Chaunax russatus Ho, Roberts & Stewart, 2013

Ho, Hsuan-Ching & Ma, Wen-Chun, 2016, Revision of southern African species of the anglerfish genus Chaunax (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4144 (2), pp. 175-194 : 191-192

Chaunax russatus Ho, Roberts & Stewart, 2013

Tables 2 –4

Chaunax russatus Ho, Roberts & Stewart, 2013:105 , figs. 11A–B, 12A–B (type locality: Kaikoura Canyon, 43°0.09'S,

173°53.85'E, New Zealand area, 821–1030 m).

Materials examined. CSIROH.5345-02 (1, 120), 36°35'S, 52°05'E, southwestern Indian Ocean , 835–1110 m, 29 Oct. 1999 . CSIRO H.5849-01 (1, 120), 38°27'S, 47°42'E, South-West Indian Ridge , 656–962 m, 14 Mar. 2001 . SAIAB 7271 (1, 171), 30°32'S, 30°32'E, KwaZulu-Natal, 625–900 m, 10 May 1977 . SAIAB 86432 (1, 114), 28°20.2'S, 45°15.2'E, S of Madagascar, 739–759 m, 2 Sep. 2008 .

Diagnosis. A species in C. abei -species group with 1 pair of spines bridging the lateral-line neuromasts; illicial trough wider than the pupil; gill chamber and gill arches grayish; GRii=14 or 15; and lateral-line neuromasts: BD=2, GH=10–13, BI=32–39. Body uniformly reddish when fresh, sometimes with irregular grayish marks.

Distribution. Known from southern hemisphere off New Zealand, Australia, Mozambique and South Africa. Specimens from southern Africa were collected at depths of 625–1110 m.

Remarks. Ho & Last (2013) reported that this is a trans-Indian Ocean distribution species. This species is widespread in the southern hemisphere off South Africa, Australia (both sides) and New Zealand. It also represents the deepest record of Chaunax in southern Africa.