Species New to Science: Red Sea

Showing posts with label Red Sea. Show all posts

Saturday, September 14, 2024

[Ichthyology • 2024] Sueviota aethon • A New Species of Sueviota (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea

Sueviota aethon Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora & Tornabene,

in Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora, Tornabene et Berumen, 2024.

Grumpy Dwarfgoby || DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1212.121135

Abstract

A new gobiid species is described from ten specimens, 9.2 – 16.7 mm SL, collected from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. The new species is most similar to Sueviota pyrios from the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea. It differs from S. pyrios by having no large red spots on the dorsal and caudal fin elements, no elongate spines in the first dorsal fin, a shorter pelvic fin that does not reach the anus, branched pectoral fin rays, and a projecting lower jaw. The new species is further distinguished from all its congeners by a complete lack of cephalic sensory canals and pores. Specimens were found in small caves and overhangs at depths between 10 and 53 meters.

Key words: Biodiversity, coral reef fish, Gobiidae, identification key, new species, Red Sea, Sueviota, taxonomy

Specimens of Sueviota aethon sp. nov.
a UW 203365, holotype, freshly collected
b UW 203367, freshly collected, showing the yellow variation of the species
c UW 203365, holotype, preserved in 75% ethanol.

Sueviota aethon Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora & Tornabene, sp. nov.

Grumpy dwarfgoby

Diagnosis: This is a species of Sueviota characterized by the following combination of characters: no cephalic sensory-canal pores; dorsal fin VI-I,8, or I,9, without filamentous spines; anal fin I,7 or I,8; pelvic fin I,5, rays 1 – 4 branched, fifth ray unbranched or with two branches, elongate (77–88% of fourth) and flattened towards the tips if unbranched, fourth ray longest; well-developed pelvic fin membrane fully joining fifth pelvic fin rays, frenum absent; 14 or 15 pectoral fin rays, some branched; body robust and deep, anterior slope of snout nearly vertical giving the head a blunt profile, terminal mouth inclined vertically forming a 72° angle to horizontal body axis.

Etymology: The specific epithet stems from the ancient Greek Aethon, one of the four horses of the sun god Helios. The most similar species to S. aethon, Sueviota pyrios Greenfield & Randall, 2017, is named after a different horse of Helios. The specific name is a noun in apposition. The common name, Grumpy dwarfgoby, refers to the fish’s apparent grumpy and rather unhappy appearance, primarily due to the extremely upturned mouth position.

Viktor Nunes Peinemann, Lucía Pombo-Ayora, Luke Tornabene, Michael L. Berumen. 2024. The Grumpy Dwarfgoby, A New Species of Sueviota (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from the Red Sea. ZooKeys. 1212: 17-28. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.121135

Monday, April 15, 2024

[Invertebrate • 2024] Perinereis kaustiana • A New Species (Annelida: Nereididae) for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Region

Perinereis kaustiana

Teixeira, Fourreau, Sempere-Valverde & Carvalho, 2024

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1196.115260

twitter.com/ChaoticChloeia

Abstract

Annelid biodiversity studies in the Red Sea are limited and integrative taxonomy is needed to accurately improve reference libraries in the region. As part of the bioblitz effort in Saudi Arabia to assess the invertebrate biodiversity in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba, Perinereis specimens from intertidal marine and lagoon-like rocky environments were selected for an independent assessment, given the known taxonomic ambiguities in this genus. This study used an integrative approach, combining molecular with morphological and geographic data. Our results demonstrate that specimens found mainly in the Gulf of Aqaba are not only morphologically different from other five similar Perinereis Group I species reported in the region, but phylogenetic analysis using available COI sequences from GenBank revealed different molecular operational taxonomic units, suggesting an undescribed species, P. kaustiana sp. nov. The new species is genetically close and shares a similar paragnath pattern to the Indo-Pacific distributed P. helleri, in particular in Area III and Areas VII–VIII. Therefore, we suggest it may belong to the same species complex. However, P. kaustiana sp. nov. differs from the latter mainly in the shorter length of the postero-dorsal tentacular cirri, median parapodia with much longer dorsal Tentacular cirri, posteriormost parapodia with much wider and greatly expanded dorsal ligules. Additionally, two new records are reported for the Saudi Neom area belonging to P. damietta and P. suezensis, previously described only for the Egyptian coast (Suez Canal) and are distributed sympatrically with the new species, but apparently not sympatric with each other.

Key words: Gulf of Aqaba, mtCOI-5P, NEOM, north-eastern Red Sea, Polychaeta, Saudi Arabia, taxonomy

Perinereis kaustiana sp. nov. All pictures are from the holotype (NTNU-VM-86011) if not stated otherwise
A anterior end, prostomium, dorsal view B anterior end, prostomium, ventral view C jaws and respective jaw canals (JC), dorsal view D pharynx, maxillary ring (Areas III and IV), ventral view; black arrows, lateral patches with two paragnaths each E pharynx, oral ring (Areas VI), dorsal view F pharynx, maxillary ring (Areas I and II), dorsal view G pharynx, oral ring (Areas VII–VIII), ventral view; black arrows, furrow regions; white arrows, ridge regions H posterior end; white arrows, pygidial Tentacular cirri, paratype (NTNU-VM-86015) I anterior body, tentacular cirri reaching chaetiger 9, paratype (NTNU-VM-86015) J worm’s eyes, right side, paratype (NTNU-VM-86015). Abbreviations: chaet., chaetiger; Pyg., Pygidium. Scale bars: 500 μm (A, B, I); 250 μm (E, F, H); 100 μm (D, G); 125 μm (J); 75 μm (C).

