Dipanjan Ray

First record of Acropoma argentistigma from Indian waters

Lanternbellies (family Acropomatidae) are known for their ventral luminous organs. The family comprises 31 species from seven genera throughout the world. Out of seven genera, the genus Acropoma contains five valid species, all occurring in the Indo-Pacific area, of which only Acropoma japonicum was reported previously from Indian waters. The present paper reports the first ever sighting of Acropoma argentistigma caught off the east coast of India around the Digha coast in West Bengal. The species was earlier reported to be distributed in the Andaman Sea only. The report of Acropoma argentistigma in the area further enriches the ichthyofauna of the area and points to the need for further detailed studies for conservation initiatives with respect to such rare fishes.

A new species of Short Brown Unpatterned Moray Eel of the Genus Gymnothorax (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from the Bay of Bengal

A new species of short brown unpatterned moray eel of the genus Gymnothorax, Gymnothorax mishrai sp. nov. is described from a specimen of 324 mm total length, collected from the Bay of Bengal. The species is distinguished by having the dorsal-fin origin before gill opening, jaw pores with brown rim, two branchial pores, total vertebrae 134 (MVF: 9-59-134), three median intermaxillary teeth, uniserial maxillary and vomerine teeth. The new species is distinctly different from the other eight described species of this group. This species is also the first species of short brown unpatterned moray eel to be reported from India.

Ophichthus johnmccoskeri sp. nov. (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae): a new snake eel from Indian waters, Bay of Bengal

A new species of snake eel (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae: Ophichthinae), Ophichthus johnmccoskeri sp. nov., is described from three specimens collected from the northern part of the Bay of Bengal, India. Ophichthus johnmccoskeri sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by having the dorsal-fin origin well behind the pectoral-fin tips, by tooth pattern (lower jaw with a single row anteriorly followed by biserial teeth on anterior sides and tri-serial teeth posteriorly), and vertebral count (24 predorsal, 51-52 preanal, and 156-158 total).The new species has a single barbel between the anterior and posterior nostrils; vomerine teeth biserial anteriorly, multi to triserial and biserial medially and in a single row posteriorly; maxillary teeth biserial anteriorly and triserial posteriorly; tip of the lower jaw toothless; and tail length 1.6 times in total length.

First Report of Genus Diploconger (Congridae: Congrinae) from the Indian Coast

Present study reports a moderately elongate, light brown coloured eel, Diploconger polystigmatus Kotthaus, 1968, for the first time from Indian waters. The species is differentiated from other congridae in having the following combination of characters: double row of cephalic and lateral-line pores, dark brown strip from the middle of the supratemporal commissure up to the tip of the mouth, dorsal fin origin nearly from the halfway of pectoral fin, each dorsal fin ray have black spots at the base, pre-dorsal vertebrae 9, pre-anal vertebrae 27, total vertebrae 108. The present report also reports the genus Diploconger for the first time from Indian waters.

A new species of elongate unpatterned moray eel of the genus Gymnothorax (Muraenidae: Muraeninae) from the Bay of Bengal.

An elongate, brown unpatterned moray eel, Gymnothorax indicus sp. nov., is described based on four specimens collected from the northern Bay of Bengal. The new species is differentiated from other elongate, unpatterned moray eels in having the following combination of characters: anus at about mid-point of body, preanal length 2.0 in total length; snout blunt and short; dorsal fin margin black, 5 mandibular pores; maxillary teeth uniserial, sharp and depressible, total vertebrae 194 (MVF: 9-79-194).

First occurrence of the moray eel Gymnothorax prolatus Sasaki & Amaoka, 1991 (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from the northern Indian Ocean

Gymnothorax prolatus is recorded for the first time from the Indian Ocean on the basis of four specimens collected in the Bay of Bengal off India and one from the Arabian Sea off Pakistan. These records extend the range of the species from Taiwan to the north-western Indian Ocean.

First record of the Evermann’s snake eel, Ophichthus lithinus (Actinopterygii: Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), from northern Indian Ocean

A little known species of snake eel, Ophichthus lithinus (Jordan et Richardson, 1908), is reported for the first time from the east coast of India, Bay of Bengal based on two specimens 632 and 720 mm in total length, collected respectively at Digha, West Bengal and Kalpakam, Tamil Nadu, India. This is the first attempt to pro - vide a detailed description of the species from the Indian Ocean. The presently reported findings constitute an extension of the known distributional range of this species from the Western Pacific to the eastern coast of India .