A new species of anchovy, Encrasicholina auster (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) from Fiji, southwestern Pacific Ocean

Encrasicholina auster sp. nov. (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) is described on the basis of six specimens collected from Fiji, southwestern Pacific Ocean. The new species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: long upper jaw (posterior tip extending beyond posterior margin of preopercle) 20.8%-22.5% standard length (SL); long lower jaw 19.0%-20.7% SL; long head 29.1%-29.2% SL; three unbranched rays in the dorsal and anal fins; transverse scales 11; branched pectoral-fin rays 12-13; pseudobranchial filaments 19-21; gill rakers 45-49, 40-43, 26-31 and 22-25 on the first, second, third and fourth gill arches, respectively.