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A study of the type series of Stylophthalmus paradoxus and Idiacanthus atlanticus (Stomiidae), and Cyclothone livida, C. obscura and C. pallida (Gonostomatidae), uncovered errors in the synonymy of Idiacanthus and inconsistencies regarding the number of type specimens of the three species of Cyclothone. The syntypes of S. paradoxus were matched with the illustrations of this species in Brauer (1906) and the specimen used in the description was identified and designated as a lectotype of this species. A comparison of these syntypes with specimens of Idiacanthus atlanticus, including its syntypes, and of I. fasciola indicated that S. paradoxus is most likely a junior synonym of I. fasciola. In addition, the research resulted in a reliable way to distinguish between I. fasciola and I. atlanticus and in the identification of the primary type of the latter species. Mismatches were found in the information Brauer (1906) provided about the material he had for the three species of Cyclothone as well as with published data about the type series of these species. It seems that the whereabouts of many of the type series specimens is unknown. We therefore propose that the individual specimens Brauer singled out for measurements in his original descriptions of C. livida, C. obscura and C. pallida be recognized as lectotypes.

Cubiceps baxteri McCulloch 1923 was described based on a single, imperfect (devoid of a tail) stranded specimen collected from a beach in Lord Howe Island, Tasman Sea. Though C. baxteri was reported as a widely distributed tropical species (Butler 1979), it was mainly a result of its incorrect identification (see Agafonova 1994; Stewart and Last 2015). The distribution of C. baxteri is reported to be restricted to the Pacific Ocean, from Japan and eastwards to Baja California (Mexico), southwards to the Hawaiian Islands, New South Wales (Australia), and Lord Howe Island (Tasman Sea) to the Southern parts of Chile (Eschmeyer et al. 2017; Mundy 2005; Agafonova 1994).

A new endemic species of triplefin Ruanoho scurra is described from deep water (108216 m) on the shelf region around coastal New Zealand (Northland to Stewart Island). It is differentiated from its congeners by the combination of fresh colour (bright yellow spots on the head and anterior body, oblique lines on the dorsal and anal fins, and sub-vertical lines on the caudal) as well as some proportional measurements. Comments are made on the relationship with its congeners, and evolutionary history of the family in New Zealand waters, along with observations on the habitat in which this new species is found. This paper formally describes the species first mentioned in Stewart Clements 2015:1523 as the polkadot triplefin.

The new sardine Sardinella ventura n. sp. (Teleostei: Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) is described on the basis of 10 specimens collected from Mauritius. The new species is most similar to Sardinella dayi Regan 1917 in having non-deciduous scales with pores and discontinuous striae, a dark spot on the dorsal-fin origin, the pelvic fin with 8 rays, and similar number of gill rakers, in addition to very similar numbers of keeled scutes. However, the new species is distinguished from S. dayi by having a shorter caudal peduncle [6.27.6% SL (mean 7.0%) vs. 8.212.0% (9.2%) in S. dayi], larger eye [8.49.9% (9.0%) vs. 6.88.0% (7.4%)] and orbit [9.612.3% (10.7%) vs. 8.510.2% (9.3%)], longer pectoral [21.022.7% (21.5%) vs. 17.021.0% (19.8%)] and pelvic fins [12.513.5% (12.8%) vs. 10.412.2% (11.2%)], and a greater numbers of pseudobranchial filaments [1719 (modally 17) vs. 1822 (19)], lateral scale rows in longitudinal series [4143 (41) vs. 3842 (40)] and transverse scales [11 or 12 (12) vs. 11]. There were significant differences in seven meristic and 14 morphometric characters between the two species.

This checklist of the Mediterranean fishes of Israel enumerates 469 species which is an addition of 62 species since the previous checklist of 2005. This new checklist includes 58 Condrichthys and 411 Osteicthys species. Most newly-recorded species are of Red Sea origin (Lessepsian migrants)-38 species, 25 species are from previously poorly investigated habitats, mainly deep water, while two species reached the Mediterranean most likely by ballast water and two are aquaculture escapees.                The dramatic increase in the number of Lessepsian migrants (an average of 2.5 species per year) is most likely due to the increased water influx between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, following the recent opening of the new parallel, 72 km, "new canal" and the enlargement of other parts of the Suez Canal.

Pseudotrichonotus belos new species, described from three specimens trawled in 100-120 m offshore between Exmouth Gulf and Shark Bay, Western Australia, represents the first record of the sand-diving fish family Pseudotrichonotidae from Australian waters. It differs from its two congeners in having a more posteriorly positioned dorsal fin (predorsal length 39.6-41.2 % SL) and fewer dorsal- and anal-fin rays (31-33 and 12, respectively).

Following the discovery of spinoid scales in species of the cardinalfish genus Siphamia, a survey of 20 apogonid genera, using scanning electron microscopy, found that scale ontogeny in the Apogonidae usually proceeds along three phases, cycloid, spinoid and transforming ctenoid, that develop in that order. The transforming ctenoid scales of the Pempheridae, considered a sister group of the Apgogonidae by some authors, follow the same ontogenetic pattern. Transforming ctenoid scales are the ancestral scale type in the Apogonidae, making their spinoid and cycloid scales a secondary loss or reversal. Though sharing the transforming ctenoid scale type with the apogonids, the ontogeny of this scale type in several scorpionfishes (Scorpaenidae) does not have a spinoid phase. Recent molecular studies indicate that gobiids are related to apogonids, but the goby species examined in this study have peripheral ctenoid scales that lacked a spinoid phase in their ontogeny. The observations made in this study suggest that the peripheral ctenoid scale, the whole ctenoid scale and the crenate scale found in percomorph fishes were derived from a transforming ctenoid scale. Scale morphology and ontogeny could provide useful characters for resolving relationships between percomorph families.

