Nemipterus, Swainson, 1839

Russell, Barry C. & Gouws, Gavin, 2020, A new species of Nemipterus (Pisces: Nemipteridae) from the Western Indian Ocean, Zootaxa 4895 (4), pp. 573-580 : 578-579

Key to species of Nemipterus in the western Indian Ocean

1a. Membrane between dorsal spines deeply incised.................................... N. peronii (Indo-West Pacific)

1b. Membrane between dorsal spines not incised or only slightly emarginate......................................... 2

2a. Upper lobe of caudal fin with a filamentous extension........................................................ 3

2b. Upper lobe of caudal fin without any filamentous extension................................................... 6

3a. Body slender, depth 3.8-4.6 in SL; pectoral fins extending to or just short of level of vent; upper lobe of caudal fin produced into short filament............................................................. N. zysron (Indo-West Pacific)

3b. Body moderately deep, depth 2.7-3.5 in SL; pectoral fins extending beyond level of vent; upper lobe of caudal fin with long trailing filament...................................................................................... 4

4a. Suborbital moderately deep, its least depth 1.0- 1.9 in eye diameter; pelvic fins reaching to or just beyond level of vent.............................................................................. N. japonicus (Indo-West Pacific)

4b. Suborbital shallow, its least depth 1.7-3.6 in eye diameter; pelvic fins reaching well beyond level of vent to at least origin of anal fin............................................................................................. 5

5a. Pelvic fins reaching to between level of vent and origin of anal fin; pectoral fins extending to between level of vent and origin of anal fin; upper caudal rays, caudal filament and outer edge of dorsal fin bright yellow.... N. elaine n. sp. ( Mozambique)

5b. Pelvic fins extending to or beyond level of origin of anal fin; pectoral fins extending to or beyond level of origin of anal fin; upper caudal rays, caudal filament and outer edge of dorsal fin red....... N. randalli (W. Indian Ocean, W. Bay of Bengal)

6a. Scales below lateral line in ascending rows anteriorly; maxillary reaching to below anterior half of the eye; head rosy red, with 1-2 indistinct mauve-blue bands on snout; body with five greenish-yellow upwardly curved bands on sides......................................................................................... N. bipunctatus (Indian Ocean)

6b. Scales below lateral line in more or less horizontal rows; maxillary reaching to between level of posterior nostril and anterior margin of eye; head pinkish mauve with two yellow bands on snout; upper lip narrowly edged with yellow; lower lip and chin beneath lip yellow, this colour extending as narrow band posteriorly to lower margin of opercle; body lacking distinct stripes................................................................. N. flavomandibularus (Mascarene Plateau)