The use of otolith morphometrics in determining the size and species identification of eight mullets (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) from Malaysia

Sagittal otolith morphometric measurements from Malaysian Mugilidae species were selected to investigate their possible role in species identification, due to the Mugilidae species’ morphological similarities, and age determination. Fish standard length (cm), otolith length (μm), width (μm) and mass (g) measurements were taken from eight species: Chelon macrolepis, C. melinopterus, C. subviridis, Ellochelon vaigiensis, Moolgarda cunnesius, M. seheli, Mugil cephalus and Valamugil engeli. Otolith aspect ratio, OAS (otolith length divided by width), was calculated and compared between species. The four homogenous groups based on their OAS were C. melinopterus (mean=1.65) and V. engeli (1.66) and M. cunnesius (1.89) and E. vaigiensis (1.89); M. seheli (2.08), C. macrolepis (2.14) and M. cephalus (2.17); and the latter two with C. subviridis (2.43). The relationships between fish standard length and otolith length/mass showed positive correlations for both, with otolith length providing the stronger correlation (rs = 0.897, P < 0.001) than otolith mass (rs = 0.795, P < 0.001). It is concluded that the more morphologically similar species have similar otolith aspect ratios, related to head shape; however, otolith shape is also affected by a variety of other environmental factors that have to be taken account of

Genetic diversity and population structure of terapon jarbua (Forskål, 1775) (teleostei, terapontidae) in malaysian waters

A background study is important for the conservation and stock management of a species. Terapon jarbua is a coastal Indo-Pacific species, sourced for human consumption. This study examined 134 samples from the central west and east coasts of Peninsular (West) Malaysia and East Malaysia. A 1446-bp concatenated dataset of mtDNA COI and Cyt b sequences was used in this study and 83 haplotypes were identified, of which 79 are unique haplotypes and four are shared haplotypes. Populations of T. jarbua in Malaysia are genetically heterogenous as shown by the high level of haplotype diversity ranging from 0.9167–0.9952, low nucleotide diversity ranging from 0.0288–0.3434, and high FST values (within population genetic variation). Population genetic structuring is not distinct as shown by the shared haplotypes between geographic populations and mixtures of haplotypes from different populations within the same genetic cluster. The gene flow patterns and population structuring observed among these regions are likely attributed to geographical distance, past historical events, allopatric speciation, dispersal ability and water currents. For instance, the mixture of haplotypes revealed an extraordinary migration ability of T. jarbua (>1200 km) via ancient river connectivity. The negative overall value of the neutrality test and a non-significant mismatch distribution are consistent with demographic expansion(s) in the past. The median-joining network concurred with the maximum likelihood haplotype tree with three major clades resolved. The scarcity of information on this species is an obstacle for future management and conservation purposes. Hence, this study aims to contribute information on the population structure, genetic diversity, and historical demography of T. jarbua in Malaysia

Neenchelys gracilis Ho & Loh, 2015, sp. nov.

