A NEW SPECIES OF DEEP-WATER FLATHEAD, BEMBRAS-ADENENSIS (SCORPAENIFORMES, BEMBRIDAE) FROM THE WESTERN INDIAN-OCEAN

A new bembrid, Bembras adenensis, is described on the basis of specime ns collected from the Gulf of Aden, western Indian Ocean. This species is easily distinguished from B. japonica, the only known congener of the genus, by the following combination of characters: larger orbital diameter, longer head length, pectoral-fin with a small black blotch n ear tip of upper rays, 3 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 19 pectoral-f in rays, and 15 anal-fin rays (vs. smaller orbital diameter, shorter h ead length, pectoral-fin with several small spots forming irregular ba nds, 2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, usually 17 pectoral-fin rays, a nd 14 anal-fin rays in B. japonica).