Description of two new species of the genus Priolepis from the Indo-Pacific with redescription of Priolepis profunda and Priolepis psygmophilia

Priolepis akihitoi is described as new from Australia, New Caledonia and Japan. The species is distinctive in having a transverse papilla pattern, second dorsal rays usually I, 11, predorsal fully scaled and dark bars dorsally on the caudal fin. Priolepis cyanocephala is described as new from eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. It differs from other species in having a reduced transverse papilla pattern, second dorsal rays I, 10, predorsal largely naked and head with vertical bands, but no bands on the body. Priolepis profunda is redescribed based on material from northwestern Australia and Thailand, and photos of specimens from Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines. Priolepis psygmophilia is redescribed based on recently obtained material from the Kermadec Islands and other material from Lord Howe Island, Easter Island and Rapa Island.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chelidoperca tosaensis</Emphasis>, a new species of perchlet (Serranidae) from Japan and the Philippines,with geographic range extension of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C</Emphasis>. <Emphasis Type="Italic">stella</Emphasis> to the northwestern Pacific Ocean

Chelidoperca tosaensis is described as a new species based on 84 specimens from Japan and the Philippines taken from depths of 60–302 m. The species can be distinguished from all known congeners by having the following combination of characters: scale rows between lateral line and base of spinous dorsal fin 3; pored lateral-line scales 37–42 (modally 39); scale rows in longitudinal series 39–43 (modally 40); no longitudinal dark stripe or row of dark blotches on body side. The new species is additionally characterized by having a combination of numerous, scattered, yellow spots on dorsal and anal fins with red streak or cluster of reddish spots over bases of about 4–6th dorsal-fin spines; large ocellated red spot with pinkish white border present on membrane between opercular spines; pelvic fin with middle area yellow with whitish spine, and whitish first, second and fifth soft rays; caudal fin with about three transverse rows of yellow spots centrally and posteriorly, two fan-shaped rows of red blotches on basal third, and a pair of white blotches with a pair of yellow blotches between white blotches on the base. Diagnostic characters of Chelidoperca stella, previously known only from its type locality in the Andaman Sea, are updated based on 12 specimens from Taiwan, the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam and the Philippines. These specimens represent the first records of the species from the Pacific Ocean.     

Redescription of a rare bothid,Asterorhombus bleekeri (Macleay), and description of a new species ofAsterorhombus from northwestern Australia (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes)

A rare Australian bothid flounder.Asterorhombus bleekeri (Macleay), is redescribed from the holotype and ten additional specimens from the east coast of Qeensland, Gulf of Carpentaria and Rowly Shoal (Western Australia). The species is transferred fromArnoglossus Bleeker toAsterorhombus Tanaka because of the lack of obvious sexual dimorphism in the interorbital width and pectoral fin length, the lack of rostral and orbital spines, the yellow-white blind side body coloration, and the deeply cleft parhypural and hypural plates. The definition ofAsterorhombus was emended as follows: the first dorsal fin ray continuous with or separated from remaining fin rays and gill rakers slender or stubby, with or without serrations.Asterorhombus osculus sp. nov., formerly briefly described in the literature as unidentified species ofEngyprosopon, was described from eight specimens from the northwestern coast of Australia. The new species is most similar toA. bleekeri in lacking sexual dimorphism, and having the caudal skeleton with deep clefts, two or three rows of teeth on the upper jaw and a pair of conspicuous black spots on the caudal fin, in addition to a similar general appearance, but is distinguished from the latter by shorter gill rakers, a very small mouth and feebly ctenoid scales on the ocular side. Both species clearly differed fromA. intermedius andA. fijiensis in having two (or three) rows of teeth on the upper jaws, slender gill rakers without serrations, first dorsal fin ray continuous with the other fin rays, and a pair of conspicuous black spots on the caudal fin.     

Deconstructing an octogenarian misconception reveals the true Corydoras arcuatus Elwin 1938 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) and a new Corydoras species from the Amazon basin

After 80 years of misidentifications, the analysis of the holotype of Corydoras arcuatus plus several non-type specimens attributed to this species allowed its recognition and also revealed a new species, both sharing the following diagnostic features: a long, arched, continuous black stripe that runs parallel to the dorsal profile of the body and extends at least from the anterior margin of the first dorsolateral body plate to the posterior portion of caudal peduncle; absence of transverse black bars on caudal fin; infraorbital 2 in contact with sphenotic and compound pterotic. In addition to these features, C. arcuatus can be distinguished from congeners by having the posterior margin of both dorsal and pectoral spines with laminar serrations directed towards their origins. The new species can be additionally distinguished from its congeners by presenting the following combination of features: ventral surface of trunk entirely or partially covered by relatively large and coalescent platelets; absence of spots or blotches on dorsal fin; and posterior margin of both dorsal and pectoral spines with serrations directed towards their tips. Finally, an identification key to all arc-striped species of Corydoras is provided.     

