Fagegnathophausia gracilis (Willemoës-Suhm, 1875)

Material examined (non-type only) ANGOLA BASIN • 1 imm. (BL = 57 mm); 22°20.640′ S, 3°23.567′ E to 22°26.150′ S, 3°27.046′ E;

bottom depth 5161–5162 m; 10 Jul. 2000; DIVA-1 exped., #321; Agassiz Trawl; ZMH 58242.

Type locality

Implicitly defined by monotypy. Willemoës-Suhm (1875) based the first description on a single male specimen from 170 nautical miles (315 km) east of St. Paul's Rocks, 1°22′ N, 26°36′ W, depth 1500 fathoms (2743 m).

Distribution

Circumtropical, bathypelagic, depth range 500–5225 m (Fage 1941; Clarke 1962; Vereshchaka 1990, 1995; Meland & Aas 2013; San Vicente 2016; Hendrickx 2019). According to Clarke (1962) newly released juveniles may migrate upward to 500 m depth. This species has been reported by Illig (1930) as Gnathophausia gracilis Willemoës-Suhm, 1875, from material taken by the “Valdivia” Expedition in the Angola Basin. The new record from this basin extends the previously known latitudinal range of 34° N– 18° S southward to 22° S. See Discussion for an assessment of the vertical distribution in the Angola Basin.