Abstract
Evoxymetopon moricheni n. sp. is described from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, on the basis of a single specimen. It is characterised within the genus by a convex upper head profile; the posterior confluence of the frontal ridges slightly elevated at the nape, resulting in the presence of a slight sagittal crest; eye 5.2 times in head length; the lower hind margin of opercle slightly pointed in its lower half; the pelvic fins reduced to a scale-like structure with two soft rays on the posterior process of the basipterygium, its origin below the eighth dorsal-fin element; the first anal spine single, oval, scale like, and originating a short distance behind the vent (opposite the 34th dorsal-fin soft ray), anterior anal-fin soft rays minute and embedded, barely penetrating the skin and not visible externally, while the posterior fin supporting the rays enlarged and visible externally; approximately 17 anal-fin rays externally visible; approximately 83 dorsal-fin elements, with first spine not elongate, shorter than second; 12 pectoral-fin rays (ii + 6 + iv), with shorter anterior (fourth ray shortest) and longer posterior rays extending above the lateral line; 10 upper and 13 lower gill rakers of the first gill arch; head and body silver white, with a blackish margin anteriorly on snout and head, continuing along the anterior half of the dorsal-fin base. The new finding represents a new record of the genus from the Red Sea.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Mr Mordechai (‘Mori’) Chen for the collection of the holotype of the new species and for underwater and surface photographs, and Mr Omri Yossef Omessi and Dr. Jacob Dafni for donating this unique specimen. We are grateful to Dr. Alvaro Pinhas, The Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem for providing X-rays of the holotype of the new species, and to Dr. David Darom for preparing the illustrations.
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This article was registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) as 06C60906-F3D1-4C7F-9684-BC3FE22121DB.
This article was published as an Online First article on the online publication date shown on this page. The article should be cited by using the doi number.
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Fricke, R., Golani, D. & Appelbaum-Golani, B. Evoxymetopon moricheni, a new cutlassfish from the northern Red Sea (Teleostei: Trichiuridae). Ichthyol Res 61, 293–297 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-014-0394-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-014-0394-y