Bellottia cryptica

biology_ecology

Biology. The general benthic habitat in the area where this specimen was collected consisted of a rugged, rocky ledge that was colonized by scattered hard corals (mostly Lophelia pertusa), black corals, bamboo corals, sponges and hydroids. Bottom temperature was 7.8 ° C and salinity was 34.9 ppt. This specimen was swimming about 1.5 – 2 m above the ledge and was collected by suction sampler. A large amount of rotenone was spread in the area, and it seems likely this fish was escaping from that. We assume that this species is normally benthic and cryptic, similar to B. robusta. The stomach of this specimen was about one third full of unidentified crustacean parts.

Atlantic occurrence of the genus Bellottia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with two new species from the Western North Atlantic

description

Bellottia apoda: Ross & Quattrini (2007: 985, 996) Bellottia n. sp.: Ross & Quattrini (2008: 80)

Atlantic occurrence of the genus Bellottia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with two new species from the Western North Atlantic

description

Description. The principal meristic and morphometric characters are shown in Table 1. Body short, highest near base of pectoral fin, completely covered with oval ca. 0.7 mm cycloid scales. Lateral line indistinct with anterior part apparently near dorsal margin of body. Head profile convex, cheek and gill cover scaled with rest of head naked. Mouth oblique with posterior part of maxilla vertically expanded ending just behind eye. Anterior nostril with low rim placed closer to upper lip than to posterior nostril. Small opercular spine strong and pointed, reaching beyond posterior margin of opercle. Lower edge of preopercle with four distinct spines, and no spine on preopercular crest (Fig. 3). Origin of dorsal fin above tip of pectoral fin, anal fin origin at midpoint of fish. Pectoral fin placed on mid-body level with peduncle higher than long. A prominent spine on cleithrum just above base of pectoral fin. Anterior gill arch with 3 – 4 platelike rakers on upper branch, one long raker in the angle between the two branches and lower branch with 4 – 5 long rakers followed by 8 – 9 plate-like rakers. Longest gill filament about 1 / 3 of longest raker. Two short, broad pseudobranchial

Atlantic occurrence of the genus Bellottia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with two new species from the Western North Atlantic

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Bellottia cryptica differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: body slender (17.0 % SL at origin of anal fin), teeth small and pointed, caudal fin rays 7, origin of anal fin below dorsal fin ray 8, anterior gill arch with 5 long rakers, predorsal length 46.5 % SL, precaudal vertebrae 10, cleithrum with distinct spine just above base of pectoral fin, no spine on preopercular crest. Similarity. Bellottia cryptica is most similar to B. robusta, in e. g. presence of spine on cleithrum and in fin ray and total vertebral counts, but differs by the more slender body (17.0 vs 17.5 – 23.0 % SL at origin of anal fin), origin of anal fin below dorsal fin ray 8 vs 10 – 15, precaudal vertebrae 10 vs 12 and no spine on preopercular crest vs 1 spine in B. robusta. It differs from B. galatheae by having 5 – 6 long rakers on anterior gill arch vs 4, and by having more rays in dorsal (92 vs 70 – 72), anal (84 vs 61) and pectoral (23 vs 19 – 20) fins. From B. apoda it differs by having 10 precaudal vertebrae vs 12, spine on cleithrum vs spine absent and 5 – 6 long rakers on anterior gill arch vs 3 – 4. From B. armiger it differs by having 7 caudal fin rays (vs 6)

Atlantic occurrence of the genus Bellottia (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with two new species from the Western North Atlantic