Stolephorus insignus, a new anchovy from the western Pacific, and redescription of Stolephorus apiensis (Jordan and Seale 1906) (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae)

Abstract

Stolephorus insignus sp. nov. is described from 10 specimens from Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Moluccas, Indonesia. The new species is closely related to S. apiensis (Jordan and Seale 1906), which is redescribed, both species having a long upper jaw with the posterior tip slightly short of or just reaching to the posterior border of the preopercle; no predorsal scutes; the posterior preopercular border rounded and convex; the posterior tip of the depressed pelvic fin extending beyond a vertical through the dorsal-fin origin; no dark lines on the dorsum; and no black spots below the eye and lower-jaw tip. However, the new species is distinguished from S. apiensis in having lower total gill-raker counts on the first, second, third, and fourth gill arches (46–49, 36–41, 24–27, and 18–22, respectively, vs. 48–53, 40–47, 24–29, and 19–22), a deeper body (19.5–21.1% SL vs. 17.0–20.0%), shorter anal-fin base (19.0–20.1% SL vs. 20.2–23.3%), longer caudal peduncle (18.4–19.8% SL vs. 14.4–18.3%), and pairs of distinct dark patches on the parietal and occipital regions (patches obscure in S. apiensis).