Abstract
A new congrid eel species, Ariosoma maurostigma sp. nov., is described on the basis of 24 specimens collected from the deep-sea trawl by-catch, Kalamukku Fishing Harbour, off Kerala, Arabian Sea. The new species differs from all other congeners in having the following combination of characters: dark mark or spot on the posterodorsal margin of the eyes; dorsal surface of head with two faint darkish bands across the anterior and posterior margin of the eye; origin of the dorsal fin before the pectoral-fin base; short vomerine teeth patch, ST pores 3, 1 median pore and 1 lateral pore on each side just behind the median pore; preanal vertebrae 47-51; precaudal vertebrae 54-57; total vertebrae 136-142; total pores 129-134. The phylogenetic analysis reveals that the new species is closely related to Ariosoma melanospilos and Ariosoma anale, with divergences of 13.8% and 14.9%, respectively.
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