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Abstract
A new species of slopefish, Symphysanodon disii n. sp., is
described on the basis of one specimen, 165 mm standard
length (SL), collected off the coast of Aqaba, Jordan, Gulf
of Aqaba, Red Sea. It is characterised by the following
combination of characters: 10 dorsal soft rays, 7 anal soft
rays, 50 tubed scales in the lateral line and 12 + 25 = 37
gill rakers on the first gill arch. Body relatively deep (32%
of SL); first pelvic ray only slightly produced, not extend-
ing to anus; pectoral fin reaching a vertical through base of
last dorsal spine; depressed anal fin length 32% of SL; cau-
dal fin deeply forked, both lobes produced into filaments.
This is the first record of the family Symphysanodontidae
from the Red Sea. Morphologically, the new species is
most closely related to the yellowstripe slopefish Sym-
physanodon katayamai, which is widely distributed in the
Central Pacific.
Zusammenfassung
Ein neuer Hangfisch, Symphysanodon disii n. sp., wird
anhand eines Exemplars von 165 mm Standardlänge (SL)
beschrieben. Er wurde bei Aqaba, Jordanien, Golf von
Aqaba, Rotes Meer gefangen. Die neue Art ist durch fol-
gende Merkmalskombination gekennzeichnet: 10 Weich-
strahlen in der Rückenflosse, 7 Weichstrahlen in der After-
flosse, 50 perforierte Schuppen in der Seitenlinie, 12 + 25
= 37 Kiemenreusen auf dem ersten Kiemenbogen. Der
Körper ist mit 32 % der SL recht hoch. Der erste Bauch-
flossenstrahl ist nur geringfügig verlängert und erreicht
den Anus nicht. Die Brustflossen erreichen die Position
der Basis des letzten Hartstrahls der Rückenflosse; die
angelegte Afterflosse hat eine Länge von 32 % der SL. Die
Schwanzflosse ist stark gegabelt, beide Spitzen bilden lange
Filamente. Dies ist der erste Nachweis der Familie Sym-
physanodontidae aus dem Roten Meer. Morphologisch
steht die neue Art dem im zentralen Pazifik weit verbreit-
eten Gelbstreifen-Hangfisch Symphysanodon katayamai,
am nächsten.
Résumé
Une nouvelle espèce de Symphysanodontidé, Symphysa -
nodon disii n. sp. est décrite sur base d’un seul spécimen,
de 165 mm de longueur standard (SL), collecté au large
d’Akaba, Jordanie, Golfe d’Akaba, en Mer Rouge. Elle se
distingue par la combinaison suivante de caractéristiques:
10 rayons mous à la dorsale, 7 rayons mous à l’anale, 50
écailles canaliculées sur la ligne latérale et 12 + 25 = 37
branchiospines sur le premier arc branchial. Un corps rela-
tivement haut (32% de la LS); le premier rayon de la pelvi-
enne assez court, n’atteignant pas l’anus; la pectorale
atteignant une verticale traversant la base du denier rayon
dorsal; la longueur de l’anale déployée 32% de la LS; cau-
dale fort échancrée, les deux lobes se terminant en fila-
ments. Il s’agit du premier membre de la famille des Sym-
physanodontidés signalé en Mer Rouge. Morphologique-
ment, la nouvelle espèce se rapproche le plus de Sym-
physanodon katayami qui connaît une vaste distribution
dans le Pacifique central.
Sommario
Una nuova specie di sinfisanodontide, Symphysanodon disii
n. sp., è descritta sulla base di un esemplare di 165 mm
(lunghezza standard, SL), raccolto al largo della costa di
Aqaba, Giordania, Golfo di Aqaba, Mar Rosso. La specie si
contraddistingue per la seguente combinazione di caratteri:
10 raggi dorsali molli, 7 raggi anali molli, linea laterale con
50 scaglie e 12 + 25 = 37 rastrelli sul primo arco branchiale.
