A new pearleye (Teleostei,Aulopiformes) species from the Oligocene of Romania

A new pearleye species of the alepisauroid family Scopelarchidae, Scopelarchoides neamticus sp. nov., is described herein based on two specimens from the Oligocene Lower Dysodilic Shales Formation, cropping out in the Pietricica Mountain, Romanian Eastern Carpathians. The new species described herein exhibits a unique combination of features (including head length about 25% of SL; coracoid remarkably expanded; both preorbital and postorbital lengths larger than orbit diameter; 50 or 51 vertebrae; dorsal fin with nine or ten rays; anal-fin with 28 rays; length of anal fin base about 30% of SL; preanal distance almost 60% of SL; pelvic fin insertion located just under the second dorsal fin ray; pectoral fins only slightly longer than pelvic fins; caudal fin with 19 principal rays plus 14 upper and 13 lower procurrent rays) that justifies its recognition as a new species of the genus Scopelarchoides. Both morphological and meristic features suggest a certain degree of similarity between S. neamticus sp. nov. and the extant species Scopelarchoides signifer. The fossils of the new Oligocene species described herein represent the oldest known skeletal record of Scopelarchidae.     

A new species of the genusFoetorepus (Callionymidae) from Southern Japan with a revised key to the Japanese species of the genus

A new dragonet,Foetorepus masudai, is described from southern Japan. This is the species that Nakabo (1983) mistakenly identified asFoetorepus delandi. It is characterized by large eye, filamentous 1st dorsal spine in adult males, 1st dorsal fin without an obvious dark mark, a dark spot on upper origin of pectoral fin and a large dark blotch on posterior half of pelvic fin. A revised key to the species ofFoetorepus found in Japan is included.     

A new gobiid fish,Fusigobius signipinnis,from the western tropical Pacific

An undescribed goby has been collected from several localities in the western troplcal Pacific, from Japan to Australia. This species is described as a new species,Fusigobius signiplnnis. It differs from other species ofFusigobius in pectoral ray counts, colouration, largely separate pelvic fins, and shape of the first dorsal fin. The species is found in groups on sand, frequently flicking its first dorsal fin. Males are larger than females in mean size. Sex ratios are uneven, and females are twice as numerous as males.     

New and rare stichaeid fishes from the Okhotsk Sea

Two stichaeid fishes were collected off the Okhotsk coast of Hokkaido in Japan. One represents a new species,Stichaeus fuscus, which differs from all other species of this genus in meristics, color pattern, shape of the pelvic fin, and body proportions. The other species is identified asSoldatovia polyactocephala (Pallas) and is redescribed.     

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.     

Systematic observations on tropical Asian medakas or ricefishes of the genusOryzias, with descriptions of four new species

The so-calledOryzias melastigma (McClelland, 1839), reported from India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Malaysia by numerous authors beginning with Day (1877), is based mainly or entirely onAplocheilus panchax (Hamilton, 1822). India and Bangladesh have two species ofOryzias, both large. The deeper-bodied of these two species is reported for the first time asO. dancena (Hamilton, 1822). The other is identified asO. carnaticus (Jerdon, 1849). Myanmar has one large species,O. dancena, and one tiny species,O. uwai new species.Oryzias minutillus Smith, 1945 andO. uwai differ from all otherOryzias in having 4/5 instead of 5/6 principal caudal fin rays.Oryzias uwai differs fromO. minutillus in being more conspicuously pigmented and having large, 6-rayed pelvic fins often extending to anal fin origin instead of much smaller and shorter 5-rayed pelvic fins. In Thailand (including its part of the Mekong basin) three species are known: a large estuarine species tentatively identified asO. javanicus (Bleeker, 1854) and two tiny inland species,O. mekongensis Magtoon & Uwa, 1986, andO. minutillus. Oryzias minutillus from many localities are more or less melanoproctic, i.e. have a darkly pigmented genital or vent area not seen in other species. The Mekong basin in Laos has two large species,O. latipes (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) andO. pectoralis new species, distinguished by a prominent black blotch on the pectoral fin base, both recently collected in the Nam Theun watershed in central Laos; and two tiny species,O. mekongensis andO. minutillus. Only one species ofOryzias is known from the Mekong delta in Vietnam, the small moderately deep-bodiedO. haugiangensis new species, with 19–22 anal and 9–10 pectoral fin rays. The Indonesian island of Java has one large species,O. javanicus (Bleeker, 1852) with 21–25 anal and 11 pectoral fin rays, and one small species,O. hubbsi new species, with only 17–21 anal and 9 pectoral fin rays.     

