Uncisudis posteropelvis, a new species of barracudina (Aulopiformes: Paralepididae) from the western North Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Six specimens (2 flexion larvae: 9.5–10.4 mm in notochord length; 4 postflexion larvae: 12.3–18.2 mm in standard length) collected from the western North Pacific are tentatively ascribed to the genus Uncisudis of the tribe Lestidiini of the subfamily Paralepidinae (Paralepididae) in sharing remarkably elongate and filamentous pelvic fin rays, their tips reaching the origin of the anal fin. They are described as Uncisudis posteropelvis sp. nov. in uniquely having the insertion of pelvic fins closer to the origin of anal fin than to the posterior end of dorsal fin base among lestidiine species. Addition to this character, the new species has remarkably elongate and filamentous dorsal fin rays, the short distance between anus and origin of anal fin (4.2–6.1% of standard length, SL), the posteriorly located pelvic fins (prepelvic length 69.4–71.5% SL), dorsal fin rays 10, anal fin rays 28–29, myomeres 41–42 + 38–40 = 80–81 (vertebrae 38 + 41 = 79), and peritoneal pigment spots 11–12. The occurrence of larvae differing in pigment pattern from the present new species suggests another undescribed species of Uncisudis in the western South Pacific.