A Review Of The Genusstrophidon(Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), With Description Of A New Species

StrophidonMcClelland is a muraenid genus with characteristic appearance of a very elongated body, a large mouth cleft and anteriorly placed eyes. The nomenclature and taxonomic history of species withinStrophidonare contentious and its members are easily misidentified. In the present study, species of the genusStrophidonare revised based on morphological and molecular data, and five species are considered valid, includingS. dawydoffiProkofiev,S. dorsalis(Seale),S. sathete(Hamilton),S. uiTanaka and a new species,S. tetraporus.Strophidon tetraporussp. nov.is described based on 15 specimens from Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam with the unique characteristic of the constant presence of the fourth infraorbital pore among species ofStrophidon. The intraspecific variation of vertebral formula withinS. dorsalisis discussed based on molecular data.Muraena macrurusBleeker andThyrsoidea longissimaKaup are synonyms ofS. sathetethat can be distinguished from the most similar congenerS. uiby a longer tail, smaller eyes and more inner maxillary and inner dentary teeth. A key to identify species ofStrophidonis provided. The distribution and maximum size of each species are also re-evaluated.