title: Saurida lessepsianus a new species of lizardfish (Pisces: Synodontidae) from the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, with a key to Saurida species in the Red Sea.
abstract: Saurida lessepsianus n. sp., a lizardfish (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, previously misidentified as S. undosquamis (Richardson) and more recently as S. macrolepis Tanaka, is described as a new species. It is characterised by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with 11-12 rays; pectoral fins with 13-15 rays; lateral-line scales 47-51; transverse scale rows above lateral line 4½, below lateral line 5½; pectoral fins moderately long (extending to between just before or just beyond a line from origin of pelvic fins to origin of dorsal fin); 2 rows of teeth on outer palatines; 0-2 teeth on vomer; tongue with 3-6 rows of teeth posteriorly; caudal peduncle slightly compressed (depth a little more than width); upper margin of caudal fin with row of 3-8 (usually 6 or 7) small black spots; stomach pale grey to blackish anteriorly; intestine whitish. The species is common in the Red Sea and as a result of Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal, it is now widely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean. The taxonomic status of two other Red Sea nominal species, Saurus badimottah Rüppell [= Saurida tumbil (Bloch)] and Saurida sinaitica Dollfus in Gruvel (a nomen nudum), is clarified. A key is provided for the species of Saurida in the Red Sea.
authors.affiliation: Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, PO Box 4646 Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.; Email: barry.russell@nt.gov.au.
authors.forename: Barry C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour and National Natural History Collections, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.; Email: dgolani@cc.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golani
authors.affiliation: School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel.; Email: yaront@ruppin.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tikochinski
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D019156:Indian Ocean; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009929:Organ Size