From 2009 to 2011 thirty-five specimens belonging to six halosaurid species of the family Halosauridae were captured in two different locations in the northern waters of Spain. The specimens were identified as belonging to the genera Halosauropsis Collett, 1896, Halosaurus Johnson, 1864 and Aldrovandia Goode & Bean, 1896, including the following species: Halosauropsis macrochir (Günther, 1878), Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1864, Halosaurus johnsonianus Vaillant, 1888, Aldrovandia affinis (Günther, 1877), Aldrovandia phalacra (Vaillant, 1888) and Aldrovandia oleosa Sulak, 1977. The morphometric measurements and meristic characters of these specimens are given. As a result, a new northern limit of distribution of A. oleosa from the northeastern Atlantic is reported. Using a taxonomical integrative approach, the mitochondrial DNA COI gene sequences from all individuals where determined and their comparison with morphological characters showed no incongruities. Among these specimens, the highest genetic distance within species was 0.8% while the lowest value between species was 3.3%. This ample barcoding gap has allowed the delimitation and assignment of all species reported in a way that matches the traditional taxonomical methods previously employed.

The Australasian Saratoga (Pisces: Osteoglossidae) is currently recognised as comprised of two species Scleropages leichardti and S. jardinii. The Prussian explorer Ludwig Leichhardt (1813-c.1848) collected specimens of both species on his first major expedition across northern Australia but believed at the time that all specimens collected were from within one species. Details of the fate of these specimens are unclear as is the geographic origin of those specimens that ultimately made their way into museum collections. Günther's 1864 description of the Southern Saratoga S. leichardti, purportedly from the Fitzroy River in Queensland to which it is restricted (although he erred and listed it as the Burdekin River) is meagre and inconsistent with contemporary accounts of the morphology of this species. It is also inconsistent with a subsequent description by de Castelnau in 1876 of the supposedly synonymous Osteoglossum guntheri. Finally, the description of S. leichardti by Günther is largely consistent with meristic and morphometric information within Saville-Kent's (1892) description of the wide-spread Northern Saratoga S. jardinii. On balance, these inconsistencies, doubt about the provenance and geographic origin of type material and provenance of the original descriptions all strongly suggest that Günther based his description of S. leichardti on material collected from within the range of the more widespread taxon currently recognised as S. jardinii. A revision of the Australian species within the genus Scleropages is warranted.

The catalog of type specimens of freshwater fishes deposited in the Colección de Peces Dulceacuícolas del Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH-P) is presented. This list includes 483 specimens in 65 lots representing 11 holotypes and 472 paratypes of 48 nominal species. Corrections, additions, and updating of information in the original descriptions are included in individual remarks for each catalog number entry and a gallery of pictures of holotypes or paratypes of each nominal species is also presented, which supplements some original descriptions lacking figures of their respective types. An online version of the catalog is available at http://humboldt.org.co/en/servicios/colecciones-biologicas/catalogo-de-tipos.

A new armored searobin, Peristedion richardsi sp. nov., is described on the basis of three specimens collected from the deep sea (485-600 m) off Java, Indonesia. This new species differs from the Indo-West Pacific congeners in having anterior edge of the 4th sensory pore of the rostral projection located anterior to the anterior edge of the premaxilla, perifacial rim prominent starting near anterior margin of lower jaw, spatulate rostral projection with very narrow interspace between both rostral projections, rostral projection width 1.33-1.73 in interspace between both rostral projections, and rostral projection with straight margin on medial side at base. It is clear that Peristedion nierstraszi Weber, 1913 is a junior synonym of Peristedion riversandersoni Alcock, 1894. In addition, a lectotype is designated for P. nierstraszi.

Synodus pacificus sp. nov., a new species of lizardfish, is described based on specimens collected in the western Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a species group with needle-like posterior processes of the pelvic girdle and differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: 4 upside-down omega-shaped marks on the lateral body; black patches on the nape and opercular region; cross bars on the ventral surface of the head; bars on the dorsal and caudal fins; orbital large (6.7-8.1% SL); interorbital space narrow (2.1-2.8% SL); snout short (6.3-7.2% SL); anterior palatine teeth not longer than posterior teeth; pectoral fin extending slightly beyond a line from base of pelvic fin to origin of dorsal fin; 7 peritoneal spots; peritoneal membrane pale; nasal flap long and pointed; dorsal-fin rays 11-13 (mainly11); anal-fin rays 9-11 (mainly 10 or 11); pectoral-fin rays 11-14 (mainly 12); total vertebrae 53 or 54; pored lateral-line scales 52-54; transverse scale rows above the lateral line 3.5, below 4.5 or 5; gill rakers 31-37; and 17-29 teeth on free end of tongue.

This paper presents an updated checklist of cartilaginous and bony fishes from the Revillagigedo Archipelago reefs and nearby areas (Tropical Eastern Pacific). To compile this list, we gathered data from field surveys between 1994 and 2015, from an exhaustive literature review, and by consulting museum collections and databases. With these records we estimated the completeness of the local fish inventory using four non-parametric rarefaction methods. We report a total of 389 species in 102 families; 235 of these are reef fish that occur in the Eastern but also in the Central Pacific, and 13 species were identified as endemic to the archipelago. A non-parametric statistical model predicts that the expected number of reef fish present at Revillagigedo should be 244.3 ± 3.2 species, which is 9 species more than the observed richness, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.02). That predictive model estimates that about 96% of the total richness of reef fish from the archipelago is known. Comparisons of the completeness of the inventory at Revillagigedo to that reported for the fish fauna of the Eastern Pacific and worldwide, showed that the quality of the sampling effort is remarkably high, in spite of the geographic isolation of the archipelago.