Family Nereididae Blainville, 1818

Genus Perinereis Kinberg, 1865

 Perinereis kaustiana sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Four pairs of tentacular cirri, postero-dorsal one reaching chaetiger 7–9; ratio of DPCL / HL = 3.6×. Eversible pharynx with one pair of dark brown curved jaws with seven or eight denticles; two longitudinal canals emerging from the pulp cavity, both in the mid-section of the jaw. Pharynx consisting of maxillary and oral rings with conical shaped paragnaths. Maxillary ring: Area I = 2 small paragnaths arranged in a longitudinal line. Area II = Cluster of 5–7 small paragnaths. Area III = central patch of nine small paragnaths, lateral patches with two small paragnaths each. Area IV = 13 small paragnaths arranged in wedge shape without any bars. Oral ring: Area V = a triangle of three large paragnaths. Area VI (a+b) = two narrow bar-shaped ...

Etymology: The species designation pays tribute to the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, a globally recognized graduate-level research institution. This naming honours KAUST’s substantial and enduring contributions to marine science, particularly in advancing our understanding of the Red Sea over the course of more than a decade. Through its dedicated research efforts, KAUST has significantly enriched the scientific community’s knowledge of this unique marine environment.

Marcos A. L. Teixeira, Chloé Julie Loïs Fourreau, Juan Sempere-Valverde and Susana Carvalho. 2024. Two New Records and Description of A New Perinereis (Annelida, Nereididae) Species for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Region. ZooKeys. 1196: 331-354. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1196.115260

twitter.com/ChaoticChloeia/status/1774838199384461695

Sunday, December 31, 2023

[Ichthyology • 2023] Schindleria qizma • A New Species of Schindleria (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) with a specialized caudal-fin complex

Schindleria qizma

Ahnelt, Macek & Robitzch, 2023

DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e97515

Abstract

Species of the gobiid genus Schindleria are among the smallest and fastest reproducing vertebrates of the oceans. We describe a new species, Schindleria qizma, from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. It is an extreme example of progenesis, within the already paedomorphic genus, with morphological traits clearly differentiating it from its congeners. Schindleria qizma has a unique, unflexed notochord with a straight urostyle of which the tip is inserted into the hypural cartilage, rather than the typical flexed notochord with an upturned urostyle of the other species of Schindleria. Schindleria qizma belongs to the short dorsal-fin type of Schindleria. It is further characterized by an elongated but relatively deep body; a short dorsal fin originating just slightly anterior to the anal fin (predorsal-fin length 59.4% of SL vs. preanal-fin length 60.2% of SL); a head continuously increasing in depth posteriorly with a straight dorsal profile; a short snout (18.6% of head length); large eyes (34.4% of head length); a short pectoral-radial plate (6.3% of SL); 13 dorsal-fin rays; 11 anal-fin rays; 0–2 procurrent rays (where the last procurrent ray is short, if present); an anal fin with the first anal-fin ray situated opposite the second dorsal-fin ray; toothless oral jaws; females with few (10–11, total) but very large (4.6% of SL) eggs and with a conspicuous urogenital papilla characterized by a wide urogenital opening flanked by two long, bilobed projections; a dorsally pigmented swim-bladder; blackish, iridescent eyes, capped by a silvery layer with irregular rows of black dots or blotches; and no additional external pigmentation on its body, at least in preserved specimens.

Keywords: Gobiiformes, paedomorphosis, progenesis, miniaturization

Schindleria qizma, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: A member of the SDF group of Schindleria, which can be distinguished from all members of the LDF group by a combination of following characters: (i) the dorsal fin about the same or nearly the same length of the anal fin (vs. dorsal fin distinctly longer than anal fin), (ii) a relatively short (5.8 % of SL vs. 8.7% of SL) and deep (2.2% of SL vs. 1.5% of SL) caudal peduncle, (iii) a straight (vs. flexed) urostyle, fewer procurrent rays (0–2 vs. 5–8), and absence of teeth in both jaws (vs. both jaws with teeth).

...

Etymology: The name ‘qizma’ comes from the Arabic word ‘qizm’ (مزق), which means dwarf. It is a noun in apposition and refers to the very small size of the species.

Harald Ahnelt, Oliver Macek and Vanessa Robitzch. 2023. A New Species of Schindleria (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) with a specialized caudal-fin complex. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 313-323. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e97515

Saturday, March 25, 2023

[Mollusca • 2022] Ostrea oleomargarita • Cryptic Marine Diversity in the Northern Arabian Gulf: An Integrative Approach Uncovers a New Species of Oyster (Bivalvia: Ostreidae)

Ostrea oleomargarita Oliver, Salvi & Al-Kandari,

in Salvi, Al-Kandari, Oliver, Berrilli & Garzia, 2022.

