Delimit Tigertooth Croakers and Describe a New Species from the Western Arabian Gulf Using Integrative Approach

Arabian Gulf is a marine region with numerous potential new fish species for lack of modern taxonomic examination and tigertooth croakers (Teleost, genus Otolithes) have been found to have potential new species. We applied analyses on genetic, morphology, and otolith shape data of Otolithes specimens collected from the western Arabian Gulf and found one lineage with supports of all lines of evidence which is named Otolithes arabicus. This new species can be identified from other congeric by having a truncate caudal fin margin and three black spots on the second dorsal fin.

Fresh specimen of Otolithes sp. West Indian Ocean II Group type A (WIO IIA) and type B (WIO IIB) ), and Otolithes arabicus (WA) and the posterior part of the second dorsal fin, respectively. Scale bar = 5 cm.

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