Antigonias (Antigonia, Caproidae) of the Western Indian Ocean: 2. Species with eight spiny rays in the dorsal fin

The fishes of the genus Epigonus Rafinesque, 1810 in the Western Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden) are reviewed. Twelve species of the genus are recognized: Epigonus angustifrons Abramov & Manilo, 1987; E. denticulatus Dieuzeide, 1950; E. elongatus Parin & Abramov, 1986; E. exodon Okamoto & Motomura, 2012; E. lenimen (Whitley, 1935); E. macrops (Brauer, 1906); E. marimonticolus Parin & Abramov, 1986; E. marisrubri Krupp, Zajonz & Khalaf, 2009; E. pectinifer Mayer, 1974; E. robustus (Barnard, 1927); E. telescopus (Risso, 1810); E. waltersensis Parin & Abramov, 1986, and two new species, E. bispinosus n. sp. and E. idai n. sp. Epigonus bispinosus and E. idai belong to the E. constanciae group, defined as having a pungent opercular spine, more than 45 pored lateral-line scales, and lacking an isolated dorsal fin spine between the first- and second dorsal fins. Epigonus bispinosus differs from other members of the group in having two small spines on the symphysis of lower jaw, a pair of ribs on the last abdominal vertebra, 10 + 15 vertebrae, 31–33 gill rakers and lacking a maxillary mustache-like process. Epigonus idai differs from other members of the group in having a pair of ribs on the last abdominal vertebra, 4–5 tiny projections present on symphysis of lower jaw, 10 + 15 vertebrae, strongly ctenoid scales, and 28–29 gill rakers, and in lacking a maxillary mustache-like process. A key to the species, photographs, diagnoses, and distributions in the Western Indian Ocean are given.

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Descriptions of four new species of Thysanophrys (Scorpaeniformes: Platycephalidae) from the Western Indian Ocean

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3608.2.3 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3608 (2) ◽

pp. 127-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

LESLIE W. KNAPP

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Red Sea ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Maximum Size ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Northern Indian Ocean ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Spine Structure ◽

Pacific Species

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.

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Prognathodes geminus, a new species of butterflyfish (Teleostei, Chaetodontidae) from Palau

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.835.32562 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 835 ◽

pp. 125-137 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joshua M. Copus ◽

Richard L. Pyle ◽

Brian D. Greene ◽

John E. Randall

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Genetic Divergence ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Body Width ◽

Body Depth ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Fin Rays ◽

A New Species

A new species of the butterflyfish genus Prognathodes (Chaetodontidae) is described from two specimens collected at a depth of 116 m off Ngemelis Island, Palau. Prognathodesgeminussp. n. is similar to P.basabei Pyle & Kosaki, 2016 from the Hawaiian archipelago, and P.guezei (Maugé & Bauchot, 1976) from the western Indian Ocean, but differs from these species in the number of soft dorsal-fin rays, size of head, body width, and body depth. There are also subtle differences in life color, and substantial differences in the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I sequence (d ≈ 0.08). Although genetic comparisons with P.guezei are unavailable, it is expected that the genetic divergence between P.guezei and P.geminus will be even greater than that between P.geminus and P.basabei. It is named for the strikingly similar color pattern it shares with P.basabei.

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Bythaelurus vivaldii, a new deep-water catshark (Carcharhiniformes, Scyliorhinidae) from the northwestern Indian Ocean off Somalia

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4263.1.4 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4263 (1) ◽

pp. 97 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

SIMON WEIGMANN ◽

CARINA JULIA KASCHNER

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Deep Water ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Valid Species ◽

Caudal Fin ◽

Virtual Absence ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Dermal Denticle ◽

Fin Length

A new very small deep-water catshark, Bythaelurus vivaldii, is described based on two female specimens caught off Somalia in the northwestern Indian Ocean during the German ‘Valdivia’ expedition in 1899. It is morphologically closest to the recently described B. bachi, which is the only other Bythaelurus species in the western Indian Ocean that shares a stout body of large specimens and the presence of oral papillae. It further resembles B. vivaldii in the broad mouth and broad posterior head, but differs in the presence of composite oral papillae and a higher diversity in dermal denticle morphology. Additionally, the new species differs from all congeners in the western Indian Ocean in a larger pre-second dorsal fin length, a longer head, a larger interdorsal space, a larger intergill length, a longer pectoral-fin posterior margin, a shorter caudal fin, an intermediate caudal fin preventral margin, and a larger internarial width. Furthermore, the second dorsal fin of the new species is smaller than in its congeners in the western Indian Ocean except for B. lutarius, which is easily distinguished by the slender body and virtual absence of oral papillae, as well as the aforementioned further characters. An updated key to all valid species of Bythaelurus is provided.