Nomenclatural clarity is vital for the collection, dissemination, and retrieval of natural history information, which itself is necessary for effective conservation and management of species. Seahorses (genus Hippocampus) are small marine fishes that in many cases are heavily exploited and suffering severe population declines worldwide, leading to conservation concern and action. Here we provide a brief history of seahorse taxonomy, and attempt to clarify seahorse nomenclature by reducing redundancy and exposing areas of disagreement in need of further study. We provide an annotated list of the 41 species we currently recognize as valid, and describe their geographical distributions to offer a solid foundation for future research and conservation efforts. We base our conclusions on available morphological, genetic and distributional data, re-examination of the relevant literature, previous examination of almost all original type specimens, familiarity with many thousands of other live and dead specimens, and photographs of seahorses. This work should lead to greater taxonomic clarity by highlighting known research gaps and by ensuring that each species designation is justified by robust and defensible taxonomic protocols. Such clarity should facilitate greater efficacy in management and conservation.

Species of the anglerfish genus Chaunax occurring off southern Africa are reviewed and nine species are recognized: C. africanus, C. apus, C. flammeus, C. penicillatus, C. russatus, C. suttkusi, and three newly described species. Chaunax atimovatae sp. nov. is distinguished by having numerous tiny melanophores on the skin and a mixture of bifurcate and simple spinules on its dorsal surface, scattered rounded green spots circled by yellow on its dorsal surface, 9 or 10 rakers on the second gill arch, and 2 neuromasts in the upper preopercular, 11-14 in the pectoral, 31-37 in the lateral-line proper. Chaunax heemstraorum sp. nov. is distinguished by a combination of all dermal spinules simple, large green spots on the dorsal surface, 10-12 rakers on the second gill arch; and 3 neuromasts in the upper preopercular, 13-18 in the pectoral, 37-42 in the lateral-line proper, and usually 5 on the caudal-fin base. Chaunax hollemani sp. nov. is distinguished by cirri on top of the head, head width 16.0-18.5% SL, pre-preopercle length 26.8-28.5% SL, 9 rakers on the second gill arch, and 2 neuromasts in the upper preopercular, 11-14 in the pectoral, and 33-38 in the lateral-line proper. A key to species found in the study region is provided.

Xeniamia atrithorax is a diminutive new genus and new species. The following combination of melanophore patterns is unique among known apogonids: a large cluster of melanophores in the skin anterior to the insertion of the pelvic-fin base, then extending forward along the sides of the isthmus; posterior portion of the oral chamber is black with melanophores extending below the gill apparatus forward along the base of the oral chamber thence along the basibranchials ending posterior to and below the level of the tongue; a line of large melanophores extends along the inner side of the ceratohyals; black to blackish stomach; and the anterior portion of the intestine is mostly pale with few black spots becoming more densely spotted with melanophores past the first bend and black from the second intestinal turn to the anus. The peritoneum is silvery with scattered melanophores that are more densely distributed along the lower portion of the abdominal cavity. There are two pale, large pyloric caeca at the connection between the stomach and intestine. The combination of eight first-dorsal spines, two supernumerary dorsal spines, one supraneural, lacking an ossified basisphenoid, two epurals and fused hypurals 1+2, preopercle with a smooth ridge and edges, fourth dorsal spine longer than third distinguish this cardinalfish from all other genera. This new genus may be related to Jaydia in the Sphaeramiini rather than with the Ostorhinchini or Siphamiini. Possible luminescent activity is inferred from anatomy and unique melanization patterns versus suppression of light from luminescent prey in the alimentary canal. A table lists suspected and known luminescent apogonids.

A redescription and diagnosis of Trimma tevegae, based on 50 additional specimens from the type locality at Rabaul, New Britain is provided, and contrasted with the redescription and diagnosis of T. caudomaculatum, based on the type material and an additional 22 specimens from various western Pacific localities. Trimma tevegae may most easily be recognized by the lack of a blue stripe (dark in preservative) in the dorsal midline of the snout, and a short second spine in the first dorsal fin, reaching posteriorly to the origin or first few ray bases of the second dorsal fin. Trimma caudomaculatum can be identified by the blue stripe from the snout along the dorsal midline, the blue spots and stripes in front of the eye, on the opercle and beneath the eye (dark in preserved material), and the very elongate second dorsal spine, usually extending to beyond the end of the second dorsal fin. Three similar-looking new species are described. Trimma burridgeae and T. hollemani are morphologically very close to each other, differing mainly in the length of the second dorsal spine (to the posterior base of the second dorsal fin or beyond in T. burridgeae; to the anterior base of that fin in T. hollemani). These two species differ by over 9% of the bases of the COI gene. Trimma corerefum is the most distinctive of the species, differing in lacking a blue stripe on the dorsal surface of the snout, in the pigment pattern around the eye, in having fewer cephalic sensory papillae (free neuromasts) in rows d', ea, ep, f, r and ot, and in a shorter fifth pelvic fin ray (34-45% length of fourth pelvic ray). The morphological differences between the species are reinforced by the results of a barcode analysis of the COI gene, based on 105 specimens.

We herein analyse the history of the description of the freshwater fish fauna from three drainages in one of the most densely collected areas of Brazil, and possibly of South America, the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. An updated inventory of the freshwater fish species from rio Uruguay (partial) in Brazil, Laguna dos Patos (complete) and rio Tramandaí basins (complete) is presented. We found the number of new species described in these drainages increased nearly 56% since 1981, reaching a total of 422 species, but even now 10% of this number still corresponds to undescribed species. This rate of species description suggests that previous estimates of the Neotropical fish fauna are low, and we predict a final number of Neotropical fishes larger than the largest prediction estimate (8,000 species), after other regions of South and Central Americas become densely sampled. We discuss and attempt to demonstrate that species diversity knowledge is historically and strictly related to collecting efforts. We also demonstrate that the ecoregions in eastern South America with the highest density of species per area correspond to the areas more densely sampled in collections, and this may represent a bias in such kinds of analyses. This uneven sampling in Brazilian regions is apparently associated with the uneven distribution of Zoological research centers in different regions of the country. Small-sized species represents an important source of new species, along with little explored regions or little explored habitats, sometimes associated with restricted range species, and species complexes that need revisionary work. In contrast to other Neotropical regions, Atheriniformes are relatively diverse, sharing the fifth place in species richness with Gymnotiformes, and there is a remarkably high number of species of Rivulidae. Eight species are endemic to the rio Tramandaí drainage, 68 to the Laguna dos Patos system, and 78 to the rio Uruguay drainage. Almost 10% of the freshwater fish species are "Critically Endangered", "Endangered" or "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN criteria, with Rivulidae as the family with the largest number of threatened species.