A new species of Triplophysa (Nemacheilidae: Cypriniformes), from Guangxi, southern China

A new species, Triplophysa huapingensis, is described from the Hongshuihe River, Guangxi, China. The new species is distinguished from other species of Triplophysa by the following combination of characters: body covered with scales, lateral line complete, eyes not degenerate, dorsal fin truncate, caudal fin forked, tip of pelvic fin not reaching anus, eight branched rays of dorsal fin, six branched rays of pelvic fin, 16 branched rays of caudal fin, grey and black diffused blotches on dorsal and lateral head and body. A key to all recorded species of Triplophysa in the Xijiang River system is provided.     

中国贵州省穴居盲鳅一新种(鲤形目,爬鳅科)

记述了采集于贵州省荔波县佳荣镇水井湾溶洞(25°28’N,108°06’E)适应洞穴环境的鳅类1新种:佳荣盲高原鳅Triplophysa jiarongensis sp.nov.。新种与之前记录的7种分布于西江水系的高原鳅(阿庐高原鳅、个旧盲高原鳅、长须盲高原鳅、巨头高原鳅、邱北盲高原鳅、石林盲高原鳅和天峨高原鳅)同属典型洞穴鱼类,都具有一系列与洞穴环境有关的适应性特征。新种与本属其它种类的区别主要为:胸鳍长,后伸达腹鳍起点;尾鳍微凹形;体表色素退化,光滑裸露无鳞;背鳍截形,起点位于腹鳍起点略后方;腹鳍后伸盖过泄殖孔;臀鳍截形;尾柄上下缘存在脂状鳍褶;背鳍分支鳍条8;臀鳍分支鳍条6;胸鳍分支鳍条11;脊椎骨总数4+34;眼完全退化,外观无痕迹;鳔前室被骨质鳔囊包裹,后室发达膨大呈游离膜质鳔。此外还介绍了其栖息地概况和部分生态学信息。     

A new squalid species of the genusCentroscyllium from the emperor seamount chain

A new etmopterine species,Centroscyllium excelsum, is described from 21 adult specimens captured in the Emperor Seamount Chain, central North Pacific. The present species is distinguished from its congeners in having a very high and semicircular-shaped 1st dorsal fin with a developed spine, dermal denticles only on dorsal side of head and trunk, the 2nd dorsal spine arising behind pelvic fin base, a short caudal peduncle, and prefrontal wall and chondrified eye stalk on neurocranium. Ten embryos were collected from one of the female specimens, and some embryonic features are also noted.     

On the spines of the Stethacanthidae (Chondrichthyes), with a description of a new genus from the Mississippian Bear Gulch limestone

Several specimens of an elasmobranch from the upper Mississippian Bear Gulch limestone of Montana are described. The first dorsal spine and fin closely resemble Stethacanthus erectus and to a lesser extent Stethacanthus altonensis. The new genus and species Orestiacanthus fergusi is proposed for the specimens, and it is suggested that recent attempts to synonymize the species of Stethacanthus on the basis of spines are unjustified. The specimens also share the enlarged cranial denticles, general form of the palatoquadrate, cladodont teeth and pectoral fin with S. altonensis. They differ from S. altonensis in proportions of jaws, numbers of tooth families, numbers of prearticular basals and axial radials, morphology of the second dorsal fin, and in the presence of generalized squamation in some specimens (but not the female). The pelvic fins differ greatly in having a prominent metapterygium.     

