Two new species of the snake eel genus Bascanichthys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the northwestern Pacific.

Abstract

Two new species of the elongate snake eel genus Bascanichthys are described from the northwestern Pacific. Bascanichthys kabeyawan sp. nov. is described based on a single specimen collected from estuary of southern Taiwan. It is characterized by having head 4.6% TL; tail 52.3% TL; body depth at gill opening 1.1% TL; predorsal-fin length 58.4% HL; snout length 10.9% HL; body bicolored, head without bands; lateral-line pores anterior to anus 104; vertebral formula 4-103-224. Bascanichthys ryukyuensis sp. nov. is described based on two specimens collected from the shallow water of Okinawa-jima Island, Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan. It is characterized by having head 3.7-4.3% TL; tail 43.3-44.2% TL; predorsal-fin length 40.7-45.4% HL; snout length 11.3-13.1% HL; body pale brown, head without distinct dark bands after preservation; lateral-line pores anterior to anus 114-118; total vertebrae 207-216, mean vertebral formula 2-116-212; and dorsal-fin origin before middle of head.