-spined Polynemus species recognizes two species as valid: P. hornadayi Myers, 1936, currently known only from western Sarawak, Kalimantan, Malaysia, and P. paradiseus Linnaeus, 1758, distributed from India to Thailand and regarded as a senior synonym of P. aureus Hamilton, 1822, P. longifilis Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829, P. risua Hamilton, 1822, and P. toposui Hamilton, 1822. Polynemus hornadayi differs from P. paradiseus in having a strongly protruded occipital profile (vs. nearly straight in the latter), lower counts of anal fin soft rays (mode 11 vs. 12) and gill rakers (26 vs. 32 or 33), higher counts of pectoral fin rays (18 vs. 17), scales above and below the lateral line (11 and 18 vs. 7 and 11, respectively), and pored lateral line scales (94 vs. 70), the fifth pectoral filament longest (vs. sixth), the fourth pectoral filament longer (extending well beyond the posterior central margin of the caudal fin vs. not reaching posterior central margin), a longer pectoral fin ray (posterior tip of pectoral fin reaching to midpoint of anal fin base vs. not reaching), a deeper maxilla posterior margin (mean 5% of SL vs. 4% of SL), and a well-developed swimbladder (vs. absent).     

A new loach, Cobitis shikokuensis (Teleostei: Cobitidae), from Shikoku Island, Japan

A new species of spinous loach, Cobitis shikokuensis, is described based on 297 specimens from Shikoku Island, Japan. The new species was formerly known as the Shikoku group of Cobitis takatsuensis. It can be distinguished from other species of Cobitis and closely related genera by a combination of the following characters: dorsal fin with 6 branched soft rays; anal fin with 5 branched soft rays; one brownish streak across eye from the tip of nose, no streak on cheek; a black spot smaller than eye diameter near the dorsal corner of the caudal fin base; 3–5 small brownish speckles on ventral side of caudal peduncle; high caudal peduncle with well-developed fleshy keels on dorsal and ventral side; a lamina circularis at base of dorsal part of pectoral fin absent; first branched soft ray of pectoral fin broad in males; pectoral soft rays widely branched from the approximate midpoint; last anal fin ray with 2 elements; interorbital width 11.2–17.1% of head length.     

A new species of Genus Triplophysa (Nemacheilinae: Balitoridae), Triplophysa longipectoralis sp. nov, from Guangxi, China

A new species, Triplophysa longipectoralis, is described from Liujiang River, Guangxi, China. The new species is distinguished from other species of Triplophysa by the following combination of characters: pectoral fin highly developed, reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; eyes present and vestigial; body covered with scales; dorsal and lateral sides of head and body mottled with blotches; dorsal fin emarginate; caudal fin forked; anus close to anal-fin origin. A key to all valid species of Triplophysa in Xijiang River water system is provided. Chen and Yang contributed equally to this paper.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrolycus manusanus</Emphasis>, a new genus and species of deep-sea eelpout from a hydrothermal vent field in the Manus Basin,Papua New Guinea (Zoarcidae,Lycodinae)

A new genus and species of deep-sea zoarcid fish, Pyrolycus manusanus, is described on the basis of eight specimens collected from a hydrothermal vent field in the Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea, at depths of 1623–1971 m. This genus is distinguished from other scaleless eelpout genera in the subfamily Lycodinae by the following combination of characters: six suborbital bones; six to seven suborbital pores; flesh gelatinous; gill slit large, extending ventrally beyond pectoral fin base; three postorbital pores; single occipital pore; two to three pelvic fin rays; palatopterygoid series weak; vomer and palatine teeth present; pseudobranch, scales, lateral line absent; pyloric caeca present; 16–17 pectoral fin rays; 22–23 + 56–59 = 78–81 vertebrae. Received: August 5, 1999 / Revised: July 5, 2001 / Accepted: August 26, 2001     

Species of righteye flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Samariscus leopardus</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Samaridae,Pleuronectiformes) from the Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean)

The new species Samariscus leopardus is described from one specimen caught at a depth of 159 m in the Indian Ocean, 11°22′ S, 61°42′ E. The species is easily distinguishable from the remaining species of the genus from a set of the following characteristics: the absence of a lateral line on both sides of the body, a short ventral fin, 42 vertebrae (9 trunk and 33 caudal), 5 rays of pectoral fin, and spotted coloration. Other morphological specific features, including topography of sensory canals of the head, are described.     

