[Ichthyology • 2018] Epinephelus craigi • A New Species of Grouper (Perciformes: Epinephelidae) from the South China Sea

Epinephelus craigi  

 Frable, Tucker & Walker, 2018

  DOI: 10.1007/s10228-018-0669-9

Illustration by Emilie Stump.  twitter.com/Frable

Abstract

A new species of grouper, Epinephelus craigi sp. nov., from the South China Sea is described from 17 specimens (104–250 mm SL). The new species is distinguished from Epinephelus stictus (Randall and Allen 1987) with which it has historically been conflated, based on coloration, meristics, morphology, and genetics. Epinephelus craigi sp. nov. has a unique color pattern of irregular squarish, dark brown blotches interrupting lighter brown bars along the lateral midline of the body, and small dots on the dorsal surface of the body. Additionally, E. craigi sp. nov. has a longer upper jaw, shorter snout length, narrower interorbital width, and shorter caudal peduncle than E. stictus. Both E. stictus and the new species are relatively deep-water species, with the new species occurring to at least 93 m. Epinephelus craigi sp. nov. is known from the South China Sea and E. stictus is known from Western Australia and southern Indonesia, suggesting allopatric and anti-equatorial distributions. DNA sequence divergence data of the mitochondrial COI gene further supports the distinction of E. craigi sp. nov. from E. stictus.

Keywords: Epinephelus stictus, Five-bar grouper, Species description, Cytochrome oxidase I 

Composite illustration of Epinephelus craigi, based on multiple specimens and market photographs, approximately 175 mm SL.

Illustration by Emilie Stump. 

Epinephelus craigi sp. nov.

(New English name: Brokenbar Grouper; 

Chinese name in Hong Kong: Cheung-pei-paan) 

....

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of Dr. Matthew T. Craig for his significant contributions to the conservation and scientific understanding of groupers and their relatives.

Benjamin W. Frable, Sarah J. Tucker and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2018. A New Species of Grouper, Epinephelus craigi (Perciformes: Epinephelidae), from the South China Sea. Ichthyological Research.  DOI: 10.1007/s10228-018-0669-9  

twitter.com/Frable/status/1061002418102489088

[Crustacea • 2017] Homolidae from the South China Sea, with Descriptions of Two New Species of Homologenus A. Milne-Edwards, in Henderson, 1888, and the Identities of Homologenus malayensis and Lamoha superciliosa

Fig. 24.   Homolidae from the  South China Sea. Colour in life.
A, Lamoha longirostris (Chen, 1986), female (24.9 × 20.3 mm);
 B, Lamoha murotoensis (Sakai, 1979), male (20.8 × 18.4 mm); C, Paromola macrochira Sakai, 1961, female (16.5 × 11.4 mm); D, Paromola macrochira Sakai, 1961, female (16.3 × 11.1 mm); E, Moloha majora (Kubo, 1936), male (54.8 × 47.8 mm); F, Homolochunia gadaletae Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995, ovigerous female (34.1 × 26.4 mm); G, Homolomania sibogae Ihle, 1912, male (15.4 × 11.3 mm); H, Paromolopsis boasi Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, male (20.1 × 17.7 mm). 

Ng & Richer de Forges, 2017. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 65

 LKCNHM.nus.edu.sg/nus

Abstract

 Recent collections from southern Taiwan and the South China Sea obtained 10 species of homolid crabs, of which two species of Homologenus A. Milne-Edwards, in Henderson, 1888, are described as new. The taxonomy of the allied H. malayensis Ihle, 1912, from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea is also clarified. The identity of Lamoha superciliosa (Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891) s. str. from the Indian Ocean is discussed and specimens from East Asian seas that had been referred to this species are here shown to be conspecific with L. longirostris (Chen, 1986) instead. The taxonomy of L. superciliosa and L. longirostris is treated.

 Key words. Taxonomy, new species, South China Sea, deep sea, homolid crabs, Homologenus

Fig. 24. Colour in life, A–H from South China Sea;
I, J from Papua New Guinea and Bismarck Sea.
A, Lamoha longirostris (Chen, 1986), female (24.9 × 20.3 mm) (ZRC 2016.0555); B, Lamoha murotoensis (Sakai, 1979), male (20.8 × 18.4 mm) (ZRC 2016.0200); C, Paromola macrochira Sakai, 1961, female (16.5 × 11.4 mm) (ZRC 2016.0560); D, Paromola macrochira Sakai, 1961, female (16.3 × 11.1 mm) (ZRC 2016.0562); E, Moloha majora (Kubo, 1936), male (54.8 × 47.8 mm) (ZRC 2016.0197); F, Homolochunia gadaletae Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995, ovigerous female (34.1 × 26.4 mm) (ZRC 2016.0198); G, Homolomania sibogae Ihle, 1912, male (15.4 × 11.3 mm) (ZRC 2016.0199); H, Paromolopsis boasi Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, male (20.1 × 17.7 mm) (ZRC 2016.0565);
I, Homologenus malayensis Ihle, 1912, ovigerous female (16.0 × 13.9 mm) (MNHN-IU-2015-80); J, Homologenus malayensis Ihle, 1912, ovigerous female (14.9 × 9.9 mm) (MNHN-IU-2014-8052). 