Neolumpenus unocellatus,a new genus and species of stichaeid fish from Japan

Neolumpenus unocellatus gen. et sp. nov., a stichaeid fish (subfamily Lumpeninae,sensu Makushok, 1958) is described on the basis of a single specimen found in the stomach of the Pacific cod,Gadus macrocephalus Tilesius, caught off Akkeshi, Hokkaido, Japan. The new genus and species is distinguished from all other lumpenines in having the following combination of characters: 1) 51 dorsal spines, 33 anal fin rays, 57 total vertebrae; 2) broad pelvic fin with deeply-branched soft rays; 3) lower rays of pectoral fin branched and not prolonged backward; 4) prevomerine and palatine teeth present; 5) pungent spines present in pelvic and anal fins; 6) upper lip fused to snout anteriorly; 7) gill openings not extending forward beyond a vertical through posterior margin of eye; 8) minimal (fifth) hypural present; 9) first interneural spine inserted between first and second neural spines; 10) extremely large cephalic sensory pores present; 11) high, steep snout; 12) ocellus on dorsal base of caudal fin.     

Two new species and a new record of the genus Sinogastromyzon (Teleostei: Balitoridae) from Yunnan, China

Two new species and a new record of Sinogastromyzon are described from Lixianjiang River of Yunnan province, China. Sinogastromyzon lixianjiangensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: pectoral fin with XIII–XIV, 15–17 rays; pelvic fin with X–XI, 10–12 rays; 60–65 lateral-line scales; no scales on the dorsum of paired fins or the region between axilla of pectoral fin and pelvic-fin origin; tip of pelvic fin close to anus; tip of anal fin close to caudal-fin base; anal-fin origin nearer to the caudal-fin base than to the posterior pelvic-fin base; anus nearer to anal-fin origin than to the posterior pelvic-fin base; dorsal side of the body with 9–11 black blotches. Sinogastromyzon macrostoma, new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: pectoral fin with XII–XIV, 12–15 rays; pelvic fin with VII–IX, 11–13 rays; 48–56 lateral-line scales; mouth extremely big, slightly arched; no scales on the dorsum of paired fins or the region between axilla of pectoral fin and pelvic-fin origin; tip of pelvic fin far beyond anus; tip of anal fin far from caudal-fin base; anal-fin origin about midway between the posterior pelvic-fin base and caudal-fin base; anus nearer to posterior pelvic-fin base than to anal-fin origin; dorsal side of the body uniformly gray, without regular blotches in formalin preserved specimen. Sinogastromyzon cf. multiocellum is firstly recorded in China.     

A new deep‐water chimaerid species, Hydrolagus lusitanicus n. sp., from off mainland Portugal with a proposal of a new identification key for the genus Hydrolagus(Holocephali: Chimaeridae) in the north‐east Atlantic

A new chimaerid species closely related to Hydrolagus pallidus is described from 13 specimens captured on the Portuguese continental slope (north‐east Atlantic) by commercial longliners at depths of c . 1600 m. The new species is large‐bodied with a rose to light brown body colouration. Hydrolagus lusitanicus n.sp. presents a combination of external morphological characters that allow it to be clearly differentiated from its congeners, in particular, the ratios of pectoral fin length: pectoral fin width and pelvic fin length: pelvic fin width; in having a serrated posterior edge of the dorsal spine; a high number of ridges in the dental plates. Additionally in males, there are differences on the shape and number of hooks in the frontal tenacula, on the number of spines in the prepelvic tenacula and on the length of the pectoral fin margin.     

Physoschistura chindwinensis, a new balitorid loach from Chindwin basin, Manipur, India (Teleostei: Balitoridae)

Physoschistura chindwinensis, a new balitorid species, is described from the Chindwin basin, Manipur, India. It is easily distinguished from congeners by the combination of characters: a dorsal fin with three simple and 8? branched rays; body with 13–17 dark-brown bars on the sides, and 11–16 dark-brown saddles; interorbital space with a rectangular dark-brown shield-like mark; a caudal fin with 8?+?8 branched rays; a moderately developed axillary pelvic lobe; males with a suborbital flap; preoperculomandibular canal with seven pores; and an air bladder with a well-formed free posterior chamber.     

