Centrophorus ferrugineus Meng, Hu & Li, 1982

White, William T. & Last, Peter R., 2013, Notes on shark and ray types at the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (SCSFRI) in Guangzhou, China, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 228-248 : 230-231

Centrophorus ferrugineus Meng, Hu & Li, 1982

[= Centrophorus squamosus ( Bonnaterre, 1788) ]

( Figures 3–4 )

Centrophorus ferrugineus Meng, Hu & Li in Chu, Meng, Hu & Li, 1982: 302, fig. 2 (South China Sea).

Centrophorus lusitanicus (a questionable synonym of) – Compagno, 1984: 39, fig.

Material examined. SCSFRI O 0094 (holotype), adult male 1044 mm TL, South China Sea, 18°44' N, 112°46.3' E, depth 515 m, 21 Mar 1980 .

Remarks. Described by Meng et al. in Chu et al. (1982) based on the single type specimen collected in the South China Sea. This species was considered a questionable synonym of C. lusitanicus Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864 by Compagno (1984). The type specimen was not examined by this author and this decision would most likely have been based on the line illustrations in the original description. The features of the holotype of C. ferrugineus which are important for distinguishing it from other Centrophorus species are: large size (male> 1 m TL), pectoral-fin free rear tip not produced, first dorsal fin moderately long and denticles on pedicels with leaf-shaped crowns. Based on these characters, C. ferrugineus appears conspecific with Centrophorus squamosus ( Bonnaterre, 1788) . This species is unique amongst its congeners in having its pectoral-fin free rear tip not produced at any size. Although the first dorsal-fin of C. ferrugineus is moderately long, that of C. lusitanicus is noticeably much longer. Centrophorus lusitanicus also possesses a moderately long pectoral-fin free rear tip. The morphology of the first dorsal fin closely resembles that of Centrophorus granulosus ( Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (as defined by White et al., 2013), but the pectoral-fin free rear tip and denticle morphology clearly separate the two species.

The denticles of the C. ferrugineus holotype are identical to those of adult C. squamosus , and very distinct from all other Centrophorus species. The crowns are raised on pedicels, leaf-shaped, overlapping, and ridged with a serrated posterior margin ( Figure 4 ). As a result, the skin is very rough to the touch. Meng et al. in Chu et al. (1982) only made comparisons with C. granulosus and C. atromarginatus Garman, 1913 and did not compare their species with C. squamosus .

Based on examination of the holotype of C. ferrugineus in this study, this species should be considered a junior synonym of C. squamosus ( Bonnaterre, 1788) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Holotype of Centrophorus ferrugineus SCSFRI O 0094 (adult male 1044 mm TL): A. anterior lateral view; B. ventral head view; C. first dorsal fin; D. second dorsal fin.

FIGURE 4. Lateral trunk denticles of the holotype of Centrophorus ferrugineus SCSFRI O 0094 (adult male 1044 mm TL).