Revision of southern African species of the anglerfish genus Chaunax (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae), with descriptions of three new species
Ho, Hsuan-Ching
Ma, Wen-Chun
Zootaxa
2016
4144
2
175
194
[151,402,359,385]
Actinopterygii
Chaunacidae
Chaunax
Animalia
Lophiiformes
1
176
Chordata
species
atimovatae
sp. nov.
Holotype. SAIAB81724(149), 26°10.2'S, 33°17.6'E, off Mozambique, 505–509 m, 30 Sep. 2007. Paratypes. 13 specimens, 104–211 mmSL. AMS I.28137-006 (2, 108–111), 22°19' 06"S, 43°06' 06"E, NW Tulear, Madagascar, 330–335 m, 2 Dec. 1988. MNHN1977-0030(1, 119), 22°17'10"S, 43°4'1"E, Madagascar, 450 m, 29 Nov. 1973. MNHN1977-0036(1, 105), 12°40'59"S, 48°16'1"E, Madagascar, 314 m, Apr. 1971. SAIAB3306(1, 118), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 238 m, 10 Jan. 1973. SAIAB11484(1, 139), off Natal, KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa, 146 m, 11 Jan. 1973. SAIAB34164(1, 211), Maputo, southern Mozambique, Dec. 1987. SAIAB74601(3, 104–131), 18°2.1'S, 37°37.2'E, Beira, northern Mozambique, 162–200 m, 12 Aug. 2002. SAIAB81904(1, 106), 25°5.5'S, 35°18.4'E, off Mozambique, 347–353 m, 7 Oct. 2007. USNM307534(2, 122–162), 22°19'51"S, 43°06'06"E, northern Tulear, Madagascar, 330–335 m, Vityaz, cr. 17, st. 2644, 2 Dec. 1988.
Non-types(*indicates specimens with meristic data taken). Madagascar: MNHN1977-0023(2, 69.6–82.1), 25°28'59"S, 46°46'1"E, 350–360 m, 30 May 1973. MNHN 1977-0027 (1, 72.8), 23°36'0"S, 43°31'5"E, 395–410 m, 26 Feb. 1973. MNHN 1977-0029 (3, 43.1–111), 22°18'0"S, 43°4'8"E, 400 m, 27 Nov. 1973. MNHN 1977-0033 (2, 35.9–67.8), 18°55'01"S, 43°55'59"E, 250 m, 24 Nov. 1973. MNHN1994-0312(1, 107), 20°57' 0"S, 55°13'59"E, RéunionIsland, 450–580 m, 1 Sep. 1982. MNHN1994-0314(1, 76.4), 20°49' 59"S, 55°34'59"E, RéunionIsland, 605–620 m, 4 Sep. 1982. MNHN 1994-0315 (2, 67.0–131), 20°57'0"S, 55°13'59"E, 300–410 m, 9 Sep. 1982. MNHN 2013-1225 (2, 56.7–83.8), 22°14'6"S, 43°4'5"E, 470–475 m, 2 Dec. 1973. MNHN 2014-1107 (1, 123), 15° 35'8.4"S, 45°41'55.8"E, 197–217 m, 10 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1169 (5, 39.1–71.1), 15°34'45"S, 45°42'30"E, 227–283 m, 10 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1211 (1, 87.6), 15°33'37.2"S, 45°42'5.4"E, 350–580 m, 11 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1264 (2, 31.3–35.2), 14°29'3"S, 47°26'50.4"E, 257– 251 m, 6 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1602 (1, 68.5), MNHN 2014-1628 (1, 37.7), 12°30'16.8"S, 48°23'12"E, 301– 298 m, 27 Jun. 2009. MNHN 2014-1664 (5, 68.8– 101), 15° 34'12.612"S, 45°43'10.812"E, 287–450 m, 10 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1699 (1, 39.5), 14°51'56.4"S, 46°56'34.2"E, 236–297 m, 13 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1719 (1, 95.5), 13°23'31.2"S, 47°58'4.2"E, 3 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1756 (2, 52.6–79.7), 14°29'39.6"S, 47°26'27"E, 379– 332 m, 14 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1764 (1, 87.8), 12°32'7.8"S, 48°12'27"E, 485– 468 m, 27 Jun. 2009. MNHN 2014-1781 (4, 38.7–105), MNHN 2014-1815 (1, 95.4), MNHN 2014-1838 (2, 33.5–60.1), MNHN 2014-1840 (1, 40.9), 14°49'53.4"S, 46°59'9"E, 446– 340 m, 7 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1846 (1, 110), 12°46'18"S, 48°12'48.6"E, 355–380 m, 2 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1855 (3, 31.3–32.7), 14°30'10.8"S, 47°26'35.4"E, 325– 274 m, 6 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1878 (2, 22.0–22.9), 14°48'12"S, 46°59'9"E, 620–637 m, 7 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1900 (1, 69.3), 15°25'4.8"S, 46°0'16.2"E, 313– 274 m, 12 Jul. 2009. MNHN 2014-1962 (2, 38.0–40.0), 12°31'18.6"S, 48°19'33"E, 346–376 m, 27 Jun. 2009. MNHN 2014-2169(1, 79.2), 12°43'15.6"S, 48°13'1.8"E, 442–491 m, 29 Jun. 2009. SAIAB189524(3, 31.5–45.2), 25°28'S, 44°25'E, Sud-Est Pointe Barrow, 203–210 m, 10 May 2010, coll. M. Lee& S. Ribes. SAIAB189525(1, 31.5), 25°03'S, 43°59'E, Sud-Ouest Pointe Barrow, 300–309 m, 11 May 2010, coll. M. Lee& S. Ribes. * USNM307546(2, 60.0– 100), 22°19'30"S, 43°03'12"E, northern Tulear, 450–500 m, Vityaz, Cr.17, st. 2645, 2 Dec. 1988. South Africa: * SAIAB4709(1, 76.0), 34°02'S, 25°42'E, Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, 27 May 1970. * SAIAB4710(1, 150), 32°09'S, 29°00'E, Xora Rivermouth, Eastern Cape, Aug. 1947. * SAIAB16533(1, 77.0), 29°13'S, 31°29'E, Tugela Rivermouth, KwaZulu-Natal, 1920. * SAIAB49355(1, 84.0), 35°1.3'S, 19°44'E, off west coast, 145 m, 5 Jul. 1986. Mozambique: * SAIAB28513(1 of 3, 104), S of Maputo, Dec. 1987. No data: *SAIAB 4713 (1 of 5, 125).
Diagnosis.A species of the Chaunax abeispecies group with the following combination of characters: mixture of bifurcate and simple spinules on dorsal surface; when fresh, dorsal surface with green spots surrounded by yellow, mostly inter-connected; when preserved, dorsal surface with brown spots loosely arranged; 9 or 10 gill rakers on second gill arch; and usually 12 or 13 neuromasts in pectoral series and 34–36 inlateral-line proper. FIGURE 1. Chaunax atimovatae sp. nov.A. SAIAB 81724, holotype, 149 mm SL. B. SAIAB 81904, paratype, 106 mm SL. C. Uncatalogued specimen, ca. 21 cm in total, off Maputo, southern Mozambique. FIGURE 2.Underwater photograph of Chaunax atimovatae sp. nov., 29°40.616’S, 31°31.223’E, 220 m. FIGURE 3.Distribution map of Chaunax atimovatae sp. nov.(red squares), Chaunax heemstraorum sp. nov.(green circles) and Chaunax hollemani sp. nov.(black star). TABLE 1.Morphometric đata of three new Chaunaxspecies đescribeđ in present stuđy. H=holotype. Chaunax atimovatae Chaunex heemstraorum Chaunax hollemani
sp. nov. sp. nov. sp. nov. H TypesH All typesH All types (mm) 149 104.0$216.0 (n=13) 163 95.1$163.0 (n=9) 194.5 114.9$178.7 (n=5) SL Mean (Range) SD Mean (Range) SD Mean (Range) SD Description.Morphometric and meristic data are provided in Tables 1–3; data for holotypeis provided below followed by range for typesin parentheses. Heađ length 39.6 40.6 (38.1$42.7) 1.2 39.3 40.4 (38.8$43.2) 1.8 40.3 39.7 (39.1$40.5) 0.6 Heađ wiđth 17.4 17.2 (16.1$19.5) 0.9 15 16.0 (15.0$16.9) 0.8 17.2 17.2 (16.0$18.5) 0.9 Pre-preopercular length 26.8 27.5 (26.0$29.4) 1 26.1 27.5 (25.6$30.2) 1.8 27.1 27.5 (26.8$28.5) 0.7 Eye điameter 6 7.3 (6.0$8.5) 0.7 8.9 9.2 (8.5$10.9) 1 7.6 7.7 (7.3$8.4) 0.4 Illiical length 4.7 4.8 (4.3$5.7) 0.4 3.7 2.8 (2.5$3.7) 0.5 4.6 4.9 (4.2$5.6) 0.5 Illicial trough length 7.4 7.5 (6.2$9.2) 0.8 6.1 5.5 (4.7$6.7) 0.8 7.4 7.5 (7.1$7.9) 0.4 Pre-illicial trough length 5.4 5.0 (3.8$6.9) 0.9 5.8 5.7 (4.7$6.0) 0.6 3.8 3.4 (2.2$3.9) 0.7 Upper jaw length 19.5 20.3 (19.4$21.6) 0.9 18.4 19.2 (18.4$20.3) 0.8 21.7 21.6 (20.8$23.0) 0.9 Pre-đorsal length 51 50.5 (45.8$53.2) 2.5 46.6 48.4 (46.6$50.0) 1.3 46.9 48.0 (46.0$50.0) 1.6 Pre-gill opening length 66.4 64.1 (61.2$67.4) 2.1 60.1 57.8 (52.9$60.4) 3.3 62.9 62.1 (60.7$63.9) 1.5 Tail length 1 30.9 31.2 (27.3$33.9) 2 34.4 36.3 (34.4$38.8) 2 16.0 17.7 (15.2$19.4) 2.0 Tail length 2 16.1 17.2 (14.6$20.9) 1.7 19.6 19.3 (17.9$21.5) 1.4 28.9 30.3 (28.9$31.8) 1.2 Tail length 3 15.4 14.5 (13.2$16.0) 1 17.8 18.5 (17.0$20.8) 1.5 14.5 14.9 (13.7$15.9) 0.9 Cauđal-peđuncle