Paraphyonus bolini (Nielsen, 1974)

Nielsen, Jørgen G., Pogonoski, John J. & Appleyard, Sharon A., 2019, Aphyonid-clade species of Australia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with four species new to Australian waters and a new species of Barathronus, Zootaxa 4564 (2), pp. 554-572 : 566-567

Paraphyonus bolini (Nielsen, 1974)

Table 1, Figs. 1 , 11

Aphyonus bolini Nielsen, 1974: 179 (type locality 15°38’N, 111°54’E).

Paraphyonus bolini: Nielsen 2015: 329 .

Material examined. (6 specimens, 101–155 mm SL) NMV A 31819-002 , male, 129 mm SL, off Newcastle , NSW, 33°26.10’S, 152°39.90’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_VO3/065, beam trawl, 4173–4280 m, 30 May 2017 . CSIRO H 8125-03 (GenBank Accession MH 491990 ), female, 145 mm SL, Hunter Commonwealth Marine Reserve , NSW, 32°08.28’S, 153°31.62’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_ V03 /078, beam trawl, 3980–4029 m, 4 June 2017. NMV A 31832-001 , male, 155 mm SL, off Byron Bay , NSW, 28°21.30’S, 154°38.16’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_VO3/ 0 97, beam trawl, 3762–3803 m, 8 June 2017 . CSIRO H 8129-02 (GenBank Accession MH 491991 ), female, 124 mm SL, off Byron Bay , NSW, 28°22.26’S, 154°38.92’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_ V03 /099, beam trawl, 3825– 3754 m, 9 June 2017. NMV A 31836-003 , female, 126 mm SL, east of Moreton Bay , Qld, 27°00.47’S, 154°13.89’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_VO3/102, beam trawl, 4264–4274 m, 10 June 2017 . NMV A 31838 - 0 0 2, male, 101 mm SL, off Fraser Island , Qld, 25°15.18’S, 154°11.52’E , RV Investigator , st. IN2017_VO3/109, beam trawl, 4005–4006 m, 11 June 2017 .

Diagnosis. Paraphyonus bolini differs from the other species in the genus by the following combination of characters: long rakers on anterior gill arch 11–15, number of pectoral fin rays 13–17, anterior anal fin ray below dorsal fin ray 14–19, dorsal fin origin above vertebra 18–22, precaudal vertebrae 26–30, preanal length 49.5–60 % SL; no black pigmentation laterally in roof of mouth.

Size. The largest known specimen (155 mm SL) is a ripe male.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 ). The present six specimens were caught off NSW and southern Qld at depths of 3754– 4280 m. The six earlier known specimens are from off Madagascar, South China Sea and off Vanuatu at depths of 1075–1300 m.

Remarks. The comparison ( Table 1) between the present six specimens and the six earlier known specimens (Nielsen 2015: 332) shows full agreement in all meristic characters. In morphometric characters there is a variation in preanal length, base of pelvic fin to anal fin and head length and furthermore, the Australian specimens occur deeper than the non-Australian specimens (3754–4280 m vs 1075–1300 m). However, we do not consider the differences enough to justify establishing of a new species. Nielsen (2015: 332) considered a specimen as tentatively identified to P. bolini based on differences in number of vertebrae and rays in dorsal and anal fins. However, the Australian material levels out these differences.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Records of aphyonid-clade species in Australian waters including the non-Australian paratypes of Barathronus algrahami n. sp. Some symbols represent more than one specimen (Image © NASA, TerraMetrics, Google Earth).

FIGURE 11. Paraphyonus bolini, NMV A 31819-002, 129 mm SL (Image: CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection).