Neobathyclupea megaceps (Fowler 1938) —Bighead deepsea herring

Status at New Ireland. New record, based on NTUM 11357 (1 specimen, 119.4 mm SL, St. CP 4498-14, north of New Hanover).

Distribution and habitat. New Ireland: 1.—General distribution: Philippines south to Papua New Guinea. Bathypelagic, 465–800 m depth. Marine.

Remarks. The two species Neobathyclupea megaceps (Fowler 1938) and N. gracilis (Fowler 1938) express much overlap in their morphological characters; the diagnoses of Prokofiev (2014) are not useful to distinguish these two taxa. We suspect that the two are synonymous.