Grammatonotus bianchi, a new species of splendid perch (Percoidei: Callanthiidae) from Myanmar, northeastern Indian Ocean.

A new splendid perch, Grammatonotus bianchi sp. nov. is described on the basis of two specimens (45.968.7 mm SL) collected at 184 m depth in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar during bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2018. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by its large head (37.738.6% SL), large orbit (14.415.3% SL), caudal-fin shape, and fresh coloration. A key to Indian Ocean species of Grammatonotus is provided.

Two new species of the genus Chelidoperca (Perciformes: Serranidae) from the Andaman Sea, eastern Indian Ocean.

Two new species of the genus Chelidoperca are described from specimens collected in 2015 and 2018 from the Andaman Sea, off the coast of Myanmar during trawl bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen. Chelidoperca myathantuni sp. nov. is described based on 15 specimens (74.3-129.5 mm SL) from 101-185 m depth, which can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 3 (2 full-sized plus 1 half-sized) scale rows between lateral line and middle of spinous dorsal-fin base; 42-44 (modally 44) pored lateral-line scales; 16 pectoral-fin rays; interorbital scales extending to mid-orbit level; scales on ventral surface of lower jaw restricted to the angular (not extending onto the dentary); enlarged caniniform teeth on the upper jaw; side of body with longitudinal dashed black stripe; dorsal fin pale yellow with reddish pigment mostly restricted at base of spines and rays. Chelidoperca flavimacula sp. nov. is described based on eight specimens (49.7-70.7 mm SL) from 84-131 m depth, which can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: 3 (2 full-sized plus 1 half-sized) scale rows between lateral line and middle of spinous dorsal-fin base; 42-45 (modally 42) pored lateral-line scales; 9-10 (modally 10) scale rows below the lateral line; 6 predorsal scales; 16-17 (modally 16) circumpeduncular scales; 5 scales rows on cheek; interorbital scales extending to mid-orbit level; anal fin with yellowish distal margin and three or four rows of bright yellow spots over its proximal half.

Description of two new species of sandlances, genus Bleekeria (Perciformes, Ammodytidae) from the Andaman Sea (northeastern Indian Ocean).

Two new species of Bleekeria Günther, 1862 are described from specimens collected in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar during bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2015 and 2018. They are distinguished from each other and from congeners by a combination of morphological and meristic characters as well as fin coloration and genetic variance. Bleekeria albicauda sp. nov. has pelvic fins, 40-41 dorsal-fin rays, 54-55 total vertebrae, no teeth in jaws, 4 scale rows between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line, a single row of about 10 scales on mid-upper part of opercle, scales on central part of body clearly shorter than their height, caudal fin with white upper and lower lobes when fresh (unique within the genus). Bleekeria nigrilinea sp. nov. has no pelvic fins, 37-39 dorsal-fin rays, 49-50 total vertebrae, 2½ scale rows between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line (the smallest count within the genus with B. estuaria of Mozambique brackish water), 5-6 scales on mid-upper part of opercle arranged in a single row, scales on central part of body clearly longer than their height, upper and lower margins of caudal fin black when fresh (unique within the genus). The COI gene sequences of the two new species showed clear genetic divergence (pairwise K2P, >10 %) from Bleekeria estuaria Randall Ida, 2014 and Bleekeria mitsukurii (Jordan Evermann, 1902). A key to the species of Bleekeria is provided.

Review of the Indian Ocean spikefish genus Mephisto (Tetraodontiformes: Triacanthodidae).

We redescribe the triacanthodid spikefish Mephisto fraserbrunneri Tyler 1966 based upon eight specimens (five newly reported herein) and the first color photographs of freshly collected specimens; these data are compared with that of the single specimen of the recently described M. albomaculosus Matsuura, Psomadakis, and Mya Than Tun 2018. Both species are found in the Indian Ocean, with M. fraserbrunneri known from the Arabian Sea off the east coast of Africa to the eastern Bay of Bengal, and M. albomaculosus confirmed only from the type locality in the Andaman Sea (a color photograph of an individual M. cf. albomaculosus from the Bay of Bengal that was not retained is also presented). We describe and diagnose the genus Mephisto and provide a key to the two species based upon all available specimens. We also provide a distribution map for both species and summarize literature records. Using micro-CT data, we show that Mephisto fraserbrunneri replaces teeth intraosseously, which suggests this tooth replacement pattern is plesiomorphic for Tetraodontiformes.

A new deep-bodied species of Antigonia (Teleostei, Antigoniidae) from the Andaman Sea (northeastern Indian Ocean).

