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Issue: Vol. 5725 No. 1: 1 Dec. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-12-01
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5725.1.3
Page range: 89-105
Abstract views: 127
PDF downloaded: 1

Three new species of the congrid eel genus Gnathophis (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the Arabian Sea

Faculty of Fisheries Science; Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies; Kochi; Kerala—682 506; India.
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology; Russian Academy of Sciences—IO RAS; Moscow; Russia.
Taxonomy molecular analysis new species western Indian Ocean

Abstract

Three new species of the congrid eel genus Gnathophis viz., Gnathophis ajithi, Gnathophis anilmohapatrai, and Gnathophis arabicus are described herein. Gnathophis ajithi is collected from 264–450 m depth along the Arabian Sea and differs from its congeners in having 2nd, and 7th–8th through 13th–15th pores elevated; small eye, 15.7–17.7% HL; lateral-line pores before anus 27–33, stomach grey to black. Gnathophis anilmohapatrai is collected from 264 m depth and differs from its congeners in that the lateral-line pores above pectoral fin are not elevated, lateral-line pores before anus 36–40, stomach pale. Gnathophis arabicus is collected from 450–600 m depth and differs from its congeners in that the lateral-line pores above pectoral fin are not elevated, lateral-line pores before anus 36–41; SO pores 5, SO5 absent, SO6 present, stomach pale and black posteriorly. Further, CO1 mtDNA sequences are generated and discussed with the sequences available at public domain.

 

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How to Cite

Kodeeswaran, P. & Karmovskaya, E.S. (2025) Three new species of the congrid eel genus Gnathophis (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the Arabian Sea. Zootaxa, 5725 (1), 89–105. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5725.1.3