scholarly journals Resolution of the Acroteriobatus leucospilus species complex, with a redescription of A. leucospilus (Norman, 1926) and descriptions of two new western Indian Ocean species of Acroteriobatus (Rhinopristiformes, Rhinobatidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Weigmann ◽  
David A. Ebert ◽  
Bernard Séret

AbstractRecent sampling efforts and examinations of museum material provided evidence for a complex of species within Acroteriobatus leucospilus (Norman, 1926). The present manuscript contains a redescription of A. leucospilus involving the syntypes and additional material, as well as formal descriptions of two new species of Acroteriobatus Giltay, 1928. All specimens of both new species were found in the western Indian Ocean. Individuals of the first new species, hereafter referred to as Acroteriobatus andysabini sp. nov., were identified originating from Madagascar, and specimens of the second new species, hereafter referred to as Acroteriobatus stehmanni sp. nov., were only found off Socotra Islands at the junction between the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. Both new species appear to be endemic to the respective region and allopatric to A. leucospilus and occur in coastal waters to at least 80 m and 43 m depth, respectively. They differ from A. leucospilus in a number of characteristics including the maximum size and coloration in fresh. Acroteriobatus andysabini sp. nov. is a large species growing to more than 100 cm total length (TL) and with elongated bluish-gray spots on snout giving “stripe-nosed” appearance; numerous small bluish-gray spots on pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, and caudal fins; brown spots on trunk and fin bases; lateral tail folds striped orange and white; and ventral surface largely white but with a V-shape pattern of faint to dark speckled black spots on snout tip. Acroteriobatus stehmanni sp. nov. is a small species growing to ~62 cm TL and with sparse patterning with small bluish-gray circular spots confined to snout tip, posterior pectoral-fin margins, a pair on midbody, and few on posterior pelvic-fin margins, rather indistinct small to larger dark brown spots, and lateral tail folds and ventral surface white. Acroteriobatus leucospilus is a medium-sized species growing to ~96 cm TL and with patterning similar to A. andysabini sp. nov. but ventral surface uniformly white and lateral tail folds white or striped blue and brown. Taxonomical differences include nasal lamellae counts (42–48 in A. andysabini sp. nov. vs. 43–48 in A. stehmanni sp. nov. vs. 37–41 in A. leucospilus), snout angle (76–85° vs. 71–77° vs. 68–81°), and dorsal head length (24.2–33.5% vs. 17.2–22.8% TL vs. 24.0–29.2% TL). A key to the species of Acroteriobatus is given for the first time.

Zootaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4208 (5) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
SIMON WEIGMANN ◽  
DAVID A. EBERT ◽  
PAUL J. CLERKIN ◽  
MATTHIAS F.W. STEHMANN ◽  
GAVIN J.P. NAYLOR

A new deep-water catshark, Bythaelurus bachi, is described based on 44 specimens caught on the southern Madagascar Ridge in the southwestern Indian Ocean. The new species is the only stout-bodied Bythaelurus with oral papillae in the region and is distinguished from all congeners by the plain beige to light gray-brown coloration, high diversity in dermal denticle morphology, and presence of composite oral papillae. Despite resemblance in body shape, Bythaelurus bachi n. sp. is distinguished from its closest congener, B. naylori Ebert & Clerkin, 2015, by the presence of numerous large, partially composite papillae on the tongue and roof of the mouth (vs. papillae lacking), plain light coloration (vs. medium to dark brown ground color, light fin edges and a distinctly dark dusky-colored snout), only slightly enlarged dermal denticles on the anterior upper caudal-fin margin (vs. dermal denticles distinctly enlarged), a higher diversity in dermal denticle morphology in general, and smaller maximum size and size at maturity. The distinction of both species is also supported by molecular results. The new species differs from all other congeners in the western Indian Ocean in the stout body shape of large specimens, coloration, larger size, as well as several morphometrics, including larger claspers, longer eyes and dorsal fins, and shorter pelvic—anal and pelvic—caudal spaces. The genus is reviewed, a key to its species given. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3608 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
LESLIE W. KNAPP

Four new species of Thysanophrys are described from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). T. rarita, known from a single specimen taken off Somalia, is provisionally placed in Thysanophrys and is distinguished by its color pattern and number of preocular and suborbital spines. T. tricaudata is described from three specimens taken at SCUBA stations off southwestern Sri Lanka. They differ from other western Indian Ocean (WIO) Thysanophrys in color pattern, lack of ocular flaps, number of dorsal fin spines and scale counts.  The remaining two new species are somewhat similar to the widespread Indo-Pacific species, T. chiltonae Schultz (1966). T. randalli is described from specimens taken at the Amirante Islands and Mauritius. It may also be widespread in the Indo-Pacific, but differs from T. chiltonae in nasal spine structure, color pattern, type of iris lappet margin, and in having a much shorter maximum size. T. springeri also appears to be a smaller species than T. chiltonae and, aside from one record off Djibouti, is restricted to Red Sea. It also differs from T. chiltonae in color pattern, in having fewer pectoral rays and fewer scale rows between the second dorsal-fin insertion and the lateral line. Although T. chiltonae is relatively common in the northern Indian Ocean, it does not appear to have entered the Red Sea.


2021 ◽  
Vol 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Ya. Grichanov

Eleven new species of Amblypsilopus Bigot, 1888 from Madagascar are described and illustrated: A. analamazaotra sp. nov., A. andasibensis sp. nov., A. ankarana sp. nov., A. bairae sp. nov., A. fianarantsoa sp. nov., A. freidbergi sp. nov., A. friedmani sp. nov., A. leonidi sp. nov., A. marinae sp. nov., A. olgae sp. nov., and A. romani sp. nov. New species differ from other representatives of the genus in morphology of male surstylus and cercus mainly and male secondary sexual characters on legs. A. flavus (Vanschuytbroeck, 1962) is redescribed. Presently, ca 60 species of Amblypsilopus are known from the Afrotropical region, and 25 species are found on Madagascar. Western Indian Ocean species are associated with the Indo-Pacific A. pallidicornis group, the Pantropical A. abruptus group and the Madagascan A. stuckenbergi group of species. An identification key to males of 28 species of Madagascar and adjacent islands is compiled for the first time.