&lt;i&gt;Neenchelys gracilis&lt;/i&gt; sp. nov. &lt;p&gt;New English name: Fringe-nose worm-eel Figures 1 A&ndash;B, 2A&ndash;B; Tables 1&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Holotype.&lt;/b&gt; NMMB-P 22195, 429 mm TL, off Dong-gang, Pingtung, S Taiwan, N South China Sea, &lt;i&gt;ca&lt;/i&gt;. 400 m depth, 1 Nov. 2014.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Diagnosis.&lt;/b&gt; A species of &lt;i&gt;Neenchelys&lt;/i&gt; with a minute pectoral fin, many filamentous cirri on anterior nostril rim, and a very small gill opening (3.8% HL). It can be further distinguished by the following combination of characters: body depth 4.7 times in HL, 77 in TL; dorsal-fin origin in anterior 1/3 of trunk, 1.7 times HL behind gill opening; predorsal length 6.0 in TL; head relatively short, 16.2 in TL; trunk 3.1 in TL; tail long, 1.6 in TL; pectoral fin a minute flap with some visible rays. Total vertebrae 200; VF 30-78-200. Cephalic lateral-line pores 11; predorsal pores 33; preanal pores 78; total pores 169, the last 1.5 times HL before tail tip.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Description.&lt;/b&gt; Morphometric data of the holotype (in mm): total length 429; head length 26.5; predorsal length 71; preanal length 165; trunk length 138.5; tail length 264; depth at gill opening 5.6; width at gill opening 4.5; depth at mid-anus 5.6; width at mid-anus 4.9; eye diameter 1.4; interorbital width 2.6; snout length 4.2; rictus 8.7; postorbital length 21.7; gill opening 1.0; interbranchial width 2.6.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Head relatively short, 16.2 times in TL; origin of dorsal fin about 1.7 HL behind a vertical through gill opening; predorsal length 6.0 in TL; trunk long, its length 3.1 in TL; anus at anterior 1/3 of body length; origin of anal fin immediately behind anus, preanal length 2.6 in TL; tail long, tail length 1.6 in TL.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Body slender, trunk somewhat cylindrical, becoming gradually compressed in posterior tail region; body width at anus 5.4 in HL; body depth relatively uniform, depth at anus 4.7 in HL, tapering gradually to tip of tail; depth of head equal to depth of body, 4.7 in HL. Dorsal and anal fins low and fleshy, continuous with a small but distinct rayed caudal fin. Pectoral fin a minute transparent flap above upper corner of gill opening, with several rays separated distally under microscopic magnification.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Head slender in profile; snout acute anteriorly and broad dorsally, snout length 6.3 in HL; tip of snout projecting well beyond lower jaw; eye small, covered by a thick and semitransparent membrane; orbital width 18.9 in HL; interorbital space broad, slightly elevated, its width 10.2 in HL; postorbital space very wide, its width 1.2 in HL. Anterior nostrils tubular, directed ventrally, with many filamentous cirri on its rim. Posterior nostril before lower margin of eye, opening directed ventrally, appearing in lateral aspect as a diagonal slit, the posterior end of which is highest. A flesh fold between nostrils. Behind, below, and paralleling the nostril is a shallow groove that is longer than the nasal slit. Lower jaw included, its tip reaching a line drawn between posterior margins of anterior nostrils. Angle of gape about 1.5 eye diameter behind a vertical through posterior margin of pigmented eyeball; rictus length 3.0 in HL. Tongue well-attached to mouth floor. Gill opening very small, a narrow curved slit forming a triangular pale space, its height 26.5 in HL.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Head and lateral-line pores large (Fig. 2 A). Single median interorbital pores; supraorbital pores 1+4; infraorbital pores 4+1 (2 pores between anterior and posterior nostrils); mandibular pores 5; preopercular pores 2; supratemporal pores 3. Lateral line incomplete, extending posteriorly to about 1.5 HL before tail tip. Cephalic lateral-line pores 11; predorsal pores 33; preanal pores 78 and total pores 169.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Teeth (Figs. 2 B) slender, pointed, tips directed backward, anterior few teeth in each series longest. Intermaxillary teeth 5, not well-separated from those on vomer; vomerine teeth 7, uniserial, terminating at about middle of maxillary tooth row; maxillary with 13 or 14 teeth, uniserial, terminating at gape; dentary with 21 (right side)/ 22 teeth (left side, partly damaged), uniserial, terminating opposite end of maxillary tooth row.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Coloration.&lt;/b&gt; When fresh (Fig. 1), body uniformly brownish gray, medium fins pale anteriorly with about 1 HL of posteiror portion black, a small triangular pale patch on gill opening region. Coloration in preservative similar to that when fresh.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Etymology.&lt;/b&gt; The specific name &lt;i&gt;gracilis&lt;/i&gt; means slender or slim, in reference to its very slim body.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Distribution and habitat.&lt;/b&gt; Known only from the holotype from Dong-gang, southern Taiwan, collected at approximately 400 meters. It was collected by fishery otter trawl in the same haul with many macrourids, ophidiids, deep-sea shrimps and other demersal fishes that would suggest a benthic habitat for this species.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks.&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Neenchelys gracilis&lt;/i&gt; represents the fourth species in the genus with a minute membranous pectoral fin above the upper corner of the gill opening (presuming that &lt;i&gt;N. parvipectoralis&lt;/i&gt; Chu, Wu &amp; Jin, 1981 is distinct from &lt;i&gt;N. microtretus&lt;/i&gt; Bamber, 1915). It is most similar to the recently described species, &lt;i&gt;N. mccoskeri&lt;/i&gt; Hibino, Ho &amp; Kimura, 2012, which co-occurs in Taiwan, in having a relatively slender body and in its coloration. It can be readily distinguished from &lt;i&gt;N. mccoskeri&lt;/i&gt; by having many filamentous cirri on anterior nostril rim (vs. 1 fleshy cirrus on the outer margin of its anterior nostril rim), a more slender and slim (body depth at anus 4.7 vs. 2.0&ndash; 3.4 in HL, width at anus 5.4 vs. 2.6&ndash;4.2 in HL), a smaller head (6.2% vs. 6.4&ndash;7.7% SL), its dorsal-fin origin at the anterior one-third of its trunk (vs. about mid-trunk), a slightly narrower interorbital space (9.8% vs. 10.4&ndash;16.2% HL), and a different mean vertebral formula (30-78-200 vs. 37-65-180).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Neenchelys gracilis&lt;/i&gt; can be separated from its other congeners with minute pectoral fins, &lt;i&gt;N. parvipectoralis&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;N. microtretus&lt;/i&gt;, by having a more slender body and more total vertebrae (200, vs. 151 in &lt;i&gt;N. microtretus&lt;/i&gt; and 138&ndash; 148 in &lt;i&gt;N. parvipectoralis&lt;/i&gt;).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Neenchelys gracilis&lt;/i&gt; is also similar to two other elongate species, &lt;i&gt;N. daedalus&lt;/i&gt; McCosker, 1982 and &lt;i&gt;N. similis&lt;/i&gt; Ho, McCosker &amp; Smith, 2015, but differs in its minute pectoral fin (vs. well-developed and longer than snout), the cirri on anterior nostril rim (vs. cirri absent) and fewer total vertebrae (200 vs. 225&ndash;235 in &lt;i&gt;N. daedalus&lt;/i&gt; and 251&ndash; 274 in &lt;i&gt;N. similis&lt;/i&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Ho, Hsuan-Ching &amp; Loh, Kar-Hoe, 2015, A new species of the worm-eel genus Neenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from southern Taiwan in Zootaxa 4060 (1)&lt;/i&gt;, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.8, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/233146"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/233146&lt;/a&gt

