Parmaturus Garman

Bernard Séret & Peter R. Last, 2007, Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia., Zootaxa 1657, pp. 23-39 : 38

[[ Genus Parmaturus Garman ]]

Discussion

Compagno et al. (2005) mention that the New Zealand species P. macmillani also occurs on the submarine ridge south of Madagascar. An examination of CSIRO material collected from the Madagascar Ridge caused the present authors to consider that another two new Parmaturus species occur in this area: a catshark with small denticles and beige coloration, the other species with larger denticles, a dark brown body, and a dark brown ventral snout. Similarly, unidentified material from New Zealand, sent to the authors by Andrew Stewart(NMNZ), represent two new large species (ca 100 cm TL) that both have very rough denticles. These undescribed species will be the subject of future manuscripts and are not included in the following key to Indo-West Pacific species.

Key to Indo-West Pacific Parmaturus species

1a Head not depressed, head height subequal to head width.......................... P. bigus sp. nov. (NE Australia)

b Head conspicuously depressed, head height about half head width...........................................................2

2a Caudal crests without enlarged denticles....................................................................................................3

b Caudal crests with enlarged denticles, 2-4 times longer than those on flanks............................................4

3a Head shorter than abdomen (head length/pectoral-pelvic space about 0.8); about 130 tooth rows ............. .......................................................................................................... P. albipenis sp. nov. (New Caledonia)

b Head longer than abdomen (head length/pectoral-pelvic space about 1.2); about 90 tooth rows................. ....................................................................................................................... P. lanatus sp. nov. (Indonesia)

4a Head much shorter than abdomen...............................................................................................................5

b Head longer than abdomen..................................................................... P. melanobranchus (China, Japan)

5a First dorsal-fin origin before mid-length of body (pre-first dorsal length <50 % TL) ..............................6

b First dorsal-fin origin after mid-length of body (pre-first dorsal length about 51 % TL)............................. ................................................................................................. P. albimarginatus sp. nov. (New Caledonia)

6a Pectoral-pelvic length short (about 21% TL) ........................................................ P. pilosus (China, Japan)

b Pectoral-pelvic length long (about 29% TL).................................................. P. macmillani (New Zealand)