taxonID	type	description	language	source
164F012677468F7925C6F891FEFEF85B.taxon	description	Figs 1 – 4; Table. 1	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677468F7925C6F891FEFEF85B.taxon	materials_examined	Specimen examined. NMMB-P 30757 (1, 268), Dong-gang fishing port, Pingtung County, SW Taiwan, commercial trawler, 17 Aug. 2017, coll. J. - F. Huang. TOU-AE 9460 (1, 355), DaXi fishing port, Yilan County, NE Taiwan, commercial trawler, 14 Mar. 2023, coll. J. - F. Huang.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677468F7925C6F891FEFEF85B.taxon	description	Description of Taiwanese specimens. Head length 15.7 – 16.8 % of TL; preanal length 40.7 – 41.4; predorsal length 15.8 – 17.7; trunk length 24.6 – 25.0; tail length 58.6 – 59.3; depth at anus 6.3 – 6.5. Eye diameter 14.3 – 18.4 % of HL; interorbital width 11.6 – 17.5; snout length 16.8 – 19.5; interbranchial width 20.3 – 20.4; pectoral fin length 36.6 – 41.7; gill opening 13.7 – 14.8; upper jaw length 29.3 – 30.1. Body moderately elongate and stout, anteriorly cylindrical in cross section, gradually becoming oval and compressed posteriorly; trunk length one fourth of total length; tail much longer than body. Dorsal-fin origin slightly above base of pectoral fin. Anal fin starting immediately behind anus, slightly anterior to middle of total length. Gill opening relatively small, slightly smaller than eye diameter and snout length. Head slightly large; snout short and blunt; eye relatively large, more than half upper jaw length. Mouth moderately large, rictus extending to posterior margin of eye. Lateral line complete, 7 pores before pectoral fin base, 8 pores before dorsal-fin origin, 43 – 44 pores before anal-fin origin, and 139 – 143 total pores. Head pores (Fig. 3): supraorbital canal with 3 pores, first and second pores located in front of anterior nostril, third pore located above anterior nostril; infraorbital canal with 5 pores, first pore located below posterior nostril, second, third, and fourth pores located under eye, and fifth pore located under posterior margin of eye; preoperculomandibular canal with 11 pores. No pore on adnasal, frontal, and supratemporal commissure. Predorsal vertebrae 9 – 11; preanal vertebrae 44 – 45; total vertebrae 141 – 146. Teeth small and blunt (Fig. 4 A, B), some of them fang; 4 – 5 rows of small fang teeth on intermaxilla forming a rounded patch; vomerine teeth small blunt and forming a small triangular patch; maxillary and mandibular teeth, wider anteriorly and in 4 or 5 rows, gradually narrower posteriorly and in 1 or 2 rows. Coloration. When fresh (Fig. 1 A, B), body light brownish dorsally and whitish. After preservation (Fig. 2 A, B), body brownish and abdomen yellowish.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677468F7925C6F891FEFEF85B.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known previously only from the Philippines and now recorded on both the northern and southern coasts of Taiwan, at depths of 233 – 356 m.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677468F7925C6F891FEFEF85B.taxon	discussion	Remarks The first time reporting Parabathymyrus philippinensis record from Taiwan. The two specimens collected from Dong-gang and DaXi generally agree with the original description given by Ho, Smith & Shao (2015), except for some minor differences. The head length is slightly smaller (15.7 – 16.8 % vs. 17.5 – 17.9 % TL), trunk length is slightly larger (24.6 – 25.0 % vs. 20.9 – 23.7 % TL), eye diameter is slightly smaller (14.3 – 18.4 % vs. 17.2 – 21.3 % HL), interbranchial is smaller (20.3 – 20.4 % vs. 26.6 – 29.2 % HL), and upper jaw length is slightly smaller (29.3 – 30.1 % vs. 31.7 – 32.5 % HL). Parabathymyrus philippinensis differs from the other two congeners in having 3 supraorbital pores (vs. 4), 139 – 143 total lateral line pores (vs. 121 – 132 in P. macrophthalmus Kamohara, 1938, 159 – 163 in P. brachyrhynchus (Fowler, 1934 )), and 141 – 146 total vertebrae (vs. 128 – 137 in P. macrophthalmus, 149 – 152 in P. brachyrhynchus).	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677438F7825C6FF5BFCC7F8B0.taxon	description	Figs 5 – 7; Table. 