DOI: 10.1155/2022/7058975

Abstract

Animal biodiversity is greatly underestimated in nontemperate marine regions, especially for intertidal benthic organisms such as oysters. Recent surveys in the northern Arabian Gulf suggest the presence of numerous unidentified species, some of which form shallow reef ecosystems while others are cryptic and found under rocks. In this study, we focused on small oysters from Kuwait, which show typical characteristics in common with the genus Ostrea except for the presence of lophine chomata that would link it to the genera Lopha, Dendostrea, and Alectryonella. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers unambiguously placed the Kuwait oyster within the Ostreinae as a sister to the Japanese species Ostrea futamiensis. The hypothesis that the Kuwait oyster represents a new species was assessed with phylogenetic and species delimitation methods combined with a morphological assessment. Results corroborated the Kuwait oysters as a new species herein described as Ostrea oleomargarita Oliver, Salvi, and Al-Kandari, sp. nov. The phylogeny of the Ostreinae shows extensive disagreement between morphology-based genera and phylogenetic clades. The genus Ostrea is polyphyletic, and the form and distribution of taxonomic characters such as chomata are not as definitive as suggested in previous studies. This study, along with other recent investigations, confirmed the Arabian Gulf as a key region for discovering marine animal diversity and suggested a possible biogeographic divide between the Eastern and Western Indo-Pacific. A pattern that has been documented in a growing number of taxa and that warrants further research attention.

Ostrea oleomargarita sp. nov.
A holotype upper shell in situ with another specimen, Al Sha’ab B holotype upper shell, internal view of attached valves showing catachomata, greenish interior and brown margin [NMW.Z.2021.009.008]
C–F paratypes, variations in external sculpture and colouration, all Al Sha’ab D brown, tubercular E black and beige, foliar F Al Sha’ab site typically encrusted with Bryozoa; [NMW.Z.2021.009.010.] G Failaka, rayed, foliar [NMW.Z.2021.009.011 #7].

Systematics

Ostreoidea Rafinesque, 1815

Ostreidae Rafinesque, 1815

Ostreinae Rafinesque, 1815

Ostrea Linnaeus, 1758

Generic Definition. It is commonplace to give a generic definition when describing a new species. However, the molecular data presented here suggests that Ostrea is polyphyletic and that the new species described here and its sister taxon O. futamiensis do not cluster within the clade that includes Ostrea edulis, the type species of the genus Ostrea (see Discussion). While a systematic revision of the genus Ostrea is clearly needed, we have resorted to use Ostrea in its common understanding until a much more detailed phylogeny of the Ostreinae can be presented.

Ostrea oleomargarita Oliver, Salvi, and Al-Kandari, sp. nov.

Derivation of Name. Derived from the combination oleo from olivarius (Latin) referring to the colour olive-green and margarita from margarites (Latin) referring to the pearly lustre of the inner surfaces of the valves. Thus, to the typical olive-green lustre of the nacreous inner surface of the valves.

Daniele Salvi, Manal Al-Kandari, P. Graham Oliver, Emanuele Berrilli,, and Matteo Garzia. 2022. Cryptic Marine Diversity in the Northern Arabian Gulf: An Integrative Approach Uncovers a New Species of Oyster (Bivalvia: Ostreidae), Ostrea oleomargarita. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 7058975. DOI: 10.1155/2022/7058975

Daniele Salvi, Manal Al-Kandari, P. Graham Oliver, Emanuele Berrilli,, and Matteo Garzia. 2023. Corrigendum: Salvi D, Al-Kandari M, Oliver PG, Berrilli E, Garzia M. 2022. Cryptic marine diversity in the northern Arabian Gulf: an integrative approach uncovers a new species of oyster (Bivalvia: Ostreidae), Ostrea oleomargarita. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 7058975. DOI: 10.1155/2022/7058975. ZooKeys. 1143: 89-92. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1143.100087

Monday, February 20, 2023

[Ichthyology • 2022] Acanthopagrus oconnorae • A New Species of Seabream (Perciformes: Sparidae) from the Red Sea

Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann,

in Pombo-Ayora, Peinemann, Williams, He, Lin, Iwatsuki, Bradley & Berumen, 2022.

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147

Researchgate.net/publication/361611221

Abstract

A new species of sparid fish, Acanthopagrus oconnorae, is described based on 11 specimens collected in the shallow (0–1 m depth) mangrove-adjacent sandflats of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: second anal-fin spine 12.8%–16.6% of standard length (SL); 3½ scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 5.7%–6.7% of SL; eyes positioned at the anterior edge of the head, often forming a weakly convex break in an otherwise gently curved head profile, when viewed laterally; caudal fin light yellow with black posterior margin (approximately half of fin); anal fin dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent. The most similar species to A. oconnorae is Acanthopagrus vagus, which differs by the presence of a w-shaped anterior edge of the scaled predorsal area, a more acute snout and black streaks on the inter-radial membranes of the anal fin. Phylogenetic placement and species delimitation of A. oconnorae are discussed based on COI, CytB and 16S sequences. It is hypothesized that ecology and behaviour explain how this species avoided detection despite its likely occurrence in coastal areas of the Red Sea with historically high fishing pressure.

