Lanternbellies (family Acropomatidae) are known for their ventral luminous organs. The family comprises 31 species from seven genera throughout the world. Out of seven genera, the genus Acropoma contains five valid species, all occurring in the Indo-Pacific area, of which only Acropoma japonicum was reported previously from Indian waters. The present paper reports the first ever sighting of Acropoma argentistigma caught off the east coast of India around the Digha coast in West Bengal. The species was earlier reported to be distributed in the Andaman Sea only. The report of Acropoma argentistigma in the area further enriches the ichthyofauna of the area and points to the need for further detailed studies for conservation initiatives with respect to such rare fishes.

Cymbastela sodwaniensis sp. nov. (order Halichondrida: family Axinellidae) is described from the subtropical waters of Sodwana Bay on the north-east coast of South Africa. The genus was previously unknown from southern Africa or the western and eastern parts of the Indian Ocean. This record represents the westernmost extent of this predominantly Indo-Pacific to Australasian genus. This new species record brings the number of Cymbastela species described to a total of nine.