A New Moray Eel, Gymnothorax niphostigmus, (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Northern and Eastern Taiwan
Hong-Ming Chen
Taitung Branch, Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute, 22 Wu-Chuan Road, Chengkung, Taitung, Taiwan 961, R.O.C.
Institute of Fishery Science, College of Fisheries, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan 202, R.O.C.
Kwang-Tsao Shao
Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 115, R.O.C.
Che-Tsung Chen
Institute of Fishery Science, College of Fisheries, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan 202, R.O.C.
A new moray eel, Gymnothorax niphostigmus, is described here with four specimens from northern and eastern Taiwan. The new muraenid is clearly distinct from its most similar species, Gymnothorax leucostigmus, in the character combinations of having denser and smaller whitish snowflake-like patches over the entire body, darker brown ground coloration, anal fin with a distinct white margin, and approximately 140-142 vertebrae.
Keywords
Muraenidae, Moray eel, Gymnothorax niphostigmus n. sp., Fish fauna, Fish taxonomy