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     

A new species of labrid fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oxycheilinus samurai</Emphasis> from the western Pacific Ocean

A new species of labrid fish Oxycheilinus samurai sp. nov. is described on the basis of five specimens from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and Panay Island, the Philippines. The new species is most similar to the Indo-West Pacific species Oxycheilinus orientalis in having a slender compressed body, 12 pectoral-fin rays, a blackish blotch around the anterior portion of the lateral-line anterior series, and a dark blotch basally on the membrane between the first and second dorsal-fin spines. However, O. samurai can be distinguished from O. orientalis by the following combination of characters: gill rakers 4 + 7–8; snout rounded with maximum circumference 49.8–63.5 % of standard length (SL); interorbital width 7.7–9.2 % of SL; caudal-peduncle depth 13.8–15.3 % of SL; posterior margin of caudal fin white; black or dark red area just before white posterior margin of caudal fin; poorly defined blackish blotches on inner surface of opercle in preserved specimens.     

A new species of gobiid fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cristatogobius rubripectoralis</Emphasis>, from Australia

 A species of the gobiid genus Cristatogobius from northeastern Australia is described as new. This species is distinguishable from other species of the genus in having a higher number of scales in a longitudinal row and in a transverse row and a rounded caudal fin. In addition, there are differences in coloration such as brown reticulation on the upper anterior part of body and a red pectoral fin. A species of Cristatogobius reported from S. Java, Indonesia, is also identified as this species. Received: May 21, 2002 /Revised: November 15, 2002 / Accepted: December 16, 2002     

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">Glyptothorax dikrongensis</Emphasis>, a new species of catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Arunachal Pradesh,northeastern India

Glyptothorax dikrongensis, a new species of sisorid catfish from the Dikrong River in northeastern India, is described. Glyptothorax dikrongensis can be differentiated from all congeners, except G. indicus, G. rugimentum and G. obliquimaculatus, by the presence of an unculiferous patch on the posterior region of the lower lip, in between the inner mandibular-barbel bases, and unculiferous striae of the thoracic adhesive apparatus extending anteriorly onto the gular region. Glyptothorax dikrongensis is distinguished from G. indicus by the following combination of characters: equal distance between the posterior end of the pectoral-fin base and the pelvic-fin origin and between the pelvic-fin and the anal-fin origin (vs. distance between posterior end of pectoral-fin base and pelvic-fin origin greater than between pelvic-fin origin and anal-fin origin), and the pelvic-fin origin anterior to or almost at a vertical through the posterior end of the dorsal-fin base (vs. posterior to the dorsal-fin base). Glyptothorax dikrongensis is distinguished from G. rugimentum in lacking vertical bars on the body and caudal peduncle, and having a deeper caudal peduncle (8.4–9.2 vs. 6.1–7.6% SL) and a shorter dorsal-fin spine (10.1–11.1 vs. 15.2–18.6% SL). It is distinguished from G. obliquimaculatus in lacking dark, oblique blotches on the body, and in having a shorter dorsal-fin spine (10.1–11.1 vs. 13.4–16.4% SL).     

Redescription of Platycephalus angustus Steindachner 1866 (Teleostei: Platycephalidae), a valid flathead in northern Australia and New Guinea

The platycephalid Platycephalus angustus Steindachner 1866, which has not appeared in recent publications, is recognized as valid and redescribed on the basis of 24 specimens collected from northern Australia and New Guinea. This species is easily separable from other congeners in having a combination of the first dorsal fin usually with two small anterior isolated spines, dorsal and anal soft rays usually 13, orbit relatively small (orbital diameter 11.2–21.5 % HL), postorbital region long (postorbital length 55.5–67.8 % HL), interorbital space wide (interorbital width 7.3–17.3 % HL), suborbital region narrow (suborbital width 4.7–7.2 % HL), vomerine tooth rows tending to increase in number with growth, with 2–4 rows in 106–184 mm SL specimens and a single broad band of numerous rows in larger specimens, teeth present on the dorsal surface of the premaxilla anterolaterally on the edge of the upper jaw in specimens ca. 76 mm SL or longer, and 3–5 dark brown to black bands and spots on its caudal fin. As the stated type locality, Surinam, is considered erroneous, and the holotype appears to have been lost, a neotype is designated with a type locality northeast of Darbilla Creek, Millingimbi, Northern Territory, Australia.

     

A new species of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) from Costa Rica and Panama,with a key to the lower Central American species of the genus

Astyanax anai, a new species of characid fish, is described from the Sixaola River basin, eastern Costa Rica–western Panama, Central America. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: premaxillary teeth 4–5 at the inner series and 4–6 at the outer series; maxillary teeth tricuspid, 2–4; predorsal scale series irregular and incomplete, with an unscaled space behind tip of supraoccipital process and 12–14 scales; lateral line scales 34–39; humeral region with a conspicuous black and rounded to horizontally ovate spot and two diffuse brown and vertically elongate bars (the first through the rounded to horizontally ovate spot, the second 2–4 scales behind the first); body depth 36·6–42·3% of standard length (L_S); midlateral stripe formed by a series of 10–14 anteriorly‐directed dermal herringbone, or chevron‐shaped, marks, most apparent in juveniles and in preserved specimens, extending above the lateral line from the black humeral spot or just behind it (from the second vertical bar) to the caudal peduncle; scale rows from lateral line to base of first dorsal‐fin ray 8–9; scale rows from lateral line to base of pelvic fin 7–8; pre‐anal distance 53·9–61·9% of L_S; total anal‐fin elements 29–33; caudal spot elongated, rhomboid or rectangular, with its anterior margin surpassing the middle of the caudal peduncle, usually reaching the anal‐fin insertion, posteriorly covering 4–7 principal caudal‐fin rays and not extending onto the ventral and dorsal margins of the caudal peduncle, covering 3–5 horizontal scale rows. In order to test the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon in relation to the other North and Central American species of the genus, a new phylogenetic hypothesis based on a reanalysis of the morphological matrix by Schmitter‐Soto (2016) is proposed. A key to the lower Central American (southern Nicaragua to eastern Panama) species of Astyanax is also provided.     

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.     

A new miniature species of the genus Triplophysa (Balitoridae: Nemacheilinae) from Yunnan, China

During a re-examination of museum specimens of Triplophysa species, some specimens that had been collected from the Jialonghe River in Yunnan Province, China, in April 1975, were identified as a new species. Triplophysa parvus n. sp. can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin rays 3, ; anal fin rays 3, ; pectoral fin rays 1, 11; scales absent; two saddle-like blotches with fuzzy borders cranial to the dorsal fin and four saddle-like blotches caudal to the dorsal fin; distal margin of the dorsal fin emarginate; pelvic fin reaching caudally almost to the anus; anus located immediately cranial to the origin of the anal fin; caudal fin forked; caudal chamber of air bladder reduced to a small free protuberance; head slightly laterally compressed, head deeper than wide at nape; length of caudal peduncle being 18.0–20.0% of standard length; depth of caudal peduncle being 7.8–8.4% of standard length; eye diameter 17.6–21.4% of head length; body depth being 60.7–70.2% of head length; caudal peduncle depth being 39.1–45.0% of caudal peduncle length; and body width at the base of caudal peduncle 59.0–68.0% of the body depth at the base of caudal peduncle. These characters allow a distinction from the similar species of T. nasobarbatula, T. nandanensis, and T. macromaculata.     

中国澜沧江南鳅属鱼类一新种

2001年7月,于澜沧江下游支流勐腊县境内的南腊河中采获一尾南鳅属(Schistura)鱼类标本,经鉴定为一新种。命名为版纳南鳅(S.bannaensissp.nov.)。其主要鉴别特征:侧线完全;尾鳍叉形,两叶稍尖,下叶稍长于上叶;胸腹鳍均较短小,胸鳍长约为胸鳍和腹鳍基部起点之间距离的一半;腹鳍末端后伸不达肛门,其长约为腹鳍基部至臀鳍基部起点之间距离的一半;颊部无斑;体侧有4个醒目的棕褐色宽横斑,由背部延伸至腹面;横斑显著,在侧线以下较窄,其宽度等于或小于斑纹间距;在侧线以上较宽,其宽度远大于斑纹间距;沿体侧无黑色纵纹。       

