First record of the speckled Maori wrasse, Oxycheilinus arenatus (Valenciennes, 1840) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Labridae), from Indian coastal waters

Abstract

The labrid fish species Oxycheilinus arenatus (Valenciennes, 1840) is recorded for the first time from India’s southeast coast. A total of three specimens were collected as trawl bycatch at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India, in December 2021. The standard length of the specimens ranged from 15.42 to 19.5 cm SL. The presently reported finding of this species from the southeastern coast of India expands and confirms the known distribution range of O. arenatus, which was previously not known from India.

Discovery of a ribbon goby, Oxymetopon compressus (Actinopterygii: Gobiiformes: Microdesmidae) in Indian waters: A new westernmost record for the genus Oxymetopon

“…The specimens examined in this study were obtained through monthly trawl bycatch surveys conducted along the southern region of the east coast of India. Mudasal Odai, a prominent fish landing center on India's southeastern coast, was selected for its rich diversity in discarded catches, warranting a comprehensive study (Murugan et al 2023;Ragul et al 2024). In October 2023, a single specimen of a gobiid fish representing the genus Oxymetopon was identified within the trawl bycatch at the fish landing center in Mudasal Odai (11°29′06″N, 079°46′28″E).…”