Keywords: biodiversity, new species, phylogeny, Red Sea, seabream, Sparidae, taxonomy

(a) Freshly collected holotype of Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov., CAS-ICH 247294, 222.7 mm SL (standard length), from the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea.
(b) Holotype of A. oconnorae sp. nov. after preservation in formalin. The posterior margin of the preopercle and opercle turns darkish or blackish, and yellowish portions of pectoral, anal and pelvic fins turn hyaline after preservation.

Photos: L. Pombo-Ayora

Species of Acanthopagrus similar to Acanthopagrus oconnorae currently known from the Western Indian Ocean region.
(a) Acanthopagrus oconnorae sp. nov. [CAS-ICH 247299, 185.8 mm SL (standard length), Thuwal, Red Sea]. (b) Acanthopagrus sheim (168.3 SL, Dammam fish market). (c) Acanthopagrus vagus (200 mm SL, Kosi Bay, South Africa; specimen not retained). Note the differences in the colouration of the dorsal fin and anal fin. See Table 2 for detailed morphometric comparisons.

Photos: (a, b) L. Pombo-Ayora, (c) Bruce Mann

Acanthopagrus oconnorae Pombo-Ayora and Peinemann, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: A. oconnorae is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: dorsal fin XI, 11; anal fin III, 8; 4½ scale rows above lateral line; 3½ scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine and lateral line; suborbital width 6%–7% of SL; body moderately deep (40%–45% of SL); head length 29%–32% of SL; second anal-fin spine 13%–17% of SL; anal fin yellowish grey or dusky grey, with posterior one-fifth of the fin light yellow; black streaks on inter-radial membranes of anal fin absent; caudal fin light yellow with a broad black posterior margin (approximately half of the fin); vertical bands on body absent or weak (four horizontal scale rows wide, if present); conspicuous black spot on the upper base of pectoral fin; diffuse black blotch at the origin of lateral line covering the upper part of the cleithrum (Figure 4).

Distribution and habitat: Currently this species is known from the mangrove-adjacent sandflats and mangrove-encircled pools of Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, in the central Red Sea. All specimens were caught in very close proximity to the mangrove habitat. All the trapped specimens were captured on sandflat shelves with very shallow water (maximum 1 m depth at high tide) near coastal stands of mangroves (Avicennia marina). Individuals of A. oconnorae appear to commonly utilize a specific type of habitat, co-occurring with A. berda, R. haffara, Pomadasys argenteus, Gerres longirostris, Monodactylus argenteus, Albula glossodonta and Crenimugil crenilabis.

Etymology: A. oconnorae is named in honour of Winefride Bradley (née O'Connor), botanist, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. D.D.C.B., her son, first noted several of the distinctive features of this fish in specimens caught while leisure fishing, and he provided a caudal-fin clipping for initial genetic analysis. D.D.C.B. collected the first specimen (CAS-ICH 247295) analysed in this study.

Common name: The following common name is proposed: Bev Bradley's Bream, after D.D.C.B.'s wife, Mrs. Beverley Bradley.

Lucía Pombo-Ayora, Viktor N. Peinemann, Collin T. Williams, Song He, Yu Jia Lin, Yukio Iwatsuki, Donal D. C. Bradley and Michael L. Berumen. 2022. Acanthopagrus oconnorae, A New Species of Seabream (Sparidae) from the Red Sea. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15147

Researchgate.net/publication/361611221_Acanthopagrus_oconnorae_a_new_species_of_Sparidae_from_the_Red_Sea

Monday, November 21, 2022

[Invertebrate • 2022] Acanthaster benziei • A New Species of Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star (Valvatida: Acanthasteridae) from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

Acanthaster benziei Wörheide & Kaltenbacher

in Wörheide, Kaltenbacher, Cowan & Haszprunar 2022

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.3.7

Abstract

A new species of crown-of-thorns sea star (CoTS), Acanthaster benziei sp. nov., is described based on four specimens collected from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast where it inhabits coral reefs. Species delimitation from congeners in the species complex, i.e., Acanthaster planci, Acanthaster mauritiensis and Acanthaster cf. solaris, is primarily based on distinct and diagnostic mitochondrial DNA sequence regions. Species separation of Acanthaster benziei is additionally justified due to diagnostic morphological characters: fewer arms; narrower and thinner spines; fanned spine tips in primary and latero-oral spines; a wider tip or tapering shape in circumoral spines; and rhombus-shaped oral pedicellariae.

Key words: Acanthasteridae, Acanthaster, morphology, taxonomy, Red Sea, coral reefs

Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. Ethanol-preserved specimens of the type series.
GW4202 (A) is the holotype, all the others (B–D) are paratypes. Note that individual GW4266 is a juvenile specimen. Size of labels 6 × 2 cm.

Typical colouration of Acanthaster benziei sp. nov.
(A) GW4081 (Paratype, hiding during the day under a crevice), Al-Lith, Saudi Arabia, (photo credit: Oliver Voigt), (B–D) Thuwal Reefs, Saudi Arabia (photo credit: Gert Wörheide).

Approximate diameter of specimens is 25–30 cm.

Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. Wörheide & Kaltenbacher

in Wörheide, Kaltenbacher, Cowan & Haszprunar 2022

Differential diagnosis. Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. can clearly be distinguished by diagnostic mutations in the partial COI gene sequences analysed, all material examined fall within the deeply divergent monophyletic group of CoTS from the Red Sea (see Fig. 3). There is full agreement with initial results that proposed species distinction of the Red Sea clade based on COI data alone (Vogler et al. 2008), recently corroborated by nuclear genome analyses (Yuasa et al. 2021). The molecular-based species distinction of A. benziei sp. nov. is also substantially supported by diagnostic morphological characters.

Acanthaster benziei has fewer arms than congenericsea stars of comparable size from the other geographic regions/species. Our reported range between 11 and 14 arms in the type series (Tab. 3) is consistent with values previously reported for other individuals from the Red Sea (mean of 13 arms [Campbell and Ormond 1970]; maximum of 13–14 arms [Haszprunar et al. 2017]). By contrast, the number of arms reported for sea stars from India (= A. planci) was 15 (Linnaeus 1758) and for A. mauritiensis 13–16 (de Loriol 1885), with a maximum of 23 arms reported for A. planci, A. mauritiensis and the Pacific species A. cf. solaris (Haszprunar et al. 2017) (see Supp. Tab. 1).

Etymology. The species name pays tribute to Professor John Benzie, who has decisively promoted research on CoTS, with numerous publications and his own collection. He was among the first scientists to genetically analyse Acanthaster spp. and his collection was the basis of the work of Vogler et al. (2008), which represents a milestone in the species identification of these sea stars.

Distribution and habitat. So far known Acanthaster benziei is restricted to the Red Sea, where it inhabits coral reefs, predominantly the outer reef surfaces where it mostly hides in crevices during the day and feeds nocturnally.

Gert Wörheide, Emilie Kaltenbacher, Zara-Louise Cowan and Gerhard Haszprunar. 2022. A New Species of Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star, Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. (Valvatida: Acanthasteridae), from the Red Sea. Zootaxa. 5209(3); 379-393. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.3.7

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

[Ichthyology • 2021] Etelis boweni • A New Cryptic Deepwater Eteline Snapper (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) from the Indo‐Pacific

Etelis boweni

Andrews, Fernandez‐Silva, Randall & Ho, 2021

DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14720

hawaii.edu

Photo: NOAA Fisheries

Abstract

A new species of Etelis is described based on 16 specimens collected from the Red Sea and Western Australia, with confirmed genetic records throughout the Indo‐West Pacific. It is similar to and was often misidentified as Etelis carbunculus Cuvier, with both species sharing the diagnostic character of low number of developed gill rakers. Nonetheless, the two species are genetically divergent and differ morphologically in adult body length; proportions of eye, snout, cheek and caudal fin; shape of head, opercular spine and sagittal otolith; and coloration of the tip of the upper caudal fin. Etelis boweni has a wide Indo‐west Pacific distribution that largely overlaps with E. carbunculus, and the two species are often caught on the same fishing line.

Keywords: Actinopterygii, cryptic species, ichthyology, Pisces, snappers, taxonomy

Etelis boweni sp. nov.

Bowen's Red Snapper, Giant Ruby Snapper

Etymology: The authors are grateful to name this fish after Dr. Brian W. Bowen of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaiʻi, in recognition of his contributions to the field of Ichthyology, and in particular for his use of molecular genetic techniques in support of the taxonomy of fishes.

A fresh caught specimen of Etelis boweni sp. nov. from East Bank, American Sāmoa in 2016, weight 31 kg, estimated >1 m total length.

Photo: NOAA Fisheries

Kimberly R. Andrews, Iria Fernandez‐Silva, John E. Randall and Hsuan‐Ching Ho. 2021. Etelis boweni sp. nov., A New Cryptic Deepwater Eteline Snapper from the Indo‐Pacific (Perciformes: Lutjanidae). Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14720

hawaii.edu/news/2021/04/16/newly-discovered-ehu

facebook.com/MNMRC/posts/4225631444122511

twitter.com/ToBoLab/status/1383178764356493312

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

[Mollusca • 2020] Phylogeographical Patterns and A Cryptic Species provide New Insights Into Western Indian Ocean Giant Clams (Genus Tridacna) Phylogenetic Relationships and Colonization History

Tridacna elongatissima Bianconi, 1856

in Fauvelot, Zuccon, Borsa, Grulois, ... et Bouchet, 2020.

DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13797

twitter.com/UMREntropie

JournalofBiogeographyNews.org

Abstract

Aim:

The unique biodiversity in the Red Sea is the result of complex ecological and evolutionary processes driven by Pleistocene climatic change. Here we investigate the species diversity, phylogenetic relationships and phylogeographical patterns of giant clams in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and the Red Sea to explore scenarios of marine speciation in this under‐studied region.

Location: Mozambique Channel, Madagascar, and the Mascarene Islands (WIO); the Farasan Islands (Red Sea).

Taxon: Giant clams of the genus Tridacna (Cardiidae: Tridacninae).

Methods:

Giant clams were sampled as complete organisms or through underwater biopsies. Nuclear (28S ) and mitochondrial (16S and COI ) DNA sequences were subjected to Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis for all known species within the genus Tridacna . Bayesian inference with molecular and fossil calibration was used to infer their colonization history.