A new abyssal ophidiid fish, Abyssobrotula hadropercularis, is described on the basis of two specimens caught at two stations at ca. 5000 meters of depth in the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. The genus Abyssobrotula Nielsen, 1977 was previously known from the type species, A. galatheae Nielsen, 1977 of which 40-50 specimens now are reported from all oceans at depths greater than 2000 m. One of the specimens from the Puerto Rico Trench captured at 8370 m is still the deepest record for fishes. The new species differs from A. galatheae in having great number of pectoral-fin rays 14-15 (vs 10-11); greater eye diameter (1.2-1.3% SL vs 0.7-0.9% SL); larger prepelvic 14.0-14.5% SL (vs 10.5-12.5% SL) and preanal lengths 42.5% SL (vs 33.0-41.5% SL); opercular spine strongly developed (vs poorly developed); gill rakers on anterior arch robust and close-set (vs rakers thin and well separated). The description of A. hadropercularis makes it necessary to slightly modify the generic diagnosis.

Two new species of dwarfgobies are described, Eviota asymbasia from the Sulu Sea, Philippine Islands, south to Java and west to Damar, and E. bipunctata occurring from the Indian Ocean eastward into the western Pacific Ocean. Eviota asymbasia lacks the IT pore of the cephalic sensory-pore system and usually also the POP, has a dorsal/anal-fin formula of 8/8, has some pectoral-fin rays branched and usually 15 rays, two spots on the pectoral-fin base, no dark spot over the preural centrum, first dorsal fin may be filamentous, six ventral postanal spots, and the male genital papilla is not fimbriate. Eviota bipunctata belongs to the group with cephalic sensory-pore system pattern 2 (lacking only the IT pore), some pectoral-fin rays branched, pectoral-fin base with 1 or 2 prominent dark spots, dorsal/anal-fin formula usually 8/8, and no occipital spots.

An examination of the ceratioid anglerfishes collected on the Indian Ocean side of Indonesia during surveys in 2004-2005 have revealed 18 species in 9 genera and 6 families, including three new species: Cryptopsaras couesii (Ceratiidae); Melanocetus johnsonii (Melanocetidae); Diceratias trilobus, Bufoceratias microcephalus sp. nov., B. thele, B. shaoi, B. cf. wedli (Diceratiidae); Himantolophus danae, H. sagamius, H. nigricornis, H. macroceratoides (Himantolophidae); Oneirodes quadrinema sp. nov., O. amaokai sp. nov., O. carlsbergi, O. cristatus, Dermatias platynogaster, Chaenophryne cf. melanorhabdus (Oneirodidae); and Linophryne parini (Linophrynidae). Of these, specimens of B. shaoi, H. macroceratoides, O. cristatus and L. parini represent the second records since the species were described. A specimen of H. nigricornis represents the third record and a specimen of Dermatias platynogaster represents the fourth record. Descriptive data and notes on the geographical distribution and morphological variation are provided for each species.

A new species of the teleostean family Sternoptychidae, Polyipnus notatus n. sp., is described based on material collected mainly off Taiwan in the South China Sea. The new species is most similar to P. triphanos, based on the presence of a single posttemporal spine, lack of scale spination, and the second and third ACA (=supra-anal) photophores elevated relative to the first and connected to each other in a common organ. These characters typify other members of the P. asteroides species group that occur in various tropical to temperate ocean basins. Based on a limited sample of 27 specimens, P. notatus (maximum observed size 30.7 mm SL) appears to be smaller than most other congeners. It is also characterized by an unusual lateral pigment bar, which is narrow and distinctly triangular. Based on the material examined, the geographical distribution of the species appears to be restricted to the South China Sea and adjacent minor ocean basins.

The new species is consistent with Gymnapogon, a distinct genus having one to three spines on the preopercle edge, fused hypurals (parhypural+1+2 and 3+4+terminal central), a free fifth hypural, two epurals, no supraneurals, scaleless head and body, a single rod-like postcleithrum and complex lines of free neuromasts on the head, body and caudal fin. The new species is distinguished by having a combination of a rounded caudal with 15 branched principal caudal-fin rays, 2 unbranched principal caudal-fin rays, 10 soft dorsal rays with the anterior two rays unbranched, 9 or 10 anal rays with the first ray unbranched and 14 pectoral rays the lower three and upper two unbranched. Nominal species Gymnapogon          annona, G. foraminosus, G. japonicus, G. urospilotus and G. vanderbilti have 9 or 10 soft dorsal, 9 or 10 anal rays and 12 to 14 pectoral rays, the lower two and upper two unbranched. Gymnapogon africanus, G. melanogaster and G. philippinus have 9 soft dorsal rays, the first ray unbranched and 8 soft anal rays, the first ray branched. Gymnapogon japonicus has a rounded caudal fin with 13, 14 or 15 branched principal caudal rays. Gymnapogon africanus, G. annona, G. melanogaster, G. philippinus, G. urospilotus and G. vanderbilti have a forked caudal fin with 13 branched principal caudal rays and 2 unbranched upper and lower principal caudal rays. A single preopercle spine distinguishes the new species from the single bifid-like preopercle spine shared by Gymnapogon annona, G. melanogaster and undescribed forms. The wide-spread B-marked species complex made up of Gymnapogon urospilotus, G. vanderbilti and undescribed forms have at least one small upper preopercle spine in addition to the larger single spine near the angle of the preopercle.

