Two new species of the genus Cobitis Linnaeus(Teleostei:Cobitidae) from southern China

Two new species of the genus Cobitis from southern China,C.hereromacula from the Luohe River in Guangdong Province and C.baishagensis from the Nandujiang River in Hainan Province,are described and illustrated here.C.hereromacula can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characteristics;absence of the second and third pigmentary zones of Gambetta;13–16 oval blotches on the dorsum and 10–13 vertical,elongated triangular blotches below the midlateral line with more than 20 vertical dark brown bars between them;6–7 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin;a vertical oval spot smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle;pointed mental lobes of the lower lip pointed with a slightly filiform tip;one slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the base of the first branched ray of the male pectoral fins.C.baishagensis can be distinguished from its congeners by the fourth Gambetta zone being covered by 10–12 transverse elongated blotches;4–5 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin;a vertical blotch smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle;males with a slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the second branched pectoral fin ray in males;large scales with a slightly large focal zone;undeveloped mental lobes with a lower lip that does not end posteriorly in a filiform tip.     

A new record of a flathead fish (Teleostei: Platycephalidae) from China based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding

A new record of Platycephalus sp.1 (sensu Nakabo, 2002) was documented based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding. We collected 174 specimens of the genus Platycephalus from Chinese coastal waters of Dongying, Qingdao, Zhoushan, and Beihai. Samples were identified as Platycephalus sp.1 morphologically. The coloration, meristic traits, and morphometric measurements are consistent with previously published records. In brief, it is an orange-brown flathead fish with dark brown spots scattered on head and body, lateral line scales 83 to 99 with one or two spine-bearing anteriormost pored scale, no yellow blotch on the caudal fin. Cytochrome oxidase I subunit (COI) gene fragments were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. The mean evolutionary distance within the species Platycephalus sp.1 was 0.1%. Net evolutionary distances between Platycephalus sp.1 and other species of Platycephalus ranged from 10.8% to 19.7%, which is much greater than the threshold for species delimitation. The COI sequence analysis strongly supports the validity of Platyceohalus sp.1 at genetic level.     

First report of the genus Lysippe Malmgren, 1866 (Polychaeta: Ampharetidae) from Chinese waters

The ampharetid genus Lysippe Malmgren, 1866 is reported for the first time from Chinese waters. The identification was based on material deposited in the Marine Biological Museum of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Qingdao). A new species, Lysippe trichobranchia sp. nov. is described. The new species is widely distributed in shallow waters of the Bohai Gulf, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea at depths of 10-40 m.     

A new record of blue-spotted seabream Pagrus caeruleostictus from Chinese coastal waters documented from morphology and DNA barcoding

A new record of Pagrus caeruleostictus(Valenciennes,1830),collected from the Beibu Gulf,South China Sea in April 2013,was documented based on morphology and cytochrome oxidase I subunit(COI) gene barcoding analyses. It can be distinguished by a combination of the following characteristics: head scaled to above eyes; cheeks with 5 or 6 rows of scales; lateral line scales 51–52; 5 rows of scales above the lateral line; 4 and 6 cuspidate teeth in front of upper and lower jaws,respectively,followed by 2 rows of blunter teeth posteriorly; gill rakers on first arch 12 to 15; D XI–XII +9–11; A III +8–9; the first two dorsal spines very short,the third to fifth extended,filamentous in the young; the first pelvic ray filamentous; silvery pink with dark blue spots on back and sides; caudal fin pinkish; other fins bluish or pinkish; the blue spots generally disappear in large specimens. The present report of P. caeruleostictus suggests that its distribution in Chinese coastal waters may be attributed to human effort,since this species is unlikely to have expanded naturally from the eastern Atlantic to the South China Sea,with no other records from the Indian or Pacific Oceans. We recommend that a precautionary approach should be adopted for the management of P. caeruleostictus.     

ON THE FAMILY LYONSIIDAE (MOLLUSCA:BIVALVIA), WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES FROM THE CHINA SEAS

The present paper deals with 4 species of Family Lyonsiidae , collected from the China Seas : one new genus and new species, Sinolyonsia sinica gen . et sp. nov, one species, Lyonsia kawamurai recorded for the first time from the China Seas , and 2 species L . ventricosa Gould and Agriodesma navicula (Adams et Reeve) reported previously from the Yellow Sea by the author .     

A new species of the genus Amphicteis (Polychaeta: Ampharetidae) from China

A new species of the ampharetid genus Amphicteis,A.chinensis sp.nov.,is described based on material from the East and South China Seas.The new species is distinguished from the other known species of this genus by the presence of a lobebehind the paleae.Akey to distinguish all Amphicteis species and the closely related genus Paramphicteis from the Chinese seas is provided.     

A new species of the genus Arcoscalpellum (Cirripedia,Thoracica, Scalpellidae) from deep waters in the South China Sea

A new species of deep-water barnacle that belongs to the family Scalpellidae is described from the South China Sea. A rcoscalpellum liui sp. nov. is morphologically similar to A rcoscalpellum gryllum Zevina,but differs from the latter by the absence of longitudinal striae on the capitular plates and the presence of caudal appendages with few terminal setae.     

A new pomfret species,Pampus minor sp. nov. (Stromateidae) from Chinese waters

Thirty-two 63.0–134.4 mm standard length specimens collected during 1954–1990 from the coastal waters of the South China Sea and the continental coast of the Taiwan Strait were identified as a new species,Pampus minor Liuet Li, sp. nov. Contribution No. 3329 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Study supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences Special Grant for Biota Research.     