A new species of boarfish, Antigonia emanuela, is described from two specimens collected in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar during bottom trawl surveys conducted by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2015 and 2018. It is unique within the genus in the combination of the deeply rhomboid body (1.1-1.2 times deeper than long), nine dorsal-fin spines, premaxilla strongly bent in middle, scales with deep apical crest armed with numerous spinules, soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins bright-yellow in life. Two other Antigonia species captured during these surveys are A. indica and A. ovalis, the latter species being a first report for the Andaman Sea.

Review of the Stemonosudis rothschildi species complex, with descriptions of two new species from the Indo-west Pacific Ocean (Aulopiformes: Paralepididae).

Three barracudina species are recognized in the Stemonosudis rothschildi species complex, which includes Stemonosudis rothschildi Richards, 1967, and two new species described herein. Stemonosudis multifasciatus sp. nov. is described based on five specimens collected off northwestern Australia and Myanmar, Eastern Indian Ocean. It is characterized by having 16 brownish blotches on dorsum (10 before dorsal-fin origin); 49-51 caudal vertebrae; 93‒95 total vertebrae; dorsal-fin origin relatively forward in position, distance between origins of pelvic and dorsal fins 52.3‒63.0% of distance between origins of pelvic and anal fins; and combination of body proportions. Stemonosudis retrodorsalis sp. nov. is described based on 15 specimens collected from off the Philippines, Indonesia and northwestern Australia. It is characterized by having dorsal-fin origin at about vertical through anal-fin origin, insertion of anal fin relatively forward, preanal length 71.5‒79.5% SL; 6 blotches on dorsum before DFO and 4 on abdominal ridge before VFO and unique combination of body proportions. A redescription of S. rothschildi, based on specimens collected from off Dongsha (Pratas) Islands, Australia and West Indies, is also included.

Snake eels of the genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from Myanmar (Indian Ocean) with the description of two new species.

Two new species of ophichthid eels, subfamily Ophichthinae, are described and illustrated from specimens collected from Myanmar by the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen. Included are: Ophichthus nansen sp. nov., from 103-106 m depth, which is unique in its vertebral number (11-53-116), dorsal-fin origin (above mid-pectoral fin), jaw dentition (small, conical and mostly biserial), and coloration (dark gray-brown, fins black); and Ophichthus naga sp. nov., from 455-459 m depth, which is unique in its vertebral number (15-65-153), dorsal-fin origin (well behind pectoral fin), dentition (small, conical, biserial in upper jaw and uniserial in lower jaw and on vomer), and dark brown coloration. Also new to Myanmar are Ophichthus cephalozona Bleeker, 1864, and O. lithinus (Jordan Richardson, 1908), which are diagnosed and treated herein.

Pseudanthias emma new species, with notes on a collection of anthiadine serranid fishes from off Myanmar (eastern Indian Ocean).

Recent exploratory trawling off the coast of Myanmar by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen has resulted in the collection of six species of anthiadine serranid fishes. Four of the species are represented by specimen vouchers: Pseudanthias emma sp. nov., P. gibbosus (Klunzinger), Odontanthias rhodopeplus (Günther) and Plectranthias sp. 1. The remaining two species are represented only by photographs: Plectranthias sp. 2 and Sacura sanguinea Motomura, Yoshida Vilasri. Pseudanthias emma is described from the 107 mm SL holotype. It is distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X,16; pectoral rays 18; lateral-line scales 42; third dorsal-fin spine longest, prolonged; no papillae on posterior margin of orbit; soft part of dorsal with low scaly sheath; subopercle and interopercle indistinctly serrated; caudal fin weakly concave centrally, with elongate filaments extending from second to uppermost and second to lowermost branched rays. Plectranthias sp. 1 is a probable new species closely allied to P. sagamiensis (Katayama), from which it appears to differ in having fewer segmented dorsal rays and fewer rows of cheek scales. Plectranthias sp. 2 is a probable new species closely allied to P. alcocki Bineesh, Akhilesh, Gopalakrishnan Jena, from which it appears to differ in lacking a large black spot on the operculum and dusky ventral spot on the abdomen. New character, habitat and distribution information is provided for all six species. Pseudanthias vizagensis Krishna, Rao Venu is suggested as a probable junior synonym of P. pillai Heemstra Akhilesh.

A new species of Neobathyclupea from the northern Indian Ocean with comments on N. malayana (Teleostei, Perciformes, Bathyclupeidae).

A new species of Neobathyclupea is described from two specimens collected off Myanmar and off Socotra Island. The new species is most similar to N. malayana, but differs from it and other congeners in having jet-black coloured fins, larger pseudobranch, dorsal-pterygiophore pattern and some body proportions. Neobathyclupea malayana is re-diagnosed. Individual variations in armament of the preopercle and in the dorsal-pterygiophore patterns within Bathyclupeidae are discussed.