Results:

From the 10 genetically distinct clades recovered from the analyses of 253 sequenced specimens, five distinct Tridacna lineages were sampled, three of which were endemics of the WIO and the Red Sea. Each lineage corresponded to a distinct species, except one grouping the two formerly known WIO endemics, T. lorenzi and T. rosewateri. This lineage clustered with two other well‐supported lineages: the Red Sea endemic T. squamosina, and a previously unrecognized lineage, restricted to the WIO, for which we resurrect the long‐forgotten name T. elongatissima Bianconi, 1856. For the two other species sampled (T. maxima and T. squamosa), contrasting phylogeographical patterns were observed.

Main conclusions:

Our data confirm the validity of the species T. rosewateri, a WIO endemic genetically indistinguishable from T. lorenzi, which should be considered a junior synonym. The phylogenetic placement of the newly resurrected T. elongatissima provides insights into the probable origin of T. squamosina, which split from its sister species no later than 2 Ma, likely during Middle Pleistocene glacial periods. Two scenarios are discussed. Our results also suggest that T. maxima invaded the Red Sea more recently and that contemporary gene flow between Red Sea and WIO T. maxima is highly restricted. The deep Red Sea partition observed in T. squamosa suggests a much older divergence and raises the question of a possible cryptic lineage.

Keywords: biodiversity, biogeographical barriers, cardiidae, population genetics, Red Sea, species distribution, systematics

Figure 6: Shells of endemic WIO Tridacna species.
(a‐d) Tridacna rosewateri Sirenko & Scarlato, 1991, Saya de Malha Bank, including a‐b. Paratype ZISP N10569, L 191 mm and c‐d. Holotype ZISP N10568, L 149 mm.
(e,f) Tridacna lorenzi K. Monsecour, 2016, Mauritius, Cargados Carajos Shoals, St. Brandon, holotype MNHN‐IM‐2000–30800, L 225 mm.
(g‐l) Tridacna elongatissima Bianconi, 1856. (g‐i) Mozambique, lectotype MZB 009876, L 198 mm (photo: Antonio Bonfitto). (j‐l) South Madagascar, Atimo Vatae stn TF20, MNHN‐IM‐2009–33486, L 175 mm

Tridacna elongatissima from Masoala Cape, northeast Madagascar.

Giant clam endemic of the south Western Indian Ocean.

(Photo by Serge Andréfouët)

Tridacna elongatissima Bianconi, 1856. (g‐i) Mozambique, lectotype MZB 009876, L 198 mm (photo: Antonio Bonfitto). (j‐l) South Madagascar, Atimo Vatae stn TF20, MNHN‐IM‐2009–33486, L 175 mm

Cécile Fauvelot, Dario Zuccon, Philippe Borsa, Daphné Grulois, Hélène Magalon, Florentine Riquet, Serge Andréfouët, Michael L. Berumen, Tane H. Sinclair‐Taylor, Pauline Gélin, Faustinato Behivoke, Jan Johan ter Poorten, Ellen E. Strong and Philippe Bouchet. 2020. Phylogeographical Patterns and A Cryptic Species provide New Insights Into Western Indian Ocean Giant Clams Phylogenetic Relationships and Colonization History. Journal of Biogeography. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13797

The forgotten giants of the Western Indian Ocean reefs

JournalofBiogeographyNews.org/2020/05/10/the-forgotten-giants-of-the-western-indian-ocean-reefs

twitter.com/JBiogeography/status/1256066224628264961

twitter.com/UMREntropie/status/1266104030784131072

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

[Ichthyology • 2019] Revision of the Subgenus Zonocypselurus Parin and Bogorodsky, 2011 [A Review of the Flying Fish Genus Cypselurus (Beloniformes: Exocoetidae). Part 1]

in Shakhovskoy & Parin, 2019.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4589.1.1

Abstract

The first part of the review of the four-winged flying fishes of the genus Cypselurus is presented, and shows that seven species belonging to two genera were mixed under the name Cypselurus (Zonocypselurus) hexazona, none of which is identical to Exocoetus hexazona Bleeker. A new subgenus of flying fish (Amustotrogon subgen. nov.) and four new species (Cheilopogon marisrubri, Cheilopogon katherinae, Cypselurus bosha, Cypselurus olpar) are described. The validity of Cypselurus formosus Kotthaus, 1969 is reinstated (as Cheilopogon (Amustotrogon) formosus). Three subspecies of Cheilopogon formosus are recognized: Ch. formosus formosus, Ch. f. pseudospilopterus subsp. nov. and Ch. f. andamanicus subsp. nov. Morphology of species and subspecies at different stages of ontogeny is described. Maps of their geographical distribution are presented. A key for identification of flying fish taxa described in the work is included.

