Sphagemacrurus pumiliceps (Alcock 1894)

Figures 23A–B.

Macrurus pumilicep s Alcock 1894:125 (Laccadive Sea; 1,315 m).

Lionurus pumiliceps: Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920:559, 560 (Philippine and East Indies, 732–1646 m).

Sphagemacrurus pumiliceps: Iwamoto, 1990:288 (in key).— Iwamoto and Merrett, 1997:549 (28 spec., sw. Pacific).— Iwamoto and Williams, 1999:210 (descr., 4 spec., Western Australia, 882–1880 m).— Merrett and Iwamoto, 2000:773 (24 spec., sw. Pacific).— Iwamoto et al., 2004:199 (1 spec., Walters Shoals, sw. Indian Ocean, 1310– 1265 m ).— Shao et al., 2008: table 2 (listed; Taiwan [ET, SCS], 736–1188 m) .

MATERIAL EXAMINED (6 spec.).— NET: ASIZP 65551 (1, 36.9 HL, 265+ TL), CD 199, 1134–1188 m . SCS: ASIZP 65558 (1, 26.6 HL, 140+ TL), CD 134, 736– 1040 m; ASIZP 66905 (3, 23.8–29.0 HL, 112+-202+ TL), CD 322, 1098 m .

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— 1D II,10–11; P i20–i23; V 11–14; inner GR-I 8–11 total; scale rows below 2D 7–10; pyl. caeca 10–12. Snout length 29–37% HL; interorbital 23–27%; orbit 31–37%; suborbital 18–21%; postorbital 40–44%; orbit-preopercle 36–43; upper jaw 36–39%; barbel 17–20%. Body relatively deep, about equal to HL; head about 7.5 in TL [all our specimens have a broken tail]; mouth rather small, upper jaw extends posteriorly to under midorbit; barbel well developed, about half diameter of orbit; underside of head mostly scaled except ventrally on snout and suborbital margin; body scales with short fine spinules arranged in about 5–8 parallel rows. Outer ray of V slightly prolonged, its tip extending to A origin or substantially beyond (to as far as 10 th A ray). Periproct broad, abutting A origin posteriorly, spanning about 2 ⁄ 3 distance between V and A. Attains about 27 cm TL. (Data from Taiwan specimens only.)

DISTRIBUTION.— Widely distributed in the w. Pacific from se. Australia to Taiwan, in 732–1880 m; also found through most of Indian Ocean, where species was originally described. The ASIZ specimens, captured in 736–1188 m off Taiwan, were the first recorded from the area (Shao et al., 2008) and extend the range to n. of the Philippines.

REMARKS.— The reportedly wide distribution of this species and the variation in certain features found by Iwamoto and Williams (2001:211–212) suggest that more than one species may be currently recognized under this name.