đepth 8.1 8.1 (7.7$8.6) 0.3 8 7.7 (7.4$8.1) 0.3 8.4 8.7 (8.4$9.0) 0.2 Cauđal-fin length 28.2 30.2 (28.0$32.1) 1.5 30.7 29.5 (28.5$30.7) 0.9 27.8 29.9 (27.8$31.5) 1.4 Dorsal-fin rays III, 12; pectoral-fin rays 13 (13, rarely 12); anal-fin rays 7; caudal-fin rays 9. Head length 2.5 (2.3–2.6) in SL; head width 5.7 (5.6–6.2) in SL and 2.3 (2.3–2.5) in HL; pre-dorsal length 1.9 (1.9–2.2) in SL; pregill opening length 1.5 (1.5–1.6) in SL; pre-preopercular length 3.7 (3.5–3.9) in SL and 1.5 (1.4–1.6) in HL; upper jaw 5.1 (4.6–5.0) in SL and 2.0 (1.9–2.1) in HL; illicial length 8.4 (7.0–9.4) in HL; eye diameter 6.6 (5.2–6.6) in HL; post-dorsal-fin length 6.2 (5.4–6.4) in SL and 2.5 (2.0–2.8) in HL; post-anus length 3.2 (3.0–3.7) in SL and 1.3 (1.1–1.5) in HL; post-anal-fin length 6.5 (6.5–7.6) in SL and 2.6 (2.6–3.1) in HL; caudal-peduncle depth 4.9 (4.8– 5.3) in HL; caudal-fin length 3.5 (3.1–3.6) in SL and 1.4 (1.3–1.5) in HL. Head globular, skull elevated posteriorly; trunk and tail robust, weakly compressed, tapering posteriorly; ventral surface of belly flattened; skin thick, loose and flaccid; caudal peduncle short, slightly depressed. Eyes rounded, directed laterally, covered by dermal membrane, broadly connected to adjacent skin, forming clear window; interspace between eyes broad, convex. Illicium relatively slender, its length less than eye diameter; esca depressed, forming a large central plate bearing many dark brown cirri; second dorsal-fin spine close to illicium, embedded under skin and not detectable externally; third dorsal-fin spine situated at about midpoint of pre-dorsal distance, embedded beneath skin. Illicial trough oval, slightly concave, uniformly narrow, its length about twice its width. Origin of soft dorsal fin slightly behind middle of body; pectoral fin emerging laterally near middle of body, slightly anterior to vertical through gill opening; pelvic fin on breast, well anterior to pectoral fin; anus situated about three-fourths of way along body; anal-fin origin about four-fifths of way along body, tip nearly reaching caudal-fin base when depressed. Both nostrils anterior to eye; anterior nostril surrounded by fleshy membrane, its rim taller posteriorly than anteriorly; posterior nostril a circular depression; mouth wide, superior, its opening nearly vertical; lower jaw robust, protruding slightly in front of upper jaw; maxilla tapering, narrow dorsally, broadly expanded ventrally; blunt spine on symphysis of lower jaw. Broad transparent membrane on first gill arch; first ceratobranchial well-connected to opercular wall, and first epibranchial entirely free of it; gill filaments present on second to fourth gill arches, two rows of gill filaments on second and third gill arches, single row of gill filaments on fourth gill arch; filaments on inner rows of third and fourth gill arches about two-thirds length of filaments on other arches; inner surface of fourth gill arch completely connected to body. Single row of 14 (12–15) rakers on 1st gill arch, 3 (3–4) on upper limb and 11 (8–11) on lower limb, 10 (9 or 10) rakers on outer row of 2nd arch, 9 (9 or 10) rakers on outer row of 3rd arch, and single row of 8 (7 or 8) rakers on 4th arch. Interspaces of lateral-line neuromast complex slightly longer than width of complex; 3 (2–4, usually 3) pairs of short spines bridging each neuromast. Lateral-line neuromast counts: supraorbital (AB) 11 (11 or 12); premaxillary (AC) 8; upper preopercular (BD) 2; infraorbital (CD) 7 (6 or 7); lower preopercular (DG) 3; mandibular (EF) 6 (5 or 6); hyomandibular (FG) 3; pectoral (GH) 