Himantolophus kalami, Rajeeshkumar & Pietsch & Saravanane, 2022

Rajeeshkumar, Meleppura, Pietsch, Theodore W. & Saravanane, Naryanane, 2022, A new species of deep-sea anglerfish, genus Himantolophus (Lophiiformes: Himantolophidae) from the Andaman Sea, India, Zootaxa 5178 (6), pp. 589-594 : 590

Himantolophus kalami sp. nov.

New English name: Indian footballfish

Figs. 1–3

Holotype. IO/SS/FIS/00712 , female, 150 mm SL, Northern Andaman , Andaman Nicobar Islands , FORV Sagar Sampada , station 36708 , 13.26° N, 93.26° E, 934 m, High Speed Demersal Trawl (HSDT), 06:36, 26 November 2017

Diagnosis. A species of the Himantolophus albinares -group having a simple but unique illicial morphology: anterior escal appendages absent; illicium short; relatively long, symmetrically divided posterior escal appendages (33.3% SL), with equally divided tips (2.7% SL); a simple basimedial filament and a pair of basilateral filaments on the ventral side of the esca; illicial stem and escal appendages without lateral appendages or filaments.

Description. Metamorphosed female, body globose, but slightly elongated; illicium emerging from between eyes; distance between upper jaw symphysis to origin of illicium, 20 mm (13.3% SL); illicium short and stout, 36.5 mm long (24.3% SL), without lateral appendages on stem; relatively large esca, length of escal bulb 9.0 mm (6.0% SL), width 5.0 mm (3.2% SL), depth 6.0 mm (3.9% SL); distal escal swellings distinctly divided into two lateral lobes, escal pore on posterior margin of bulb in between lateral lobes; a simple, slender unpaired basimedial filament, 7.5 mm long (5.0% SL) emerging from ventral side of esca just below escal pore; a pair of basilateral filaments, 8.5 mm long (5.6% SL) emerging from posteriolateral surface of esca ( Figs. 2A–C , 3 ). Well-developed sphenotic spines; sphenotic width 27 mm (18.0% SL); posterior escal appendage unusually long, 50 mm (33.3% SL), divided near base into two main branches, each main branch bifurcated at tip, each tip equal in length, 4.0 mm long (2.6% SL); undivided part of escal appendage, 9.0 mm long (6.0% SL); entire illicial stem and escal bulb fully covered with minute dermal spinules. Length of posterior escal appendages sparsely covered with minute dermal spinules except at divided tips.

Dorsal-fin rays 5, first and second rays closely packed, remaining bifurcated; anal-fin rays 4, first simple, remaining rays bifurcated. Caudal-fin rays 9, first two and last two rays closely packed, remaining rays bifurcated. Approximately 60 small and large dermal spines on each side of body. Five or six dermal spines on pectoral-fin base. Snout and chin with well-developed wartlike papillae. Jaw teeth arranged in several oblique series, both halves of upper jaw teeth 93, lower jaw teeth 82. Longest tooth in upper jaw 4.0 mm (2.6% SL), lower jaw tooth 6.0 mm (4.0% SL). Eye diameter 5.0 mm (3.3% SL), length of illicial stem 39 mm (26.0% SL).

Coloration. Body uniform bluish black when fresh ( Fig. 1A ); dorsal, anal and caudal fins, and especially the membranes between rays light pink with black edges; pectoral fins dark purple. Illicium black, entire distal appendages deep blue except divided tips and escal bulb at base of distal appendages which are silvery white. Escal swelling white, half of lateral lobes white, remaining portion pigmented. White patches on skin absent.When preserved ( Fig. 1B ) entire body and illicium brown except esca which somewhat retains its original coloration.

Distribution. The new species is known only from the type locality, in the eastern part of the northern Andaman Islands, trawled off the bottom at a depth of 934 m.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an eminent aerospace scientist and former President of India, for his many contributions to the field of space research and India’s missile technology. He was very keen in encouraging students and greatly motivated them with his inspiring books and speeches.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Himantolophus kalami sp. nov. Holotype, IO/SS/FIS/00712, 150 mm SL, A—Freshly caught, B—preserved.

FIGURE 2. Illicial apparatus of Himantolophus kalami sp. nov., A—dorsal view, B—ventral view, C—enlarged view of ventral side. Arrow indicates basimedial and a pair of basilateral filaments.

FIGURE 3. Illicium and esca of Himantolophus kalami sp. nov. IO/SS/FIS/00712, 150 mm SL. Scale bar=1 cm. Drawing: P.J. Vinod.