Description of a new species of clupeid fish, Amblygaster indiana (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae), off Eraviputhenthurai, west coast of India Author Mary, Anthonipillai Arockia Author Balasubramanian, Thngavelu Author Selvaraju, Shanker Author Shiny, Anthonipillai text Zootaxa 2017 4247 4 461 468 journal article 33336 10.11646/zootaxa.4247.4.7 47e59b7a-9bf2-4a9f-97d1-ac890d24961c 1175-5326 438888 CD426A2E-7204-4CFF-8392-2A4470628B37 Amblygaster indiana , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1A , B; Table 1) Holotype . ZSI/ MBRC /540, 21 cm SL, Eraviputhenthurai landing center, ( 11°15’49.26” N , 77°08’11.67” E ), west coast, India , collected, A. Arockiamary ; 0 2 February , 2010. Paratypes . ZSI/ MBRC /541, ( 29 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing centre, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary , 0 5 February , 2010; FMS/ CASMB /1087 ( 22 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing centre, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary , 18 February , 2010;FMS/ CASMB /1088 ( 28 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing centre, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & S. Shanker , 18 February , 2010 ; JUDES /FSD/1529 ( 28.1 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai fish market, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & S. Shanker , 27 March , 2010 ; JUDES /FSD/1530 ( 29.2 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai fish market, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & S. Shanker , 18 February , 2010; SATYABHAMAU812 ( 27 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing center, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & A. Shyni , 18 February , 2010; SATYABHAMAU 813 ( 29.3 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing center, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & A. Shyni , 18 February , 2010; Parakkai-FTRC/ FSRS /1155 ( 29.3 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai landing center, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary & S. Shanker , 12 February , 2011 ; FTRC / FSRS / 1181 ( 29 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai fish market, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary , 12 February , 2011; RC/ RGCA /2056 ( 29.1 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai fish market, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary , 12 February , 2011; RC/ RGCA /2263 ( 27 cm SL), Eraviputhenthurai fish market, west coast, India , collected A. Arockiamary , 15 May , 2011. Diagnosis. A large species of Amblygaster with bluish body, green on dorsum, with silvery flanks. Posterior margin of opercle with two fleshy outgrowths ( Fig. 5 ). Body deep and cylindrical, belly smooth and round, weakly keeled with eight circular-shaped pre-pelvic scutes; ( Fig. 2 ). Branchiostegial rays 7 ( Fig. 3 ); fronto-parietalstriae 7– 14 ( Fig. 4 ); huge eyes ( Fig. 6 ); upper jaw with median notch. Dorsal fin inserted at about midpoint of body; pelvic fins below dorsal fin base, fin rays 7; anal fin very short and inserted far posterior to dorsal fin base. Gill rakers 57– 63. Scales cycloid; posterior margin of scales striated with many vertical lines from anterior of scale extending to centre of scale. FIGURE 3. Branchĺostegal rays of holotype̹ ZSI/MBRC/540. FIGURE 4A. Fronto-parietal striae of Amblygaster indiana sp.nov. 2B: Comparison of fronto-parietal straie of Amblygaster indiana (left), and other Amblygaster spp. (right) FIGURE 5. Two fleshy outgrowth on hind margin of gill opening of paratype, ZSI/MBRC/541, 29 cm SL. FIGURE 6. Head of paratype (ZSI/MBRC/541) showing large eye and paddle-shaped second supra-maxilla. Description . Dorsal fin rays 0, 17–19; anal fin rays 0, 17–19; pectoral fin rays 16; pelvic fin rays 7; upper gill rakers 13–14; lower gill rakers 44–49; fronto-parietal striae 7–14; branchiostegial rays 7; circular pre-pelvic scutes 8; lateral scales 40. Body elongated and cylindrical, belly rounded and weakly keeled; greatest depth 7.3–10.3 in SL; head length 5.9–8.3 in SL; eye 1.7–2.3 in SL; predorsal distance 11.0– 15.3 in SL; pre-pectoral distance 6.0– 8.6 in SL; pre-pelvic distance 12.0– 16.8 in SL; pre-anal distance 17.3–24.1 in SL (Table. 1). Colour in life ( Fig. 1 B): ground colour of body bluish green on dorsum with silvery flanks; dorsal fin with dark chromatophores on middle inter-radial membranes between branched rays, forming black blotches; caudal fin and mouth tips blackish, top of head greenish. Distribution. The species has been collected in Eraviputhenthurai (fish market and landing centre) west coast of India . TABLE]. Morphometric anđ meristic characters of holotype anđ paratypes of Amblygaster indiana sp nov.

