Neolaeops microphthalmus

Neolaeops microphthalmus (von Bonde, 1922)

Crosseyed flounder; ŀȇƗÉľ

Figure 8A; Table 10

Laeops microphthalmus von Bonde, 1922:11 (Type locality: coast of Natal, East Africa).

Arnoglossus microphthalmus: Norman, 1931:508; Chen & Weng, 1965:44.

Neolaeops microphthalmus: Amaoka, 1969:149; Shen, 1983:34; Shen in Shen et al., 1993:571; Shen & Wu, 2012:753.

Specimen examined. NMMB-P04832 (4, 122.4–162.3), Dong-gang, 9 Oct. 1965; NMMB-P06242 (1, 166.0), Dong-gang, 6 Feb. 1966; NMMB-P08116 (1 male, 168.6), Dong-gang, 16 Apr. 2004; NMMB-P14234 (1, 101.2), Dong-gang, 6 Sep. 2011; NMMB-P15268 (1 female, 168.9), Dong-gang, 28 Oct. 2011; NMMB-P20986 (1 male, 110), Dong-gang, 12 Mar. 2014; NMMB-P21127 (1 male, 3 females, 148.4–168.7), Ke-tzu-liao, 2 Apr. 2014; NMMB-P22078 (2, 104–177), Dong-gang, 7 Nov. 2013; NMMB-P22227 (1, 128.5), Dong-gang, 22 Apr. 2014; NMMB-P25673 (1 male, 1 female, 152.3–167.4), Dong-gang, 20 Jan. 2016; NMMB-P25681 (1 male, 168.9), Fugang, Taitung, 12 Jan. 2017. More specimens deposited in NMMB-P.

Diagnostic features. D 104–112; A 81–92; P 13–16; C 2–4+10–12+2–4=17; LLs 93–104; GR 3–6+6–10=12– 16; vert. 13+37–38=50–51.

Body elongated and strongly compressed, deepest near anterior 1/3 part of body (38.9–43.5% SL). Caudal peduncle narrow, its depth 6.0–6.9% SL. Head small, its length about half of body depth (19.5–21.5% SL); front of head with deep concavity anterior of upper eye; head profile round. Snout slightly protruding, snout length slightly longer than eye diameter. Eyes small, diameter about 1/2 of upper jaw length; upper eye extremely close to dorsal margin of head. Interorbital space narrow, bony ridge extending from anterior margin of lower eye to posterior interorbital space.

Mouth moderate and almost symmetrical, upper-jaw length on ocular side about 7.4–8.8% SL; maxilla extending to or slightly beyond anterior margin of lower eye. Teeth on both jaws uniserial, with enlarged and canine-like teeth anteriorly, small and close-set laterally on upper jaw, lateral teeth on lower jaw stronger and wider spaced than those on upper jaw. Gill rakers absent on upper limb, those on lower limb slender, pointed, and smooth. Scales very small and deciduous, cycloid on both sides. Pectoral fin on ocular side very short, about half of head length (10.0–11.9% SL); that on blind side shorter and more feeble. Caudal fin round and slender.

Coloration. Ocular side of body uniformly pale brownish without distinct blotches or spots, snout dark; dorsal and anal fins and pelvic fin on ocular side black; several middle rays of caudal fin black distally. Blind side of body uniformly milky white.

Size. Reaching 169 mm SL in Taiwan; up to about 210 mm SL elsewhere (Hensley & Amaoka, 2001).

Distribution. Western and southwestern Taiwan; widespread in Indian and Western Pacific oceans, including South China Sea, East China Sea, southern Japan, East Africa (Amaoka, 2016).

Remarks. This species superficially resembles members of Japonolaeops and Laeops, but is readily distinguished by its deeper body, larger mouth and smaller eyes.