ZooKeys最新文献

The large-mouth pricklefish, Malacosarcusmacrostoma (Günther, 1878), previously known from five specimens collected from the central Pacific Ocean, is redescribed based on three specimens collected from the abyssal zone (4,412-4,813 m) off the southeastern coast of Taiwan. These specimens contribute to a more comprehensive description of M.macrostoma and represent this species' westernmost and deepest record. This study provides a detailed description, fresh photographs, and notes on their morphological characteristics of the specimens. Lastly, the distributional records of M.macrostoma are discussed.

A new estuarine moray eel, Uropterygiushades sp. nov., is described based on 14 specimens from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Indonesia, and Fiji. It is a small-bodied, slender, uniformly dark-brown moray separated from congeners within the U.concolor species complex. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the anteriorly positioned small eyes (5.0-7.2% of head length), absence of branchial pores, and extended inner rows of teeth which reach the posterior end of the jaws. Uropterygiushades sp. nov. represents a rare species of moray eel that inhabits turbid estuarine environments, preferring soft, muddy substrates, and burrowing and hiding among rocks or in fallen mangrove leaves. Additionally, Uropterygiusmactanensis Huang, Balisco, Evacitas & Liao, another species recently separated from the U.concolor species complex, is reported for the first time from Iriomote Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago based on two specimens; this new record expands the geographic range of U.mactanensis from the central Philippines to southern Japan.

Yilan, Taiwan is the first place in East Asia where freshwater glass eels, the juvenile stage of Anguilla species, arrive by ocean currents. We collected glass eels by fyke net in Lanyang River estuary twice a month from July 2010 to November 2023. By morphological examination and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, we identified seven species of Anguilla. Most of the glass eels captured in Yilan belonged to the species A.japonica, A.marmorata, and A.bicolorpacifica. Only a few were A.luzonensis, and two A.celebesensis were recorded. In addition, two species were recorded for the time time from Taiwan; A.interioris and A.borneensis were confirmed by cytochrome b sequencing. Thus, we increase the number of Anguilla species in Taiwan from five to seven.

The slender snake eel genus Yirrkala from Taiwan is reviewed, and a total of four species are recognized, including a new species described here. Yirrkalankust sp. nov. is described based on four specimens collected from western Taiwan. It can be distinguished from congeners by the dorsal-fin origin situated above the gill opening, the tip of lower jaw not reaching the base of the anterior-nostril tube, 1 + 3 supraorbital pores, 7-8 predorsal vertebrae, and 147-152 total vertebrae. Two rare species, Yirrkalakaupii Bleeker, 1858 and Yirrkalaomanensis Norman, 1939, are redescribed based on specimens newly collected from Taiwan. A key to all Yirrkala species found in Taiwan is provided.

Examination of the type series of Lestidiumjaponica Tanaka reveals that the generally accepted concept of this species does not accord with the type series. A historical review of the literature showed that the characterization of L.japonica changed over time, and what has been recognized as "L.japonica" for more than 70 years actually represents a distinct and different species. Among the junior synonyms of "L.japonica", Paralepisphilippinus Fowler, 1934 is resurrected as a valid species herein in a new combination, Lestrolepisphilippina. Lestrolepisnigroventralis Ho, Tsai & Li is recognized as a junior synonym of L.japonica herein. Revised diagnostic characteristics for both L.japonica and L.philippina are provided, along with comments on related names to verify their nomenclatural status.

Dongsha Island, situated in the northern part of the South China Sea, is surrounded by coral reefs and deep-sea habitats. The coastal areas of the atoll, a marine protected area, serve as important nursery habitats for many reef fish species. At the same time, the offshore deep-sea continental slopes are historically important fishing grounds. Although previous inventories primarily focused on coral reef fishes within the atoll listing 652 species from 73 families, comprehensive surveys of fishes from deeper waters have been incomplete. In this study, the species composition of the fish fauna around Dongsha was updated by analyzing large volumes of frozen bycatch from commercial deep-sea trawlers operating in the area for the past four years and reviewing the existing literature. The species list increased to 1087 species belonging to 167 families, including several documented as new records and potentially undescribed species. This updated checklist also includes images of each species and most of their sagittal otoliths. This will assist further taxonomic work and significantly enhance understanding of marine biodiversity in the South China Sea.

Species of the genus Pempheris Cuvier, 1829 (Pempheridae) from Japan and Taiwan are taxonomically reviewed based on morphology supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Ten species are recognized from these countries: Pempherisadusta Bleeker, 1855, Pempherisfamilia Koeda & Motomura, 2017, Pempherisjaponica Döderlein, 1883, Pempherisnyctereutes Jordan & Evermann, 1902, Pempherisoualensis Cuvier, 1831, Pempherissasakii Jordan & Hubbs, 1925, Pempherisschwenkii Bleeker, 1877, Pempherisufuagari Koeda, Yoshino & Tachihara, 2013, Pempherisvanicolensis Cuvier, 1831, Pempherisxanthoptera Tominaga, 1963. Nine of them are distributed in Japan, and five of them in Taiwan. Pempherissasakii and P.xanthoptera, nominal species that have been regarded as invalid are revalidated, redescribed with diagnoses based on examinations of the holotypes and the specimens collected from Japan. Pempherissasakii is morphologically similar to P.nyctereutes and has been thought to be a senior synonym of the latter, but the comparison of the holotypes and non-types of both species revealed that the former species is distinguishable from the latter species in having fewer counts of body scales, also genetically supported with a 3.1% mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence. Pempherisxanthoptera is similar to P.schwenkii, but the coloration of their caudal fins is different, and the genetic analysis supported the difference. The distributions of all species of the genus Pempheris in Japanese waters are also described, based on the specimen localities from literature and new material herein.

A unique species of the flappy-snake eel genus, Phyllophichthusdiandrus sp. nov., is described based on a single specimen (270 mm in total length) collected from Dong-gang, southwestern Taiwan. The new species possesses several characters that are distinct from the only other species in the genus, Phyllophichthusxenodontus. Phyllophichthusdiandrus sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from P.xenodontus by having two papillae inside of nasal tube (vs three in P.xenodontus), 25 branchiostegal rays (vs 29), the dorsal-fin origin positioned behind the tip of the pectoral fin (vs not behind, usually above mid-pectoral fin), and the absence of the maxillary teeth (vs present). The relationship between Phyllophichthus and Leiuranus is discussed based on generic and morphological features.

A new species of jawfish genus Opistognathus is described based on a specimen collected from a beach in the Peng-hu Islands during a cold snap. The new species, Opistognathuscryos sp. nov., differs from its congeners in having a rigid upper jaw, 10-11 + 1 + 19-22 = 31-33 gill rakers, 55 scale rows in lateral series, 10 + 16 = 26 vertebrae, the terminus of the lateral line at the base of the fourth segmented dorsal-fin ray (15^th in total rays), the head, nape, dorsal-fin base above lateral line, throat, chest, and pectoral-fin base naked, dorsal fin with eight blotches along its entire base, body with five horizontal dark stripes, nape with two dark blotches in front of the dorsal-fin origin, and a caudal fin with five narrow, dark bands. A detailed description is provided and compared to its similar congeners.