A new species of the worm-eel genus Neenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from southern Taiwan

Ho, Hsuan-Ching, Loh, Kar-Hoe (2015): A new species of the worm-eel genus Neenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from southern Taiwan. Zootaxa 4060 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.

Notes on the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of Malaysia with two new records

Two new records of moray eels (Muraenidae), Gymnothorax margaritophorus Bleeker, 1864 and Strophidon sathete (Hamilton 1822), are reported for Malaysia. They are represented by two specimens each, all collected from Sabah waters. The present study also provides the current taxonomic and distributional information of the Malaysian moray eels. To date, there are 33 species belonging to six genera of the Muraenidae in Malaysian waters based on the published records

Gymnothorax melanosomatus Loh, Shao & Chen, 2011, new species

&lt;i&gt;Gymnothorax melanosomatus&lt;/i&gt; new species &lt;p&gt;New English name: Black body moray eel (Figures 1&ndash;2, Tables 1&ndash;2)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Holotype&lt;/b&gt;: TOU-AE 1991, 11 Aug. 2008 (male, 496 mm TL), off-shore from Changbin, Taitung, Taiwan, longline, 50&ndash;100 m, collected by Captain J.S. Chiou.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Paratypes&lt;/b&gt;: 7 specimens. ASIZP 0072170, 27 Jul. 2007; TOU-AE 0 627, 28 Oct. 2004; TOU-AE 1879, 6 Oct. 2005 (3 males, 433&ndash;522 mm TL); ASIZP 0 0 72171, 2 Aug. 2005 (female, 407 mm TL), all from Changbin, Taitung, longline, 50&ndash; 150 m. TOU-AE 3774, 16 Nov. 2006 (male, 504 mm TL); TOU-AE 3775, 16 Nov. 2006; TOU-AE 5095, 11 Aug. 2008 (female, 447&ndash;504 mm TL), all from Shihtiping, Hualien, longline, 70&ndash; 180 m. All collected by Captain J.S. Chiou.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Diagnosis.&lt;/b&gt; Body greatly elongate, depth at gill opening 33.2 (27.1&ndash;44.8) in total length, anus behind midbody; body and fins unpatterned, uniformly black-brown; preanal length 1.71 in TL, head length 10.30 in TL. Maxillary and dentary teeth uniserial, few in number, long and needle-like. Mean vertebral formula 6-108-207.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Description.&lt;/b&gt; The proportions as percentage of total length or head length, vertebral counts, teeth counts and gonadal type of the type series are provided in Table 1. Tail length 2.4 (2.3&ndash;2.5) in TL, trunk length 1.9 (1.9&ndash;2.1), depth at gill opening 33.2 (27.1&ndash; 44.8), depth at anus 45.2 (35.9&ndash;46.6), head length 10.8 (9.5&ndash;10.8); Length of upper jaw 2.4 (2.4&ndash;3.1) in HL, length of lower jaw 2.6 (2.6&ndash;3.2), interorbital width 7.9 (7.1&ndash;10.8), snout length 5.1 (4.9&ndash;6.7), eye diameter 8.6 (8.6&ndash;12.1).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Teeth uniserial (Figure 3), median intermaxillary teeth counts are different in each sex, 2&ndash;3 in female, 0 in male; maxillary teeth uniserial 6 (6&ndash;7), each side of intermaxillary teeth 6 (4&ndash;8), vomerine teeth uniserial 4 (0&ndash;7), each side of dentary teeth uniserial 11 (10&ndash;12). Head pores typical, three superorbital pores, four infraorbital pores, six mandibular pores. Two small branchial pores before gill opening. Gill opening below midside. Total vertebrae 207 (201&ndash;211), predorsal vertebrae 5 (4&ndash;7), preanal vertebrae 109 (105&ndash;109).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Color.