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International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.32: 1-3
http://ijms.biopublisher.ca
2
the head to the anterior insertion of the dorsal fin;
pelvic length (Pelv L), from the anterior tip of the
head to the anterior edge of the pelvic fin; and preanal
length (Pre A), from the anterior tip of the head to the
anterior edge of the anus. The specimen was fixed in
10% formaldehyde solution, then preserved in 70%
ethanol, and deposited in the ichthyological collection
of the Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah,
Iraq (Cat. No. MRSCI00012).
2 Results
The specimen of
N. steatiticus
with 385 mm standard
length is identical to the general description of this
species given by Nielsen (1995) (Table 1, Figure 1).
Table 1 Morphometric and meristic characters of
Neobythites steatiticus
collected from the Arabian Gulf coasts of Iraq (TL: Total
Length; HL: Head Length; SL: Standard Length)
Morphometric characters
Present study
Holotype
Nielsen, 2002
Additional specimens from
Nielsen, 2002
n = 10
Total length (mm)
405.0
-
-
Standard length (% in TL)
385.0 (95.1)
129
113-150
Head length (% in SL)
83.0 (21.6)
(28.0)
(25.5-31.0)
Orbit diameter (% in SL)
18.0 (4.7)
(5.1)
(4.8-5.9)
Predorsal length (% in SL)
85.5(22.2)
(24.5)
(24.5-28.0)
Pelvic length (% in SL)
59.0 (15.3)
(14.0)
(13.5-17.0)
Preanal length (% in SL)
163.0 (42.3)
(40.0)
(40.0-46.0)
Meristic characters
Dorsal fin rays
90
88
88-93
Anal fin rays
74
75
72-76
Pectoral fin rays
25
24
24-27
Pseudobranchial filaments
2-4
2/3
2-4
Long rakers on anterior gill arch
12
12
11-12
Caudal fin ray
8
8
8
Figure 1 The specimen of
Neobythites steatiticus
(370 mm
Total length) caught the Marine Waters of Iraq
It is characterised by the following set of characters:
teeth are granular to needle-like with vomer tooth
bended in shape; dorsal fin is distinguished with the
presence of ocellus located posterior to anus; anal fin
is black at the middle with white strip at both distal
and proximal ends; there are 3-4 faint broad dark
vertical bars indistinct on body.
The other characters include: body robust with large
and heavy head. Snout bluntly pointed, equal in
length to eye and extends over the mouth. Eyes are
large with orbital folds. Large nostrils, the anterior is
a small tube
near the tipoff the snout, the posterior with large
foramen. Posterior margin of preopercle without
spines. Mouth is large with maxillary extending
behind the posterior border of the orbit. There are 1-3
short rakers on the anterior gill arch and 2-4 long
rakers on upper branch, one long raker in angle. The
lower branch has 7-9 long, 6-9 short rakers and 2-4
long pseudobranchial filaments. Head, body, base of
dorsal and pectoral fins covered with small scales.
Ventral fin nearly reaches base to anal fin. Lateral line
indistinct. Pectoral fins with large fleshy scaly base
reach vertical at anal fin origin.
3 Discussion
The standard length of individual reported in the
present study (385 mm) is larger than the type
specimen obtained from Bay of Bengal by Alcock
(1894)(129 mm), and in later studies (Nielsen, 1995,
2002; Uiblein and Nielsen, 2005).However the
meristic characters fall within the range given by
Nielsen (2002). Our specimen is the largest ever
recorded individual of this species.