14 (11–14); anterior lateral-line proper (BB') 4 (4 or 5); supratemporal (BB) 6; and lateral-line proper (BI) 35 (32–37), including 3 (2 or 3) on caudal-fin base. Dorsal surface covered by simple, stout spinules, except for eye window, lips, distal fifth of dorsal surface and entire ventral surface of pectoral fin, distal half of dorsal surface and entire ventral surface of pelvic fin, entire anal fin and its base, membranes of dorsal fin, anus, and caudal-fin rays. Broad band of 4–9 rows of spinules in front of illicial trough (3 or 4 rows in specimens smaller than 100 mmSL). Ventral surface covered by slightly shorter, firm spinules. Jaws and body margin along lateral line densely covered with simple, stout cirri; cirri absent from head, jaws and ventral surface. Coloration.When fresh, background of dorsal surface reddish gray dorsally and pale ventrally; small irregular green spots surrounded by yellow, mostly inter-connected on dorsal surface; bright white flap-like cirri along margins of body and jaws. When preserved, dorsal surface covered by small irregular gray spots on uniformly grayish background; pale ventrally. Cirri on esca dark brown. Gill chamber, buccal cavity and gill rakers pale; peritoneum black with small pale patches. Size.The largest known specimen has a length of 211 mmSL.
Distribution.Known from the Western Indian Ocean off Madagascar, Mozambiqueand South Africa, westernmost record appears to be on the southern coast of South Africa( Fig. 3), collected at depths 145– 637 m.
Etymology.The specific name is from a field trip of the "Atimo Vatae" (Madagascan for "deep south"), a trawler from Fort Dauphin, from which many Madagascan specimens were collected, including those in the typeseries. TABLE 2.Distribution of gill-rakers counts of Chaunaxspecies recognized from the study area. Star indicates the value of holotype. Rakers of 1st gill arch n 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 20 C. apus5 1 3 2 C. atimovatae1 4 1 8 4* 1 C. flammeus1 1 C. heemstraorum31 4 20 7* C. hollemani5 1* 3 1 C. penicillatus5 1 3 1
C. russatus2 2 C. suttkusi7 1 3 3 Rakers of 2nd gill arch n 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 C. apus6 5 1 C. atimovatae 14 6 8* C. flammeus1 1 C. heemstraorum 31 3 22* 6 C. hollemani5 5* C. penicillatus5 2 3 C. russatus2 2 C. suttkusi7 2 4 1 Rakers of 3rd gill arch n 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 C. apus6 5 1 C. atimovatae14 10* 4 C. flammeus1 1 C. heemstraorum 31 21 10* C. hollemani5 1 4* C. penicillatus5 2 3 C. russatus2 2 C. suttkusi7 2 4 0 1 Rakers of 4th gill arch n 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2???? C. apus6 4 2 C. atimovatae 14 3 11* C. flammeus1 1 C. heemstraorum 31 10 20* 1 C. hollemani5 1 4* C. penicillatus5 5 C. russatus2 2 C. suttkusi7 1 5 1
Remarks. Chaunax atimovatae sp. nov.is most similar to Chaunax abeifrom the northwestern Pacific region in having bifurcated spinules mixed with simple ones on its dorsal surface, but these bifurcated spinules are much less numerous and quite scattered. The background of body of C. atimovatae sp. nov.is grayish with numerous tiny black melanophores (visible under magnification) whereas that of C. abeiis pale and lacks this pigmentation. The new species is also similar to C. breviradiusfrom the South ChinaSea region in having a similar coloration when fresh; it differs from C. breviradiusin having bifurcated spinules mixed with simple ones on dorsal surface (vs. simple spinules only), and relatively more neuromasts in the lateral-line proper (BI) (usually 34–36 vs. 30–32).
