Gonostoma atlanticum Norman, 1930

Villarins, Bárbara T., Dario, Fabio Di, Eduardo, Leandro N., Lucena-Frédou, Flávia, Bertrand, Arnaud, Prokofiev, Artem M. & Mincarone, Michael M., 2022, Deep-sea dragonfishes (Teleostei: Stomiiformes) collected from off northeastern Brazil, with a review of the species reported from the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, Neotropical Ichthyology (e 220004) 20 (2), pp. 1-78 : 12-13

Gonostoma atlanticum Norman, 1930

( Fig. 4A )

Diagnosis. Gonostoma atlanticum differs from Gonostoma denudatum by the absence of adipose fin (vs. adipose fin present); 5–6+11=16–17 gill rakers (vs. 5+10=15); teeth present on vomer (vs. teeth absent on vomer); first 1 or 2 AC photophores elevated and the others at the same level (vs. first 2 AC elevated and the following 2 AC below the others) (Grey, 1964; Mukhacheva, 1972; Schaefer et al., 1986a).

Geographical distribution. Circumglobal, between 48ºN and 36ºS (Grey, 1964;

Mukhacheva, 1972; Clarke, 1974; Nakabo, 2002; Hutchins, 2001; Judkins, Haedrich

2018; Burton, Lea, 2019; Sutton et al., 2020; Love et al., 2021). In the Atlantic Ocean,

reported from off Canada to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea

(Grey, 1964; McEachran, Fechhelm, 1998; Harold, 2003; Moore et al., 2003; Judkins,

Haedrich, 2018). In Brazil, the species was previously recorded off Pará, Maranhão,

and Rio Grande do Norte States, and off the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago

(Mukhacheva, 1972; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018). Additional records are also known off northeastern and southeastern Brazil, outside the country’s EEZ (Parin et al., 1974;

Menezes et al., 2003; Stocco, Joyeux, 2015; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018). Gonostoma atlanticum is reported here based on specimens collected off Rio Grande do Norte

(including seamounts), Pernambuco, and Paraíba States, the Rocas Atoll, and the

Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, between depths of 130 and 1,113 m ( Fig. 3B ).

Specimens examined. 67 (19–68 mm SL): NPM 3498, 2 (damaged), AB1#14; NPM 4532, 3 (51–57 mm), AB2#44A; NPM 4612, 5 (30–59 mm), AB2#42A; NPM 4615, 13 (45–68 mm), AB2#41A; NPM 4617, 9 (46–67 mm), AB2#40A; NPM 4619, 15 (39–57 mm), AB2#52B; NPM 4779, 5 (49–59 mm), AB2#35; NPM 4780, 1 (50 mm), AB2#52A; NPM 4781, 7 (41–56 mm), AB2#39; NPM 4897, 3 (53–60 mm), AB2#59A; NPM 4927, 2 (46–58 mm), AB2#21; NPM 5064, 1 (19 mm), AB2#28; NPM 5940, 1 (49 mm), AB2#16.

Figures

FIGURE 3 | Records of species of Diplophidae (A), Gonostomatidae (B, C) and Sternoptychidae (D, E, F) collected during the ABRACOS expeditions off northeastern Brazil. Oceanic islands: RA, Rocas Atoll; FN, Fernando de Noronha Archipelago.

FIGURE 4 | A. Gonostoma atlanticum, NPM 4615, 61 mm SL; B. Gonostoma denudatum, NPM 6519, 122 mm SL; C. Margrethia obtusirostra, NPM 3384, 27 mm SL; D. Sigmops bathyphilus, NPM 4764, 155 mm SL; E. Sigmops elongatus, NPM 3182, 173 mm SL; F. Zaphotias pedaliotus, NPM 4407, 62 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.