Neobythites ocellatus Günther 1887

Nielsen, Jørgen G., Uiblein, Franz & Mincarone, Michael M., 2009, Ocellus-bearing Neobythites species (Teleostei: Ophidiidae) from the West Atlantic with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2228, pp. 57-68 : 63-66

Neobythites ocellatus Günther 1887

( Figs. 1 , 6–7 )

Neobythites ocellatus Günther 1887: 103 , pl. XXI, fig. B (type locality off Pernambuco, 9°05'S, 34°50'W). Neobythites gilli (in part): Goode and Bean 1896: 103 ( N. ocellatus was treated as a junior synonym of N. gilli , an

incorrect view which was followed by most subsequent ichthyologists); Miranda Ribeiro 1915: 632. Neobythites ocellatus: Nielsen 1999: 346 (except for the holotype of N. ocellatus all specimens belong to a new species

described in the present paper); Mincarone et al. 2008: 54, fig. 3 O.

Neobythites sp.: Mincarone et al. 2008: 54 , fig. 3P.

*often so bleached that it is difficult to decide whether it is a spot or an ocellus-spot.

Material examined. 18 specimens, SL 66–147 mm. Holotype: BMNH 1887.12.7.43, Ƥ, 86 mm SL, off Pernambuco, 9°05’S, 34°50’W, RV CHALLENGER st. 122, bottom trawl, 641 m, 10 Sep. 1873. Non-types: MOVI 39138, 39140-39142 and 39185, 5Ƥ(66–120 mm), 13°22.057’S, 38°40.204’W – 13°19.472’S, 38°38.035’W, RV THALASSA st. E500, bottom trawl, 360–433 m, 8 Jun. 2000. MOVI 38801, 13(117 mm), 14°28.971’S, 38°54.004’W – 14°25.696’S, 38°53.870’W, RV THALASSA st. E504, bottom trawl, 278 m, 10 Jun. 2000. MOVI 39146, 39148-39153, 7Ƥ(114–147 mm) and ZMUC P771669, 1Ƥ(121 mm), 15°42.675’S, 38°37.298’W – 15°44.231’S, 38°39.196’W, RV THALASSA st. E511, bottom trawl, 233–294 m, 12 Jun. 2000. MOVI 38798-38799, 13 and 1Ƥ(108–113 mm) and ZMUC P771668, 1Ƥ(127 mm), 13°08.894’S, 38°28.687'W – 13°07.255'S, 38°26.235'W, RV THALASSA st. E516, bottom trawl, 317–416 m, 19 Jun. 2000.

Diagnosis. Neobythites ocellatus differs from all other Atlantic Neobythites species by the position of the two ocelli on the dorsal fin, an anterior ocellus (snout to ocellus-spot 28–30 % SL covering 5–7 rays) and a central ocellus (snout to ocellus-spot 45–50 % SL covering 8–11 rays), in eight specimens followed by a faint, brown spot (snout to spot 64–69 % SL covering 3–6 rays) and by the following combination of characters: preopercular spine absent or thin and flat, dorsal fin rays 96–100, anal fin rays 81–85, and vertebrae 56–58.

Similarity. Neobythites ocellatus is most similar to N. multiocellatus . See the remarks in "Similarity" under N. multiocellatus and in Table 3 .

*often so bleached that it is difficult to decide whether it is a spot or an ocellus-spot.

Description. The principal meristic and morphometric characters are given in Tables 2–4. Elongate fish with an indistinct lateral line. Head and body covered by small, overlapping, cycloid scales. Origin of dorsal fin above pectoral fin base, anal fin origin well in front of midpoint of fish and pelvic fin not reaching anus. Snout blunt equal in length to horizontal eye window. Maxilla ends well posterior to eye. Teeth small and granular somewhat larger in palatines and vomer. Two median basibranchial tooth patches, the anterior narrow and long and the posterior small and round. Anterior nostril ending in a tube and the larger posterior nostril with a low rim. Posterior margin of preopercle with a broad, flat spine and opercular spine strong and straight. Anterior gill arch with 1–3 small knobs and 4–5 long rakers on upper branch, one long raker in the angle, and lower branch with 8–10 long rakers (total long rakers 14–16) and 3–7 small knobs. Pseudobranchial filaments 3–4.

Sagittal otolith ( Fig. 7 ): The oval sagitta is moderately compressed, 1.5 times as long as high. The anterior tip is rounded and the posterior more pointed. The divided sulcus is 0.8 the length of the sagitta. With the ostium twice the length of the cauda. Osteal channel not developed.

Axial skeleton (from radiographs): All neural and haemal spines with pointed tips. Anterior neural spine half the length of second spine. Vertebrae 3–8 with depressed neural spines. Base of neural spines 4–10 enlarged. Parapophyses on posterior six precaudal vertebrae. Pleural ribs on precaudal vertebrae 3–12 and epipleural ribs indistinct.

Coloration: The following is based on material preserved for eight years. Body and head generally light brownish with head and dorsal part of sides mottled darker brown. Oral and branchial cavities brown, eyes and peritoneum blue and area around anus black. The dorsal fin has an anterior ocellus covering 5–7 rays and a central ocellus covering 8–11 rays. In eight specimens the central ocellus is followed by a small, brown spot covering 3–6 rays. A few specimens have 1–3 faint, small, dark spots on the anal fin.

Distribution. Neobythites ocellatus is known from five closely situated localities off northeastern Brazil, from Pernambuco to Bahia, at depths from 233–641 m ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Records of ocellus-bearing Neobythites species in the West Atlantic. The numbers indicate the number of neighbouring stations.

FIGURE 6. Neobythites ocellatus, 147 mm SL, MOVI 39146.

FIGURE 7. Neobythites ocellatus, 127 mm SL, MOVI 38800. Right sagitta: A—Median view, B—Anterior view, C— Dorsal view.

Tables

TABLE 3. Position of ocelli on the dorsal fin of West Atlantic Neobythites species shown as percentage of standard length. Average values in parenthesis; number of specimens examined in square brackets.

Snout to anterior ocellus-spot	N. gilli Gulf of Mexico 173 spms.	N. ocellatus off Brazil HT + 17 spms. 28–31 (28.8) [18]	N. monocellatus off N and NE South America 71 spms.	N. multiocellatus Caribbean Sea to Atl. Florida HT + 58 PTs
Snout to central ocellus-spot	41–49 (44.7) [161]	45–50 (47.1) [18]	41–51 (46.6) [71]	43–49 (45.9) [59]
Snout to1st posterior ocellus-spot	59–67 (63.0) [124]			61–67 (63.8) [59]
Snout to 2nd posterior ocellus-spot				73–79 (77.8) [59]
Snout to 3rd posterior ocellus-spot or spot				79–87 (84.5) [9]*