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.     

Nematops nanosquama, a new species of righteye flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Poecilopsettidae) from off the Marquesas Islands

A new poecilopsettid flounder, Nematops nanosquama, is described from 10 specimens (4 males, 6 females) collected from deep waters (96–650 m) off Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands. This species is easily separated from the three recognized species of the genus Nematops by having large numbers of dorsal fin rays, anal fin rays, lateral line scales, and vertebrae, five dark transverse broad bands on the body, and a black blotch on the distal area of the pectoral fin. N.nanosquama shows the easternmost record of this genus from the Pacific Ocean.     

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.     

A new species of Rhinogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Hanjiang Basin in Guangdong Province, China

A new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius wangi, was collected from a small tributary of the Hanjiang Basin, Guangdong Province, southeastern China. The species can be distinguished from all congeneric species by the following unique combination of features: second dorsal fin rays I, 8; anal fin rays I, 7; pectoral fin rays 16; rather large scales as longitudinal scale series 26–27; predorsal scales 8–9; vertebral count 10 + 17 = 27; seven parallel, deep brown oblique stripes crossing on cheek in male; branchiostegal membrane with brownish-red spots in male; seven longitudinal deep brown lines on lateral side of body; pectoral fin base with a blackish-brown bar. A key to all nominal species with high vertebral counts from China (Hanjiang to Chiangtangjiang basins), Taiwan, and Japan is also provided.     

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     

A new species of soldierfish of the genusOstichthys and records ofO. archiepiscopus andO. sandix from Tahiti

Three species of the soldierfish genusOstichthys have been collected in the Society Islands at depths of 300–420 m:O. archiepiscopus andO. sandix are new records for the South Pacific, andO. ovaloculus is described as new from one specimen taken off Tahiti. It is distinctive in having XI, 16 dorsal rays, 15 pectoral rays, 38 lateral-line scales (other species of the genus with 27–30), 31/2 rows of scales above the lateral line, a straight dorsal head profile, long snout, and oval eye; color when fresh, bright red, the centers of scales whitish, resulting in longitudinal banding on the body.     

Solea stanalandi,a new sole from the Persian Gulf

A new soleid flatfish,Solea stanalandi, is described from two specimens collected in 1–7 m in the Persian Gulf near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It is distinctive among species of the genus in having 57–59 dorsal rays, 46 anal rays, 104–106 pored scales in the straight portion of the lateral line to the caudal-fin base, a body depth of 2.45–2.5 in standard length, a large black spot on the outer half of the pectoral fin of the ocular side, and a similar narrower dark spot on the pectoral fin of the blind side.     

Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bregmaceros mcclellandi</Emphasis> Thompson, 1840 (Gadiformes: Bregmacerotidae)

 This study redescribes Bregmaceros mcclellandi Thompson, 1840, based on one specimen (74.4 mm SL) from the Bay of Bengal and 66 specimens (30.0–84.7 mm SL) from Mumbai (Bombay), India, because the type specimens have apparently been lost. The present specimens are characterized by having black dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins and show the following morphology: caudal fin slightly forked; body chromatophores present mainly at the dorsal part; no scales on cheek; vertebrae 52–55 (13–15 + 38–41); dorsal rays 52–59; anal rays 54–60; pectoral rays 18–20; caudal rays 27–31 (principal rays 14); transverse scales 14–15. In the 66 Mumbai specimens, it was confirmed that the distinctive black fin pigmentation developed sequentially with growth, with complete pigmentation first on the anterior lobe of the dorsal fin, then simultaneously on the posterior lobe of the dorsal fin, the caudal fin, and the pectoral fin, and last, on the anal fin. This species is known only from the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Gulf of Thailand. A review of 16 nominal Bregmaceros species indicates that, besides B. mcclellandi, the distinctive dark fin pigmentation is found in B. atripinnis (Tickell), B. atlanticus Goode and Bean, B. japonicus Tanaka, and B. lanceolatus Shen. B. atripinnis is considered a junior synonym of B. mcclellandi, and the others are clearly distinct from B. mcclellandi. Comments are made on some of the characters to more fully characterize the species and for reference in future revisionary and phylogenetic studies. Received: June 17, 2002 / Revised: December 2, 2002 / Accepted: December 24, 2002     

