Owstonia smithvanizi, Su & Ho, 2025

Owstonia smithvanizi sp. nov.

Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ; Tables 1 View Table 1 , 2 New English name: Smith-Vaniz’s Bandfish New Chinese name. 史密氏歐氏鰧 View Table 2

Owstonia psilos View in CoL (non Smith-Vaniz & Johnson): Jhan and Ho 2019: 982, unnumbered figure (in part, misidentification; NMMB-P 30830 ).

Type material.

Holotype • NMMB-P 30830 , 194.1 mm SL; South China Sea, TAIWAN, Pingtung, Dong-gang fishing port ; ca 22°22'22"N, 120°27'34"E; bottom trawl; H.-C. Ho leg. at a landing ground; 14 January 2019 GoogleMaps . Paratype • NMMB-P 26744 , 135.0 mm SL; same locality (landing ground) as holotype; H.-C. Ho leg., 23 June 2017 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

A new species of Owstonia differing from its congeners in having the following combination of characters: lateral-line of type 3, extending beyond dorsal-fin origin but not forming loop, and no contact with posttemporal; dorsal-fin rays III, 21; anal-fin rays I, 14; gill rakers on outer face of first arch 15–16 + 29–31 = 45–46; oblique body scale rows 49–50; cheek scale rows ca 4–6; vertebrae 11 + 17 = 28; anal-fin pterygiophores anterior to 1 st haemal spine 2; preopercular spines 12–14; head length 27.6–28.3 % SL; dorsal-fin base length 60.4–62.4 % SL; anal-fin base length 30.7–31.9 % SL; eye diameter 11.3–12.9 % SL; premaxillary stripe present; and distal part of dorsal fin with very faint strip between third spine and second soft ray or entirely pale.

Description.

Meristic and morphometric data are provided in Tables 1 View Table 1 , 2 View Table 2 . Data of holotype are provided first, with those of paratype in parentheses whenever different.

Dorsal-fin rays III, 21; pectoral-fin rays 21 / 21; pelvic-fin rays I, 5 / I, 5; anal-fin rays I, 14; principal caudal-fin rays 8 + 7, uppermost and lowermost rays unbranched; procurrent caudal-fin rays 4 and 3 on upper and lower lobes, respectively. Gill rakers on outer face of first gill arch 16 + 29 = 45 (15 + 31 = 46); pseudobranchial filaments 31. Oblique body scale rows 50 / 49; cheek scale rows ca 4 (right side) / ca 6. Vertebrae 11 + 17 = 28; anal-fin pterygiophores anterior to 1 st haemal spine 2. Spines on preopercle 14 / 12 (12 / 13). Premaxillary teeth 19 / 20 (15 / 16); inner premaxillary teeth 1 / 1; lateral dentary teeth 14 / 14 (14 / 13); symphyseal teeth 4 / 4 (5 / 4); inner symphyseal teeth 1 / 2 (1 / 1).

Body slender, depth at anal-fin origin 3.5 ( 3.7 mm) in SL; both dorsal and ventral profiles of body straight, slightly tapering to caudal fin. Head large, length 3.5 (3.6) in SL; anterior profile of head rounded, gently curved to dorsal-fin origin. Eyes large, eye diameter 2.5 (2.1) in HL. Two nostrils, with anterior one forming tube and short flap; posterior one oval, without flap, situated immediately in front of eye. Preoprecle and opercle covered by skin; posterior margin of preopercle with weak serration.

Mouth lower in position, slightly oblique. Jaws terminated, with lower jaw slightly protruding before upper jaw. Upper-jaw length 1.8 (1.7) in HL, its end reaching to vertical through middle of eye; posterodorsal tip of ascending premaxillary processes with three pairs of papillae, with middle pair larger than rest ( holotype), or with four larger papillae associated with smaller ones ( paratype). Supramaxilla absent. Premaxilla with single row of canine teeth; teeth gradually smaller posteriorly; teeth slightly recurved and pointed or blunt. Dentary with single row of canine teeth; those on symphyseal slightly larger than others; some lateral teeth slightly enlarged anteriorly; teeth slightly recurved and pointed or blunt. Vomer and palatine without teeth.

Body scales cycloid and deciduous. Scales absent on isthmus, gular, both jaws, and interorbital space. Lateral line of type 3 ( sensu Smith-Vaniz and Johnson 2016); its anterior end not forming complete loop; several scales originate from posttemporal but not connected with main branch. Lateral-line terminus below 24 th / 23 th (24 th / 24 th) total dorsal-fin ray.

Dorsal fin with long base, originated at vertical through upper end of gill slit; its distal margin nearly straight, with slight elevation on soft rays; no distinct notch between spines and soft rays. Pectoral-fin tip rounded; its length 1.4 (1.2) in HL; its origin at same horizontal through lower margin of eye; its tip reaching to vertical through anal-fin origin. Pelvic fin elongated, its length 0.9 (1.1) in HL; its origin below 3 rd dorsal-fin spine; its tip reaching to 3 rd total anal-fin ray ( holotype) or anus ( paratype) when adpressed. Anal-fin base moderately long, its posterior end slightly anterior to that of dorsal fin; its origin below 9 th dorsal-fin soft ray; fin rays gradually longer posteriorly; its distal margin nearly straight. Caudal fin pointed; its length 0.5 (0.6) in HL. Caudal peduncle broad, its length and depth 1.8 and 2.4 (2.6) in HL, respectively.

Coloration.

When fresh (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ), body, head, and all fins pink, with abdomen paler. Distal margin of dorsal, pelvic, anal, and caudal fins red. Dorsal-fin membranes with white vermicular pattern. When preserved (Fig. 1 B, C View Figure 1 ), body uniformly pale. Distal part of dorsal fin with very faint strip between third spine and second soft ray ( holotype) or pale ( paratype). Membrane between premaxilla and maxilla uniformly black.

Etymology.

We are pleased to name this species after the late Dr William (Bill) F. Smith-Vaniz for his great contribution to our knowledge of cepolids and for his generous assistance in our previous paper.

Remarks.

The left-side cheek of holotype has only two rows of scales, and not extending to near preopercle, while the right side has four rows of scales extending to near preopercle. It is very likely the left side was damaged due to bottom trawl.