Corpo relativamente alto (32% della SL); primo raggio
pelvico solo leggermente prolungato, non fino all’ano; pinna
pettorale che raggiunge una verticale che passa attraverso la
base dell’ultima spina dorsale; lunghezza della pinna anale
quando depressa pari al 32% della SL; pinna caudale pro-
fondamente forcuta, con entrambi i lobi prolungati in fila-
menti. Rappresenta la prima segnalazione della famiglia
Symphysanodontidae nel Mar Rosso. Morfologicamente,
questa nuova specie è molto simile al sinfisanodontide dalla
stria gialla Symphysanodon katayamai, ampiamente di -
stribuito nel Pacifico centrale.
INTRODUCTION
The family Symphysanodontidae, with a single
genus, Symphysanodon Bleeker, 1878, is repre-
aqua vol. 14 no. 2 - 14 April 2008
85
aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology
A new species of the genus Symphysanodon (Perciformes: Symphysanodontidae)
from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Maroof A. Khalaf1and Friedhelm Krupp2
1) Maroof Khalaf, Marine Science Station, P. O. Box 195, Aqaba, Jordan. E-mail: m.khalaf@ju.edu.jo
2) Friedhelm Krupp, Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany.
E-mail: f.krupp@senckenberg.de
Received: 22 December 2007 – Accepted: 19 March 2008
sented by nine described species of small to
medium-sized fishes, inhabiting continental shelf
areas, the upper continental slope and submarine
ridges in the tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific
(Anderson 1970, Anderson & Springer 2005).
Additionally, these authors reported a specimen of
an undescribed species known only from the stom-
ach contents of Latimeria chalumnae. A diagnosis of
the genus Symphysanodon is given in Anderson
(1970). Thus far, the family had been unknown
from the Red Sea. During studies of marine habi-
tats and biodiversity in the Jordanian sector of the
Gulf of Aqaba, conducted by scientists of the
Marine Science Station in Aqaba (MSSA), a single
specimen of Symphysanodon was collected by gillnet
at a depth of about 150 m. It had not been included
in a recent account of the deep-dwelling fishes of
the Gulf of Aqaba (Khalaf & Zajonz 2007) because
further research was required. Here, it is now
described as a new species. Counts and measure-
ments follow Anderson (1970) and Anderson &
Springer (2005), who recently revised the genus.
Symphysanodon disii n. sp.
Holotype: MSSA 64-20/1, female, 165 mm SL,
Jordan, Aqaba, in front of phosphate port, 29°
29.794’ N 35° 59.375’ E, ca 150 m depth, 5 Octo-
ber 1999, M. A. Khalaf.
Diagnosis: The new species differs from its con-
geners in the following combination of characters:
dorsal-fin rays IX,10; anal-fin rays III,7; tubed
scales in lateral line 50; gill rakers on first gill arch
aqua vol. 14 no. 2 - 14 April 2008 86
A new species of the genus Symphysanodon (Perciformes: Symphysanodontidae) from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Fig. 1. Freshly collected holotype of Symphysanodon disii from Aqaba, SL 165.3 mm, MSSA 64-20/1. Photo by M. A. Khalaf.
Fig. 2. Ethanol-preserved holotype of Symphysanodon disii about eight years after collection. Scale bar 50 mm. Photo by S.
Tränkner.
terior nares closely set; premaxillae and dentaries
carrying small, blunt, cone-shaped teeth, which are
slightly larger in the anterior parts; premaxillary
notch without teeth; dentary covered with teeth
extending from elevated posterior surface of jaw to
symphysis; symphysis without teeth; teeth at ante-
rior ends of dentaries fit into premaxillary notch;
vomer, palatines and endopterygoids with minute
teeth; two flat spines on operculum, the lower one
pointed, the upper one rounded with a minute tip;
preoperculum forming a right angle: horizontal limb
smooth, vertical limb very finely serrated.