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A new species of Secutor (Teleostei: Leiognathidae) from the Western Indian Ocean

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2998.1.3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2998 (1) ◽

pp. 39 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

ZACHARY H. BALDWIN ◽

JOHN S. SPARKS

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Pectoral Fin ◽

Pigmentation Pattern ◽

Shaped Body ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

A New Species

A new species of ponyfish, Secutor mazavasaoka, is described from coastal waters of the Western Indian Ocean. Together, the new species, S. indicius, and S. insidiator are readily distinguished from congeners by more or less oval-shaped elongate bodies (vs. markedly deep and disk-shaped). The new species is distinguished from S. hanedai by the presence of scales on the chest (vs. chest asquamate), and from S. indicius and S. insidiator by a deeper, hatchet-shaped body (vs. uniformly oval) and pigmentation pattern on the dorsal flank comprising eight to eleven well-defined columns of irregular small spots and blotches (vs. 14 to 17 thin columns of spots or vertical lines in S. indicius, or larger irregular blotches arrayed in poorly defined columns in S. insidiator). Additionally, the new species is distinguished from S. insidiator by a strongly upturned mouth and compressed pug-like snout, a pronounced concavity dorsal to the orbit, a dorsally-projecting nuchal spine, and dorsal-fin insertion well posterior to vertical through pectoral-fin base (vs. at about level of pectoral-fin base in S. insidiator).

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Epigonus exodon, a new species of deepwater cardinalfish (Teleostei: Perciformes: Epigonidae) from Réunion, western Indian Ocean

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3453.1.6 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3453 (1) ◽

pp. 84 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

MAKOTO OKAMOTO ◽

HIROYUKI MOTOMURA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Gill Rakers ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Lower Jaw ◽

Opercular Spine ◽

A New Species ◽

Abdominal Vertebra

A new species of deepwater cardinalfish, Epigonus exodon, is described based on two specimens, 97.0–60.2 mm standardlength, from Réunion (depth 450–480 m), western Indian Ocean. Epigonus exodon belongs the Epigonus oligolepis group,defined as having seven spines on the first dorsal fin, one spine and 10 soft rays on the second dorsal fin, 35–37 poredlateral-line scales to the end of the hypural and lacking an opercular spine and ribs on the last abdominal vertebra. It differsfrom other members of the group in having a narrow tongue, a shallow V-shaped tooth patch on rear two-thirds of tongue, anteriorly projecting teeth on each side of the symphysis of lower jaw, and 26–28 total gill rakers.

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Upeneus floros, a new goatfish from South Africa and Mozambique, with updated taxonomic accounts for U. guttatus and U. pori and a key to Western Indian Ocean Upeneus species (Mullidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4834.4.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4834 (4) ◽

pp. 523-555

Author(s):

FRANZ UIBLEIN ◽

GAVIN GOUWS ◽

MARK LISHER ◽

BERNARDINO S. MALAUENE

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Similar Species ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

