aqua International Journal 18(1)

COMPLETE ISSUE

Volume 18, Issue 1 - 15 January 2012

Fenton Walsh and Hiroyuki Tanaka: Cirrhilabrus nahackyi, a new wrasse (Perciformes; Labridae) from the South Pacific, pp. 1-8

Abstract
Cirrhilabrus nahackyi, a new species of labrid fish found at Viti Levu, Fiji, and at Tongatapu in Tonga is described from five specimens, 30.9-65.0 mm SL, captured in 35-50 m depths on outer reef slopes. The new species closely resembles C. bathyphilus from the Coral Sea. However, terminal males differ in having an elevated pennant at the first and second dorsal spine. The male coloration of C. nahackyi also differs with regards to the dorsal and caudal fins. The spinous part of the dorsal fin is dusky yellow and lacks a violet band, while the soft portion of this fin has a distinctive yellow base, and larger red mid-dorsal band, which is not present in C. bathyphilus. Additionally, the caudal fin of the new species is red with only a thin submarginal black line in the upper half of the fin in terminal males compared to a yellow caudal fin in C. bathyphilus, which has blue blotches on the membrane in the upper part and has a broader black submarginal band extending the entire depth of the fin. The dorsal fin of the new species is also slightly longer than that of C. bathyphilus.

Gerald R. Allen and Mark V. Erdmann: A new species of Dragonet (Synchiropus: Callionymidae) from Indonesia, pp. 9-14

Abstract
Synchiropus tudorjonesi is described on the basis of 4 specimens, 21.1-35.5 mm SL, collected at Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, in Indonesia. The species has also been recorded from Bali, Indonesia, from underwater photographs. It appears to be most closely related to S. morrisoni, which ranges widely in the western Pacific. The two species have overlapping distributions in Indonesia, but are ecologically separated with S. tudorjonesi occurring in deeper water (50-70 m) compared to the shallower depth range (about 12-33 m) of S. morrisoni. Both species exhibit similar meristic and morphometric features. However, the adult male of S. morrisoni has a much taller first dorsal fin, which may reach twice the height of the second dorsal fin (or to 2.5 in SL) compared to the much lower fin (4.2 in SL) of S. tudorjonesi. There are also significant colour differences, particularly with regards to the male’s first dorsal fin.

E. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, B. Patricia Ceballos-Vázquez and Felipe Galván-Magaña: Reproductive Biology of the Silky Shark Carcharhinus falciformis (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhinidae) off the west coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, pp. 15-24

Abstract
The silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis population has declined drastically in the last few years, due to extensive by-catch in tuna purse-seine and longline fisheries in the eastern Pacific Ocean. No information exists on the reproductive biology of this species in the eastern Pacific Ocean to support fishery or conservation management. A total of 295 silky sharks were analyzed, with 179 females captured, ranging between 88 and 316 cm TL and 116 males, ranging between 142 and 260 cm TL. The sex ratio of females to males was 1: 0.6. The increase in of oocytes instead of ovarian egg and oviducal gland diameters as well as the presence of uterine eggs or developing embryos indicated that female maturation occurred at about 180 cm TL; while clasper development and the presence of sperm clumps indicated that males matured at about 182 cm TL. The short-term sperm storage found in females could be an advantage for species that present sexual segregation and live in open waters, increasing reproductive efficiency. In the 20 gravid females examined, the average number of embryos per female was five, with a range of 2-9 embryos. Females with embryos 6-8 cm TL were observed in July and September; whereas embryos 20-30 cm TL were found from September to November. One female with full term embryos (80 cm) was captured at the end of June suggesting an 11-12 month gestation period.

William D. Anderson, Jr. and Graciela García-Moliner: A new species of Odontanthias Bleeker (Perciformes: Serranidae: Anthiinae) from Mona Passage off Puerto Rico, the first record of the genus from the Atlantic Ocean, pp. 25-30

Abstract
Odontanthias hensleyi, a new species of anthiine serranid fish, is described from four specimens collected off the west coast of Puerto Rico in Mona Passage. This is the first Atlantic record for the genus Odontanthias, heretofore known from 13 Indo-Pacific species. The new species is distinguished from all other species of Odontanthias by the following combination of characters: 15 soft rays in the dorsal fin, 18 pectoral fin rays, vomerine tooth patch subquadrangular to diamond-shaped without posterior prolongation, pelvic fin and caudal fin lobes very well produced, and coloration (side of head with two bright yellow stripes; pelvic, anal and caudal fins bright yellow).

Samaneh Poursaeid & Bahram Falahatkar: Threatened fishes of the world: Stenodus leucichthys leucichthys Güldenstädt, 1772 (Salmonidae), pp. 31-34

Abstract
This paper introduces the ecological and biological characteristics of the Inconnu (Stenodus leucichthys leucichthys). This is a Caspian Sea endemic species of the family Salmonidae, listed as Extinct in the Wild in IUCN’s Red Data Book due to restricted access to spawning grounds, dam construction, illegal fishing, and environmental pollution. This valuable species has considerable ecological and economical importance for the region, but there are little data for the Caspian Sea populations. We discuss its distribution, ecological and reproductive characteristics, and the causes of its extinction in the Caspian Sea.

John E. McCosker and Gerald R. Allen: Description of a new Snake Eel (Pisces: Ophichthidae: Myrichthys) from the Philippines, pp. 35-40

Abstract
Myrichthys paleracio new species is described from two specimens collected in shallow-water coral reefs from the Verde Passage, southern Luzon Island, Philippines. It differs from all known Myrichthys in its vivid brown-and-white coloration, its body elongation (body depth 43 times in total length) and its mean vertebral formula (3/77.5/183). A key to the species of Myrichthys is provided.

John E. Randall, Sergey V. Bogorodsky and Jean Michel Rose: Color variation of the puffer Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus) and comparison with A. reticularis (Bloch & Schneider), pp. 41-54

Abstract
The Whitespotted Puffer, Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus), wide-ranging in the Indo-Pacific region and the tropical eastern Pacific, is very variable in color pattern. It has been misidentified as A. reticularis (Bloch & Schneider), which is also Indo-Pacific in distribution. Color variation of A. hispidus is documented, particularly in the Red Sea where it is unusually diverse in color pattern. The record of A. reticularis from the southern Red Sea by Roux-Estève (1956), recognized in three checklists of Red Sea fishes, is invalidated. The two species are distinguished by the area of skin covered by spinules and by color pattern. A subadult specimen of A. reticularis collected from fresh water in Palau represents a first record for Micronesia and an underwater photograph is a first record for New Caledonia. The need is stressed for specimens of the various color forms of A. hispidus, especially in the Red Sea, for morphological study, determination of possible sexual dichromatism and for molecular research.

Ralph Foster, Thomas C. L. Bridge and Pim Bongaerts: The first record of Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) from Australia, pp. 55-57

Abstract
A specimen of Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) recently collected from the outer Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, constitutes the first record of this species from Australian waters. Counts and proportional measurements confirm the identity of the specimen. It was taken by ROV at a depth greater than previously reported for the species and from a new host species of octocoral. We postulate that one reason for the species having previously evaded detection in the region is due to the paucity of knowledge of Australian mesophotic reef systems and briefly discuss the implications of this on assessing the species’ conservation status.

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