Neenchelys diaphora

Taxonavigation: Congroidei

Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Megaclassis: Osteichthyes Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii Infraclassis: Teleostei Megacohors: Elopocephalai Supercohors: Elopocephala Cohors/Superordo: Elopomorpha Ordo: Anguilliformes Subordo: Congroidei

Familia: Ophichthidae
Subfamilia: Myrophinae
Genus: Neenchelys
Species: Neenchelys diaphora

Name

Neenchelys diaphora H.-C. Ho, J. E. McCosker & D. G. Smith. 2015

• Holotype: NMMB P17563.
• Paratypes: NMMB P16304, P17553.

• Type locality: Tungkang Fishing Port, SW Taiwan, northern South China Sea.

• Diagnosis. A species of Neenchelys distinguished in having a combination of the following characters: body relatively cylindrical, 2.8 to 3.3 times in HL, 28 to 35 in TL; dorsal fin origin at midpoint of trunk, 1.2 to 1.5 times in HL behind gill opening; predorsal length 4.4 to 4.6 in TL; HL 9.9 to 10.8 in TL; tail 1.5 to 1.6 in TL; pectoral fin well developed and relatively large, 3.7 to 4.0 in HL; total vertebrae 177 to 186; MVF 35-54-181. Cephalic lateral line pores 13 to 15; predorsal pores 35 to 38; preanal pores 56 to 59.

• Etymology: The specific name is from the Greek diaphoros, meaning different. Initially, the holotype was recognized as being closely similar to Neenchelys pelagica. With newly collected specimens, the authors were able to confirm its differentiation and described it as a new species.

Vernacular names

English: Longfin worm eel

References

• Ho, H.-C.; McCosker, J.E.; Smith, D.G. 2013: Revision of the worm eel genus Neenchelys (Ophichthidae: Myrophinae), with descriptions of three new species from the western Pacific Ocean. Zoological studies 52: 58. DOI: 10.1186/1810-522X-52-58 Reference page. 
• Ho, H-C., McCosker, J.E. & Smith, D.G. 2015. Renaming of three recently described eels of the genus Neenchelys (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the western Pacific. Zootaxa 4060(1): 49–51. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.7. Preview (PDF) Full article (PDF) Reference page.