Abstract: A new species of Cryptocentrus Ehrenberg collected from the coastof China is described in this paper. A key to Cryptocentrus for the Known speciesin China is presented. The description of the new species is as follows: Cryptocentrus cephalotaenius Ni, sp. nov. (Attached fig.) D. Ⅵ, Ⅰ-18-19; A. Ⅰ-18-20; P. 19; Ⅴ. Ⅰ-5. L. 1.121-128: L. tr. 30-33; predor-sal without scales. Depth 5.7-6.5 in length, head 4.1-4.2. Snout 4.5-5.0 in head, eye 4.3-4.6. This new species resembles to the Cryptocentrus gymnocephalus (Bleeker) re-corded from Indonesia (Djakarta), India(Madras, Mergui Archipelapo), Thailand(Koh Sichang) and China (Hongkong), but differs from the latter in having twoblack streaks behind eye (vs. without); five transverse bands on the side of body(vs. three ones); with purple, red and black three longitudinal bands on the cen-tral part of anal fin(vs. red and blue two ones); ventral fin shorter than head (vs.longer); head 1.3-1.5 in the length of caudal fin (vs. about 2). Holotype No. 65-0998, length without caudal 96 mm.Allotype No. 65-0550, length without caudal 97.5 mm,Paratypess No. 65-0799, length 89mm, and No. 65-0999. length 91mm, All specimens collected from Maling, Sanya city, Hainan Province, on December 4, 1965. Holotype and allotype are kept in East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute. Paratypes are kept in Shanghai Fisheries University.