New species of Caelorinchus (Macrouridae, Gadiformes, Teleostei) from the Indian Ocean

Caelorinchus melanosagmatus n. sp. is newly described from upper continental slope waters of the Indian Ocean off Tanzania, Kenya, and in the Andaman Sea. The distinctive banding pattern on the body in combination with a high second dorsal fin, slender snout with terminal scute elongated and sharp, and naked underside of head, among other features, distinguish the new species from all others of the genus. It is most similar to two Pacific species C. cingulatus and C. spilonotus, but the three species differ in details of the banding pattern, and C. spilonotus differs also in pyloric caeca count. The disjunct distribution of the new species, with its apparent absence in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, is perplexing. The number of currently recognized grenadier species from the Indian Ocean is 114, but many more are known and yet to be described.