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.     

中国爬岩鳅属鱼类一新种记述(鲤形目,平鳍鳅科)

记述了采自云南省沾益县德泽乡牛栏江水域的平鳍鳅科爬岩鳅属鱼类1新种,牛栏爬岩鳅 Beaufortia niulanensis Chen,Huang et Yang,sp.nov..其特征:背鳍分支鳍条7,腹鳍分支鳍条21,侧线鳞90～95,胸鳍起点相对于鼻孔和眼前缘之间,背鳍起点相对于腹鳍起点至其基部后缘的中点稍后,肛门位于腹鳍基后缘至臀鳍起点间的中点,腹鳍末端接近肛门,这些特征组合可以将新种与同属的其他2个相近种,即四川爬岩鳅B.szechuanensis(Fang)和中间爬岩鳅B.intermedia Tang et Wang区别开来.     

New remarkable sexually dimorphic miniature species of Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes: Characidae) from the upper Rio Tapajós basin

A new miniature species of Hyphessobrycon is described from an affluent of the Rio Papagaio, tributary of the Rio Juruena, upper Rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by having a remarkable secondary sexual dimorphism in its live colouration (males are red and females yellow), well‐defined and relatively narrow dark midlateral stripe extending from tip of snout to tip of middle caudal‐fin rays, absence of humeral blotch, 15–18 branched anal‐fin rays and five or six branched pelvic‐fin rays. The sexually dimorphic colouration of the new species is briefly discussed regarding its temporal variation.     

Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov., a new bitterling from South Korea (Cyprinidae, Acheilognathinae)

A new bitterling, Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov., is described on the basis of 31 specimens from five localities included in the Namhan River system, South Korea. The new species is distinguished from other Rhodeus species by the following combination of characters: branched dorsal fin rays 9–10 (mode 9); branched anal fin rays 9–11 (mode 10); longest simple ray of dorsal fin strong and stiff, distally segmented; pelvic fin rays i, 6–7; iris of males blackish; dorsal and anal fins of males grayish in breeding season; karyotype with 2n = 48 (8m + 20sm + 20st). Rhodeus pseudosericeus sp. nov. is similar to Rhodeus sericeus sericeus in the number of pelvic fin and branched dorsal fin rays and the melanophores present on the dorsal fin membrane, but differs from the latter in having a greater body depth, more branched anal fin rays, fewer vertebrae, a lower number of scales in the lateral series, and differing male nuptial coloration. Received: June 30, 2000 / Revised: February 21, 2001 / Accepted: March 6, 2001     

Microdontochromis rotundiventralis, a new cichlid fish (perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika

Microdontochromis rotundiventralis, a new species of cichlid fish, is described on the basis of 13 specimens from Nkumbula Island, Lake Tanganyika (Zambia). It is distinct from its only congener,M. tenuidentatus, in having two (rarely one) rows of teeth on both jaws, a rounded distal margin on the pelvic fin, the outermost pelvic fin soft ray length 1.23–1.43 times the innermost ray, a deeper body (depth 26.8–29.1% standard length) and the anal fin with 9 (rarely 8 or 10) soft rays.     

Hemimyzon nanensis, a new balitorid fish from the chao phraya basin, thailand

A new balitorid fish,Hemimyzon nanensis, is described from the Mae Nam Nan River basin, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River, in northern Thailand. This species is distinguishable from its congeners by the following unique combination of characters: pectoral fin with 9–11 simple and 10–12 branched, rays; pelvic fin with 3–4 (usually 3) simple and 8–9 (usually 9) branched rays; 59–63 total lateral line scales; distance between pelvic fin bases 8.1–9,6% SL.H. nanensis is the first species of the genus recorded outside China and Taiwan.