高原特有条鳅鱼类两新种在广西的发现及其动物地理学意义

描述了采自广西都安县红水河水系的条鳅亚科鱼类2个新种：丽纹云南鳅yhnnanilus pulcherrimussp．nov．在侧线长度、鳞片分布、鳍条数目、尾型、吻须长度等方面与侧纹云南鳅yunnanilus pleurotaenia(Regan,1904)最为相似,但新种独特的斑纹和上下唇的长乳突可明显与之区别,二者在一些度量特征上也有区别。黄体高原鳅Triplophysa flavicorpus sp．nov．与同分布于西江水系的南丹高原鳅T．nandanensis Lan et al．较为相似,并以下列特征组合与高原鳅属所有已知种相区别：背鳍分枝鳍条10根、臀鳍分枝鳍条6～7根、体被细鳞、侧线完全、具6条宽横斑和1条沿侧线的细纵纹、尾鳍深分又、尾鳍基具1半圆形黑斑、尾鳍上下叶各具2条黑色横斑、腹鳍末端后伸超过肛门、腋部具发达的肉质鳍瓣、上唇中央完全中断等。云南鳅属和高原鳅属均是高原特有类群,前者仅分布于云南东中部地区,后者则集中分布于青藏高原。两个新种的分布地均远离这两个属的分布中心,而且呈间断分布。通过各自相近种谱系关系分析,推测这种特殊的分布格局是通过隔域分化形成的。     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhinogobius</Emphasis> (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Julongjiang Basin in Fujian Province,China

Ten specimens of a new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius longyanensis were collected from the small tributary of the Julongjiang Basin, Fujian Province, southeastern China. The new species can be distinguished from all congeneric species by following unique combination of features: second dorsal fin rays I, 8; anal fin rays I, 7–8; pectoral fin rays modally 17; longitudinal scale series 30–32; predorsal scales 6–8; vertebral count 10 + 17 = 27; three parallel, deep brown oblique stripes crossing on cheek; branchiostegal membrane with 24–28 orange red spots in male; body with 5–6 deep brown blotches; pectoral fin base with a blackish brown bar. A diagnostic key to all nominal species with high vertebral counts from mainland Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, and Japan is also provided.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Johnius</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Johnius</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">majan</Emphasis> sp. nov., a sciaenid fish (Pisces: Sciaenidae) from Oman,Indian Ocean

Johnius (Johnius) majan sp. nov. is described on the basis of 8 specimens (117–158 mm in standard length) from Oman, Indian Ocean. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: black axillary spot on upper pectoral fin base; dorsal soft rays 29–32; anal soft rays 8; scales above lateral line 6, below 11; eye diameter 22.9–28.9% HL; interorbital width 32.0–38.0% HL; gill rakers 5–6 + 15–18 = 21–24; no mental barbel; last well developed pleural rib on 7th vertebra; swim bladder appendages 11; vertebrae 10 + 14 = 24.     

Description of a new cryptic,shallow‐water tonguefish (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Symphurus) from the western North Pacific Ocean

Combined results based on morphological characters and analyses of partial sequences of the 16s rRNA and coI genes confirm the validity of a new, cryptic, symphurine tonguefish from the western North Pacific Ocean. Symphurus leucochilus n. sp., a diminutive species reaching sizes to c. 67 mm standard length, is described from nine specimens that were collected from fish‐landing ports and from trawls made at c. 150 m off Taiwan and Japan. Symphurus leucochilus shares many similar features with those of Symphurus microrhynchus and that of several undescribed species that are morphologically similar to S. microrhynchus. Symphurus leucochilus has also been misidentified as Symphurus orientalis in fish collections because of shared similarities in some aspects of their morphology. The new species differs from all congeners by the following combination of meristic, morphological and pigmentation features: a predominant 1–2–2–2–2 pattern of interdigitation of proximal dorsal‐fin pterygiophores and neural spines; 12 caudal‐fin rays; 89–92 dorsal‐fin rays; 76–80 anal‐fin rays; 49–51 total vertebrae; four hypurals; 75–83 longitudinal scale rows; 32–35 transverse scales; 15–17 scale rows on the head posterior to the lower orbit; absence of a fleshy ridge on the ocular‐side lower jaw and a membranous connection between the anterior nostril and lower part of the eye; a narrow interorbital space and dorsal‐fin origin anterior to the vertical through the anterior margin of the upper eye; absence of both dermal spots at bases of anterior dorsal‐fin rays and melanophores on the isthmus; uniformly yellow to light‐brown ocular‐side colouration without bands; dorsal and anal fins with alternating series of dark rectangular blotches and unpigmented areas; a uniform white blind side and a bluish‐black peritoneum. Despite overall similarities in morphology between S. leucochilus and S. orientalis, as well as between two of the nominal species morphologically similar to S. microrhynchus, analyses of partial 16s rRNA and coI gene sequences show that S. leucochilus, S. orientalis and the two other nominal species represent three distinct lineages within the genus Symphurus.