2	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677438F7825C6FF5BFCC7F8B0.taxon	description	Description of Taiwanese specimen. Head length 6.3 % of TL; preanal length 31.9; predorsal length 7.6; trunk length 25.6; tail length 68.1. Head length 19.8 of % PAL; predorsal length 23.8; trunk length 80.2. Depth at gill opening 39.9 % of HL; depth at anus 38.0; interorbital width 10.8; interbranchial width 25.2; eye diameter 10.1; snout length 13.6; upper jaw length 17.1; lower jaw length 16.5. Body moderately elongate, anteriorly cylindrical in cross section, becoming oval posteriorly; anus at about anterior third of total length; tail much longer than body. Dorsal-fin origin slightly behind gill opening. Anal fin beginning immediately behind anus. Gill opening relatively small, slightly smaller than eye diameter; interbranchial width larger than gill opening and eye diameter. Head medium size; snout short, rounded; eye large, slightly longer than snout. Upper and lower jaws with fleshy lips; posterior end of upper jaw located slightly behind vertical line of anterior margin of eye. Anterior nostril tubular, located in front of upper lip, and directed forward. Posterior nostril hole-shaped, located in front of eye, about same level as dorsal margin of eye. Lateral line complete, 4 pores before gill opening, 6 pores before dorsal-fin origin, 47 pores before anal-fin origin, and 133 total pores. Posterior part of body, about one head long, without lateral line pores. Few pores on lateral line of head (Fig. 6). Supraorbital canal with 3 pores; located in front of and above posterior nostril. Infraorbital canal with 3 pores; first pore located between anterior and posterior nostrils, second pore located below eye, and third pore located below posterior edge of eye. Mandibular canal 4 in numbers. No pore on preopercular canal, frontal, and supratemporal commissure. Predorsal vertebrae 9; preanal vertebrae 48; total vertebrae 152. Teeth conical and blunt (Fig. 7 A, B); arranged in wide rows, with 4 rows of canine teeth in front of upper and lower jaws; two middle rows rounder and blunt, rear teeth in single row. Vomer bearing drop-shaped teeth, front teeth wider and arranged in about 6 rows, rear teeth in 2 rows. No intermaxillary tooth. Coloration. Fresh coloration unknown. For preserved specimen (Fig. 5 A, B), body white with many black stripes, like in pattern in zebra. Small black spots on snout, upper and lower lips. Chin black. Black stripes on other parts of head somewhat worm-like. Seventeen black stripes on back of trunk, aligned or slightly staggered left and right; stripes in order of, 4 – 6, 9 – 11, 15 – 16 extending downward to ventral side or with both sides connected forming rings. Tail with 24 black stripes; stripes at middle extending downward forming a ring, rear stripes becoming wider and lighter in color. Black stripes at tail about 1 head long, not obvious and limited to base of the dorsal fin. Dorsal and anal fins white, except at base parts with black stripes extending from body; dorsal fin also bearing few black dots.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677438F7825C6FF5BFCC7F8B0.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known previously only from the Indo-West Pacific: Ryukyu Islands, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and now recorded on the southern coasts of Taiwan, at depths of 5 – 8 m.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F012677438F7825C6FF5BFCC7F8B0.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The Taiwan specimen generally agrees well with the description of Heteroconger polyzona provided by Castle and Randall (1999). Only some minor differences are noted. The present specimen has the preanal length slightly longer (31.9 % vs. 29.2 – 31.5 % TL), depth at gill opening slightly larger (39.9 % vs. 36.3 – 39.1 % HL), gill opening slightly smaller (8.7 % vs. 9.8 – 13.5 % HL), eye diameter slightly smaller (10.1 % vs. 13.1 – 18.4 % HL), and snout length slightly larger (13.6 % vs. 9.4 – 11.8 % HL). Adding the present new record, four species of garden eels are now known in Taiwan. The other three species are Gorgasia japonica Abe, Miki & Asai, 1977; G. taiwanensis Shao, 1990; and H. hassi (Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1959).	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F0126774E8F7125C6FBC7FE48FA5F.taxon	description	Figs 8 – 11; Table. 