Stolephorus lotus is distinguished from related anchovies by its scales and the position of its anal fin.
The new species belongs to the anchovy family and shares several traits with two other species, including a long maxilla, an indented rear edge of the preopercle and specific counts of anal-fin rays and lower gill rakers.
Stolephorus lotus differs in having 37–39 scale rows along the body and 20 or 21 predorsal scales. Its anal fin also begins farther forward, below the sixth to eighth dorsal-fin rays rather than below the eighth to tenth rays seen in the other two species.
The researchers describe Stolephorus lotus as a new anchovy species from Australia’s Northern Territory. It has a long maxilla whose rear tip reaches or extends slightly beyond the back of the opercle, an indented rear preopercular margin, 16–18 branched anal-fin rays and 21–23 lower gill rakers. It lacks a predorsal scute and a pelvic scute spine.
The species differs from the two related species in having 37–39 longitudinal scale rows rather than 35–38, 20 or 21 predorsal scales rather than 17–19, and a more forward anal-fin origin, below the bases of the sixth to eighth dorsal-fin rays rather than the eighth to tenth rays.
The description adds a previously unrecognized species to Australia’s Northern Territory fish diversity. Distinguishing Stolephorus lotus from closely related anchovies provides a clearer basis for identifying and studying these fishes.
This is a species-description study based on physical characteristics and counts of fins, scales and gill rakers, as reported in the abstract. The abstract does not provide sample sizes, genetic evidence, detailed information about the species’ distribution or ecology, or information about how common it is.
PubMed · 2026 · DOI: 10.15468/bmqvms
Authors: Harutaka Hata, Hiroyuki Motomura
Institutions: Kagoshima University, National Museum of Natural History
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