Homologenus exilis n. sp.

Etymology. From the Latin “exilis” meaning “thin or slender”, alluding to the relatively long ambulatory legs of the species when compared to the other new species, H. brevipes. Used as a noun in apposition.

Homologenus brevipes n. sp. 

Etymology. The name alludes to the relatively shorter ambulatory legs of this species when compared to those of the allied new species, H. exilis. Used as a noun in apposition.

Peter K. L. Ng and Bertrand Richer de Forges. 2017. On A Collection of Homolidae from the South China Sea, with Descriptions of Two New Species of Homologenus A. Milne-Edwards, in Henderson, 1888, and the Identities of Homologenus malayensis Ihle, 1912, and Lamoha superciliosa (Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891).
 RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 65: 243–268. 

http://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/nus/images/data/raffles_bulletin_of_zoology/vol65/65rbz243-268.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2016] Cynoglossus nanhaiensis • A New Species of Tongue Sole (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Cynoglossus) from coastal waters of the South China Sea

Cynoglossus nanhaiensis 

Wang, Munroe & Kong, 2016

 DOI: 10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.129 

Abstract

A new tongue sole, Cynoglossus nanhaiensis, described from 21 specimens (101.0–133.7 mm SL) collected in coastal waters of the South China Sea, is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 3 ocular-side lateral lines; no blind-side lateral lines; 2 ocular-side nostrils; 8 caudal-fin rays; 49–51 total vertebrae; 64–73 scales in the midlateral line; 11–12 scales in diagonal series between midlateral and dorsal lateral lines; 99–108 dorsal-fin rays; 77–82 anal-fin rays; pores of lateral-line scales tubular, with conspicuously black tips posteriorly; and with light- to medium-brown ocular-side background coloration overlain by numerous, small, irregular, dark blotches forming a series of narrow, interrupted, longitudinal stripes, with many specimens also featuring two large, brown spots on their caudal region. Among congeners, C. nanhaiensis is most similar to C. maccullochi Norman, 1926, described from specimens taken off Queensland, Australia, but differs in its ocular-side pigmentation (conspicuous longitudinal series of irregular blotches and caudal spots absent in C. maccullochi) and body depth. Features of C. nanhaiensis are also reminiscent of those reported for C. dollfusi (Chabanaud, 1931), a poorly-known nominal species from the Red Sea, and C. itinus (Snyder, 1909), a better-known species occurring in marine waters off Japan and Southeast Asia. Cynoglossus nanhaiensis differs from both species in having two (vs. one) ocular-side nostrils. Cynoglossus itinus also lacks the series of conspicuous, darkly-pigmented, interrupted, longitudinal stripes on the ocular side that are characteristic of C. nanhaiensis. Cynoglossus nanhaiensis is further distinguished from C. dollfusi in having only a single pelvic fin (vs. two in C. dollfusi). Cynoglossus nanhaiensis occurs in coastal waters of the South China Sea off southern China and Viet Nam.

Keywords: Flatfish, Tonguefish, Cynoglossid tongue sole

Fig. 1. Cynoglossus nanhaiensis, new species, holotype (fresh condition), SCSMBC007425, male, 127.6 mm SL.
A. Ocular side. B. Blind side. (Photograph: Z.-M. Wang). 

Distribution.— Based on fishery landings, this species occurs in coastal waters off Sanya and Lingshui, Hainan Province; Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China; two specimens were collected off Viet Nam, one in the Gulf of Tonkin (20°46′29.99″N, 107°04′40.8″E) and the other off Phan Thiet (10°55′20″N, 108°06′34″E).

Etymology.— The name, nanhaiensis, is derived from the Chinese word, Nanhai, meaning South China Sea, in reference to localities where most specimens were collected.

Zhong-Ming Wang, Thomas A. Munroe and Xiao-Yu Kong. 2016. A New Species of Tongue Sole (Pisces: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae: Cynoglossus) from coastal waters of the South China Sea. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 129(1); 129-143. DOI: 10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.129