First record of the Indo-Pacific shorttail conger <i>Coloconger scholesi</i> Chan 1967 (Anguilliformes: Colocongridae) from the Arabian Sea slope of western India

Abstract Eels of the congrid genus Coloconger are rare and poorly known for their distributions. This study reports on the collection of the Indo-west Pacific short tail conger Coloconger scholesi Chan 1967 from Indian waters of the Arabian sea for the first time based on a single specimen collected from the deep waters off Kollam, Kerala and provides an additional report about Anguilliformes of India. Previously a single species of the genus Coloconger raniceps Alcock 1889 has been reported from Indian waters up to now. This study adds details about another Coloconger species, C. scholesi , a photograph of the specimen in fresh condition is provided, and comparison with its co-occurring in Indian waters congener C. raniceps is included.