Keywords: Pisces, Systematics, morphology, distribution, Cypselurus hexazona, C. bosha sp. nov., C. olpar sp. nov., Amustotrogon subgen. nov., Cheilopogon formosus new combination, Ch. f. pseudospilopterus subsp. nov., Ch. f. andamanicus subsp. nov., Ch. marisrubri sp. nov., Ch. katherinae sp. nov., Red Sea endemics

Ilia B. Shakhovskoy and Nikolay V. Parin. 2019. A Review of the Flying Fish Genus Cypselurus (Beloniformes: Exocoetidae). Part 1. Revision of the Subgenus Zonocypselurus Parin and Bogorodsky, 2011 with Descriptions of One New Subgenus, Four New Species and Two New Subspecies and Reinstatement of One Species as Valid. Zootaxa. 4589(1); 1–71. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4589.1.1

Parin, N.V. and Bogorodsky, S.V. 2011. Distribution and morphology of flying fish Cypselurus hexazona placed into a separate subgenus Zonocypselurus subgen. nov. Voprosy Ikhtiologii, Vol. 51 (5), 683–686. [In Russian, English translation in Journal of Ichthyology, 51 (8), 658–661 (second author misspelled as Bogorodskiy)]

researchgate.net/publication/257843717_Distribution_and_morphology_of_flying_fish_Cypselurus_hexazona_placed_into_a_separate_subgenus_Zonocypselurus_subgen_nov

Friday, April 13, 2018

[Ichthyology • 2018] Dysomma alticorpus • A New Species of Cutthroat Eel (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae) from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Dysomma alticorpus

Fricke, Golani, Appelbaum-Golani & Zajonz, 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005

Abstract

The cutthroat eel Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is described based on a single specimen collected in a trammel net at a depth of 350 m off Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new species belongs to the Dysomma anguillare species complex, which comprises species possessing a well-developed pectoral fin, intermaxillary teeth, a uniserial row of 7–15 large compound teeth in the lower jaw (which may be followed by a few smaller teeth), and an anteriorly situated anus with the trunk shorter than the head length. It is characterised by a combination of the following characters: origin of the dorsal fin well anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, predorsal length 13.8% TL; preanal length 22.8% TL; three compound teeth on the vomer; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 4, prepectoral 8, preanal 14, total 57–58, the last at the posterior two-thirds of the total length; MVF 7–16–115; total vertebrae 115. Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is compared with other species of the genus. A revised key to the species of the genera Dysomma and Dysommina is provided.

Keywords: Synaphobranchidae; Ichthyology; Systematics; Gulf of Aqaba; Red Sea; Cutthroat eel; New species

Fig. 1. Dysomma alticorpus new species, HUJ 17054 (holotype, 323.4 mm TL), Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Israel, off Eilat; A lateral view, B lateral view, detail of head, C trunk, ventral view; colouration in preservative.

Dysomma alticorpus new species

Pale cutthroat eel

Etymology: Altus (Latin) = high; corpus (Latin) = body. The name of the new species refers to the relatively high body of this new species. It is used as a noun in apposition.

Ronald Fricke, Daniel Golani, Brenda Appelbaum-Golani, Uwe Zajonz. 2018. Dysomma alticorpus, A New Species of Cutthroat Eel from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae) [Dysomma alticorpus, une nouvelle espèce d’anguille égorgée du golfe d’Aqaba, mer Rouge (Teleostei: Synaphobranchidae)] Comptes Rendus Biologies. 341(2); 111-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2017.10.005

Résumé: L’anguille égorgée Dysomma alticorpus sp. nov. est décrite à partir d’un seul échantillon pêché au moyen de filets emmêlants à une profondeur de 350 m près d’Eilat, dans le golfe d’Aqaba (mer Rouge, Israël). La nouvelle espèce appartient aux espèces complexes de Dysomma anguillare, qui incluent des espèces avec des nageoires pectorales bien développées, des dents intermaxillaires, 7 à 15 grandes dents composées réparties sur un seul rang dans la mâchoire inférieure (qui peuvent être suivies par quelques autres moins grandes) et un anus situé antérieurement, un tronc plus court que la longueur de la tête. Elle se caractérise par une combinaison des caractères suivants : l’origine de la nageoire dorsale est bien antérieure à la base de la nageoire pectorale, la longueur prédorsale est égale à 13,8 % de la longueur totale, la longueur préanale est de 22,8 % de la longueur totale ; on relève trois dents composées au vomer ; les pores de la tête sont répartis comme suit : interorbital, 4, suborbital, 3 ; mandibulaire, 6 ; préoperculaire, 0 ; supratemporal, 0 ; les pores de la ligne latérale sont disposés comme suit : prédorsal, 4 ; prépectoral, 8 ; préanal, 14 ; au total 57–58 ; le dernier se trouve aux deux tiers postérieurs de la longueur totale ; la formule moyenne de la vertèbre est 7–16–115 ; le nombre total de vertèbres est de 115. Dysomma alticorpus sp. nov. est comparée à des espèces voisines. Une clé actualisée des genres des Dysomma et Dysommina est présentée.

Mots clés: Synaphobranchidae; Ichtyologie; Systématique; Golfe d’Aqaba; Mer Rouge; Anguille égorgée; Nouvelle espèce

Saturday, March 31, 2018

[Crustacea • 2018] Tubuca alcocki • A New Pseudocryptic Species of Fiddler Crab (Decapoda, Brachyura, Ocypodidae) from the Indian Ocean, sister to the southeastern African T. urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852)

Tubuca alcocki

Shih, Chan & Ng, 2018

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.747.23468

Abstract

A new pseudocryptic species of fiddler crab, Tubuca alcocki sp. n., is described from the northern Indian Ocean. The new species was previously identified with T. urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), but can be distinguished by the structures of the anterolateral angle of the carapace and male first gonopod. The molecular data of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene shows that both are sister taxa and the divergence time is estimated at 2.2 million years ago, around the beginning of the Pleistocene. While the new species is widely distributed in the northern part of Indian Ocean, occurring from the Red Sea to India and the Andaman Sea; T. urvillei sensu stricto has a more restricted range, and is known only from southeastern Africa.

