Neobythites kenyaensis Nielsen, 1995

Uiblein, Franz & Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2023, Five new ocellus-bearing species of the cusk-eel genus Neobythites (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes) from the West Pacific, with establishment of three new species groups, Zootaxa 5336 (2), pp. 179-205 : 190-191

Neobythites kenyaensis Nielsen, 1995

Figure 4 , Tables 1 , 3

Neobythites kenyaensis Nielsen, 1995: 5 , fig. 4 (off Ras Ngomeni , Kenya, western Indian Ocean, 02°50′S, 40°31′E, 275 m; holotype: SAIAB 13952 ).

Diagnosis. No spines on hind margin of preopercle; dorsal-fin rays 97–102; anal-fin rays 80–84; pectoral-fin rays 26–32; precaudal vertebrae 13; total vertebrae 55–59; pseudobranchial filaments 2–4; long rakers on anterior gill arch 8–10; head length 20–21% SL; pelvic-fin length 10–12% SL, fins not reaching anus; orbit length 4.3–5.3% SL and 22–31% HL; longest gill filament 1.4–2.4% SL and 6.9–12% HL; dorsal fin with two ocelli, one slightly smaller ocellus placed closer to fin origin, spot distance 29–35% SL and spot covers 6–9 dorsal-fin rays, and slightly larger central ocellus placed well behind line through anus, spot distance 56–64% SL and spot covers 8–15 dorsal-fin rays; both ocellus spots not extending ventrally onto body; fresh and recently preserved specimens with two black ocellus spots and posterior part of dorsal fin and anal fin with a black stripe; no vertical bars on body; otolith length 5.9–5.8% SL, sulcus length 3.4–4.7% SL, and ostium height 20–24 % sulcus length and 29–37% ostium length.

Distribution and size. SW Indian Ocean: from Kenya, off Ras Ngomeni, to Tanzania, Mozambique, and off Durban, Natal ( South Africa) at 238–457 m depth. Known up to 162 mm SL.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Species of the kenyaensis group. (A) Neobythites japonicus n. sp., HT, KAUM I.37071, 167 mm SL, off Okinawa (H. Motomura); (B) N. kenyaensis, SAIAB 82154, 136 mm SL, off S Mozambique (O. Alvheim); (C) N. ocellatus, MOVI 39146, 147 mm SL, off E Brazil (G. Brovad); with 10 mm scale bars.