A new record of ponyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deveximentum megalolepis</Emphasis> (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) in Beibu Gulf of China

A new record ponyfish, Deveximentum megalolepis Mochizuki and Hayashi, 1989, was documented based on its morphological characteristics and DNA barcode. Fifty specimens were collected from Beibu Gulf of China and identified as D. megalolepis by morphological characterization. The coloration, meristic traits, and morphometric measurements were consistent with previously published records. In general, it is a silver-white, laterally compressed and deep bodied ponyfish with 6–9 rows of scales on cheek; scale rows above lateral line 6–8; scale rows below lateral line 14–17. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I subunit (COI) gene fragment was sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. There is no sequence variation of COI gene between the specimens collected in this study. The genetic distances between D. megalolepis and other congeneric species range from 3.6% to 14.0%, which were greater than the threshold for fish species delimitation. The COI sequence analysis also supported the validity of D. megalolepis at genetic level. However, the genetic distance between Chinese and Philippine individuals was about 1.2% and they formed two lineages in gene tree, which may be caused by the geographical distance.     

Tsengiella,a new genus of delesseriaceae—(Rhodophyta) from China

A medium-sized delesseriaceous red alga has been collected from the subtidal area of the northern Huanghai Sea coast. The characteristics of the specimens precludes their being placed in any genus defined by the currently accepted criteria.Tsengiella gen. nov., withT. spinosa sp. nov., as the type and only known species, is created and allied with theHypoglossum group of the Delesserioideae (Delesseriaceae, Ceramiales, Rhodophyta). Contribution No. 1286 Academia Sinica Institute of Oceanology, Qingdao.     

A preliminary phylogenetic analysis of Luidia (Paxillosida: Luidiidae) from Chinese waters with cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences

Luidia Forbes (Paxillosida: Luidiidae) are common soft bottom sea stars with 49 described species. Because of substantial morphological diversity, the taxonomy of the genus is complex and hasn’t been resolved definitely. In order to resolve general taxonomic issues, and determine species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships within the genus Luidia, the sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene from 24 specimens of Luidia, belonging to eight taxa in Chinese waters, were studied. Three sequences of two species in genus Luidia from GenBank were used to analyze the phylogenetic relationships. The molecular phylogeny exhibited three main clades, each with strong bootstrap support: Clade A including Luidia quinaria from the Sea of Japan; Clade B including seven nominal species (L. quinaria von Martens, L. yesoensis Goto, L. changi Liu, Liao and Li, L. orientalis Fisher, L. avicularia Fisher, L. longispina Sladen and L. hardwicki Gray) from Chinese waters; and Clade C including L. maculata Müller & Troschel from Chinese waters. Our molecular phylogeny results support the morphological Quinaria-Group and Alternata-Group assigned by Döderlein. Seven nominal species we sampled do not exhibit genetic distances that are large enough to recognize them as separate species. Cryptic species may exist in’ Luidia quinaria’ from the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Meaningful morphological characters need further investigation in Luidia.     

Family Thraciidae (Mollusca,Bivalvia) from Chinese waters

Species,Thracia granubsa of the Family Thraciidae from the China Seas was first reported and described as new to science by Adams et Reeve (1850). No other species was found there for more than 100 years until the author (1980) in his studies on Chinese bivalvia, discovered the second new species,Trigonothracia jinxingae, described in this article. This paper deals with 6 species, three of which are new to science, collected from the littoral and sublittoral zones of the China Seas. Type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica, Qingdao. Contribution No. 1471 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.     

First record of red filament threadfin bream, Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Perciformes, Nemipteridae), from Chinese waters

We collected five specimens of threadfin bream from Beihai, Guangxi, China in March 2010. These were subsequently identified as red filament threadfin bream Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830), being the first record of this species from Chinese waters. N. marginatus is distinguished by the following characteristics: lower border of eye lies above a line from tip of snout to upper base of pectoral fin; mouth oblique, maxillary extending to lower anterior border of pupil; teeth in jaws in several rows, pointed; upper jaw with 3 to 5 pairs of small recurved canines; suborbital with straight lower edge and rounded posterior edge; pectoral fins extending to between level of anus and origin of anal fin; pelvic fins reaching to the first or second anal rays; caudal fin forked, upper lobe tails into a short reddish filament; dorsal fin bluish with a yellow margin distally and a broad yellow median band which subdivides posteriorly into 3 small bands.     

Two new species of the genus anthenoides (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from southern China

Two new species of the genusAnthenoides from the southern China are described.A. laevigatus sp. nov. shows affinities withA. epixanthus. A. tenuis sp. nov. is related toA. cristatus (Sladen). Contribution No. 1472 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica     

Two new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cobitis</Emphasis> Linnaeus (Teleostei: Cobitidae) from southern China

Two new species of the genus Cobitis from southern China, C. hereromacula from the Luohe River in Guangdong Province and C. baishagensis from the Nandujiang River in Hainan Province, are described and illustrated here. C. hereromacula can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characteristics: absence of the second and third pigmentary zones of Gambetta; 13–16 oval blotches on the dorsum and 10–13 vertical, elongated triangular blotches below the midlateral line with more than 20 vertical dark brown bars between them; 6–7 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin; a vertical oval spot smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle; pointed mental lobes of the lower lip pointed with a slightly filiform tip; one slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the base of the first branched ray of the male pectoral fins. C. baishagensis can be distinguished from its congeners by the fourth Gambetta zone being covered by 10–12 transverse elongated blotches; 4–5 narrow rows of dark spots on the caudal fin; a vertical blotch smaller than the eye diameter on the upper part of the caudal peduncle; males with a slender and long needle-shaped lamina circularis at the second branched pectoral fin ray in males; large scales with a slightly large focal zone; undeveloped mental lobes with a lower lip that does not end posteriorly in a filiform tip.