A new species of Chaunax is described on the basis of eight type and five non-type specimens. This species belongs to the Chaunax abei species group and can be distinguished from congeners in the group by having a continuous tooth patch on the vomer, not divided into two patches, and four or five neuromasts in the lower preopercular series. It can be further separated by the following combination of characters: large green spots on dorsal surface; simple spinules on dorsal surface; 12 pectoral-fin rays; 13-16 neuromasts in pectoral series; 30-37 neuromasts in lateral-line proper; typically four neuromasts on caudal-fin base; typically 7 neuromasts in mandible; typically 12 gill rakers on second gill arch; gill chamber and buccal cavity pale; and peritoneum black.

Ateleopus edentatus sp. nov. is described based on 12 specimens collected from the Kyushu-Palau Ridge in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinguished from its three known congeners in completely lacking upper-jaw teeth. It is also distinguished from Ateleopus indicus by having 94-130 anal+caudal-fin rays vs. 76-82 in A. indicus, 11-13 gill rakers vs. 7-8, and 26-28+81-107=109-135 vertebrae vs. 22-24+75-80=97-103.

As currently recognized, Ecsenius pulcher includes Salarias pulcher (type material has a banded color pattern), S. anomalus (non-banded), and S. phantasticus (banded). The color patterns are not sex linked, and no other morphological features apparently distinguish the three nominal species. The recent collection of banded and non-banded specimens of Ecsenius pulcher from Iran has provided the first tissue samples for genetic analyses. Here we review the taxonomic history of E. pulcher and its included synonyms and genetically analyze tissue samples of both color patterns. Salarias anomalus is retained as a synonym of E. pulcher because DNA barcode data suggest that they represent banded and non-banded color morphs of a single species. Furthermore, the large size of the largest type specimen of S. anomalus (herein designated as the lectotype) suggests that it belongs to E. pulcher. A single non-banded specimen from Iran is genetically distinct from E. pulcher and appears to represent an undescribed species. Salarias phantasticus is retained as a synonym of E. pulcher because the primary morphological difference between the two nominal species-presence of spots on the dorsal fin in E. pulcher and absence of those spots in S. phantasticus-is not a valid taxonomic character; rather, the spots represent galls that contain the larval stages of a parasitic crustacean. As males and females of Ecsenius species have been confused in the literature, we describe and illustrate the genital regions of both and comment on possible new blenniid synapomorphies that our investigation revealed.

A commented checklist containing 139 species of marine fishes recorded at the Galician Bank seamount is presented. The list is based on nine prospecting and research surveys carried out from 1980 to 2011 with different fishing gears. The ichthyofauna list is diversified in 2 superclasses, 3 classes, 20 orders, 62 families and 113 genera. The largest family is Macrouridae, with 9 species, followed by Moridae, Stomiidae and Sternoptychidae with 7 species each. The trachichthyd Hoplostethus mediterraneus and the morid Lepidion lepidion were the most abundant species. Biogeographically, the Atlantic group, with 113 species (81.3%) is the best represented, followed by the Lusitanian one with 17 species (12.2%). Data on species abundance, as number of individuals caught, size and depth are reported. Habitat, distribution and vulnerability status are commented. Moreover, biometric data and meristic counts are also reported for several species. The results obtained showing a high fish biodiversity and a sensible number of threatened species, strongly support the future declaration of the Galicia Bank as a Marine Protected Area.

Descriptions of three new species of the aulopid genus Hime from the central and western Pacific and presumably the easternmost Indian Ocean are presented. Hime surrubea sp. nov., confined to the Hawaiian Island region, has been misidentified in species accounts and faunal lists as H. japonica and although resembling it is separable from that species by its shorter caudal peduncle, slightly larger head, larger eye, especially relative to head size, and slightly smaller pectoral and pelvic fins. Hime capitonis sp. nov. is known conclusively only from seamounts off the southern tip of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, and is distinguishable by its distinctively large head (32.3-35.6% SL) and eyes (orbital diameter 10.8-13.0% SL) and relatively few scales between the anus and anal fin origin (7-9). The Indonesian H. caudizoma sp. nov. is so far known from only 8 specimens, acquired in markets in southeastern Lombok and presumably caught nearby in what would be regarded the eastern reaches of the Indian Ocean. The species is recognisable by its dorsal fin of rather uniform moderate height with nearly straight distal margin and 17 rather than 16 rays, none of which is filamentous in either sex, the second penultimate ray rather than anterior rays the longest in males. Like the other two described here, H. caudizoma has among the largest head and eyes of the family. Observations on the dorsal fin form and other features of H. microps Parin & Kotlyar, 1989 are provided based on a large male specimen collected at Rapa Iti, Austral Islands and a re-evaluation of the original description.

The cosmopolitan, deep sea, aphyonid genus Aphyonus is known from less than 100 specimens. The type species A. gelatinosus Günther, 1878 and three additional valid species, A. brevidorsalis Nielsen, 1969, A. bolini Nielsen, 1974, and A. rassi Nielsen, 1975 were all based on single specimens. Since then several specimens have been caught of which 52 are examined for the present revision. Most of the specimens are referred to A. gelatinosus but also to A. bolini and A. rassi. A result of the enlarged material is that the type species, A. gelatinosus, is found to differ so much from the remaining species that a new genus, Paraphyonus, is established for these species. Furthermore two new species of Paraphyonus are here described, P. iselini based on six specimens from the tropical northwestern Atlantic Ocean and P. merretti based on three specimens from the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The present knowledge of the variation of the Paraphyonus species makes it relevant to transfer Barathronus solomonensis Nielsen & Møller, 2008 to this genus.