1288101093
[151,1260,502,527]
2007-09-30
SAIAB
Mozambique
507
-26.17
Mozambique
124
33.293335
1
176
SAIAB 81724
1
holotype
1288101088
1988-12-02
Madagascar
333
-22.318335
Tulear
21
43.101665
1
176
13
paratype
1288101095
1973-11-29
MNHN
Madagascar
450
-22.28611
Madagascar
21
43.066944
1
176
MNHN 1977-0030
1
paratype
1288101107
[365,1338,610,635]
1971-04
MNHN
Madagascar
314
-12.683056
Madagascar
21
48.266945
1
176
MNHN 1977-0036
1
paratype
1288101094
1973-01-10
SAIAB
South Africa
238
KwaZulu-Natal
1
176
SAIAB 3306
1
KwaZulu-Natal
paratype
1288101083
1973-01-11
SAIAB
South Africa
146
Natal
Natal
1
176
SAIAB 11484
1
paratype
1288101099
[651,1432,682,707]
1987-12
SAIAB
Mozambique
Maputo
1
176
SAIAB 34164
1
Maputo
paratype
1288101090
[151,1342,718,743]
2002-08-12
SAIAB
Mozambique
181
-18.035
Beira
127
37.62
1
176
SAIAB 74601
1
paratype
1288101086
2007-10-07
SAIAB
Mozambique
350
-25.091667
Mozambique
124
35.306667
1
176
SAIAB 81904
1
paratype
1288101087
1988-12-02
USNM
Madagascar
333
-22.330833
northern Tulear
21
43.101665
Vityaz
1
176
USNM 307534
1
paratype
1288101105
1973-05-30
MNHN
Madagascar
355
-25.483055
Non-types
21
46.766945
1
176
MNHN 1977-0023
1
1288101098
1982-09-01
MNHN
Réunion
515
-20.95
Reunion
21
55.233055
1
176
MNHN 1994-0312
1
1288101096
1982-09-04
MNHN
Réunion
613
-20.833055
Reunion
21
55.583054
1
176
MNHN 1994-0314
1
1288101085
2010-05-10
SAIAB
M. Lee & S. Ribes
Réunion
207
-25.466667
Sud-Est Pointe Barrow
1246
44.416668
1
176
SAIAB 189524
1
1288101092
2010-05-11
SAIAB
M. Lee & S. Ribes
Réunion
305
-25.05
Sud-Ouest Pointe Barrow
1248
43.983334
1
176
SAIAB 189525
1
1288101102
1988-12-02
USNM
Vityaz & Cr.
Réunion
475
-22.325
northern Tulear
21
43.053333
1
176
USNM 307546
1
1288101091
1970-05-27
SAIAB
South Africa
-34.033333
Algoa Bay
1202
25.7
1
176
SAIAB 4709
1
Eastern Cape
1288101101
1947-08
SAIAB
South Africa
-32.15
Xora River
1212
29.0
1
176
SAIAB 4710
1
Eastern Cape
1288101100
1986-07-05
SAIAB
South Africa
145
-35.021667
Tugela River
764
19.733334
1
176
SAIAB 16533, SAIAB 49355
1
KwaZulu-Natal
1288101097
[221,1001,1798,1823]
1987-12
SAIAB
Mozambique
Maputo
1
176
SAIAB 28513
1
Maputo