New species and records of the deep‐sea flatfish genus <i>Samariscus</i> (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes: Samaridae) from New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific, with a revised key to species

Three deep-sea flatfish species of Samariscus (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes: Samaridae) are described based on specimens collected from New Caledonian waters during five deep-sea faunal surveys conducted under the MUSORSTOM Project in 1985 and 1993-1994. Samariscus musorstomi sp. nov., described based on 11 specimens, differs from other congeners by a combination of the following characters: dorsal-fin rays 77-81; anal-fin rays 59-63; pectoral-fin rays 5 (rarely 6); lateral line scales 76-82; caudal vertebrae 31-33; blind-side nostrils 2; upper jaw extending posteriorly below anterior 1/3 of lower eye; anterior tip of premaxilla below a line between the opercle posterior edge and lower eye upper margin; pectoral fin not reaching the middle of the body; ocelli and small ring-like spots absent on the ocular-side head and body; pectoral fin with several dark cross bands; and unpaired fins black distally. Samariscus luzonensis and Samariscus sunieri are recorded for the first time from New Caledonia, the former, the first report from the Southern Hemisphere and regarded herein as a senior synonym of Samariscus asanoi, being found to have more dorsal- and anal-fin rays, caudal vertebrae and blind-side nostrils, and greater body depth and caudal-fin length than found in the most closely related species Samariscus xenicus. A revised key to species of Samariscus is provided, with comments on several diagnostic characters for each.