RESEARCH ARTICLE
Descriptions of a new genus and two new species of Caribbean deep-water jawfishes (Teleostei: Opistognathidae)
William F. Smith-Vaniz
Abstract
A new genus and species of
deep-water jawfish, Anoptoplacus pygmaeus,
n. gen. n. sp., is described on the basis of two specimens
collected off Arrowsmith Bank, Yucatan, Mexico,
trawled in 240-267 m. Although only 20.5-22.5
mm standard length, they exhibit sexual dichromatism,
appear to be adults, and have a number of reductive
characters generally characteristic of miniaturization
in fishes. Other characters of this new species of
jawfish include single rows of straight and slender
teeth in both jaws, a caudal fin that is not lanceolate
and with the middle 10 rays branched, 20-23 body
scale rows, and 2-4 infraorbitals which are plate-like
and broadly open laterally. A second new species of
jawfish, Opistognathus schrieri, n. sp. is
described based on two specimens collected off Curacao
in about 152 m. This species shares a unique combination
of characters with O. melachasme, known only
from Arrowsmith Bank, and O. nothus, from off
North Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico. Both color
pattern and the distribution of cephalic pores in
adults distinguish the new species. All Atlantic jawfishes
that occur in depths greater than 150 m are discussed
and compared.
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CITATION:
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (2017)
Descriptions of a new genus and two new species of
Caribbean deep-water jawfishes (Teleostei: Opistognathidae).
Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 26,
46-58.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.495490
publication date: 6 April
2017
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