First report of two species of the genus Minous Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Synanceiidae) from Indian coast, with a key for the identification of Indian species Author Ray, Dipanjan Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya, Kismat Bajkul, Purba Medinipur - 721655, West Bengal, India Author Mohapatra, Anil Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam - 761002, Odisha, India; Email: anil 2 k 7 @ gmail. com Author Tudu, Prasad Chandra Marine Aquarium and Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Digha - 721428, India Author Mishra, Subhrendu S. Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam - 761002, Odisha, India; Email: anil 2 k 7 @ gmail. com text Records of the Zoological Survey of India 2021 121 4 505 510 journal article 10.26515/rzsi/v121/i4/2021/154519 2581-8686 13184924 Minous pictus Gunther, 1880 Small sized fishes with a compressed and scale less body (except lateral line tube), head compressed, possess many bony ridges and well developed spines ( Figure 1 ). Snout slightly longer than eyes, Mouth small, jaw teeth in a small band, palatine teeth absent, and vomerine teeth present. Preopercular spines 5, first one largest and other four are small, First lacrimal spine forward and downwardly directed, second spine is more or less twice of first spine. Maxilla reaches vertically below anterior margin of eyes, cirri present on lower jaw. Dorsal fin spines thin and flexible, with XI spines, and 12 soft rays, and 1st dorsal spine much shorter than 2nd dorsal spine. Anal fin is with II spines and 10 soft rays. Pectoral fin reaches middle of anal fin; lower most pectoral ray free from other parts of pectoral fin. Gill rakers 16-17: 5+11- Table 1. Morphometric measurements of 6 species of the genus Minous from the Indian waters along Bay of Bengal

Characters	M. coccineus	M. dempsterae	M. inermis	M. monodactylus	M. pictus	M. trachicephalus
Registration numbers	MARC/ZSI/ F3334	MARC/ZSI/ F4722	MARC/ ZSI/F4723	MARC/ZSI/ F3324	MARC/ ZSI/F3336	MARC/ZSI/F3477 MARC/ZSI/F3836
Numbers of specimens examined	4	4	2	12	6	6 (3+3)
SL	73-94	65-80	71.6	72-90	67-81	60-62
Dorsal fin	XI, 12	XI, 12	IX, 13	X, 11	XI, 12	XI, 10
Anal fin	II, 10	II, 10	II, 10	II, 9	II, 10	II, 8
HL	38-41	41.5-47.1	45	39-41.6	42.5-46.4	46.6-49.1
BD	35-38	32.5-34.2	35.2	37.5-41.1	29.5-34.3	33.3-37
Pectoral fin	31.5-34	40-45.3	50.05	35.2-37.5	42.2-44.7	39.3-42.5
Snout	11.9-13.2	14.2-15.5	14.6	12.5-14.5	12.67-13.8	13.6-15.9
IOS	8.7-9.2	8.5-9.8	5.85	6.9-8.33	8.8-10	7.5-9.6
Eye diameter	11.7-13.4	12.2-12.4	10.47	9.8-12.5	13.4-14.2	11.6-11.9
Postorbital	18.2-18.8	19.3-21.6	21.6	17.2-19.3	18.5-19.2	16.9-17.4

12. Vertebrae: 26; lateral line pores: 19-20. Figure 2. Minous trachycephalus (Bleeker, 1855) . Figure 1. Minous pictus Gunther, 1880 . Colour: Upperpartofbodylightbrownwithalternating pale and dark bands; lower part of body pale. Posterior part of dorsal rays and soft dorsal spine are with pale and dark bands. Anal fin pale with dark margin. Pectoral fin blackish with light brown base; inner surface of pectoral fin pale brown with small whitish spots radiating outward along pectoral fin rays. Ventral fin pale brown with dark irregular stripes, and caudal fin pale with dark margin. Distribution : The species was reported from Arafura Sea, Philippines , Taiwan , Hong Kong and Viet Nam ( Eschmeyer et al. , 1979 ). Now this report extends the range of the species to the east coast of India .