Mesopristes iravi, a new terapontid fish (Perciformes: Terapontidae) from rivers of Iriomote Island, the Ryukyu Islands

 A new terapontid fish, Mesopristes iravi, is described based on 13 specimens collected on Iriomote Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. This species closely resembles M. argenteus (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829) in having dark stripes on the body, but differs from that species in retaining the stripes even in adults (vs. stripes disappearing ontogenetically in the latter species), having the median stripe passing through the eye interrupted on the postorbital region (vs. continuous when the stripe present), a shorter fifth (longest) dorsal spine (14.6–19.7% SL vs. 18.0–22.2% SL), and a longer postorbital length (40.0–43.0% HL vs. 37.8–40.7% HL). Mesopristes iravi has been confused with M. argenteus in previous reports, and on the basis of the literature it may extend from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, southward to Borneo, Indonesia, and New Guinea. Received: August 6, 2001 / Revised: February 24, 2002 / Accepted: March 7, 2002     

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

A new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius wuyanlingensis, was collected from Wuyanling National Natural Conservation Area, Taishun, Zhejiang Province, China. The species can be distinguished from all congeneric species by the following unique combination of features: second dorsal fin rays modally I, 8; anal fin rays I, 8; pectoral fin rays modally 18; longitudinal scale series 30–32; predorsal scales 7–9; vertebral count 10 + 17 = 27; body always with six longitudinal pinkish orange to grayish brown lines from dorsal to ventral region in male; cheek spotless; branchiostegal membrane deep grayish with 6–7 long, transverse deep red stripes in male; chin always deep grayish; first dorsal fin with two long black blotches on membranes anterior to third spinous ray in male; second dorsal fin whitish with three to four horizontal rows of light spots in male; caudal fin base with a large blackish-brown spot; and pectoral fin with a horizontal, median blackish brown line. An artificial key to all five nominal species with a high vertebral count (27–29) from Zhejiang Province from China is also provided.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cabillus atripelvicus</Emphasis>, a new species of gobiid fish from the Ogasawara Islands,with a key to species of the genus

Cabillus atripelvicus is described from three specimens, 26.1–40.6 mm in standard length, collected from depth 17–29 m in the Ogasawara Islands. In addition, two small specimens taken by dredge in 50–55 m from Sagami Bay, Honshu, and one from Tachibana Bay, Kyushu, are identified as this species but not designated as paratypes. Cabillus atripelvicus is distinguished from the four other described species of the genus by its high count of 18–20 pectoral rays, presence of median predorsal scales, longer pectoral fins, and distinctive color pattern, including black pelvic fins. The range of C. lacertops Smith, 1959 is extended east to the Marshall Islands and that of C. tongarevae (Fowler, 1927) east to American Samoa. More species remain to be described in the genus. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic format at     

Liopropoma dorsoluteum sp. nov., a new serranid fish from Okinawa, Japan

A new serranid fish,Liopropoma dorsoluteum sp. nov., is described on the basis of two specimens from Yaeyama Is., Okinawa, Japan. The new species is most similar toL. erythaeum Randall & Taylor, 1988, in having the following characters: Dorsal fin rays VIII, 12; anal fin rays III, 9; pored lateral line scales 52–53; anterior nostril situated midway between posterior nostril and anterior tip of snout; slightly forked caudal fin with both lobes rounded. It differs from the latter species in having a shorter pectoral fin (23.4–23.8% SL vs. 26.9–29.0% SL), greater preanus length (65.6–68.0% SL vs. 63.3–65.1% SL), fewer gill rakers (6+12 vs. 6–7+14–15) and yellow coloration on the back (vs. light red on head and body) in fresh specimens.     

A new species of psychrolutid fish from western Australia

Psychrolutes occidentalis, a new species of psychrolutid fish, is described from mud bottoms at depths of 350–740 m on the continental slopes around Rowley Shoals, northwestern Australia. The new species is illustrated and compared with other species of the genusPsychrolutes. It differs from other species in the following characters: 14–15 dorsal soft rays, 21–23 pectoral rays, 30–31 vertebrae, no cirri on head and body, lateral line not emerging through tubes, and reddish brown head and body color with darker brown marblings. Aspects of the zoogeography of this new species from the tropical region and of the other species ofPsychrolutes are discussed.     