Dorsal fin continuous, not incised at junction of
spines and rays; scales ctenoid; head, including max-
illae, dentaries, lachrymals, interorbital region and
snout covered with scales; dorsal aspect of snout
with small scales, anteriormost scales not overlap-
ping; most parts of dorsal and anal fins without
scales, but lower portion of last two dorsal soft-rays
and all anal soft-rays covered with small scales; scaly
sheaths at dorsal and anal fin bases; lower part of
pectoral rays scaled; caudal fin densely covered with
scales, except posterior margin and filaments;
enlarged and elongated scales present dorsal to
pelvic spines (axillary scales) and in ventral midline
between the pelvic fins (interpelvic scales); lateral
line gently curved; caudal fin deeply forked with
both lobes prolonged into filaments, upper filament
longer than lower one (Fig. 1).
Vertebrae 25 (10 precaudal, 15 caudal), with first
preural centrum and ural centrum counted as one
vertebra; pleural ribs on vertebrae 3 to 10; hypurals
1, 2 and 5 autogenous; hypurals 3 and 4 forming a
single plate; epurals 3. In Table I, morphometric
measurements are presented in percentages of stan-
dard length.
Colour: Flanks of the freshly caught specimen
(Fig. 1) red, turning to a lighter pinkish ventrally and
to dark orange-red dorsally; indistinct, broad, yellow-
orange, longitudinal band from operculum to caudal
peduncle (hardly visible); dorsal fin yellow, caudal fin
reddish orange, with yellow hind-margin on upper
lobe; anal, pectoral and pelvic rays light reddish,
membranes transparent and without pigmentation.
The ethanol-preserved specimen is light straw colour
without distinctive pigmentation (Fig. 2).
Etymology: The new species is named in honour
of Dr. Ahmad M. Disi, Professor of Zoology at the
University of Jordan, Amman, in recognition of his
contributions to our knowledge of the vertebrate
fauna of Jordan.
Remarks: Geographically, the species occurring
12 + 25 = 37 total; body relatively deep (32% of
SL); first pelvic ray only slightly produced, not
extending to anus; pectoral fin reaching a vertical
through base of last dorsal spine; depressed anal-fin
length 32% of SL; caudal fin deeply forked, both
lobes produced into filaments.
Description: Dorsal-fin rays IX,10; anal-fin rays
III,7, last two dorsal and anal fin rays very close to
each other, but clearly separate at base; pectoral-fin
rays 17; pelvic-fin rays I,5; principal caudal-fin rays
17 (9 + 8), branched caudal rays 15 (8 + 7); tubed
scales in lateral line 50 on right side, 49 on left
side; gill rakers on first arch 12 + 25 = 37 total.
Body elongate, compressed, relatively deep; dorsal
and ventral profiles convex; snout rather blunt;
mouth terminal; anterior ends of premaxillae
incised, forming a conspicuous notch, which
receives sphere-shaped anterior ends of dentaries;
dorsalmost margin of maxilla covered by suborbital
when mouth is closed; lower jaws slightly longer
than upper jaws; maxilla reaching posteriorly almost
to level of posterior margin of eye; anterior and pos-
aqua vol. 14 no. 2 - 14 April 2008
87
Maroof A. Khalaf and Friedhelm Krupp
Total length 156.1
Fork length 108.5
Standard length [mm] 165.3
Head length 28.3
Head depth 22.2
Snout length 5.4
Fleshy orbit diameter 8.2
Postorbital head length 14.1
Upper jaw length 13.4
Lower jaw length 14.0
Bony interorbital width 10.6
Body depth 31.8
Caudal peduncle depth 13.4
Caudal peduncle length 26.7
Anal-fin base length 17.2
Anal fin length 31.9
Pectoral fin length 26.1
Pelvic fin length 22.3
Upper caudal-fin lobe 56.1
Lower caudal-fin lobe 50.2
First dorsal spine length 5.1
Second dorsal spine length 8.2
Third dorsal spine length 10.3
Fourth dorsal spine length 11.3
Last dorsal spine length 12.0
Longest dorsal spine length 12.0
First anal spine length 5.2
Second anal spine length 9.6
Third anal spine length 10.8
Table I. Morphometric characters for the holotype of
Symphysanodon disii n. sp. Standard length is in millimetres;
other measurements, in percentage of standard length.
