Himantolophus sp.

(Figs. 1B, 2)

Geographical distribution. A total of 13 larvae and juvenile specimens were collected off Rio Grande do Norte State, the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Rocas Atoll, and the seamounts off Rio Grande do Norte State, between 35 and 1,113 m (Fig. 2).

Remarks. Due to the immature nature of the specimens collected in this study, identification was possible only to genus. It is also possible that those specimens represent more than one species. Himantolophus currently includes 20 species distributed among five species groups, with representatives of all groups occurring in the Atlantic Ocean (Bertelsen, Krefft, 1988; Pietsch, 2009; Stewart, Pietsch, 2010; Pietsch, Kenaley, 2011; Fricke et al., 2021). Two species of Himantolophus were previously reported in Brazilian waters: Himantolophus macroceras Bertelsen & Krefft, 1988, known from five specimens reported from the central Atlantic, including one collected off Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (MCZ 58177, 0º10’N 27º30’W; Bertelsen, Krefft, 1988); and Himantolophus groenlandicus Reinhardt, 1837, widely distributed in the Atlantic, with one specimen reported off Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (MCZ 49841, 1º02’N 29º04’W; Bertelsen, Krefft, 1988; Fig. 2). A third species, Himantolophus paucifilosus Bertelsen & Krefft, 1988, might also occur off Brazil (Melo et al., 2020; see Discussion).

Material examined. NPM 3840, 1, 9.5 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB1/5, 4°05’23.9”S 32°10’49.0”W to 4°04’33.4”S 32°11’53.1”W, 85 m, 2 Oct 2015, 21:18–22:48 h; NPM 3841, 3, 8.5–13 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB1/12, 3°56’19.0”S 33°30’39.2”W to 3°56’35.8”S 33°32’00.3”W, 130 m, 5 Oct 2015, 21:24–21:54 h; NPM 4959, 1, 37 mm (Fig. 1B), RV Antea, sta. AB2/39, 4°52’26.9”S 34°35’22.9”W to 4°50’52.8”S 34°51’04.7”W, 650–800 m, 24 Apr 2017, 21:49–22:37 h; NPM 4961, 1, 24 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/42A, 3°15’28.1”S 31°48’29.1”W to 3°15’27.8”S 31°50’40.6”W, 780 m, 27 Apr 2017, 12:23– 12:26 h; NPM 4964, 1, 21 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/44A, 3°52’52.5”S 32°17’33.3”W to 3°52’13.4”S 32°16’28.0”W, 850 m, 28 Apr 2017, 12:44–13:17 h; NPM 4968, 1, 24 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/49A, 4°10’38.1”S 33°16’07.4”W to 4°10’58.0”S 33°15’03.8”W, 770–1020 m, 30 Apr 2017, 21:17–21:52 h; NPM 4973, 1, 19 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/53A, 3°48’58.7”S 33°59’17.1”W to 3°50’05.8”S 33°58’46.5”W, 610 m, 2 May 2017, 22:08–22:40 h; NPM 4982, 1, 29 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/59A, 3°38’01.6”S 36°31’46.3”W to 3°38’36.1”S 36°17’49.7”W, 700–1113 m, 5 May 2017, 21:57–22:37 h; NPM 4984, 1, 30 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB2/59A, 3°38’01.6”S 36°31’46.3”W to 3°38’36.1”S 36°17’49.7”W, 700–1113 m, 5 May 2017, 21:57–22:37 h; NPM 5221, 1, 18 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB1/4, 3°54’29.9”S 32°20’24.8”W to 3°53’19.3”S 32°19’26.3”W, 90 m, 2 Oct 2015, 14:00–14:30 h; NPM 5223, 1, 50 mm, RV Antea, sta. AB1/23, 5°08’36.7”S 34°42’48.5”W to 5°08’02.8”S 34°44’40.4”W, 35–100 m, 9 Oct 2015, 10:35–11:20 h.