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Egglestonichthys fulmen sp. nov. (Teleostei: Gobiidae) is described on the basis of a single specimen (21.7 mm in standard length) collected from 250 m depth off Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. The new species is characterized by the following combination of characters: anal-fin rays I, 9; pectoral-fin rays 17, lower rays not free from membrane; longitudinal scale series 25; transverse scales 8; pre-dorsalfin scale rows 8; cheek and opercle naked; pelvic frenum absent; caudal fin lanceolate, its length 32.2% of SL; interorbital width very narrow, 1.2% of HL (much narrower than pupil diameter); no spicules or odontoid processes on outer surface of gill arches; and body whitish, upper half with broken zigzag pattern of bright yellow patches and associated scattered black melanophores in fresh specimens (melanophores retained in preserved specimens). Several characters, including pectoral-fin ray count, interorbital width, and coloration uniquely distinguish the new species from congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lepadichthys lineatus complex (Gobiesocidae: Diademichthyinae) is defined by three unique characters within Lepadichthys: (a) upper‐jaw lip fused with snout skin, usually lacking a distinct groove between the dorsal lip margin and snout (if present, very weak, restricted to posterior portion of jaw); (b) snout tip well extended, distinctly beyond lower‐jaw tip; and (c) inner surface of both lips with oral papillae. A taxonomic review of the complex recognized four valid species: Lepadichthys geminus sp. nov. (southern Japan and Indonesia), Lepadichthys heemstraorum sp. nov. (southwestern Indian Ocean), Lepadichthys polyastrous sp. nov. (southwestern Indian Ocean) and L. lineatus Briggs, 1966 (Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Seychelles and Sri Lanka). L. geminus and L. lineatus are distinct from L. heemstraorum and L. polyastrous in having a circular (vs. elliptical) disc and more posteriorly located anus [L. geminus and L. lineatus with disc length and width 15.0–18.7 (mean 16.9) and 12.9–16.5 (14.6) % LS, respectively, and length to width ratio 1.03–1.25 cf. L. heemstraorum and L. polyastrous, 17.0–21.5 (18.9) and 11.6–15.2 (13.0) % LS, respectively, and 1.26–1.61; pre‐anus length and disc to anus length 65.1–73.6 (68.7) and 25.7–31.6 (28.6) % LS, respectively vs. 60.2–68.3 (65.3) and 21.6–28.9 (25.5) % LS, respectively]. Body depth (as % of LS) is also useful to distinguish L. geminus and L. polyastrous from L. heemstraorum and L. lineatus [viz., 12.7–16.1 (14.4) in L. geminus and 10.8–14.9 (13.1) in L. polyastrous vs. 15.0–17.1 (15.9) in L. heemstraorum and 14.6–18.9 (16.8) in L. lineatus]. L. geminus differs distinctly from other species in the complex as follows: snout tip directed upward, usually on same horizontal level with lower margin of eye lens (lateral view) (vs. directed somewhat downward, horizontal level usually between lower margins of eye and eye lens in L. heemstraorum and L. lineatus, lower margin of eye in L. polyastrous); and lower abdomen with two yellow stripes (vs. a single stripe along ventral midline in L. polyastrous and L. lineatus, unknown in L. heemstraorum). L. polyastrous has unique patterns of yellow dots on the dorsal and ventral body surfaces, forming c. six to eight and three to five longitudinal rows, respectively [vs. usually forming c. three to five longitudinal rows and a single broken line, respectively, in L. geminus and L. lineatus; yellow dots usually absent in L. heemstraorum]. A poorly known species, Lepadichthys caritus Briggs, 1969, is regarded as a junior synonym of L. lineatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opistognathusctenion sp. nov. (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) is described on the basis of three specimens (17.3-30.6 mm in standard length) collected from the Osumi and Ryukyu islands, southern Japan in depths of 35-57 m. Although most similar to Opistognathustriops , recently described from Tonga and Vanuatu, the new species differs in mandibular pore arrangement, dorsal- and caudal-fin coloration, fewer gill rakers, and lacks blotches or stripes on the snout, suborbital region and both jaws., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Kyoji Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Motomura, Gento Shinohara.)