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Issue: Vol. 4117 No. 1: 30 May 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-05-30
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4117.1.10
Page range: 146–150
Abstract views: 183
PDF downloaded: 1

A new species of Apterichtus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the Marquesas Islands

Fisheries Research Laboratory, Mie University, 4190-172 Wagu, Shima-cho, Shima, Mie 517-0703, Japan.
California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
Fisheries Research Laboratory, Mie University, 4190-172 Wagu, Shima-cho, Shima, Mie 517-0703, Japan.
Reptilia Ophichthidae Apterichtus new species Marquesas

Abstract

A new finless ophichthid eel, Apterichtus succinus sp. nov., is described based on a single specimen collected from the Marquesas Islands. The new species closely resembles A. klazingai Weber, 1913 in the shape and coloration of its head and its total vertebral count. The former differs from the latter in having more preopercular pores (4 vs. 3), fewer preanal vertebrae (54 vs. 56–63), a single tooth on the prevomer (generally absent), a shorter head (14.8 in TL vs. 12–14 in TL), and larger spots on its head and nape. Three species of Apterichtus (A. succinus, A. klazingai, and Apterichtus mysi McCosker & Hibino, 2015) are recognized from the Marquesas Islands.

 

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