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A new species of dragonet, Callionymus petersi from northern New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, is described on the basis of five specimens collected with dredges and trawls in about 181-207 m depth from off northwestern New Hanover and off Kavieng. The new species is characterized within the subgenus Bathycallionymus by a short head (3.9-4.3 in SL); eye large (2.1-2.3 in head length); preopercular spine with a long, slightly upcurved main tip, a small antrorse serra followed by two large curved points on its dorsal margin and a strong antrorse spine at its base, ventral margin smooth, slightly concave; first dorsal fin higher than second dorsal fin in the male, slightly lower than second dorsal fin (female), with 4 spines, first spine filamentous (male only); second dorsal-fin high, distally convex (male) or low, distally nearly straight (female), with 9 unbranched rays (last divided at base); anal fin with 9 unbranched rays (last divided at base); 18 pectoral-fin rays; caudal fin elongate (male), the two median rays unbranched, elongate but barely filamentous (male), or distally rounded, without filaments (female); pectoral-fin base with a large dark blotch; sides of body with a series of dark blotches, each of the anterior blotches broken into 2-4 vertical dark streaks; first dorsal fin with a large ocellated black blotch extending over the second and third membranes (male), or mostly confined to the third membrane (female); second dorsal fin pale (male) or spotted with grey; anal fin distally dark (male), with distal dark spots (female); caudal fin with a grey streak in lower section (male), or lowermost membrane black (female). The new species is compared with similar species. Revised keys to callionymid fish species of New Guinea, as well as of the subgenus Bathycallionymus, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of deep-living dragonet Callionymus omanensis from Oman is described on the basis of a single male specimen collected in a trawl from 500 m depth off the coast of Oman. The new species is characterized within the subgenus Bathycallionymus by having a small branchial opening; head short (3·9 in proportion to standard length); eye large (2·4 in proportion to head length); preopercular spine with a long, upcurved main tip, with a small antrorse barb and a larger antrorse spine, and with a strong antrorse spine laterally at the preopercular-spine base, ventral margin smooth; first dorsal fin slightly higher than second dorsal fin (male); second dorsal fin distally straight; 17 pectoral fin rays; distal end of caudal fin slightly pointed, with two median unbranched rays bearing short filaments; first dorsal fin with basal black spot reaching from first to fourth membranes, third membrane with an ocellated distal black blotch; second dorsal fin with vertical dark grey bars; distal three-fourths of anal fin black; upper half of caudal fin with oblique dark grey bars; pelvic fin dark grey, second ray basally with a black blotch. The new species is compared with similar species. Revised keys to callionymid species of the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, as well as species of the subgenus Bathycallionymus, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perca argentea Linnaeus, 1758 and Perca vaila Osbeck, 1770 were cited in a number of early compilations of fi shes, either as valid taxa or as synonyms, but disappeared from the literature after 1804. They are demonstrated here to represent senior synonyms of the Terapon theraps (Cuvier, 1829) and Dicentrarchus punctatus (Bloch, 1792), respectively. Perca argentea and P. vaila are here invalidated under Article 23.9.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Perca indica [Gronow] Gray is shown to be a junior synonym of Terapon theraps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We combined multiple molecular markers and geometric morphometrics to revise the current taxonomy and to build a phylogenetic hypothesis for the African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus. Genetic data (2039 bp DNA sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear S7 genes) on 106 specimens support the existence of at least six species occurring in sympatry. We were able to further confirm these species by microsatellite analysis at 16 unlinked nuclear loci and landmark-based morphometrics. We assigned them to nominal taxa by comparisons to type specimens of all Campylomormyrus species recognized so far. Additionally, we showed that the shape of the elongated trunk-like snout is the major source of morphological differentiation among them. This finding suggests that the radiation of this speciose genus might have been driven by adaptation to different food sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]