A taxonomic survey of six nematode species (including three new taxa) from the genus Cucullanus Müller, 1777, parasites of marine fishes off the Brazilian coast, is provided. Nematodes were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cucullanus gastrophysi n. sp. parasitic in Lophius gastrophysus Miranda Ribeiro differs from its congeners by the combination of the following features: shape and number of sclerotized structures in the oesophastome (a pair of lateral elongate structures and a single small reniform one), position of deirids and excretory pore (both anterior to oesophagus base), spicule length and spicule/body length ratio (0.97-1.29 mm and 6.5-10.5%, respectively), morphology and length of gubernaculum (V-shaped, 107-135 µm long). Cucullanus protrudens n. sp. from Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus) has the cloacal lips broadly protruded, which differentiates it from several species of Cucullanus; other features, e.g., the length of spicules and gubernaculum (400-415 µm and 91-103 µm, respectively), arrangement of caudal papillae and position of excretory pore (slightly posterior to oesophagus-intestine junction) also characterize this species. Cucullanus pseudopercis n. sp. from Pseudopercis semifasciata (Cuvier) has deirids and excretory pore posterior to the oesophagus-intestine junction, which distinguishes the species from most of the congeners; furthermore, the arrangement of caudal papillae in combination with the length of spicules and gubernaculum (1.0-1.5 mm and 178-196 µm, respectively) separate this species from other taxa. Newly collected specimens of C. cirratus Müller, 1777 (type species of the genus) from Urophycis brasiliensis (Kaup), C. pedroi from Conger orbignianus Valenciennes (type host of the species) and C. genypteri Sardella, Navone & Timi, 1997 from Genypterus brasiliensis Regan, were studied as well. Comparisons between newly collected samples and the taxonomic data available for each respective species revealed features that were not previously mentioned (e.g. presence of unpaired cloacal papilla, detailed morphology of cloacal lips), as well as negligible differences in morphometry and caudal papillae arrangement. Observations on the type material of C. carioca suggested affinities with the genus Dichelyne Jägerskiöld, 1902; however, the poor preservation of these specimens does not allow further conclusions. Cucullanus rougetae is considered to be a species inquirenda.

Three nominal species of Ateleopodidae; Ateleopus japonicus Bleeker 1853, A. purpureus Tanaka 1915, and A. tanabensis Tanaka 1918, were taxonomically reviewed. Examination of many specimens, including the holotype of A. tanabensis and the newly designated lectotype of A. japonicus and A. schlegelii, revealed that their morphological differences can be explained by intraspecific variation and ontogenetic change within one species. Mitochondrial DNA analyses supported the results of the morphological study. Thus, A. purpureus and A. tanabensis are considered junior synonyms of A. japonicus. We have concluded after an examination of the relevant publications that Ateleopus schlegelii van der Hoeven 1855 is also a junior synonym of A. japonicus.

A database with all available published accounts of the ciliate parasite species of Mexican fishes was assembled. This information, along with records derived from own recent research, allow generating a checklist containing all the records, which is a necessary first step to address future questions in the areas of ecology, evolutionary biology and biogeography of these host-parasite associations. The checklist is presented as a parasite-host list, and a host-parasite list. The checklist contains 30 nominal species, from 9 genera and 8 families of ciliate parasites. Most of the primary records were done for exotic fish species, artificially introduced to Mexico for aquaculture purposes; however, recent works have been conducted in diverse species of native fishes. Excepting one, all the ciliate species listed here have been previously recorded for diverse fish species from different localities around the world. Based on the amount of information contained in this checklist, much more effort is necessary to accurately know the diversity of species of this type of parasites in fish fauna of Mexico.

Herein we review and recognize as valid all previously described species of the Careproctus rastrinus complex based on morphological evidence, provide diagnoses and descriptions of all species, describe a new species from the Beaufort Sea, and address the misapplication of several names throughout the area. In particular, the name C. rastrinus is restricted to populations of the western Pacific and is known conclusively only from the Sea of Okhotsk. Careproctus acanthodes, from the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk, and C. pellucidus, from the Pacific Ocean side of northern Japan, are resurrected from synonymy with C. rastrinus. Populations of the eastern Pacific previously routinely identified as C. rastrinus are recognized under two names: C. scottae, a name that is applied to deeper water Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and eastern Pacific populations having a postorbital pore, and Careproctus phasma, applied to shallow water populations of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska lacking a postorbital pore. Although we consider Careproctus spectrum valid, the species has been routinely misidentified and is presently known only from the type series. Careproctus lerikimae is a new species described from the Beaufort Sea, diagnosed from other species of the C. rastrinus complex by the absence of the postorbital pore and higher median fin and vertebral counts.

The aims of this study were to produce a checklist of the metazoan parasites of fishes from the Celestun coastal lagoon and to determine the degree of faunal similarity among the fishes based on the metazoan parasites they share. A checklist was prepared including all available records (1996-2014) of parasites of marine, brackish water and freshwater fishes of the area. All of these data were included in a presence/absence database and used to determine similarity via Jaccard's index. The results indicate the presence of 62 metazoan parasite species infecting 22 fish species. The number of metazoan parasite species found in the fishes from the Celestún lagoon is apparently the highest reported worldwide for a tropical coastal lagoon. The parasites included 12 species of adult digeneans, 27 digeneans in the metacercarial stage, 6 monogeneans, 3 metacestodes, 9 nematodes, 2 acanthocephalans, 2 crustaceans and 1 annelid. Forty parasite species were autogenic and 23 were allogenic and 1 unknown. The overall similarity among all of the species of fish with respect to the metazoan parasites they share was low (0.08 ± 0.12), with few similarity values above 0.4 being obtained. This low similarity was due primarily to the presence of suites of parasites exclusive to specific species of fish. The autogenic component of the parasite fauna (40 species) dominated the allogenic component (21 species). The most likely explanation for the large number of fish parasites found at Celestún is the good environmental condition of the lagoon, which allows the completion of parasite life cycles and free circulation of euryhaline fishes from the marine environment bringing marine parasites into the lagoon.

