Argyropelecus gigas 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 : 20-21

Argyropelecus gigas Norman, 1930

( Fig. 5D )

Diagnosis. Argyropelecus gigas differs from congeners by the PAN, AN, and SC not distinctly separated in groups; dorsal blade developed, its height more than one-third its length; a prominent, laterally directed, postorbital (sphenotic) spine near the posterodorsal margin of the eye (Baird, 1971; Borodulina, 1978; Harold et al., 2015).

Geographical distribution. Circumglobal in tropical and temperate waters, between 65ºN and 40ºS (Baird, 1971; Borodulina, 1978; Pequeño, 1989; Quéro et al., 1990b; Randall, Lim, 2000; Harold, 2003; Møller et al., 2010; Harold et al., 2015; Sutton et al., 2020). In the western Atlantic, reported from off Greenland to Uruguay, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea (McAllister, 1990; McEachran, Fechhelm, 1998; Harold, 2003; Møller et al., 2010; Nión et al., 2016; Afonso et al., 2018; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018). In Brazilian waters the species was previously reported off Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, and Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul States (Borodulina, 1978; Bernardes et al., 2005; Haimovici et al., 2008). Additional records in the western Atlantic outside the Brazilian EEZ are also known (Parin et al., 1974; Borodulina, 1978; Judkins, Haedrich, 2018). Specimens of A. gigas examined here were collected off Rio Grande do Norte State, near the seamounts, and the Rocas Atoll, between depths of 610 and 700 m ( Fig. 3E ).

Specimens examined. 9 (78–91 mm SL): NPM 4090, 2 (78–88 mm), AB2#35; NPM 4096, 5

(84–90 mm), AB2#53A; NPM 4132, 2 (83–91 mm), AB2#60B.

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 5 | A. Valenciennellus tripunctulatus, NPM 3301, 29 mm SL; B. Argyropelecus aculeatus, NPM 4133, 82 mm SL; C. Argyropelecus affinis, NPM 4089, 53 mm SL; D. Argyropelecus gigas, NPM 4090, 88 mm SL; E. Argyropelecus hemigymnus, NPM 3203, 26 mm SL; F. Argyropelecus sladeni, NPM 4102, 60 mm SL; G. Sternoptyx diaphana, NPM 4160, 28 mm SL; H. Sternoptyx pseudobscura, NPM 4103, 51 mm SL; I. Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana, NPM 4160, 59 mm SL. Scale bars = 10 mm.