Neobythites Goode & Bean, 1885

Uiblein, Franz & Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2021, New record of the cuskeel genus Neobythites (Pisces, Ophidiidae) from the Solomon Sea with description of a new species and notes on colour patterns, Cybium 45 (2), pp. 83-88 : 84

Genus Neobythites Goode & Bean, 1885

Diagnosis

Body short, gradually tapering to pointed caudal fin; snout generally blunt, its length equal to or slightly longer than horizontal eye window (transparent part of eye, not bony orbit); two basibranchial tooth patches (anterior long and narrow, posterior small and circular); posterior part of maxilla sheathed; preopercle with 0-2 (rarely 3) spines on rear edge; opercular spine strong, straight; two rays in pelvic fins; anterior gill arch with more than five long rakers; scales small, cycloid; precaudal vertebrae 11-14; sagittal otolith with straight sulcus and separated colliculi; most species with distinctly different colour patters such as ocelli (= eyespots), dark blotches or contrasting margins on dorsal and/ or anal fins and/or body with dark spots, vertical bars or a lateral stripe.

Distribution, habitat and size

Occurs in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans; known from 67-950 m depth, except for a single specimen of N. analis from 1830 m W of Cape Town; new record for Solomon Sea. Larvae are pelagic, subadults and adults occur on soft or mixed bottoms. Maximum known size 310 mm ( Neobythites longipes Smith & Radcliffe in Radcliffe, 1913).

Remarks

Reviewed by Nielsen (1995, 2002). The most speciose ophidiid genus with 55 species (including Neobythites solomonensis n. sp.) of which 39 have been described in the last 30 years (since the description of N. multistriatus Nielsen & Quéro, 1991 ); 25 species currently known from the Pacific.