A NEW SPECIES OF MORAY EEL, GYMNOTHORAX TAIWANENSIS, (ANGUILLIFORMES: MURAENIDAE) FROM EASTERN TAIWAN

Abstract

A new species of moray eel. Gymnothorax taiwanensis, is described from 12 specimens collected from coastal eastern Taiwan. It has short jaws, stout teeth, biserial vomerine dentition, brownish body colour, pale thin reticular pattern, yellowish mucus on skin, darkish tips or rims of nostrils, mean vertebral formula 5-55-119. It is distinct from its closest congener, Gymnothorax flavocula, in having shorter tail length (45.8-48.7 vs. 50-52 % of TL), fewer total vertebrae (117-121 vs. 124-127), attain larger total length (523 vs. 407 mm TL), and teeth more numerous on vomerine and dentary.