Careproctus pseudoprofundicola Andriashev & Stein 1998

Stein, David L., 2012, Snailfishes (Family Liparidae) of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, and Closely Adjacent Waters 3285, Zootaxa 3285, pp. 1-120 : 18-21

Careproctus pseudoprofundicola Andriashev & Stein 1998

Figs. 10, 11

Careproctus pseudoprofundicola Andriashev & Stein 1998:43 , Fig. 24; Andriashev 2003:169, Figs. 87, 88.

Holotype. LACM 11142–3 , male,> 110 mm TL, 102 mm SL, 75°52' S, 169°53' W, USNS Eltanin, Stn. 2091, 3 Feb. 1968, 2049– 2089 m.

Material examined. Holotype.

Expanded diagnosis. Counts. V 58 (10+48), D 52, A 46, C 10 (1+4/5), P 21 (12+4+5), radials 2 (1+0+0+1), pc absent, pores 2–6–7–1. Ratios. HL 25.0, HW 17.6, sn 5.8, E 4.7, go 11.3, md 8.8, disk 6.9, da 1.0, bd ~20–21, preD 27.8, preA 36.7, ma 16.2, aAf 17.2, UPL 30.4, LPL ~24. In % HL: HW 80.6, sn 23.3, E 19.0, go 43.4, disk 27.7, ma 68.8, da 5.5, preD 112.2, aAf 69.6, UPL 124.5.

mm

58

,

)

1991

–

43

ISH formerly

(

50284

ZIN 1 –.

.

view

11142

ventral

.

LACM

c

; as

view labeled

lateral a

.

,

SL

incorrectly

mm, 22

63

.

, Fig

1991 1998:

–

64

ISH Stein

. & 1992 Duhamel Andriashev from polarsterni . All 655 Careproctus ZIN girdle

8

.

pectoral FIGURE SL b.,

Head small, bulbous, its depth slightly greater than its width. Snout blunt, almost vertical. Nostril short, tubular. Mouth terminal, oblique, upper jaw extending to below rear margin of eye, oral cleft to below mid-eye. Teeth simple, small, in short rows of 2–3 teeth each, forming narrow bands; premaxillary symphyseal gap present, mandibular symphyseal gap absent. Gill opening long, about 40% head, distinctly oblique, supported by almost straight opercle. Opercle rod-like, directed nearly vertically down, its end almost at level of oral cleft. Disk small, flat, anus just posterior to it. Pectoral fin low, much longer than head, of 21 (12+4+5) rays, deeply notched, rudimentary rays absent; origin of uppermost ray about on horizontal with posterior of oral cleft and below posterior edge of preopercle rather than behind it as usual, insertion of lowest ray below anterior of eye. Radials 2 (1+0+0+1), small, round; scapular helve long, coracoid with basal notch. Predorsal length less than 1/3 SL; two free interneurals present anterior to dorsal fin. Pleural ribs absent. Deciduous prickles present, leaving small pits in skin when lost. Hypural plate single, unslit. Pyloric caeca absent. Anteriorly, skin dark dusky with lighter mottling, gill cavity dusky, peritoneum black, stomach pale.

Distribution. The only known specimen was caught in the northeastern Ross Sea at 2049–2089 m.

Comparisons. The distinctive characters of C. pseudoprofundicola are the very low position of the pectoral fin, greatly oblique gill opening and almost vertical orientation of the long rod-like opercle, and the suprabranchial pore far above the gill opening. It is very similar to C. profundicola Duhamel 1992 , but differs in number of vertebrae (58 vs 52), number of dorsal and anal fin rays (52, 46 vs 47, 41), larger mouth (extending to below rear edge of eye vs to anterior edge), pyloric caeca (absent vs 12), and other characters. It is also similar to C. rimiventris Andriashev & Stein 1998 from the Scotia Ridge, from which it differs in pectoral fin position (about even with oral cleft vs distinctly below it), pyloric caeca (absent vs 16 present), caudal rays (10 vs 9), and gill opening (oblique, behind preopercle vs almost horizontal, below preopercle).

.

Fig

:

1998

,

Stein

&

Andriashev

From

.

SL

mm

102

,

3

–

11142

LACM

,

Holotype

.

1998

Stein.

& view Andriashev. c ventral; pseudoprofundicola ZIN 666 girdle, N Careproctus ; view. b pectoral.

10 lateral FIGURE a 24;.