A new deep-water conger eel of the genus Rhynchoconger (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the southwest coast of India, Arabian Sea.

Abstract

A new species of deep-water conger eel, Rhynchoconger bicoloratus sp. nov., is described herein based on three specimens collected from the deep-sea trawlers landing at Kalamukku fishing harbour, off Kochi, Arabian Sea, from a depth beyond 200 m. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: head larger than trunk, rictus at posterior margin of pupil, dorsal fin origin slightly before the pectoral fin insertion, eye diameter 1.7-1.9 in snout, ethmovomerine teeth patch broader than long with 41-44 recurved pointed teeth in 6-7 rows, vomerine teeth patch pentagonal shaped with single tooth on posterior end, pre-anal vertebrae 35, body bicoloured, peritoneum and stomach black. Genetically, the new species differs from its congeners with a divergence of 12.9-20.1% in the mitochondrial COI gene.