3	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F0126774E8F7125C6FBC7FE48FA5F.taxon	description	Description of Taiwanese specimens. Head length 15.1 – 17.4 % of TL; preanal length 41.5 – 43.4; predorsal length 17.5 – 20.2; trunk length 24.3 – 27.0; tail length 56.6 – 58.5. Depth at gill opening 39.5 – 56.5 % of HL; depth at anus 24.8 – 42.5; interorbital width 7.3 – 12.5; interbranchial width 12.0 – 36.1; eye diameter 19.2 – 24.1; snout length 22.9 – 28.0; pectoral fin 31.4 – 38.8; gill opening 9.3 – 17.8; upper jaw length 33.1 – 42.6; lower jaw length 27.7 – 38.1. Body stout, anteriorly oval in cross section, gradually becoming compressed posteriorly; trunk length about one fourth of total length; tail much longer than body, exceeding body about a half of total length. Dorsal-fin origin slightly behind base of pectoral fin. Anal fin starting immediately behind anus. Gill opening moderately small, slightly smaller than eye diameter. Head medium sized; snout moderately long; eye moderately large, slightly shorter than snout. Upper and lower jaws with well-developed lips; upper jaw slightly protruding beyond lower jaw. Mouth moderately large, rictus extending to middle of eye. Lateral line complete, 5 – 7 pores before pectoral fin base; 7 – 10 pores before dorsal-fin origin, 43 – 46 pores before anal-fin origin. Head pores (Fig. 10): supraorbital canal with 6 pores; first and second pores located in front of ansterior nostril, third pore located above ansterior nostril, fourth pore located above posterior nostril, fifth pore located above eye, sixth pore located above posterior margin of eye. Infraorbital canal with 9 pores, 6 below eye and 3 behind eye; first, second, and third pores located between anterior and posterior nostrils, fourth pore located below anterior margin of eye, fifth pore located below middle of eye, sixth pore located below posterior margin of eye, while seventh, eighth, and nineth pores located behind eye. Mandibular canal with 8 pores. Preopercular canal with 3 pores. Supratemporal commissure with 3 pores. No pore on frontal. Predorsal vertebrae 10 – 13; preanal vertebrae 45 – 47; precaudal vertebrae 49 – 52; total vertebrae 141 – 146. Teeth conical and blunt (Fig. 11 A, B); 2 – 3 rows of conical teeth on intermaxilla; vomerine teeth conical and forming a short triangular patch, increasing in size posteriorly, 2 – 4 rows in front and 1 – 2 rows at rear; maxillary and mandibular teeth in anteriorly in 2 – 3 rows and wider, posteriorly in 1 row and gradually narrower. Coloration. When fresh (Fig. 8 A, B), body light yellow. Ventral surfaces of head and belly whitish, dorsal surfaces of head and pectoral fin light grayish. Fin rays light grayish. Small black dots on the pectoral fin. Preserved specimens (Fig. 9 A, B) with ventral surfaces of head and belly yellowish to paler, dorsal surfaces of head and pectoral fin light grayish.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F0126774E8F7125C6FBC7FE48FA5F.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Known previously only from the Maldives, Madagascar, Philippines, northwestern Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis, and Futuna and now recorded in Dongsha Island, South China Sea, at depths of 354 – 700 m.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
164F0126774E8F7125C6FBC7FE48FA5F.taxon	discussion	Remarks Karmovskaya (2004) found several morphometric and meristic differences between the southwestern Pacific material and topotypic specimens from the Maldives. The present Dongsha Islands material also has some morphometric and meristic differences from the original description of Congriscus maldivensis, such as head length slightly shorter (15.1 – 17.4 vs. 17.8 – 18.1 % TL), trunk length slightly longer (24.3 – 27.0 vs. 21.7 – 25.0 % TL), preanal length slightly longer (41.5 – 43.4 vs. 39.8 – 42.8 % TL), predorsal length slightly longer (17.5 – 20.2 vs. 16.4 – 17.4 % TL), interorbital width slightly shorter (7.3 – 12.5 vs. 14.8 – 18.7 % HL), snout length slightly longer (22.9 – 28.0 vs. 19.4 – 22.2 % HL), greater numbers of precaudal vertebrae (49 – 52 vs. 47 – 48), and preanal pores (43 – 46 vs. 40 – 42). It still needs to be verified whether the differences between the materials from the Pacific and Indian Oceans represent geographical variations of the same species.	en	Huang, Jian-Fu, Chen, Hong-Ming, Chan, Tin-Yam (2024): Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands. Zootaxa 5550 (1): 145-158, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5550.1.15
