Neobirsteiniamysis inermis (Willemoes-Suhm, 1874)

Petalophthalmus inermis Willemoes-Suhm, 1874: xv.

Material examined

SOUTHERN OCEAN • 1 ♀ ad. (BL = 72.9 mm); NE Weddell Abyssal Plain, near fracture zone, ANDEEP-II station 137-4; 63°44.99ʹ S, 33°47.74ʹ W to 63°44.78ʹ S, 33°47.81ʹ W; depth 4975.7– 4975.1 m; 14 Mar. 2002; EBS supranet • 1 ♀ imm. (BL = 28.5 mm); NE Weddell Sea, Kosminski Fracture Zone deep, ANDEEP-II station 138-6; 62°58.09ʹ S, 27°54.54ʹ W to 62°58.02ʹ S, 27°54.25ʹ W; depth 4542.5– 4541.1 m; 17 Mar. 2002; EBS supranet • 1 ♂ ad. (BL = 57.8 mm), 1 ♀ subad. (BL = 52.4 mm); eastern Weddell Abyssal Plain, S of Maud Rise and E of Sanae Canyon, ANDEEP-III station 059-5; 67°29.74ʹ S, 00°01.93ʹ W to 67°29.61ʹ S, 00°02.19ʹ W; depth 4655– 4655 m; 14 Feb. 2005; EBS supranet • 1 imm. (BL = 13.4 mm); eastern Weddell Slope, Kapp Norvegia, ANDEEP-III station 078-10; 71°09.39ʹ S, 13°59.30ʹ W to 71°09.36ʹ S, 13°58.81ʹ W; depth 2156– 2147 m; 21 Feb. 2005; EBS supranet • 1 ♀ imm. (BL = 21.0 mm); Weddell Abyssal Plain, ANDEEP-III station 102-13; 65°34.32ʹ S, 36°31.32ʹ W to 65°34.40ʹ S, 36°31.07ʹ W; depth 4805– 4803 m; 6 Mar. 2005; EBS epinet • 1 imm. (BL = 18.0 mm), 1 juv. (BL = 14.2 mm); Weddell Abyssal Plain, ANDEEP-III station 110-8; 65°00.52ʹ S, 43°02.09ʹ W to 65°00.68ʹ S, 43°02.16ʹ W; depth 4698– 4696 m; 10 Mar. 2005; EBS supranet • 1 juv. (BL = 10.2 mm); Drake Passage, NW of Elephant Island, ANDEEP-I station 042-2; 59°40.29ʹ S, 57°35.43ʹ W to 59°40.42ʹ S, 57°35.27ʹ W; depth 3683– 3680 m; 27 Jan. 2002; EBS epinet • 1 ♂ subad. (BL = 36.2 mm), 1 ♀ imm. (BL = 31.8 mm), 2 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; supranet • 1 ♀ subad. (BL = 45.5 mm); South Shetland area, NNW of Elephant Island, ANDEEP-I station 043-8; 60°27.12ʹ S, 56°05.10ʹ W to 60°27.24ʹ S, 56°05.25ʹ W; depth 3961.2–3962.4 m; 4 Feb. 2002; EBS epinet • 1 ♂ ad. (in 2 parts, BL = 47.8 mm), 2 ♂♂ imm. (BL = 17.1–20.9 mm), 1 ♀ imm. (BL = 19.9 mm); Drake Passage, N of South Shetland Islands, ANDEEP-I station 046-7; 60°38.35ʹ S, 53°57.36ʹ W to 60°38.12ʹ S, 53°57.49ʹ W; depth 2893.6– 2893.2 m; 30 Jan. 2002; EBS epinet • 9 ♂♂ ad. (BL = 37.2–48.2 mm), 4 ♀♀ ad. (BL = 41.5, 46.2, 48.0, 48.9 mm), 6 subad., 11 imm., 52 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; supranet • 1 juv. (BL = 4.7 mm, in separate vial); same collection data as for preceding; supranet • 1 ♀ imm. (BL = 44.1 mm); Drake Passage, N of South Shetland Islands, ANDEEP-I station 099-4; 61°06.41ʹ S, 59°16.55ʹ W to 61°06.24ʹ S, 59°16.79ʹ W; depth 5190.4– 5190.4 m; 12 Feb. 2002; EBS supranet .

Type locality and distribution

In the original description, Willemoes-Suhm (1874) did not indicate which of the two potential localities near Crozet Island had yielded the new species. According to the station list of the Challenger Expedition (Murray 1895), this species was encountered only at station 147, i.e., 46°16ʹ S, 48°27ʹ E between Marion Island and Crozet Island, bottom (= trawling) depth 1600 fathoms (2926 m). This position is therefore regarded as the type locality. According to Hernández-Payán & Hendrickx (2020) and Daneliya (2023) this species is known from the Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Pacific and the Southern Ocean at depths of 728–7200 m. The ANDEEP records are within previously known distribution ranges.