A new species of moray eel (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Taiwan, with comments on related elongate unpatterned species

Loh, Kar Hoe and Shao, Kwang Tsao and Ho, Hsuan Ching and Lim, Phaik Eem and Chen, Hong Ming (2015) A new species of moray eel (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Taiwan, with comments on related elongate unpatterned species. Zootaxa, 4060 (1). pp. 30-40. ISSN 1175-5326, DOI https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.5.

Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.5

Abstract

The following nine elongate unpatterned muraenid species of the subfamily Muraeninae, including one new species, are recognized from Taiwan and adjacent waters: Gymnothorax albimarginatus (Temminck & Schlegel), G. dorsalis Seale, G. melanosomatus Loh, Shao & Chen, G. phasmatodes (Smith), G. prolatus Sasaki & Amaoka, G. sagmacephalus Bohlke, Pseudechidna brummeri (Bleeker), Strophidon sathete (Hamilton) and G. pseudomelanosomatus new species, described from two specimens. This new moray eel is distinguished from its similar species, G. melanosomatus, by the following features: grey brown body (vs. black), snout length 20.5% (vs. 17.8%) of head length, smaller eye diameter 8.2% (vs. 10.0%) of head length; preanal length 49.5% (vs. 58.5%) total length, and preanal vertebrae 89-89 (vs. 105-109). Phylogenetic relationships of the nine species were examined using nucleotide sequence data from partial sequences of mitochondrial ND5 gene (600 bp), and seven species form COI (600 bp). The genetic analyses suggest that G. pseudomelanosomatus is distinct from G. melanosomatus and the other six species of Gymnothorax. Morphological features and mitogenetic affinities strongly suggest that ``G.'' dorsalis should be placed in Strophidon rather than in Gymnothorax. The results also suggest that employment of ND5 and COI gene sequences are rather useful for identification of species and for obtaining reasonable insights into the phylogeny of the muraenid species.

Item Type: Article
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Muraenidae; Taxonomy; New species; Phylogeny relationships
Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General)
Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Institute of Biological Sciences
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Office > Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences
Depositing User: Mrs. Siti Mawarni Salim
Date Deposited: 21 Jul 2016 07:16
Last Modified: 04 Dec 2019 08:30
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/16084

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item