We list sixty five fish species collected at depths greater than 500 m in the Levant Basin, including 10 depth records. The Levantine bathyal ichthyofauna is characterized by its eurybathy, with an upper bathymetric boundary that permitted penetration of the shallow Gibraltar and Siculo-Tunisian sills, and a much lower bathymetric boundary than recorded for conspecifics elsewhere. The opportunistic and resilient ichthyofauna re-colonized recently the deep-sea following the last anoxic event (~ 6 kyr), forming assemblages notably distinct from those in the western Mediterranean. The exploration and production of deep seabed hydrocarbons have raised the specter of severe direct impacts to the deep habitats. There is an urgent need for documenting the full extent of deep-sea biodiversity, and for providing information for the development of competent and pragmatic management plans and effective conservation policies.

The presence or absence of teeth on the vomer and palatoquadrate bones has a long history in fish systematics. Dentition of these bones is often consistent across families, and is often included in keys to families and family diagnoses. The angelfish family Pomacanthidae has been almost consistently diagnosed as lacking both vomerine and palatine teeth (e.g., Günther 1860; Day 1875; Jordan & Fowler 1902; Herre & Montalban 1927; Fowler & Bean 1929; Pyle 2001, 2003; McEachran & Fechhelm 2005); the only exceptions I am aware of are Munro (1967) and Jones and Kumeran (1980) who note that vomerine teeth may be present or absent in pomacanthids, Blum (1988) who alludes to vomerine teeth being present in the family, and Lindberg and Krasyukova (1971) who note that weak vomerine teeth may be present in species of Chaetodontoplus Bleeker. I am aware of no accounts that mention palatine teeth in pomacanthids. During a survey of pomacanthid skeletal preparations for a study of relationships of pomacanthids to other fishes (Gill & Leis in prep.), I noticed that species of the genus Pomacanthus Lacepède, type genus of the family, consistently have a narrow band of villiform teeth on the vomer and a small patch of villiform teeth on the anterior part of the palatines (Figure 1). A broader survey of pomacanthids (25 species, including representatives of all but one of the major clades given in Gaither et al. 2014; the missing clade consists of "Apolemichthys" arcuatus, "Centropyge" colini and "C." narcosis, for which the name Desmoholacanthus Fowler is available) revealed that these bones are otherwise edentate in the family (although only two species of Chaetodontoplus were examined).

The widespread tropical gobionelline fish genus Oxyurichthys is monophyletic due to its species sharing two characters considered derived within the Stenogobius Group of the Gobionellinae (Gobioidei: Gobiidae), a transversely broadened (spatulate) third neural spine that is usually bifid, and no preopercular cephalic lateralis canal. It is most closely related to Oligolepis, also of the Indo-west Pacific, and Ctenogobius, an Atlantic-eastern Pacific genus. Sixteen valid species of Oxyurichthys are redescribed and illustrated and four new species are described, O. limophilus from the western Indian Ocean, O. rapa from French Polynesia, and O. chinensis and O. zeta from the western Pacific. Nineteen species share two additional synapomorphies, a rounded fleshy tongue and a palatine lacking an elongate posterior strut, and form the sister group to the plesiomorphous Oxyurichthys keiensis, known from South Africa and Madagascar. One species, O. stigmalophius, occurs in the western Atlantic. There are no records of this genus from the continental eastern Pacific or the eastern Atlantic. Previous accounts from the Gulf of Guinea region of West Africa are references to Gobionellus occidentalis. Many Oxyurichthys species are limited to shallow estuarine and coastal waters with bottom substrates of silt or other fine sediments, but several are known from depths exceeding 10 m and are often collected by trawling.

Jaydia erythrophthalma n. sp. is described from specimens collected during two recent biodiversity surveys along the east and west coasts of Luzon, Philippines. It is characterized by a first dorsal fin with eight spines, serrated posterior and crenulated ventral preopercular edges, reddish orange iris and two series of brown spots tinged in orange on the upper part of the body.

Upeneus lombok n. sp. is described from two specimens collected off Lombok, Indonesia, at depths of 54-76 m, and one subadult specimen from the local fish market at Tanjung Luar, Lombok. Four specimens of U. asymmetricus were collected at the same fish market representing the first record of the species since its description from two Philippine Islands in 1954. These two species are compared in detail and with five congeneric species that all share a 7-spined dorsal fin and a high gill-raker count. Upeneus lombok n. sp. differs from all other congeners in having a short snout (snout length 9.0-9.6% SL) combined with a low anal fin (anal-fin height 12-13% SL in adults, 15% in single subadult). The newly recorded U. asymmetricus specimens differ from their types only slightly and all eight specimens together differ from all congeneric species in the combination of 7 dorsal spines, 12-14 pectoral fin rays, 26-28 total gill rakers, short pectoral fins (pectoral-fin length 18-21% SL) and short jaws (upper jaw length 8.7-11% SL). In both species the caudal-fin colour patterns of fresh fish are of diagnostic significance, the only exception being a close similarity between Upeneus lombok n.sp., U. saiab, and U. seychellensis. Additional comparisons with 14 Upeneus species which overlap in distribution or occur in nearby areas are also made. Needs for further taxonomic exploration of the Indonesian-Philippine region and for enhanced attention to the economic and ecological importance of Upeneus species are discussed.

A checklist of type specimens housed in the National Zoological Museum, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, is presented for research and scientific communication. Included are 80 holotypes, 1 lectotype, 1 neotype, 402 paratypes and 17 syntypes of 99 species belonging to 28 families and 12 orders. With 60 species, Cypriniformes has the largest representation. All of the specimens were collected in China and neighboring countries in the past 90 years.