Coi Barcoding ◽

Group Species ◽

Fin Spines

The highly diverse goatfish genus Upeneus (Mullidae) requires enhanced attention regarding the possible occurrence of undescribed species in insufficiently explored regions. This study focuses on the South-Western Indian Ocean region (SWIO), and on the so-called japonicus-group, a taxonomic species group of Upeneus. Based on in-situ observations and collections in Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the Floros goatfish, U. floros n. sp., is described. Detailed comparative studies of colour patterns and morphological characters of all other 13 japonicus-group species were undertaken as well as COI barcoding. The new species occurs in the coastal area between Angoche, N Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal and partly overlaps in distribution with two similar species, U. guttatus, widely distributed in the Indo-W Pacific, and U. saiab, assumed to be endemic in a small area off Angoche. Two additional japonicus-group species occurring in the SWIO, U. seychellensis from the Seychelles Bank and U. pori from the Mediterranean Sea (as Lessepsian migrant), Northern Red Sea and Madagascar, were also compared. Because specimens as well as in-situ photographs of U. floros have been erroneously identified as either U. guttatus or U. pori during previous studies, updated taxonomic accounts and diagnoses are provided for these species taking size-related and population differences into account. For U. pori, of which a single preserved specimen from SW Madagascar was known so far, a new record from NE Madagascar is reported based on three specimens and a fresh-colour photo. Upeneus floros can be distinguished from U. guttatus and U. pori by a combination of three characters: head length, first dorsal-fin height and number of gill rakers. Upeneus guttatus can be distinguished from the other two species by disproportionally higher anterior dorsal-fin spines vs. a proportional decrease of dorsal-fin spines in height, barbels mostly yellow vs. white or creamy-white, and slightly fewer pectoral-fin rays. COI barcoding detected a clear distinction between U. guttatus and U. floros and U. pori, respectively, but no significant divergence between the two latter species. COI barcoding also failed to differentiate several other Upeneus species which are clearly distinguished morphologically. Possible interrelationships between species distribution patterns and physical oceanography are discussed. An identification key for the 22 WIO Upeneus species is provided.

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Planonasus parini n. g. and n. sp., a new genus and species of false cat sharks (Carchariniformes, Pseudotriakidae) from the deep northwestern Indian Ocean off Socotra Islands

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3609.2.3 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3609 (2) ◽

pp. 163-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

SIMON WEIGMANN ◽

MATTHIAS F.W. STEHMANN ◽

RALF THIEL

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

New Genus ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

New Genus And Species ◽

Caudal Peduncle ◽

Snout Length ◽

Dorsal Fin

A new genus and species of the carcharhiniform family Pseudotriakidae is described based on three specimens caught near the Socotra Islands in the northwestern Indian Ocean. The first specimen and holotype of Planonasus parini g. n. and sp. n. was caught during cruise 17 of RV ‘Vityaz’ in 1988/89 along the deep western Indian Ocean. Two further specimens of the new genus and species were caught somewhat later by commercial trawlers close to the locality of the holotype. The new genus differs from the two other pseudotriakid genera Gollum and Pseudotriakis by the presence of oral papillae, the absence of nicitating eyelids, a longer head, an intermediate prenarial snout length, an intermediate number of tooth rows per jaw, a first dorsal fin of intermediate height and length and with a white free rear tip, a caudal peduncle of inter-mediate length, and fewer vertebrae.

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Editorial Introduction

The Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies ◽

10.26443/jiows.v4i1.68 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Editors of the JIOWS

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

Indian Ocean ◽

Western Indian Ocean ◽

Late Nineteenth Century ◽

Fourth Volume ◽

History Of ◽

The Indian Ocean ◽

Complex Relationships ◽

Indian Ocean World ◽

Shed Light

The editors are proud to present the first issue of the fourth volume of the Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies. This issue contains three articles, by James Francis Warren (Murdoch University), Kelsey McFaul (University of California, Santa Cruz), and Marek Pawelczak (University of Warsaw), respectively. Warren’s and McFaul’s articles take different approaches to the growing body of work that discusses pirates in the Indian Ocean World, past and present. Warren’s article is historical, exploring the life and times of Julano Taupan in the nineteenth-century Philippines. He invites us to question the meaning of the word ‘pirate’ and the several ways in which Taupan’s life has been interpreted by different European colonists and by anti-colonial movements from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. McFaul’s article, meanwhile, takes a literary approach to discuss the much more recent phenomenon of Somali Piracy, which reached its apex in the last decade. Its contribution is to analyse the works of authors based in the region, challenging paradigms that have mostly been developed from analysis of works written in the West. Finally, Pawelczak’s article is a legal history of British jurisdiction in mid-late nineteenth-century Zanzibar. It examines one of the facets that underpinned European influence in the western Indian Ocean World before the establishment of colonial rule. In sum, this issue uses two key threads to shed light on the complex relationships between European and other Western powers and the Indian Ocean World.

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