Keywords: mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I, molecular clock, morphology, new species, Tubuca alcocki, Tubuca urvillei

Systematic account

Family Ocypodidae Rafinesque, 1815

Subfamily Gelasiminae Miers, 1886 (sensu Shih et al. 2016)

Genus Tubuca Bott, 1973

Tubuca urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852)

Figure 6. Tubuca alcocki sp. n.
E–G variation of the live colouration. E ovigerous female (CW 19.8 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897, Thailand) F, G females in the field (not captured; Phuket, Thailand)
H habitat in Ranong, Thailand.

Tubuca alcocki sp. n.

Gelasimus Dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852: 148, pl. 4(12) [part; Malabar, India]; Kingsley 1880: 145 [part; list]; Chandy 1973: 402 [Gulf of Kutch, W India] (not Gelasimus dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852 sensu stricto).

Gelasimus acutus – Alcock 1900: 360–361 [Sunderbunds, Mergui; Andamans; Karachi] (not Gelasimus acutus Stimpson, 1858).

Gelasimus Urvillei – Alcock 1900: 362–363 [Nicobars; Madras; Karachi] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca angustifrons – Lundoer 1974: 8 [Phuket, SW Thailand]; Ng and Davie 2002: 378 [list; Phuket, SW Thailand] (not Gelasimus signatus var. angustifrons De Man, 1892 = Tubuca bellator (White, 1847)).

Uca (Deltuca) [coarctata] urvillei – Crane 1975: 35, 58–61, figs 8B, 9E, pl. 9C, D [part, Pakistan to southern India]; Frith and Frith 1977a: 100–101 [Phuket, SW Thailand] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca urvillei – Frith et al. 1976: 14, 19, 23–24, 28 [Phuket, SW Thailand]; Tirmizi and Ghani 1996: 103–105, fig. 39 [Pakistan]; Jaroensutasinee et al. 2003: 1–3 [W Thailand]; Jaroensutasinee and Jaroensutasinee 2004: 534, 538, 540–548 [W Thailand]; Naiyanetr 2007: 133 [list; Thailand]; Saher 2008: 21–22, fig. 2.2, pl. 2.1 [Pakistan]; Dev Roy and Nandi 2012: 218 [Nicobar, India]; Hossain 2015: 203, 1 unnumbered fig. [Bangladesh]; Odhano et al. 2015: 170–171, figs 1–2 [Pakistan] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Deltuca) urvillei – Hogarth 1986: 222–223 [Red Sea]; Price et al. 1987: 456, 464 [Red Sea]; Krishnan 1992: 471–472 [Bombay, India] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Deltuca) dussumieri – Krishnan 1992: 471–472 [Bombay, India] (not Gelasimus dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852)

Uca (Tubuca) urvillei – Beinlich and von Hagen 2006: 10, 14, 25, fig. 7f, k [Thailand; India] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Tubuca) acuta – Trivedi et al. 2015: 27 [Gujarat, India] (not Gelasimus acutus Stimpson, 1858).

Tubuca urvillei – Shih et al. 2016: 159, 174 [part], fig. 12A.

Colouration in life: Adults with carapace and legs brown or dark brown, posterior part gray, especially in females (Fig. 6A, C, E). Some females with anterolateral angles orange (Fig. 6E, F) or with dark blotches on blue carapace (Fig. 6G). Major cheliped with fingers white; lower palm deep yellow in large individuals, orange in young individuals; upper palm brown (Fig. 6B–D). Females sometimes with minor chelipeds orange, sometimes with tint of blue (Figs 3F, 6F, G).

Ecological notes: In western Thailand, this species inhabits muddy banks of mangroves (Fig. 6H) and is sympatric with several species of fiddler crabs, including Austruca annulipes (H. Milne Edwards, 1837), A. bengali, Tubuca forcipata (Adams & White, 1849) and T. paradussumieri (cf. Frith and Frith 1977a, 1978; this study). In Pakistan, this species is sympatric with Austruca iranica (cf. Saher et al. 2014).

Etymology: This species is named after Alfred William Alcock, who first recorded this species from India and Pakistan as “Uca urvillei” (cf. Alcock 1900).

Distribution: Western Thailand, India, Pakistan, and the Red Sea (see Remarks).

Figure 6. Tubuca alcocki sp. n.
A–G variation of the live colouration. A, B holotype (CW 30.1 mm, ZRC 2017.1278; Thailand) C adult male (not collected; Phuket, Thailand) D young male (CW 13.0 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897; Thailand) E ovigerous female (CW 19.8 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897, Thailand) F, G females in the field (not captured; Phuket, Thailand)
H habitat in Ranong, Thailand.

Hsi-Te Shih, Benny K.K. Chan and Peter K.L. Ng. 2018. Tubuca alcocki, A New Pseudocryptic Species of Fiddler Crab from the Indian Ocean, sister to the southeastern African T. urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Ocypodidae). ZooKeys. 747: 41-62. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.747.23468