Neobythites marquesaensis, Nielsen, 2002

Uiblein, Franz & Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2019, Redescription of the ocellus-bearing cuskeel Neobythites kenyaensis (Ophidiidae), with new Southeast African records and remarks on intraspecific morphological and colour variation, Cybium 43 (1), pp. 109-116 : 114-115

N. marquesaensis Nielsen, 2002 , N. multio�ellatus Nielsen, Uiblein & Mincarone, 2009 , and N. natalensis Nielsen, 1995 , a small dark spot occurs in place of the anterior ocellus, which is however not surrounded by a concentric white ring. In some specimens of N. australiensis the anterior dark blotch is completely absent ( Nielsen, 2002).

(19.5-20.5 vs. 21.5-23.5% SL), and shorter pelvic fins (9.9-12.0 vs. 16.0-

21.5% SL).

In all other 51 Neobythites species, no anterior ocellus occurs. In five species, N. australiensis Nielsen,

2002, N. braziliensis Nielsen, 1999 , in combination with ecological variables and support from genetics.

Three otolith characters showed allometry when expressed in% SL ( Fig. 5 ). However, when expressed in relation to each other (e.g. ostium height in% sulcus or ostium length) the correlation with SL was very weak ( Tab. I) indicating no allometry, as also evident from plotting against SL ( Fig. 5 ). The occurrence of allometry in otolith quantitative characters of Ophidiidae is here reported for the first time. It will be important to consider these results in future studies as otolith characters often have diagnostic value. In the giant cuskeel genus Spe�trun�ulus, for instance, otolith characters have been used to support the distinction between the sister species S. �rassus (Vaillant, 1888) and S. grandis (Günther, 1877) ( Uiblein et al., 2008). Accordingly, the two Spe�trun- �ulus species could be well distinguished in relative ostium height. No indications for allometric variation in quantitative otolith characters were found. However, the otoliths studied by Uiblein et al. (2008) were from specimens within restricted size ranges and no small-sized S. grandis were considered. A follow-up study is currently underway involving specimens of S. �rassus and S. grandis from wider size ranges.

Acknowledgments. – We thank the following colleagues for hospitality and assistance during collection visits or for providing other collection-related favours: James Maclaine (BMNH), Sean Fennessy (ORI, Durban), Ronald de Ruiter (RMNH and ZMA), Eric Anderson, Alan Connell, Willem Coetzer, Alan Whitfield, Elaine and Phil C. Heemstra, Mark Lisher, Nkosinathi Mazungula, Roger Bills, Bafo Konobe, and the National Fish Collection staff (all SAIAB), Michael Bougaardt and Dylan Clarke (SAM), David G. Smith, Jeff Williams and Sandra Raredon (USNM), and Marcus Krag, Peter R. Møller and Werner Schwarzhans (ZMUC). For providing photographs we thank Desmond Hayes (ORI), Phil C. Heemstra, Marcus Krag, Mark Lisher, and Kevin Webb (BMNH). We thank the entire staff of the R/V Dr. F. Nansen of the Ecosystem Survey and Special Studies off Mozambique cruise leg 4 (Nov. 2007). FU thanks the Nansen Programme of the Center for Developmental Fisheries at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, Norway, and SAIAB for travel support and/or logistic support during research stays.

Figures

Figure 5. – Quantitative otolith characters in Neobythites kenyaensis plotted against SL.