Author(s):  
Peter K.L. Ng ◽  
Appukuttannair Biju Kumar

The taxonomy of the deep-water homolid crabs Moloha grandperrini Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995 and M. alisae Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995 is re-examined, and the types redescribed and figured. Moloha alisae is reported from South Africa for the first time. A new species with an inflated carapace, M. tumida sp. nov., is also described from southern India and compared with its closest congeners.


PhytoKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 57-73
Author(s):  
Iris Montero-Muñoz ◽  
Geoffrey A. Levin ◽  
José M. Cardiel

Four new species of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) from the Western Indian Ocean Region, based on morphological and molecular evidence, are described, illustrated, and mapped. Acalypha gillespieae sp. nov., A. leandrii sp. nov. and A. nusbaumeri sp. nov. are endemic to Madagascar, and A. mayottensis sp. nov. is known only from Mbouzi islet (Mayotte), in the Comoros Archipelago. We also describe for the first time in Acalypha the presence of membranous or chartaceous perules covering the axillary buds. Preliminary conservation assessments of the new species are also provided.


Zootaxa ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 1137 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. BRUCE

The present report provides information on 20 pontoniine shrimp taxa from the island of Socotra, collected by Dr Michael Apel, including two new species, of the genera Dactylonia Fransen and Periclimenoides Bruce. Thirteen species are reported from Yemen for the first time, 8 are newly recorded from the north western Indian Ocean. The record of Periclimenoides is the first occurrence of this genus in the western Indian Ocean. The number of pontoniine shrimps known from the north west Indian Ocean is now increased from 32 to 44 taxa.


Zootaxa ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 343 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID G. SMITH ◽  
EMMA S. KARMOVSKAYA

A new genus and two new species of congrid eels, subfamily Bathymyrinae, are described from the western Indian Ocean and the western Pacific. Kenyaconger gen. nov. differs from all other congrids in having a tubular posterior nostril, opening on the edge of the upper lip behind the labial flange. Kenyaconger heemstrai sp. nov., the only species in the genus, is described from a single specimen collected off the coast of Kenya in the western Indian Ocean. Chiloconger philippinensis sp. nov. is described from the Philippines, the first record of the genus outside the eastern Pacific. It differs from Chiloconger dentatus (Garman, 1899) in several meristic and morphometric characters. Chiloconger dentatus is redescribed from additional material and its osteology is described for the first time. Chiloconger similis Wade, 1946 is reassigned to Paraconger Kanazawa.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4497 (3) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH POUPIN ◽  
NICOLE CRESTEY ◽  
JEAN-PAUL LE GUELTE

Sesarmid crabs of the genus Karstarma Davie & Ng, 2007 are reported for the first time in the Western Indian Ocean: they were discovered in the lava tubes of the volcano ‘Piton de la Fournaise’, Réunion Island. A new species, morphologically similar to Karstarma jacksoni (Balss, 1934) from Christmas Island, Eastern Indian Ocean, is recognized and described. A redescription of K. jacksoni is also provided. A second species is recognized, but being represented in the collection by a single juvenile, it cannot be identified to species level until more collections are made in the lava tubes. [Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/C70A95B2-D667-491D-BD35-5DF32E3FFB08] 


ZooKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1006 ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
Nathalie Yonow

With the complexity of the family Phyllidiidae and the problems of identification in the Indo-West Pacific, the story of the Red Sea species continues to unfold. One new species and one new record are added to the Red Sea fauna, both belonging to the genus Phyllidiella. Phyllidiella amphitritesp. nov. is described from a single specimen from the northern Red Sea and clearly differs from all species of Phyllidiella in having pale yellow pigment on the tubercles. Phyllidiella zeylanica is newly recorded from the Red Sea with five specimen records and several photographed individuals; other than this, it has a western Indian Ocean distribution. Phyllidia schupporum was collected for the first time since its original description; because its distribution is now extended to the Persian Gulf, it is no longer considered endemic to the Red Sea. The distribution of the Red Sea endemic Phyllidia dautzenbergi is extended northwards to Hurghada, Egypt. A small specimen of the endemic Phyllidiopsis sinaiensis was found at 214–237 m depth just at the mouth of the Red Sea, which is a bathymetrical range extension from its previous shallow coral reef records. The identifications of other species are revisited. A new species of Paradoris is described as Paradoris hypocritasp. nov., differing from the well-known but localised West Pacific P. liturata which also resembles a phyllidiid. This new species was recorded many years ago by published photographs, and it is relatively common in the Red Sea, evidenced by several specimens and additional photographs. It is described herein, and is considered a Red Sea endemic, differing from both the unnamed Indian Ocean species and the named Pacific species.


Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3608 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOMOYUKI KOMAI ◽  
JOSEPH POUPIN

Three species of the pagurid hermit crab genus Pagurixus Melin, 1939, are reported from Europa Island in the Mozambique Strait, western Indian Ocean: P. haigae Komai & Osawa, 2007, P. annulus n. sp., and P. europa n. sp. Pagurixus haigae is recorded from the western Indian Ocean for the first time. Pagurixus annulus n. sp. and P. europa n. sp. are referred to the P. boninensis (Melin, 1939) species group and P. anceps (Forest, 1954) group, respectively. Diagnostic characters of these two new species are discussed.


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