Neobythites malayanus Weber, 1913

Uiblein, Franz & Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2018, Review of the steatiticus - species group of the cuskeel genus Neobythites (Ophidiidae) from the Indo-Pacific, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4387 (1), pp. 157-173 : 163

Neobythites malayanus Weber, 1913

( Figures 1–2 , Tables 1, 3)

Neobythites malayanus: Nielsen 2002: 48 , fig. 39.

Lectotype. ZMA 110.841 (male, 137 mm SL), off Sumbawa , Indonesia, Western Pacific, 8°19' S 117°41' E, RV Siboga , st. 312, trawl, 274 m depth, 14 Feb. 1900.

Paralectotypes. ZMA 110.841 (3 females and 1 male, 87–148 mm SL), same data as for the lectotype.

Non-types (n = 39, 76– 199 mm SL). CAS 33088, male, 140 mm SL, Luzon Is., Philippines, 220–238 m depth, 19 Jul. 1966 ; CAS 56373 (male), 140 mm SL, southeast of Salomague Is. , Philippines, 287–313 m depth, 20 Oct. 1960 ; MNHN 1995-915 (3 females, 84–159 mm SL), Vanuatu, West Pacific, 15°7'1" S, 166°55'12" E, MUSORSTOM 8, st. CP 1123, trawl, 262–352 m depth, 9 Oct. 1994 ; MNHN 1995-918 (female, 119 mm SL), and MNHN 1995-921 (male, 88 mm SL), Vanuatu, West Pacific, 15°6'58" S, 166°53'25" E, MUSORSTOM 8, st. CP 1121, trawl, 315–360 m depth, 9 Oct. 1994 ; USNM 99054 (6 females and 1 male, 114–129 mm SL), and ZMUC P771288–90 (3 females, 95–112 mm SL), Uanivan Is., Philippines, 6°50'45" N, 126°14'38" E, RV Albatross , st. 5241, trawl, 393 m depth, 14 May 1908 ; USNM 99127 (male, 199 mm SL), Bongo Is., Philippines, 7°21'45" N, 124°7'15" E, RV Albatross , st. 5256, trawl, 289 m depth, 22 May 1908 ; USNM 99128 (female and male, 76–128 mm SL), between Leyte and Cebu, Philippines, 11°10' N, 124°17'15" E, RV Albatross , st. 5403, trawl, 333 m depth, 16 Mar. 1909 ; USNM 99129 (2 females, 133–143 mm SL), between Cebu and Leyte, Philippines, 10°40'15" N, 124°15' E, RV Albatross , st. 5408, trawl, 291 m depth, 18 Mar. 1909 ; USNM 99130 (2 females, 2 males and 1 unsexed, 85–161 mm SL), Uanivan Is., Philippines, 6°50'55" N, 126°14'35" E, RV Albatross , st. 5243, trawl, 399 m depth, 14 Mar. 1908 ; USNM 99131 (female and male, 141–153 mm SL), Verde Is., Philippines, 13°44'36" N, 120°59'15" E, RV Albatross , st. 5266, trawl, 183 m depth, 8 June 1908 ; USNM 99132 (female and male, 132–143 mm SL), Pescador Is., Philippines, 9°44' N, 123°14'20" E, RV Albatross , st. 5188, trawl, 549 m, 1 Apr. 1908 ; USNM 99133 (2 females and 3 males, 131–173 mm SL), Pescadore Is., Philippines, 9°56'30'' N, 123°15' E, RV Albatross , st. 5189, trawl, 549 m depth, 1 Apr. 1908 ; USNM 99138 (female, 154 mm SL), off Leyte, Philippines, 10°50' N, 124°26'18" E, RV Albatross , st. 5404, trawl, 348 m depth, 17 Mar. 1909 ; USNM 99150 (female and male, 119+– 129 mm SL), between Leyte and Cebu, Philippines, 11°11'45" N, 124°15'45" E, RV Albatross , st. 5402, trawl, 344 m depth, 16 Mar. 1909 ; ZMUC P77741–42 (female and male, 138–171+ mm SL), Saleh Bay, SE of Lombok , 8°58’ S 116°34’ E, JETINDOFISH, st. TGT 1897, bottom trawl, 180–300 m depth, Jul. 1981.

Diagnosis. Indistinct or flat spine on hind margin of preopercle; dorsal fin-rays 90–96; anal-fin rays 74–79; pectoral fin-rays 26–28; precaudal vertebrae 12–13 (mostly 13); total vertebrae 54–57; pseudobranchial filaments 2–4; long gill rakers on anterior arch 8–11; head length 21.5–28.0 % SL; pelvic-fin length 13.5–20.0 % SL, pelvic fins not reaching anus; orbit length 4.2–5.6 % SL, 16.0–23.5 % head length, and 2.2–2.7 times in upper-jaw length; longest gill filament 1.3–3.8 % SL and 5.2–13.5 % head length; ocellus spot placed behind a vertical line through anus, the ocellus-spot distance being 42.5–52 % SL, and the spot covering 6–10 dorsal-fin rays; margins of posterior quarter of dorsal fin and posterior two thirds of anal fin dark pigmented; no vertical bars on body; otolith length 5.1–5.3 % SL, sulcus length 3.3–4.1 % SL, and ostium height 21.0–25.5 % sulcus length.

Distribution. Indonesia, Philippines, and Vanuatu, at 180–549 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Indo-Pacific Neobythites steatiticus species group. All photographs at left side and F show preserved fishes; the remaining five photographs at right side show fresh fishes, photographed on board immediately after capture. A) Neobythites gloriae n. sp. USNM 309008, HT, 158 mm SL, inner Gulf of Oman; B) N. lombokensis, ZMUC P 77744, HT, 93 mm SL, SE off Lombok, preserved (B1) and fresh (B2; side reversed); C) N. longipes, ZMUC P77740, 98 mm SL, SE off Lombok, preserved (C1) and fresh (C2); D) N. malayanus, ZMUC P77742, 138 mm SL, SE off Lombok, preserved (D1) and fresh (D2); E) N. malhaensis, ZMUC P77840, PT, 135 mm SL, Saya de Malha bank, preserved; F) N. meteori, ZMH 5621, HT, 102 mm SL, off Sokotra, preserved; G) N. steatiticus, ZMUC P771752, 162 mm SL, off Myanmar, preserved (G1) and fresh (G2); H1) N. stefanovi, ZMUC P77841, PT, 198 mm SL, Gulf of Aden, preserved; H2) N. stefanovi, SMF 26785, 111 mm SL, Red Sea, fresh. Photographers: Oddgeir Alvheim (G2), Thomas Gloerfelt-Tarp (B2, C2, D2), Marcus Krag (A, B1, C1, D1, E, G1, H1), Ralph Thiel (F), Michael Türkay (H2). The blue bars indicate 1 cm length for the respective specimen.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of studied specimens of Neobythites, with numbers indicating multiple sampling events.