Saurida lessepsianus n. sp., a lizardfish (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, previously misidentified as S. undosquamis (Richardson) and more recently as S. macrolepis Tanaka, is described as a new species. It is characterised by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with 11-12 rays; pectoral fins with 13-15 rays; lateral-line scales 47-51; transverse scale rows above lateral line 4½, below lateral line 5½; pectoral fins moderately long (extending to between just before or just beyond a line from origin of pelvic fins to origin of dorsal fin); 2 rows of teeth on outer palatines; 0-2 teeth on vomer; tongue with 3-6 rows of teeth posteriorly; caudal peduncle slightly compressed (depth a little more than width); upper margin of caudal fin with row of 3-8 (usually 6 or 7) small black spots; stomach pale grey to blackish anteriorly; intestine whitish. The species is common in the Red Sea and as a result of Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal, it is now widely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean. The taxonomic status of two other Red Sea nominal species, Saurus badimottah Rüppell [= Saurida tumbil (Bloch)] and Saurida sinaitica Dollfus in Gruvel (a nomen nudum), is clarified. A key is provided for the species of Saurida in the Red Sea.

The marine nematodes usually comprise free-living species, although a few are parasitic. However, several cases of free-living nematodes found accidentally in the digestive tract of certain vertebrates, especially fishes, have sometimes been recorded and categorized as pseudoparasites. In the present work, two species of marine fishes, the rhomboid crappie, Diapterus rhombeus, and the silvered crappie, Eucinostomus argenteus (Perciformes: Gerreidae), from Angra dos Reis on the coast of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) were examined. Seven species of free-living marine nematodes were found in the digestive tract of these fish. Several of these species remain unknown as free-living forms in Brazil. The combination of the fish feeding strategies and the poor preservation of the body of the nematode specimens found could indicate that these nematodes are pseudoparasites, appearing in the fishes' digestive tracts through accidental ingestion and thereafter surviving for brief periods of time. Descriptions, illustrations and tables of measurements are provided for all species. Six of these species (Croconema torquens, Dorylaimopsis pellucida, Oncholaimellus labiatus, Parodontophora breviamphida, Prooncholaimus ornatus, Trissonchulus latus) have been reported for the first time from the Brazilian coast.

A new species of lizardfish, Saurida tweddlei n.sp., from the Mascarene Plateau, Western Indian Ocean, is described and figured. The new species is characterised by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with 12-13 rays; pectorals with 14-15 rays; lateral-line scales 53-55; transverse scale rows above lateral line 4½, below lateral line 5½; pectoral fins moderately long (extending to or just beyond a line from origin of pelvic fins to origin of dorsal fin); 2 rows of teeth on outer palatines; 0-3 teeth on vomer; tongue with about 4-5 rows of teeth posteriorly; caudal peduncle compressed (depth greater than width); stomach and intestine pale whitish. A key to the species of Saurida of the Western Indian Ocean is provided.

Engraulis nattereri Steindachner, 1880 was described on the basis of five specimens collected in Pará during the Nathaniel Thayer Expedition. Later on, the species was assigned to Anchoviella by Fowler (1941). Including Anchoviella nattereri (Steindachner, 1880), Anchoviella comprises 17 small to medium-sized valid species (20-160 mm standard length), nine of them distributed in freshwaters of the Amazon, Essequibo, Corantijn and Orinoco river basins, and other eight brackish and marine species distributed along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North, Central and South America (Loeb & Figueiredo, 2014).

A new species of anchovy, Encrasicholina macrocephala, is described on the basis of 17 specimens collected from the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The species is closely related to E. devisi in that both species have three unbranched rays in the dorsal and anal fins, and a long upper jaw (posterior tip extending beyond posterior margin of preopercle). However, the new species is distinguished from E. devisi in having lower counts of total pectoral-fin rays (11-14 vs. 13-15) and pseudobranchial filaments (15-18 vs. 18-22), longer head length (29.5-31.7% of standard length vs. 25.4-28.9% in the latter), upper-jaw length (21.3-23.5% vs. 14.6-21.3%), and lower-jaw length (19.5-21.2% vs. 14.2-19.5%), and a shorter distance between the dorsal-fin origin to the pectoral-fin insertion (83.2-95.2% of head length vs. 97.6-126.1%).

Dario huli, new species, is described from a small tributary stream of the Tunga River in southern Karnataka, India. It can be distinguished from all its congeners except D. urops by the presence of a conspicuous black caudal-fin blotch and by anterior dorsal-fin lappets in males not being produced beyond fin spines. It is readily distinguished from Dario urops by the absence of the horizontal suborbital stripe (vs. presence), the presence of a series of up to eight black bars on the body (vs. 2-3 black bars restricted to caudal peduncle), 25 scales in a lateral row (vs. 28), 3-5 tubed lateral-line scales (vs. tubed lateral-line scales completely absent), 13+13=26 vertebrae (vs. 14+14-15=28-29), and the presence of teeth on hypobranchial 3 (vs. absence of teeth).

A noteworthy diversity of Dipnoi tooth plates has been collected in the fossiliferous conglomerates of the Alcântara Formation, early Cenomanian (Cretaceous) of Brazil. This sequence was deposited under transitional (estuarine) conditions, gathering reworked dissociated fossils represented by plants, fishes, crocodylomorphs, pterosaurs and dinosaurs. A new species of Dipnoi is reported in this work, Equinoxiodus schultzei sp. nov. whose genus is endemic of northern South America and lived probably in fresh water. The presence of several species of dipnoan in the mid-Cretaceous of north/northeastern Brazil indicates that the environmental conditions were very suitable to this group, confirming the well-marked seasonality of the climate, with frequent prolonged droughts, as interpreted in previous publications.