Paraphyonus rassi

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Paraphyonus rassi differs from the other species of the genus by the black pigmentation laterally in the roof of the mouth distinctly visible externally and only 3 – 4 developed rakers on the anterior gill arch. Size. Largest known specimen (109 mm SL) is a ripe female with eggs ca. 1 mm in diameter.

Aphyonid-clade species of Australia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with four species new to Australian waters and a new species of Barathronus

discussion

Remarks. The comparison in Table 1 between the present four specimens and the six earlier known specimens all from the Atlantic Ocean (Nielsen 2015) shows close agreement between the specimens from the two areas. One of the six specimens was originally tentatively identified as P. rassi due to differences in number of rays in dorsal and anal fins, number of vertebrae and length between base of pelvic fins and anal fin. However, the present material levels out the differences in number of fin rays and vertebrae. Consequently, there seems no longer any reason for considering the specimen tentatively identified.

Aphyonid-clade species of Australia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with four species new to Australian waters and a new species of Barathronus

distribution

Distribution (Fig. 1). Known from four specimens in the West Atlantic (2610 – 4400 m), from two in the East Atlantic (4415 m) and now from four specimens off NSW and southern Qld (3980 – 4280 m).

Aphyonid-clade species of Australia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with four species new to Australian waters and a new species of Barathronus

materials_examined

Material examined. (4 specimens, 85 – 109 mm SL) NMV A 31819 - 003, male, 103 mm SL, off Newcastle, NSW, 33 ° 26.10 ’ S, 152 ° 39.90 ’ E, RV Investigator, st. IN 2017 _ VO 3 / 065, beam trawl, 4173 – 4280 m, 30 May 2017. CSIRO H 8125 - 02 (GenBank Accession MH 491989), female, 109 mm SL, Hunter Commonwealth Marine Reserve, NSW, 32 ° 08.28 ’ S, 153 ° 31.62 ’ E, RV Investigator, st. IN 2017 _ V 03 / 078, beam trawl, 3980 – 4029 m, 4 June 2017. CSIRO H 8132 - 01, 2 males, 85 – 101 mm SL (GenBank Accessions MH 491992 and MH 491993, respectively), east of Moreton Bay, Qld, 27 ° 00.47 ’ S, 154 ° 13.39 ’ E, RV Investigator, st. IN 2017 _ V 03 / 102, beam trawl, 4274 – 4264 m, 10 June 2017.

Aphyonid-clade species of Australia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with four species new to Australian waters and a new species of Barathronus