Channa nox, a new channid fish lacking a pelvic fin from Guangxi, China

 A new species of channid fish, genus Channa, is described from 7 specimens collected from the vicinity of Hepu, Guangxi Province, southern China. The new species, Channa nox, is distinguished from all other channid species by the following combination of characters: absence of pelvic fins, small rounded head (22.1%–26.8% SL), narrow interorbital width (19.6%–26.7% HL), short snout length (3.6%–5.1% SL), predorsal and prepectoral lengths (26.9%–28.4% SL and 24.8%–28.3% SL, respectively), 47–51 dorsal fin rays, 31–33 anal fin rays, 55–63 lateral line scales, 5.5–6.5 scales above lateral line, 9–13 cheek scales, 53–55 total vertebrae, 1 or 2 scale(s) on each side of lower jaw undersurface, the black upper half of body with 8–11 irregular (often anteriorly pointed V-shaped) bands or blotches, a large white-rimmed black ocellus on caudal peduncle and sparse white spots on the dark brown body and dorsal and caudal fins, as well as the shape of the hyomandibular process of the suprabranchial organs. Channa nox is sympatrically distributed with its morphologically most similar congener, C. asiatica. Received: January 18, 2001 / Revised: November 2, 2001 / Accepted: December 12, 2001     

New genus and species of the family stichaeidae from Hokkaido,Japan

Specimens of a new genus and species of the stichaeid fish,Leptostichaeus pumilus, were collected from the Okhotsk Sea off Hokkaido in Japan. The present new genus and species clearly differs from all the other genera and species of the stichaeid fishes in the following characters: 3 or 4 pectoral fin rays; 10 or fewer caudal principal rays; 79–82 dorsal spines; no pelvic fin; last interneural spine supporting a single dorsal spine; infraorbital, occipital and lateral line canals absent; moderate size of dorsal spine shorter than eye diameter; membranes of dorsal and anal fins widely connected with caudal fin; a large black spot divided by a yellow band present just above gill cover.     

A new cave-dwelling loach, Triplophysa macrocephala (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Balitoridae), from Guangxi, China

A new cave-dwelling species, Triplophysa macrocephala sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from a karst cave in Renguang village, Lihu Town, Nandan County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: pectoral fin not reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; caudal fin forked; body smooth or scaleless; dorsal-fin origin anterior to pelvic-fin origin, edge of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with eight branched rays; anal fin with five branched rays; eye small and vestigial; lower jaw arched with a median notch; air-bladder wrapped in bony capsule, lateral enlarged, posterior chamber of air-bladder degenerated.     

A new species, Polydactylus siamensis, from Thailand and redescription of P. plebeius (Broussonet, 1782) with designation of a neotype (Perciformes: Polynemidae)

A new species, Polydactylus siamensis, is described on the basis of eight specimens from Thailand. The species is similar to P. plebeius (Broussonet, 1782) in having five pectoral filaments and several dark stripes along the scale rows above and below the lateral line, but differs from the latter in having lower counts of pectoral fin rays (15 vs. 16–18 in P. plebeius), pored lateral line scales (54–58 vs. 60–68), scale rows above and below the lateral line (7 and 10 or 11, respectively vs. 8 or 9 and 12 or 13, respectively) and gill rakers (9 or 10 upper series, 13 or 14 lower and 22–24 total vs. 9–14, 13–18 and 24–32, respectively), and a longer upper jaw (mean 17% [range 16–17%] of standard length vs. 15% [13–16%]). Polydactylus siamensis is currently known only from Bangkok and Songkhla, Gulf of Thailand, and Phuket Island, Andaman Sea, whereas P. plebeius is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific. Received: January 12, 2000 / Revised: September 15, 2000 / Accepted: January 12, 2001     

The Saurida undosquamis group (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae), with description of a new species from southern Japan

Four lizardfishes of Saurida (family Synodontidae), S. undosquamis, S. umeyoshii sp. nov., S. macrolepis, and S. longimanus, are described. All are recognized here as the Saurida undosquamis group, characterized by having dark dots on the upper margin of the caudal fin, pectoral fin exceeding origin to pelvic fin, anterior rays of dorsal fin neither elongate nor filamentous, predorsal length greater than distance between dorsal-fin and adipose-fin origins, 46–55 pored lateral-line scales, and vomer with 0–8 teeth. Saurida undosquamis, from northern West India and West Pacific, excluding East Asia, differs from others in having lateral-line scales ridged on the caudal peduncle, conspicuously concave posterior margin of the pectoral fin, 51–55 pored lateral-line scales, and 50–53 vertebrae. Saurida umeyoshii sp. nov., from southern Japan and the East China Sea, is defined by three rows of indistinct dark blotches on, above, and below the lateral line, distribution of scale pockets with melanophores on their posterior part extending over the entire abdominal region from the lateral line in specimens over ca. 130 mm SL, lateral-line scales not ridged on caudal peduncle, 49–52 pored lateral-line scales, and 48–50 vertebrae. Saurida macrolepis, from the Indo-West Pacific, is characterized by 46–49 pored lateral-line scales and 45–48 vertebrae. Saurida longimanus, from northern West India, northwest Australia, and southern Indonesia, differs from the others in having a long pectoral fin extending past the origin of the dorsal fin. Some geographic variations are found in S. macrolepis. Saurida grandisquamis is confirmed as a junior synonym of S. undosquamis, based on examination of the type specimens. A key to species in the S. undosquamis group is included.