Dysomma anguillare Barnard, 1923

Figure 3; Table 1

Dysomma anguillaris Barnard, 1923:443 (type locality: off Tugela River mouth, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, southwestern Indian Ocean, depth 63 fathoms [115 meters]).

Dysomma anguillare: Böhlke, 1949:36 . Nelson, 1966:392. Robins & Robins, 1976:263. Robins & Robins, 1989:245. Chen & Mok, 1995:930. Chen & Mok, 2001:79.

Sinomyrus angustus Lin, 1933:93 (type locality: Hoitow, Hainan). Böhlke, 1949:34 –36.

Dysomma japonicus Matsubara, 1936:900, fig. (description, relationships; type locality: Japan, southeast of Kii Peninsula). Böhlke, 1949:34, 36.

Dysomma zanzibarensis Norman, 1939:44, fig. 17 (description; type locality: 5º38'54"S, 39º15'42"– 39º17'36"E). Böhlke, 1949:34.

Dyssoma anguillaris: Smith, 1949:394. Smith, 1961:394.

Dysomma aphododera Ginsburg, 1951:452, fig. 7 (type locality: off Padre Island, Texas, in 50 fms., 26 º 30'N, 96 º 26' W).

Dysomma angustum: Kamohara, 1950:49 . Kamohara, 1952:20. Kamohara,1958:15. Kamohara, 1964:18.

Specimens examined. Collected from Tainan, southwestern Taiwan: NMMB-P5709 (1 spec., 392 mm TL), 20 Feb. 1966. Collected from Kaohsiung, southwestern Taiwan: NMMB-P5716 (2, 260–286), 23 Jan. 1960. Collected from Fong-gang, southwestern Taiwan: NMMB-P14566 (1, 239), 200 m, 28 Feb. 2001. Collected from Dong-gang fishing port, southwestern Taiwan: NMMB-P7144 (1, 332), 26 Dec. 2003. NMMB-P7994 (1, 279), 17 Jun. 2004. NMMB-P11124 (6, 305–360), 13 Sep. 2010. NMMB-P11125 (9, 334–455), 13 Sep. 2010. NMMB-P12065 (1, 235), 18 Feb. 2011. NMMB-P13799 (1, 450), 2 Jul. 2011. NMMB-P13840 (2, 185–265), 5 Oct. 2010. NMMB- P13842 (1, 260), 5 Oct. 2010. NMMB-P13844 (2, 330–420), 5 Oct. 2010. NMMB-P15568 (2 of 4, 153–191), 25 Oct. 2011. NMMB-P16176 (1, 262), 10 Nov. 2009. NMMB-P16453 (1, 135), 2 Feb. 2012. NMMB-P16536 (1, 385), 23 Feb. 2012. NMMB-P18108 (3, 386–466), 8 Aug. 2012. USNM 395054 (1, 363), 16 Nov 2007. USNM 398733 (1, 300), 14 Nov. 2009. USNM 398734 (1, 282), 14 Nov. 2009. USNM 398735 (1, 315), 14 Nov. 2009. Collected from Daxi fishing port, NE Taiwan, bottom trawl: NMMB-P4517 (1, 385), 23 Jan. 1994. NMMB- P16175 (1, 310), 20 May 2010. NMMB-P11113 (1, 515), no date. NMMB-P11114 (4, 345–434), no date. NMMB- P11118 (3, 308–370), 5 Jan. 2010. NMMB-P11119 (1, 460), 8 Dec. 2010. NMMB-P12067 (4, 345–434), 2 Oct. 2011. NMMB-P12068 (2, 401–413), 20 Jan. 2011. NMMB-P12069 (3, 401–477), 21 Jan. 2011. NMMB-P22059 (9, 300–417), 1 Dec. 2014. USNM 371927 (1, 521), 4 Mar 1999. USNM 398516 (1, 378), 6 Nov. 2009. USNM 398517 (1, 333), USNM 401058 (1, 370), 6 Nov. 2009. Collected from Nan-fang-ao fishing port, NE Taiwan, bottom trawl: NMMB-P16288 (1, 202), 16 Mar. 2012. Collected from Tong-shih, Chia-yi, Taiwan: USNM 396128 (3, 362–421), 14 Nov 2008). Collected from Taiwan, no precise locality: USNM 396129 (1, 388), 2009. Plus many others in NMMB-P collection.

Other localities. Da Nang, Vietnam: NMMB-P12592 (1, 148), 13 Apr. 2011. Nha Trang, Vietnam: USNM 396163 (6, 332–450), 16 Apr 2009. China: CAS-SU 32403 (20, 280–426). MNHN 1978-0078 (formerly CAS-SU 32403, 2, 273–365), Oct. 1936. Luzon, Philippines: MNHN 1998-0655 (1, 210), 13°23'N, 122°21'E, 760–820 m, 26 Nov. 1980. Madagascar: MNHN 1987-1226 (3, 337–458), 23°36'3.6"S, 43°32'2.4"E, 250 m, 28 Feb. 1973. MNHN 1987-1227 (2, partly dry), 25°2'6"S, 47°5'6"E, 65– 60 m, 4 Mar. 1973. Solomon Islands: MNHN 2002- 3921 (1, 364), 9°31'58.8''S. 160°37'1.2"E, 2 Oct. 2001.

Diagnosis. Pectoral fin present; dorsal-fin origin slightly anterior to pectoral-fin base, predorsal length 10.7– 13.1% TL; anus anterior, below tip of pectoral fin, preanal length 15.9–18.9% TL; trunk very short, 2.8–5.5% TL; two intermaxillary teeth; 4 compound teeth on vomer; single row of 9–11 large compound teeth on lower jaw; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 3–6, prepectoral 6–9, preanal 8–12, total 57–75, the last at posterior two-thirds of total length; MVF 8-14-124, total vertebrae 119–128 (119–130 in Robins & Robins, 1989).

Body light brown to blackish dorsally, paler ventrally. Dorsal fin and most part of anal fin white; posterior margin of anal fin with black and white color. Caudal fin black with upper margin white.

Distribution. Widespread in the Indo-west Pacific and Atlantic oceans, although the taxonomic status of the various geographic populations is still to be determined. In Taiwan, it is the most abundant species of Dysomma and can be collected by bottom and midwater trawls from near the surface (<50 m) to as deep as 600 m.