Broadmouth Gibberfish

description

Description of Taiwanese specimens. Tables 1, 2 provide morphometric and meristic data. Dorsal-fin elements 5 - 7 (fixed spines) + 1 - 2 (movable spines) + 8 - 9 (soft rays), all rays branched (1 specimen with first ray simple). Pectoral-fin elements 13 - 14 (1 with 15 in one side), upper and lowermost rays unbranched, others branched. Pelvic-fin elements I, 4 - 6, spine short and movable, slightly recurved, all rays branched. Anal-fin elements 2 - 4 (fixed spines) + 1 - 2 (movable spines) + 7 - 8 (soft rays). Principal caudal-fin rays 10 + 9, uppermost and lowermost rays unbranched; procurrent caudal-fin rays 7 - 8 and 6 on upper and lower lobes, respectively. Gill rakers on 1 st arch 5 - 6 + 13 - 15 = 18 - 21; on 2 nd arch 4 - 5 + 12 - 13 = 16 - 18; on 3 rd arch 2 + 10 - 11 = 12 - 13; and on 4 th arch 0 + 6 - 8 = 6 - 8. Lateral line with c. 32 - 36 vertical branches (some damaged); scale rows along lateral line c. 40 - 44 (many lost); scale rows above lateral line 5 - 7; scale rows below lateral line c. 18 - 21. No abdominal scutes. Pyloric caeca 9 - 13 (n = 4). Vertebrae 12 - 13 + 18 - 20 = 30 - 32 total (n = 7); branchiostegal rays 9; interneural 3, upper ends slightly extended

New records of a rare gibberfish, Gibberichthys latifrons (Stephanoberyciformes, Gibberichthyidae), from the South China Sea, with comments on morphological characters

distribution

Distribution. Originally described from the western Indian Ocean (Thorp 1969) and recorded from scattered localities, including Japan, Vietnam, Ceram Sea, Halmahera Sea, New Guinea Sea, off Molucca, Marquesas, Samoa Islands, Comoro Islands, Madagascar, Saya de Malha Bank, and the East Indian Ridge; bathymetric range 320 - 1700 m (Kotlyar 2002; Causse 2005; Okiyama et al. 2007). Our specimens were collected from depths about 400 - 500 m by bottom trawl.

New records of a rare gibberfish, Gibberichthys latifrons (Stephanoberyciformes, Gibberichthyidae), from the South China Sea, with comments on morphological characters

materials_examined

Material examined. DOS 08997 (1, sex indeterminate, 49.6 mm SL), 27 Aug. 2021, coll. N. - S. Leung. DOS 09023 (1, sex indeterminate, 77.6 mm SL), 13 Oct. 2022, c. 400 m, coll. N. - S. Leung. NMMB-P 37435 (1 male, 100.7 mm SL), bottom trawl, 26 Dec. 2022, coll. K. - H. Wu. NMMB-P 37470 (1 female, 103.0 mm SL and 2 males, 97.2, 101.0 mm SL), bottom trawl, c. 400 - 500 m, 29 Jan. 2023, coll. H. - C. Ho. NMMB-P 37945 (1, sex indeterminate, 82.2 mm SL), 11 Feb. 2023, coll. Y. - M Huang. All from off Dong-gang, Pingtung, southwestern Taiwan. Otoliths: CHLOL 21943, taken from NMMB-P 37470, 101.0 mm SL, 1.92 mm and 2.03 mm in length. CHLOL 22021, taken from NMMB-P 37470, 97.4 mm SL, 2.01 mm and 2.12 mm in length.

New records of a rare gibberfish, Gibberichthys latifrons (Stephanoberyciformes, Gibberichthyidae), from the South China Sea, with comments on morphological characters