Neobythites nigriventris Nielsen, 2002

Uiblein, Franz & Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2023, Five new ocellus-bearing species of the cusk-eel genus Neobythites (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes) from the West Pacific, with establishment of three new species groups, Zootaxa 5336 (2), pp. 179-205 : 187

Neobythites nigriventris Nielsen, 2002

Figure 1 , Tables 1 , 2

Neobythites nigriventris Nielsen, 2002: 66 , fig. 57 ( Marion Plateau , Queensland, 22°53.3′S, 152°59.3′E, Australia, 325–338 m; holotype: CSIRO H 2310-03 ).

Diagnosis. Hind margin of preopercle with two spines; dorsal-fin rays 90–95; anal-fin rays 74–79; pectoral-fin rays 23–26; precaudal vertebrae 12–13; total vertebrae 52–56; pseudobranchial filaments 5–8; long rakers on anterior gill arch 9–12; head length 21–24% SL; pelvic-fin length 16–24% SL, fins not reaching beyond anus; orbit length 4.0–5.5% SL and 17–25% HL; longest gill filament 1.4–1.9% SL and 6.4–8.7% HL; dorsal fin with large ocellus placed slightly behind line through anus, the spot distance 42–47% SL and spot covers 9–11 dorsal-fin rays, not extending ventrally onto body; preserved specimens with black ocellus spot; no vertical bars on body; otolith length 5.3–6.3% SL, sulcus length 4.5–5.3% SL, and ostium height 11–15% sulcus length and 17–23% ostium length.

Distribution and size. SW Pacific, off Queensland and New South Wales at 67–357 m depth. Known up to 238 mm SL.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Species of the australiensis group. (A) Neobythites superocellatus n. sp., HT, MNHN 2021-0457, 95 mm SL, Solomon Sea (M. Krag); (B) N. australiensis, PT, ZMUC P771325, 188 mm SL, W Australia (side-reversed; M. Krag); (C) N. nigriventris, HT, CSIRO H 2310-03 (side-reversed; H. O’Neill); (D) N. unimaculatus, MNHN 2005-3413, 130 mm SL, Coral Sea (M. Krag); with 10 mm scale bars.