RESEARCH ARTICLE
Four new soles (Pleuronectiformes:
Soleidae) of the genus Aseraggodes from the
western Indian Ocean
John E. Randall, Sergey V.
Bogorodsky & Ahmad O. Mal
Abstract
The soleid
fish Aseraggodes andersoni is described as
a new species from a 23.5-mm specimen collected in
1988 at North Male Atoll, Republic of Maldives.
It is differentiated from seven species with similar
meristic data by color pattern and in lacking a caudal
peduncle. Efforts to collect additional specimens
failed, and the type locality of seaward reef is now
land reclaimed from the sea. Aseraggodes kruppi
is described from one small specimen from an island
off the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, distinct in
having 32 vertebrae and 39 anal rays, the lowest numbers
for the genus. Aseraggodes macronasus, represented
by three specimens from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea,
is unique in having a very long tubular anterior nostril.
Aseraggodes martine, described from two specimens
from Lakshadweep (Laccadive Islands, India) and a
juvenile from the Seychelles, is distinguished by
having 15 or 16 dorsal pterygiophores anterior to
the fourth neural spine (highest for the genus), 64-66
dorsal rays, 42 or 43 anal rays, and 66-71 lateral-line
scales. A key is provided for the 12 species of Aseraggodes
of the western Indian Ocean, and a table for the number
of dorsal rays, anal rays, lateral-line scales, vertebrae,
and anterior dorsal pterygiophores for the 53 known
species of the genus.
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CITATION:
Randall, J.E., Bogorodsky,
S.V. & Mal, A.O. (2013) Four new soles (Pleuronectiformes:
Soleidae) of the genus Aseraggodes from the
western Indian Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science
Foundation, 8, 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1041968
publication date: 1 October
2013
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