Paraliparis carlbondi, David L. Stein, 2005

David L. Stein, 2005, Descriptions of four new species, redescription of Paraliparis membranaceus, and additional data on species of the fish family Liparidae (Pisces, Scorpaeniformes) from the west coast of South America and the Indian Ocean., Zootaxa 1019, pp. 1-25 : 6-8

Paraliparis carlbondi new species

(Fig. 2, Table 1)

Holotype: USNM 381002, female, 110 mm SL, TL unknown, Anton Bruun Cruise 16, SEPBOP Program, Sta. 650E, 08° 26'S, 80° 36.5' W, off Peru, 8-9 June 1966, deep longline 1830-1930 m. Paratype USNM 381003, female, 62 mm SL, TL unknown, same collection as holotype.

Other material. USNM 381004, female, 70 mm SL, TL unknown, same collection as types.

Diagnosis. Distinguished by a combination of characters: 60-64 vertebrae, 24-25 pectoral fin rays, mouth horizontal, teeth simple, forming narrow bands, chin pores with a shallow anterior skin fold, and anus far forward almost between bases of lower pectoral fin lobe rays.

Description. Counts and proportions are given in Table 1.

Head short, bluntly rounded, its width about two-thirds its length; snout blunt, sloping almost vertically to upper lip. Mouth horizontal, large, upper jaw extending posteriorly to below or slightly behind rear of eye. Teeth canines, a variety of shapes present in each individual; most moderately stout and sharp, a few of the smallest thorn-like, a few of the largest with tubercular tips. Upper jaw teeth arranged in about 22 [17] oblique rows of 6-8 teeth each, forming a narrow band; innermost teeth largest, graduated in size to outer edge of tooth band. Lower jaw teeth similar in shape, in about 18 [20] rows of 7-8 teeth each, tooth arrangement and numbers similar to that in upper jaw. In upper jaws, a moderately narrow gap between tooth bands of each side present at symphysis; lower jaw symphyseal gap narrower. Nostrils single, without tubes or thickened rims, about even with or slightly above horizontal through center of eye. Eye about 20 % of head length, orbit not entering dorsal profile of head. Opercular flap unknown; opercle long, slender, its posterior part almost horizontal; gill opening unknown, damaged on both sides. Cephalic pores damaged in both specimens, counts 2-5?-6-1. Chin pores separated by a distance about equal to pore diameter; in holotype, pores round, in a shallow depression with an anterior skin fold present. In paratype, pores oval, depression absent but fold appears to be present.

Pectoral fin upper ray horizontal with or slightly above lower margin of orbit. Rays 24-26, distinctly more widely spaced in notch. Lengths of upper and lower fin lobes unknown. Rudimentary rays absent, notch rays 2-4. Ventral notch ray probably functionally part of lower lobe, but its base distinctly separated from the four or five lowest rays. Symphysis of lower lobes anterior, below eye, interopercle and end of suborbital stay; symphysis of pectoral girdle far forward, below front of eye; anteriormost rays below or forward of corner of mouth and below center of eye. Radials unknown. Fin length unknown.

Body evenly tapering to tail, maximum depth greater than head length. Dorsal origin at sixth or seventh vertebra, anal fin origin at eleventh vertebra. Distance from anus to anal fin origin much greater than head length, increasing with size of individual as a proportion of SL. Abdominal vertebrae clearly distinct from caudal vertebrae; last four or five with short but increasingly long parapophyses; in (smaller) paratype these can be seen in radiographs as unfused. Last abdominal haemal spine much shorter than first caudal one which is very long, almost full length, clearly supporting first anal fin ray. Anus far forward, between bases of lower pectoral fin lobes. A small genital papilla present. Hypurals fused. Pyloric caeca six or seven, probably ventral. Caudal fin rays about six. Skin thin, transparent, easily damaged.

Color of skin on head transparent pale brown with clearly visible closely scattered melanophores, snout darkest; muscles pale, lightly speckled with scattered tiny brown melanophores. Orobranchial cavity dusky, peritoneum dark brown, stomach pale, pyloric caeca pale.

Additional specimen. Counts and proportions of USNM 381004 are given in Table 1. This specimen is very similar to the types, but is different enough in several important respects that it is not designated as a paratype. Some of the differences may result from damage, but others are definitely not. In particular, it has a pectoral fin of 26 (19+2+5) rays rather than 24 or 25 (14-16+4+5-6), 22 oblique rows of teeth in the lower jaw rather than 18-20, and the dorsal outline of the abdominal cavity is relatively straight (rather than evenly curved) and seems to extend farther posteriorly. Finally, although the symphysis is slightly damaged, there is no evidence of the chin pores being in a depression or having an anterior skin fold.

Distribution. Continental slope off Peru.

Etymology. Named in honor of Carl E. Bond, lifelong student of cottoid fishes.

Remarks. In its general appearance, counts, and proportions, the new species is most similar to P. merodontus , but differs distinctly, most notably in dentition. It has teeth in both jaws (vs teeth reduced or absent in upper jaw in P. darwini , P. galapagosensis , and P. merodontus and uniserial in P. attenuatus ), mouth horizontal (vs. oblique in P. molinai ), and distinctly wider pectoral notch fin ray spacing (vs. all the same in P. angustifrons and P. fimbriatus ). Although the right pectoral girdle was cleared and stained, the apparent absence of calcification of the radials (and consequent non-staining) resulted in their not being visible.