Validity of Scolecenchelys aoki, with a redescription of Scolecenchelys gymnota (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) |
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Authors: | Yusuke Hibino Seishi Kimura Kazuo Hoshino Kiyotaka Hatooka John E. McCosker |
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Affiliation: | (1) Fisheries Research Laboratory, Mie University, 4190-172 Wagu, Shima-cho, Shima Mie, 517-0703, Japan;(2) Oita Marine Palace Aquarium UMITAMAGO, Takasaki-yama-shita-kaigan, Oita 870-0802, Japan;(3) Osaka Museum of Natural History, 1-23 Nagai Park, Higashi-Sumiyoshi, Osaka 546-0034, Japan;(4) California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA; |
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Abstract: | The myrophine ophichthid fishes (worm eels) Muraenichthys aoki Jordan and Snyder 1901 and Muraenichthys gymnotus Bleeker 1857 are redescribed as valid species of Scolecenchelys based on the types and non-type specimens collected from the Indo-Pacific. Because both species are similar to each other in having acute snouts, the posterior margin of the eye before the rictus, and their dorsal-fin origins located slightly posterior to a vertical line through the anus, Scolecenchelys aoki has usually been regarded as a junior synonym of Scolecenchelys gymnota. However, S. aoki is clearly distinguishable from S. gymnota by having a median groove on the ventral side of snout (absent in S. gymnota), uniserial maxillary teeth in smaller specimens (<200 mm TL; vs. biserial), three infraorbital sensory pores at postorbital area (vs. two), and more numerous vertebrae (56–65 in predorsal vs. 51–57; 53–58 in preanal vs. 47–52). Scolecenchelys aoki is restricted to Japanese waters and regarded as a senior synonym of Muraenichthys borealis Machida and Shiogaki 1990. Scolecenchelys gymnota is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, from South Africa and the Red Sea to Samoa, north to Okinawa, Japan. Sphagebranchus huysmani Weber 1913 and Muraenichthys fowleri Schultz 1943 are synonymized under S. gymnota. |
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