Chaunax flammeus Le Danois, 1979

Ho, Hsuan-Ching & Ma, Wen-Chun, 2016, Revision of southern African species of the anglerfish genus Chaunax (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 4144 (2), pp. 175-194 : 190-191

Chaunax flammeus Le Danois, 1979

Tables 2 –4

Chaunax umbrinus flammeus Le Danois, 1979:17 , figs. 6–8 (type locality: North of Madagascar, 12°49'1.2"S, 48°4'58.8"E, 760–810 m).

Chaunax flammeus Le Danois, 1979 : Ho & Last, 2013:444.

Material examined. MNHN 1977-0047 (95.7), holotype, 12°49'1.2"S, 48°4'58.8"E, 760–810 m, 14 Sep. 1977.

Diagnosis. A species in the C. fimbriatus species group with cirri on supraocular membrane; uniformly creamy white when preserved; GRii=9; and lateral-line neuromasts: BD=2, GH=10, BI= 31. Color when fresh pinkish with yellow markings (Le Danios, 1979).

Distribution. Known only from the holotype collected from the western Indian Ocean off northern Madagascar at depth 760– 810 m.

Remarks. Le Danios (1979) described the species from only one specimen. There are, however, many specimens collected in the same time as the holotype and were later identified as C. flammeus . Examination on these specimens revealed at least four species, C. atimovatae , C. heemstraorum , C. apus and C. hollemani . In his drawing Le Danios (1979) clearly showed cirri on top of the head, an important character which places the species to the C. fimbriatus species group, and is thus the third species that can be ascribed to the group (subsequent to C. fimbriatus and C. umbrinus ) ( Ho & Last, 2013).

It is should be noted that with large number of specimens collected around Madagascar was examined by us, none could be ascribed to C. flammeus which may suggest that the species has a relatively narrow distribution in the deep water of northern Madagascar.