A new, dwarf species of Grammonus (Teleostei: Bythitidae) found off Vietnam

A new species of the viviparous fish genus Grammonus (Ophidiiformes: Bythitidae) is described, based on two ripe males, 32–55 mm SL. They were caught over a muddy bottom in a shrimp trawl at 70–119 m off Central Vietnam. A comparison with the nine hitherto described Grammonus species shows them to be clearly distinct from other species. Except for G. ater, G. minutus differs from all other species by having either more or fewer dorsal (75–76) and anal (54–55) fin rays. It differs from G. ater i.a. by having more pectoral fin rays (22–23 vs. 18–19).     

Two new soldierfishes (Beryciformes: Holocentridae:Myripristis) from Japan

Two species of the holocentrid fish genusMyripristis are described as new from Japan, both with a single pair of tooth patches outside the gape at tip of lower jaw, the third anal spine longer than the fourth, and 28–29 lateral-line scales:M. kochiensis from Kashiwa-jima, Kochi Prefecture, previously misidentified asM. murdjan, is distinct in having small scales in axil of pectoral fins, 32–36 gill rakers, interorbital space 4.45–5.1 in head, and lower jaw not strongly projecting when mouth closed;M. greenfieldi, from the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands to Kochi Prefecture, previously misidentified asM. woodsi andM. randalli, is distinct in lacking scales in the pectoral axil, having 35–52 cteni on largest body scales, 43–47 gill rakers, and longest dorsal spine 2.0–2.25 in head.     

A new species of the cardinalfish genus Gymnapogon (Perciformes, Apogonidae) from the Red Sea

 A new cardinalfish species, Gymnapogon melanogaster, is described from two specimens collected at night in the Gulf of Aqaba, Eilat, Israel. This species is characterized by having 9 dorsal and 8 anal fin soft rays; 14–15 pectoral fin rays; 2 + 11 gill rakers; a flat, bifurcated preopercular spine; a naked body without a papillae network; black pelvic fins; and a black stomach. It is similar to Gymnapogon vanderbilti (Fowler, 1938) that is known only from the Line Islands of the Central Pacific Ocean. Received: December 26, 2001 / Revised: June 10, 2002 / Accepted: June 24, 2002 Acknowledgments We thank D. Didier and M. Sabaj of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, for loans of and for taking data from type specimens; T.H. Fraser of the Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, kindly provided data on type specimens. We are grateful to E. Heemstra of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown, South Africa, for the artwork presented in this article and to A. Lerner of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, for his assistance in collecting the specimens. Correspondence to:Ofer Gon     

A new zoarcid,lycenchelys aurantiaca, from the pacific coast off northern japan (teleostei: Perciformes)

A new zoarcid fish,Lycenchelys aurantiaca, is described on the basis of 10 specimens (86.3–135.8 mm SL) from depths of 500–700 m along the Pacific coast of northern Honshu, Japan. Although this species resemblesLycenchelys alta andL. squamosa in having a smaller number of vertebrae (85–88) and a rather short body, it is distinguished from them by the following characters: pectoral fin rays 13–16; preoperculomandibular pores 7 (4 mandibular pores+3 preopercular pores); reddish yellow body.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Samariscus multiradiatus</Emphasis>, a new dextral flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Samaridae) from New Caledonia

A new dextral flounder, Samariscus multiradiatus, is described from six specimens (four males and two females) collected in deep waters (296–430 m) around New Caledonia. The species is easily distinguished from its 16 congeners in having a combination of 85–91 dorsal fin rays, 67–72 anal fin rays, 5 pectoral fin rays, and 9 abdominal and 34–35 caudal vertebrae.     

A new marine goby of genus Callogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Taiwan

A new marine goby Callogobius sheni collected from coral reefs off southern Taiwan is described. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following combination of features: dorsal fin rays VI-I, 9; anal fin rays I, 7; pectoral fin rays 18; longitudinal scale rows 27–28; predorsal scale rows 9–10; no posterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals; body pale white with five blackish brown cross bands; caudal and pectoral fins each with a large blackish brown blotch.