closest to S. disii n. sp. is S. andersoni Kotthaus,
1974, which has been reported from the north-
western Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia and
from the Gulf of Kutch (Kotthaus 1974, Anderson
& Springer 2005). The new species differs
markedly from S. andersoni in having fewer scales
in the lateral line (50 vs. 60-61) and fewer gill rak-
ers (37 vs. 41-42).
Symphysanodon disii n. sp. most closely resembles,
and is probably most closely related to, S. kataya-
mai Anderson, 1970, with which it shares general
appearance and many meristic and morphometric
characters. Symphysanodon katayamai has been
reported from Hawaii, southern Japan, Taiwan,
Palau and Sulawesi (Masuda et al. 1984, Anderson
& Springer 2005). The new species differs from S.
katayamai in the following characters: it has a
larger number of gill rakers (37 vs. 33-35), a greater
interorbital width (10.6% vs. 8.1% of SL), a
shorter anal fin (31.9% vs. 38.9% of SL), shorter
pelvic fin (22.3% vs. 26.6% of SL) and shorter
caudal spines (see Table I and description in Ander-
son 1970). The two species also differ in colour
pattern. Given the similarity of the two species,
one might argue that they represent subspecies of
the same species. However, we concur with Gill &
Kemp (2002) and Anderson & Springer (2005),
who suggest that well-diagnosed geographic forms
of widely-distributed Indo-Pacific shore fishes
should be awarded full-species rank. Given the fact
that collections of deep-dwelling fishes from the
Red Sea are rather rare and since the specimen is
clearly distinct from its congeners, it is deemed jus-
tified describing a new species from a single speci-
men. Once additional samples are obtained, it will
be desirable to confirm the present systematic con-
cept of the genus by a phylogenetic study based on
morphological and molecular data.
Thus far, Disi’s slopefish is only known from its
type locality near Aqaba, but given the fact that
suitable habitat is available in much of the Red Sea
and Gulf of Aden, it presumably could have a
wider distribution. The deep slopes of this area
have not yet been surveyed systematically.
The discovery of a new fish species at the north-
ern tip of the Red Sea, which is most closely related
to a species from the Central Pacific and Hawaii, is
remarkable, but not unique. Similarly, Pseudan-
thias fasciatus (Kamohara, 1954) had only been
known from Japan, Taiwan and Australia until
Krupp & Paulus (1991) recorded it from Aqaba.
Several fish species, which had previously been
known from various parts of the Indo-Pacific, but
not from the Red Sea, have recently been recorded
from the Jordanian sector at the northern tip of the
Gulf of Aqaba (e.g. Khalaf et al. 1996, Khalaf &
Disi 1997, Khalaf & Zajonz 2007). The new
species increases the number of deep-dwelling
fishes recorded from the coast of Jordan (Khalaf &
Zajonz 2007) to 81 species in 57 families.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to the Dean for Scientific
Research, University of Jordan, to Omar Al-
Momani and to Mohammed Badran, MSSA, who
supported the first author’s studies of marine habi-
tats and biodiversity in the Jordanian sector of the
Gulf of Aqaba. John E. Randall, Bishop Museum,
Honolulu, Hawaii and Uwe Zajonz, Senckenberg
Research Institute, Frankfurt provided very helpful
comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.
Jörg Habersetzer x-rayed the holotype.
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aqua vol. 14 no. 2 - 14 April 2008 88
A new species of the genus Symphysanodon (Perciformes: Symphysanodontidae) from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
