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Issue: Vol. 4162 No. 1: 8 Sept. 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-09-08
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4162.1.6
Page range: 134–142
Abstract views: 103
PDF downloaded: 2

A new species of the lizardfish genus Synodus (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from the western Pacific Ocean

National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, Taiwan
Taiwan Ocean Research Institute of the National Applied Research Laboratories
Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Pisces taxonomy Teleostei Synodus pacificus new species Taiwan

Abstract

Synodus pacificus sp. nov., a new species of lizardfish, is described based on specimens collected in the western Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a species group with needle-like posterior processes of the pelvic girdle and differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: 4 upside-down omega-shaped marks on the lateral body; black patches on the nape and opercular region; cross bars on the ventral surface of the head; bars on the dorsal and caudal fins; orbital large (6.7–8.1% SL); interorbital space narrow (2.1–2.8% SL); snout short (6.3–7.2% SL); anterior palatine teeth not longer than posterior teeth; pectoral fin extending slightly beyond a line from base of pelvic fin to origin of dorsal fin; 7 peritoneal spots; peritoneal membrane pale; nasal flap long and pointed; dorsal-fin rays 11–13 (mainly11); anal-fin rays 9–11 (mainly 10 or 11); pectoral-fin rays 11–14 (mainly 12); total vertebrae 53 or 54; pored lateral-line scales 52–54; transverse scale rows above the lateral line 3.5, below 4.5 or 5; gill rakers 31–37; and 17–29 teeth on free end of tongue.

 

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