&lt;/b&gt; When fresh, head and body mostly black in color, without any spots or pattern; and irises of eyes yellow. Body color after preserved in formalin or alcohol would be blackish or grey, irises become white.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Distribution.&lt;/b&gt; From southeastern Taiwan: off Changbin, Taitung to Shihtiping, Hualien City. Depth range is from 50&ndash;180 meters.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Biology.&lt;/b&gt; A small bodied species with maximun length 522 mm TL in adult male and 504 mm TL in adult female. Three females (407&ndash;504 mm TL) all were gravid, distended with 1.0&ndash; 1.2 mm diameter eggs, and fecundity 2960 &plusmn; 818 eggs respectively.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Etymology.&lt;/b&gt; The species name is from the Greek &lt;i&gt;melano&lt;/i&gt; (black) and &lt;i&gt;somat-&lt;/i&gt; (body), in reference to its black body color.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks.&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Gymnothorax melanosomatus&lt;/i&gt; new species is clearly distinct from its closest congener, &lt;i&gt;G. prolatus&lt;/i&gt; Sasaki and Amaoka (1991), in the following character combinations, given as mean (range): (1) longer preanal length 58.5 (56.6&ndash;59.5) [vs. 48.9 (46.6&ndash;50.4)] % of total length; (2) shorter snout length 17.8 (14.9&ndash;20.5) [vs. 20.0 (17.3&ndash;21.4)] % of head length; (3) interorbital width 12.2 (9.2&ndash;14.1) [vs. 14.3 (10.7&ndash; 17.8)] % of head length; (4) more preanal vertebrae 108 (105&ndash;109) [vs. 80 (74&ndash;86)]; (5) more total vertebrae 207 (201&ndash;211) [vs. 183 (174&ndash; 190)]; and (6) black [vs. brown] body (Table 2).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The new moray eel is easily distinguished from the other similar species &lt;i&gt;Strophidon sathete&lt;/i&gt; (Hamilton, 1822), by the following features, (1) longer preanal length 58.5 (56.6&ndash;59.5) [vs. 43.7 (42.2&ndash;45.4)] % of total length (Table 2); (2) longer trunk length 50.1 (48.8&ndash;51.8) [vs. 34.7 (32.8&ndash;36.2) % of total length; (3) longer snout length 17.8 (14.9&ndash;20.5) [vs. 11.1 (9.7&ndash;13.9)] % of head length; (4) longer interorbital width 12.2 (9.2&ndash;14.1) [vs. 9.0 (7.3&ndash; 11.4)] % of head length; (4) more preanal vertebrae 108 (105&ndash;109) [vs. 81 (78&ndash;83)]; (5) more total vertebrae 207 (201&ndash;211) [vs. 194 (188&ndash;200)]; and (6) maxillary and dentary teeth uniserial vs biserial.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; We place the new species in &lt;i&gt;Gymnothorax&lt;/i&gt; senso latu but not &lt;i&gt;Strophidon&lt;/i&gt; based on its dentition (uniserial vs. biserial jaw teeth), larger eye diameter (8.2&ndash;11.7 vs. 2.9&ndash;6.8 % of HL), eye position (mid-jaw vs. far forward in upper jaw), shorter tail (40.5&ndash;43.4 vs. 54.6&ndash;57.8 % of TL).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; We also note that the new species differs from another related species, &lt;i&gt;G. polyspondylus&lt;/i&gt; B&ouml;hlke and Randall (2000) by its longer preanal length 58.5 [vs. 43.3] % of total length, more preanal vertebrae 109 [vs. 89], fewer total vertebrae 207 [vs. 233] (Table 2); and fewer intermaxillary teeth 4&ndash;8 [vs. 11-11].&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Loh, Kar-Hoe, Shao, Kwang-Tsao &amp; Chen, Hong-Ming, 2011, Gymnothorax melanosomatus, a new moray eel (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from southeastern Taiwan, pp. 43-52 in Zootaxa 3134&lt;/i&gt; on pages 44-50, DOI: &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/205743"&gt;10.5281/zenodo.205743&lt;/a&gt

