New distributional record for Siganus vermiculatus (Valenciennes 1835) from the veraval fishing landing centre along northwest coast of India

A new distributional record of vermiculated spinefoot, Siganus vermiculatus (Valenciennes, 1835), belonging to the family Siganidae, for the first time from the northwest coast of India at Veraval fish landing centre (20°54'03" N°70 22' 10" E) in Gir-Somnath district of the state of Gujarat on 23 March 2022. The morphometric and meristic characters of the specimen were measured using standard taxonomic keys. Further, DNA barcoding was carried out for the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from the tissues of the holotype specimen and phylogenetic studies using neighbor joining tree construction were done to ascertain the relationship and similarity with the specimens of the same species barcoded in the other places of southern India, and authentication of the specimens to S. vermiculatus was done. The species is reported from 900 km north of the previous nearest reported location.