Astronesthes atlantica Parin & Borodulina, 1996

Villarins, Bárbara T., Dario, Fabio Di, Eduardo, Leandro N., Lucena-Frédou, Flávia, Bertrand, Arnaud, Prokofiev, Artem M. & Mincarone, Michael M., 2022, Deep-sea dragonfishes (Teleostei: Stomiiformes) collected from off northeastern Brazil, with a review of the species reported from the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, Neotropical Ichthyology (e 220004) 20 (2), pp. 1-78 : 31

Astronesthes atlantica Parin & Borodulina, 1996

( Fig. 8A )

Diagnosis. Astronesthes atlantica differs from congeners by the low counts of widely spaced photophores in the IC (26–28) and OA (13–14; usually 13) series; AC 7–8; IP and PV in a straight line; last photophore of VAL behind anal-fin origin and last VAV; 14–17 dorsal-fin rays; 13–15 anal-fin rays; 7–8 pectoral-fin rays (Parin, Borodulina, 1996; Sutton et al., 2020).

Geographical distribution. Tropical and subtropical portions of the Atlantic Ocean, between 35ºN and 40ºS (Parin, Borodulina, 1996; Harold, 2003; Sutton et al., 2020). In the western Atlantic, the species is reported from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and off French Guiana and Brazil (Parin, Borodulina, 1996). In Brazilian waters, the species was reported off Saint Peter and Saint Paul and Trindade and Martin Vaz archipelagos, with additional records outside the Brazilian EEZ in the western Atlantic (Parin, Borodulina, 1996; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018; Sutton et al., 2020). Astronesthes atlantica is reported here based on specimens collected off the Rocas Atoll, between depths of 90 and 525 m ( Fig. 7B ).

Specimens examined. 2 (31–32 mm SL): NPM 4019, 1 (32 mm), AB1#22; NPM 4824, 1 (31 mm), AB2#49B.

Figures

FIGURE 7 | Records of species of Phosichthyidae (A), Astronesthinae (B, C), Chauliodontinae (D), Stomiinae (E), and Malacosteinae (F) collected during the ABRACOS expeditions off northeastern Brazil. Oceanic islands: RA, Rocas Atoll; FN, Fernando de Noronha Archipelago.

FIGURE 8 | A. Astronesthes atlantica, NPM 4019, 32 mm SL; B. Astronesthes gemmifer, NPM 4799, 146 mm SL; C. Astronesthes gudrunae, NPM 4802, 111 mm SL; D. Astronesthes richardsoni, NPM 3194, 71 mm SL; E. Astronesthes similus, NPM 4811, 75 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.