Barathronus affinis Brauer, 1906

Nielsen, Jørgen G., 2019, Revision of the circumglobal genus Barathronus (Ophidiiformes, Bythitidae) with a new species from the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, Zootaxa 4679 (2), pp. 231-256 : 234

Barathronus affinis Brauer, 1906

Table 1. Figs. 2–4

Barathronus affinis Brauer, 1906: 306 (type locality: 1°57’S, 73°19’1’’E).

Barathronus affinis: Brauer 1908: 161 ; Munk 1966: 37; Nielsen et al. 1999: 138.

Material examined ( 1 specimen, SL 47 mm). Holotype: ZMB 17700 (SL 47 mm, female), Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean, 1°57’S, 73°19.1’ E, RV Valdivia, st. 220, bottom trawl, 2919 m, 21 Feb.1899.

Diagnosis. Barathronus affinis differs from the other four Barathronus species with a transparent peritoneum by the following combination of characters: Two fangs on vomer, ventral flexure of anteriormost vertebrae, long rakers on anterior gill arch 20, dorsal-fin rays 77, anal-fin rays 67, pectoral-fin rays 22, precaudal vertebrae 34, total vertebrae 78. Except for black lenses the preserved specimen is uniformly white-yellowish. Otoliths dissolved.

Description. Only the holotype is known. See the detailed descriptions in Brauer (1906: 306) and Nielsen (1969: 48). The principal meristic and morphometric characters are shown in Table 1.

Comparisons. Barathronus affinis seems most similar to B. linsi but differs by having fewer fangs on vomer (2 vs 8) and fewer long gill rakers (20 vs 25).

Distribution ( Fig.2 ). Caught in a bottom trawl at 2919 m off the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean.

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Figures

FIGURE 2. Records of Indo-Pacific Barathronus species. Numbers indicate several stations.

FIGURE 3. Barathronus affinis, ZMB 17700, holotype, female, SL 47 mm (from Nielsen 1969).

FIGURE 4. Right otolith from holotype of Barathronus affinis (from Nielsen 1969).