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This study examines the distribution of the red scorpionfish, Scorpaena scrofa Linnaeus, 1758, in the Red Sea, in order to get a better picture of the distribution and dispersal of this species. The species is recorded for the first time from the Gulf of Aqaba, based on a specimen collected off Eilat, Israel at a depth of 400 m. This finding also confirms the occurrence of the species in the Red Sea and links up with a recent record from Saya de Malha Bank, western Indian Ocean.

The flashlight fishes of the genus Photoblepharon (Family: Anomalopidae) are herein reviewed, in order to clarify their taxonomy. The genus includes two species Photoblepharon palpebratum (Boddaert, 1781) from the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean and Photoblepharon steinitzi Abe et Haneda, 1973 from the Red Sea, Oman, and western Indian Ocean. The study was initiated because the holotype of P. steinitzi was lost. Neotypes for these two species are designated due to the loss of the type specimens of both species and problems with the identity of the two species. A key for these species is provided. Several biological, ecological and other uses of the light organ are given for P. steinitzi from the Gulf of Aqaba. Observations in nature and experiments in the aquarium are described.

The spiny pufferfish, Tylerius spinosissimus (Regan, 1908), is recorded for the first time from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, based on a specimen collected off Eilat, Israel at a depth of 350–400 m. This finding also confirms the occurrence of the species in the Red Sea which was previously based on an unsubstantiated record.

The Mozambique scorpionfish, Parascorpaena mossambica (Peters, 1855), is recorded for the first time from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, based on a specimen collected at the north beach of Eilat, Israel at a depth of 10 m. This finding also confirms the occurrence of the species in the Red Sea which was previously based on a doubtful record.

A single specimen of a sub-adult specimen of the Atlantic species, Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch et Schneider, 1801, was collected in the Mediterranean coast of Israel. This collection was the first confirmed record of this species in the Mediterranean since hitherto it was known from this region only by a single underwater photograph from Cyprus. We postulate that this species may be considered as having established a population in this region.

The toothy goby, Pleurosicya mossambica Smith, 1959, is recorded for the first time from Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba. The status of Pleurosicya sinaia Goren, 1984 is discussed; that nominal species is treated as a junior synonym of P. mossambica.

The Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858, was recorded for the first time from the southeastern Mediterranean near Tel-Aviv, Israel on 17 May 2013. This eastern Atlantic species is rare in the western Mediterranean, but now also documented from the southeastern Mediterranean.

The cutthroat eel Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is described based on a single specimen collected in a trammel net at a depth of 350m off Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new species belongs to the Dysomma anguillare species complex, which comprises species possessing a well-developed pectoral fin, intermaxillary teeth, a uniserial row of 7-15 large compound teeth in the lower jaw (which may be followed by a few smaller teeth), and an anteriorly situated anus with the trunk shorter than the head length. It is characterised by a combination of the following characters: origin of the dorsal fin well anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, predorsal length 13.8% TL; preanal length 22.8% TL; three compound teeth on the vomer; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 4, prepectoral 8, preanal 14, total 57-58, the last at the posterior two-thirds of the total length; MVF 7-16-115; total vertebrae 115. Dysomma alticorpus n. sp. is compared with other species of the genus. A revised key to the species of the genera Dysomma and Dysommina is provided., (Copyright © 2018 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)