Velvet Catshark

description

Description. Scyliorhinid catshark with flabby, soft, tadpole-shaped body; trunk slightly depressed; tail compressed and tapering to caudal fin; head very depressed, height 5.5 % TL; abdomen shorter than head, pectoral to pelvic space 16.9 % TL, 1.3 of head length; pelvic to anal space 1.6 times anal-fin base length. Caudal peduncle moderately deep, elongate, width 1.6 in its height, anal to caudal space 0.6 of anal-fin base; rather compressed, dorsal surface flattened, ventral surface interrupted by caudal crest. Snout short, rounded-parabolic in dorsoventral view; tip broadly rounded, bluntly pointed in lateral view; preoral length 5.8 % TL, 1.6 times mouth width; prenarial snout 1.1 times eye length. Eye large, length 4.2 % TL, 5.1 in head length; strongly dorsolateral on head, with well-developed subocular ridges. Mouth large, moderately long, semiangular, width 9.4 % TL, 1.9 times its length; labial furrows rudimentary, reduced small slits at mouth corner. Nostrils large with tube-like incurrent apertures, anterior nasal flaps triangular, posterolateral tip forming a short lobe; well separated, internarial length 2.8 % TL; falling short to mouth. Teeth of both jaws exposed whe

Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia

description

Parmaturus albipenis differs from P. lanatus by: more tooth rows in jaws (130 versus about 90); longer pre-pelvic length (about 47 % TL versus 40 % TL); longer pre-vent length (52 % TL versus 44 % TL); shorter mouth (length 3.1 % TL versus 5.0 % TL); and head shorter than abdomen (rather than longer). Parmaturus albimarginatus differs from P. lanatus by: crests of enlarged denticles well developed on caudal margins (crests without enlarged denticles in P. lanatus); teeth mainly tricuspidate (rather than quadricuspidate); first dorsal fin after mid-length (before mid-length); much longer pre-pelvic (about 47 % TL versus 40 % TL) and pre-vent lengths (50 % TL versus 44 % TL); head shorter than abdomen (rather than longer); second dorsal fin larger than first dorsal (rather than subequal in size); and a much deeper head (ratio head height / head width 1.0 versus 0.5). Parmaturus bigus differs from P. lanatus by: crest of enlarged denticles well developed on caudal margins (crests without enlarged denticles in P. lanatus); teeth mainly tricuspidate (rather than quadricuspidate); first dorsal fin after mid-length (before mid-length); much longer pre-pelvic (about 49 % TL versus 40 % TL)

Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A scyliorhinid catshark with the following combination of characters: soft body; velvety skin with long-cusped, tricuspidate denticles; plain brownish coloration; crests of small denticles (not enlarged) on upper and lower caudal fin and peduncle margins; teeth mainly quadricuspidate, in about 90 rows in both jaws; first dorsal fin forward of mid-length, pre-first dorsal length 44.4 % TL; pelvic fins and vent well in front of mid-length, pre-pelvic length 40.0 % TL and pre-vent length 44.2 % TL; snout relatively short, prenarial length 4.7 % TL; mouth relatively long, mouth length 5.0 % TL; labial furrows rudimentary; head longer than abdomen, length 21.4 % TL, pectoral-pelvic length 16.9 % TL; dorsal fins elevated, anterior margins of first and second dorsal fins 9.2 % and 10.3 % TL respectively; subterminal caudal lobe developed, subterminal margin length 4.7 % TL, terminal margin length 5.3 % TL; monospondylous centra 46; precaudal centra 85.

Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia

distribution

Distribution. Collected from the continental slope off Tanimbar Island in the Arafura Sea (Indonesia) in 840 – 855 m depth (Fig. 1).

Four new species of deep-water catsharks of the genus Parmaturus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Australia