Gymnothorax melanosomatus, a new moray eel (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from southeastern Taiwan

Gymnothorax melanosomatus new species, is described here on the basis of eight specimens collected from eastern coastal Taiwan at a depth 50-180 m. This new moray eel is distinguished from a closely similar species, G. prolatus, by a combination of the following characters: a uniformly black body when fresh (vs. brown), a relatively long preanal length 58.5 % of TL (vs. 48.9), shorter snout length 17.8 % of HL (vs. 20.0), interobital width 12.2 % of HL (vs. 14.3); more preanal vertebrae 105-109 (vs. 74-86) and total vertebrae 201-211 (vs. 174-190). The male and female are not different in body color and pattern, but the numbers of median intermaxillary teeth are different between the sexes, 0 in male and 2-3 in female. Key words

Fully-automated identification of fish species based on otolith contour: using short-time Fourier transform and discriminant analysis (STFT-DA)

Background. Fish species may be identified based on their unique otolith shape or contour. Several pattern recognition methods have been proposed to classify fish species through morphological features of the otolith contours. However, there has been no fully-automated species identification model with the accuracy higher than 80%. The purpose of the current study is to develop a fully-automated model, based on the otolith contours, to identify the fish species with the high classification accuracy. Methods. Images of the right sagittal otoliths of 14 fish species from three families namely Sciaenidae, Ariidae, and Engraulidae were used to develop the proposed identification model. Short-time Fourier transform (STFT) was used, for the first time in the area of otolith shape analysis, to extract important features of the otolith contours. Discriminant Analysis (DA), as a classification technique, was used to train and test the model based on the extracted features. Results. Performance of the model was demonstrated using species from three families separately, as well as all species combined. Overall classification accuracy of the model was greater than 90% for all cases. In addition, effects of STFT variables on the performance of the identification model were explored in this study. Conclusions. Short-time Fourier transform could determine important features of the otolith outlines. The fully-automated model proposed in this study (STFT-DA) could predict species of an unknown specimen with acceptable identification accuracy. The model codes can be accessed at http://mybiodiversityontologies.um.edu.my/Otolith/ and https://peerj.com/preprints/1517/. The current model has flexibility to be used for more species and families in future studies

Plectranthias kamii Randll, 1980 (Perciformes: Serranidae) collected from Bitung, North Sulawesi: first record from the Southwest Pacific Ocean

Three specimens of the serranid fish (Serranidae), Plectranthias kamii Randall, 1980 were collected from fish market, Bitung, North Sulawesi on May and June 2010. Some morphological characters P. kamii is closely related to P. sheni, P. megalophthalmus, P. retrofasciatus, P. rubrifasciatus, P. knappi, P. helenae, P. pelicieri, P. jothyi, P. retrofasciatus and P. randalli in sharing of body width, upper jaw length, pelvic spine length and orbit diameter. Meristic count characters of P. kamii differ from P. sheni, P. pilicieri, P. megalophthalmus, P. retrofasciatus and P. rubrifasciatus in having more numerous dorsal spine (18 vs. 15–17) and below lateral line (33–34 vs. 29–33) and differ from P. megalophthalmus and P. rubrifasciatus in having more numerous pored scales in lateral line (13 vs. 14–15) and shorter of anal spine. The present anthiine fish collected from Bitung, Indonesia was described as new record and bringing the total number of species of this genus known in Indonesia to seven