A new species of Phyllophichthus Gosline, 1951 (Actinopterygii, Ophichthidae) from Taiwan

Abstract

A unique species of the flappy-snake eel genus, Phyllophichthus diandrus sp. nov., is described based on a single specimen (270 mm in total length) collected from Dong-gang, southwestern Taiwan. The new species possesses several characters that are distinct from the only other species in the genus, Phyllophichthus xenodontus. Phyllophichthus diandrus sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from P. xenodontus by having two papillae inside of nasal tube (vs three in P. xenodontus), 25 branchiostegal rays (vs 29), the dorsal-fin origin positioned behind the tip of the pectoral fin (vs not behind, usually above mid-pectoral fin), and the absence of the maxillary teeth (vs present). The relationship between Phyllophichthus and Leiuranus is discussed based on generic and morphological features.