Paraliparis macrocephalus Chernova & Eastman 2001

Stein, David L., 2012, Snailfishes (Family Liparidae) of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, and Closely Adjacent Waters 3285, Zootaxa 3285, pp. 1-120 : 65-66

Paraliparis macrocephalus Chernova & Eastman 2001

Figs. 43, 44, 45

Paraliparis macrocephalus Chernova & Eastman 2001:93 , Figs. 1 –4a; Andriashev 2003:310, Figs. 162, 163.

Holotype. USNM 361866 , male, 116 mm TL, 104 mm SL, 75°03'60” S, 165°12'30” E, R / V N.B. Palmer, Cruise 97–9 Stn. 34, 28 December 1997, 1181– 1191 m.

Material examined. None.

Expanded diagnosis (modified from Chernova & Eastman, 2001). Counts. V 56 (10+46), D 49, A 43, C 9 (4/ 5), P 20 (14+2+4), radials 3 (2+0+1), gr 7, pc 6, pores 2–6–7–1. Ratios. HL 28.0, HW 18.5, sn 12.0, E 5.6, io 17.0, uj 13.6, go 7.8, bd 21, preD 30.0, preA 38.0, ma 18.2, aAf 17.2, UPL 16.8, LPL 18.5, pcl 5% SL. In % HL: HW 66, sn 43, E 20, io 60.7, uj 48.6, go 27.9, bd 75, UPL 60, LPL 66.

Head large, snout large and gelatinous, blunt, and deep, its length almost twice eye diameter. Nostril large, tubular, its diameter and length about 1/3 eye. Mouth horizontal, subterminal, oral cleft reaching to below anterior margin of pupil. Teeth simple, conical, bluntly pointed, forming moderately wide bands of about five teeth in a row near symphysis. Symphyseal gap absent in both jaws. Eye about 1/5 HL. Interorbital wide, almost 2/3 HL. Cephalic pores large, with thickened rims. Symphyseal pores not closely set, not much closer together than more posterior pores, not in a depression or pit, their diameter significantly smaller than those more posterior. Gill opening less than 1 ½ eye diameter, above and reaching ventrally in front of 2–3 pectoral fin rays. Anus about midway between mandibular symphysis and anal fin origin, distinctly forward of gill opening. Dorsal ray of upper pectoral fin lobe on horizontal with lower margin of eye, lobe reaching anal fin origin; notch moderately deep, notch rays well developed, not rudimentary, their spacing markedly wider than that of upper and lower lobe rays; lower lobe longer than upper, but not reaching to below upper lobe tip, its lowest ray below posterior margin of eye. Radials 3 (2+0+1), round, unnotched. Abdomen long, preanal fin distance almost 1 ½ head, more than 1/3 SL. Dorsal and anal fins overlap caudal by 20–25% its length. SECM well developed, especially on head, and dorsal and anal fins. In life, body pink; in alcohol, pale, grayish postabdominally. Peritoneum and gill cavity black, stomach and pyloric caeca pale.

Distribution. The holotype and only known specimen was caught in the Drygalski Trough along the shore of the Victoria Land Coast at 1181–1191 m.

Comparisons. This species is similar to P. hubbsi , P. valentinae , and P. somovi in counts, short gill opening, notched pectoral fin without rudimentary rays, and black peritoneum and gill cavity. It differs from all of them in its subterminal (vs clearly inferior) mouth, radials (3 small vs 4 large), head length (28 vs 20–24% SL), large gelatinous snout (43 vs 19–35% HL), interorbital width (61 vs 33–46% HL), and gill opening (extending ventrally in front of 2–3 rays vs 3–7).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of the Ross Sea, showing all collection localities.