Sigmops elongatus (Günther, 1878)

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 : 15

Sigmops elongatus (Günther, 1878)

( Fig. 4E )

Diagnosis. Sigmops elongatus can be distinguished from congeners by the presence of adipose fin; anal-fin origin in line with dorsal-fin origin; paired fins short; 10–13 pectoral-fin rays; 12–15 dorsal-fin rays; 28–32 anal-fin rays; 6 pelvic-fin rays; 19–21 gill rakers; two rows (lateral and ventral) of conspicuous photophores; OP 3; OA 13–15; AC 20–24; IC 41–43; first 1–2 OA elevated; first 5–6 IV forming an arch; presence of a large luminous gland behind ORB; presence of 2 infracaudal and 1–2 supracaudal luminous glands; adult size larger than 200 mm SL (Grey, 1964; Mukhacheva, 1972; Kenaley, Stewart, 2015c).

Geographical distribution. Circumglobal between 65ºN and 45ºS, including the Mediterranean Sea (Mukhacheva, 1972; Grey, 1964; Schaefer et al., 1986a; Pequeño, 1989; Quéro et al., 1990a; Nakabo, 2002; Román et al., 2000; Hutchins, 2001; Møller et al., 2010; Kenaley, Stewart, 2015c; Sutton et al., 2020; Love et al., 2021). In the western Atlantic, reported from off Canada to Uruguay, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea (Grey, 1964; Parin et al., 1974; McAllister, 1990; McEachran, Fechhelm, 1998; Harold, 2003; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018; Ramírez et al., 2019). In Brazilian waters, the species was previously reported from off Rio Grande do Norte to Rio Grande do Sul States, including the Rocas Atoll, and the Fernando de Noronha and Trindade and Martin Vaz archipelagos (Mukhacheva, 1972; Figueiredo et al., 2002; Menezes et al., 2003; Bernardes et al., 2005; Braga et al., 2007; Haimovici et al., 2008; Mincarone et al., 2017; Eduardo et al., 2018a; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018). Larvae were also recorded off Rio de Janeiro State (Bonecker et al., 2012, 2014). Specimens of S. elongatus examined here were collected off Rio Grande do Norte (including seamounts), Paraíba, and Pernambuco States, the Rocas Atoll, and the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, between depths of 70 and 984 m ( Fig. 3C ).

Specimens examined. 41 (45–207 mm SL): NPM 3182, 3 (49–173 mm), AB1#51; NPM 3284, 1 (45 mm), AB1#14; NPM 4539, 4 (93–198 mm), AB2#39; NPM 4540, 4 (90–205 mm), AB2#52A; NPM 4542, 5 (134–190 mm), AB2#50A; NPM 4543, 3 (186–192 mm), AB2#44A; NPM 4544, 9 (51–184 mm), AB2#21; NPM 4546, 5 (164–207 mm), AB2#16; NPM 4547, 2 (128–190 mm), AB2#53A; NPM 4548, 2 (186–196 mm), AB2#42A; NPM 4783, 2 (47–78 mm), AB2#56C; NPM 5056, 1 (49 mm), AB2#28.

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.