Work

Neobythites jenui sp. nov. (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae), a new cusk eel from the southwest coast of India, distinguished by an unusually high caudal fin ray count

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A single specimen of Neobythites (181 mm standard length) is described here as new, set apart from its closest congeners by a combination of meristic characters and morphometric variation. In colour pattern, the fish carries a distinct lateral stripe running from behind the operculum to the tail at eye level, a dark-brown to grey dorsal fin margin, dark brown to greyish pigmentation over the distal dorsal fin and posterior two thirds of the anal fin, and two spines on the hind margin of the preoperculum, A COI based tree, sampling a wide set of congeners, places SK119 on its own branch, sister to a clade of N. analis, N. fasciatus, and N. stigmosus at 82% bootstrap support, consistent with the morphological comparison. Taken together, the finray counts, gillarch characters, vertebral position of the analfin origin, and colour pattern support recognition of the present Neobythites as a distinct species.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23689246

Authors: NAIR, REKHA, Eldho, Varghese, Utrad, Pooja, Terry, Stephy, P S, Keerthana

Institutions: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Language: English

Topic: Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Subfield: Aquatic Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: green

Funder: Ministry of Earth Sciences