A new species of the congrid eel genus Ariosoma (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the south-west coast of India

A new congrid eel species, Ariosoma maurostigma sp. nov., is described on the basis of 24 specimens collected from the deep-sea trawl by-catch, Kalamukku Fishing Harbour, off Kerala, Arabian Sea. The new species differs from all other congeners in having the following combination of characters: dark mark or spot on the posterodorsal margin of the eyes; dorsal surface of head with two faint darkish bands across the anterior and posterior margin of the eye; origin of the dorsal fin before the pectoral-fin base; short vomerine teeth patch, ST pores 3, 1 median pore and 1 lateral pore on each side just behind the median pore; preanal vertebrae 47-51; precaudal vertebrae 54-57; total vertebrae 136-142; total pores 129-134. The phylogenetic analysis reveals that the new species is closely related to Ariosoma melanospilos and Ariosoma anale, with divergences of 13.8% and 14.9%, respectively.

Automated summary

A new species of congrid eel, Ariosoma maurostigma, is described based on specimens collected from the Arabian Sea. The new species exhibits distinct characteristics such as dark mark on the eyes and unique patterns on the head, and is closely related to Ariosoma melanospilos and Ariosoma anale.