Parameters Total length	Holotype (cm) ZSI/MBR C/540 26	Paratypes ZSI/MBR C/541 34	(cm) FMS/CAS MB/1087 28.5	FMS/CAS MB/1088 31	JUDES/FS D/1529 32.7	JUDES/FS D/1530 34.7	SATYAB HAMAU 812 30	SATYAB HAMAU 813 35	FRRC/FSR S/1155 35	FRRC/FSR S/ 1181 34	RC/RGCA / 34.5	RC/RGCA /2263 30
Stanđarđ length	21	29	22	28	28.1	29.2	27	29.3	29.3	29	29.1	27
Heađ length	5.9	8.2	6.2	7.9	8.0	8.3	7.6	8.3	8.3	8.2	8.2	7.6
Eye điameter	3.0	4.1	3.1	4.0	4.0	4.1	3.8	4.2	4.2	4.1	4.1	3.8
Pre-đorsal đistance	11	15.1	11.5	14.5	14.7	15.2	14.2	15.3	15.3	15.1	15.2	14.2
Pre-pelvic đistance	12	16.6	12.6	16.0	16.1	16.7	15.6	16.8	16.8	16.6	16.6	15.6
Pre-pectoral đistance Pre-anal đistance	6 17.3	8.5 23.8	6.4 18.1	8.2 23.0	8.2 23.1	8.6 24.0	7.9 22.2	8.6 24.1	8.6 24.1	8.5 23.8	8.5 23.9	7.9 22.2
Bođy đepth	7.3	10.2	7.7	9.8	9.9	10.2	9.5	10.3	10.3	10.2	10.1	9.5
Dorsal fin rays	17	19	17	18	19	19	18	19	19	19	19	18
Pectoral fin rays	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16
Pelvic fin rays	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Anal fin rays	17	19	17	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	19
Lower gill rakers	44	49	44	48	48	49	48	49	49	49	49	49
Upper gill rakers	13	14	13	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	14
Total gill rakers	57	63	57	62	62	63	62	63	63	63	63	63
Frontoparietal striae	7	14	9	10	13	14	14	14	14	14	14	14
Lateralscale rows Pre-pelvic circular scutes	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8	40 8

Etymology. The species is named after India . Comparisons. Amblygaster indiana can be distinguished from all other Amblygasters by its larger size and deep body. Another important difference between new species and other Amblygaster spp. is the difference in the gap at the junction between right and left frontoparietal striae on the top of the head. In new species a wide gap is present between the left and right frontoparietal striae, compared a narrow gap in other Amblygaster spp. In addition, the new species has eight circular shaped pre-pelvic scutes instead of prominent scutes in all other Amblygaster spp. ( Fig. 2A ). The new species also has eight circular pre-pelvic scutes compared to 13 or more in all other Amblygaster spp. Moreover, the new species has more gill rakers on the lower arch: 44–49 compared to 33– 43 in A . sirm , 31–35 in A . leiogaster and 26–31in A . clupeoides . The new species has larger eyes when compared to the other species. Remarks. The new species has been fished with Amblygaster sirm in Eraviputhenthurai coastal zone and also along the zones of south west coast of India . This indicates that the new species exhibit schooling behavior. The proportions of fish catch of Amblygaster indiana and Amblygaster sirm is a ratio of 1 to 20. Gillnets and shore seines are used to catch Amblygaster spp. along south west coastal zones Comparative material. Amblygaster clupeoides : CAS / MBRC /618, 16 cm SL, Nagapattinam , east coast, India . Amblygaster leiogaster : CAS / MBRC /517, 1.5 cm SL, Parangipettai ,eastcoast, India . Amblygaster sirm : CAS / MBRC /396, 13.7 cm SL, Parangipettai ,eastcoast, India .