Description of a new species of the genus Neenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae, Myrophinae) from the eastern Indian Ocean, with comments on the availability of three congeners

作者：Tashiro Fumihito^*; Hibino Yusuke; Imamura Hisashi

来源：Ichthyological Research, 2016, 63(1): 53-58.

DOI：10.1007/s10228-015-0473-8

• New species
• Ophichthidae
• Neenchelys
• Deep sea
• Indonesia

A new worm eel, Neenchelys nudiceps, is described on the basis of a single large specimen (782 mm in total length) collected from the deep-sea bottom (844-856 m) off Sumatra, Indonesia, in the eastern Indian Ocean. The new species is distinguishable from its congeners by the following combination of characters: total vertebrae 221, mandibular pores 7, lateral-line pores anterior to pectoral-fin base 18, and upper and lateral surfaces of snout smooth without papillae. Additionally, it is indicated by a statistical analysis that the new species differs from the two similar species, Neenchelys daedalus and Neenchelys sp. "similis", in morphometric characters. Availability of the three recently described congeners, N. diaphora, N. pelagica and N. similis is discussed, and it is judged that the three species names are unavailable.

• 出版日期2016-1