A New Species of Soleichtys (Soleidae: Pleuronectiformes) from Tropical Seas off Northern Australia

Soleichthys maculosus , described from six specimens collected in shallow waters (37–63 m) off northern Australia, is readily distinguished from congeners by its unique ocular-side pigmentation featuring numerous, conspicuous white spots and blotches nearly as large as the eye diameter on a uniformly dark brown background without any crossbands, and in having two elongated, ocular-side pectoral-fin rays, with the second dorsalmost ray longer than the first, and without scales on the pectoral-fin rays.  Soleichthys maculosus  is most similar to  S. siammakuti , a poorly-known species collected in the Gulf of Thailand, but differs from  S. siammakuti  in having the second dorsalmost ocular-side pectoral-fin ray longer than the first (vs. first ocular-side pectoral-fin ray longer in  S. siammakuti ), and in having different ocular-side pigmentation than that of  S. siammakuti , which features yellow spots on dorsal and anal fins, two conspicuous white spots arranged in longitudinal series on the lateral line, and also a series of nine, light brown crossbands on a dark brown body.