Coelorinchus anatirostris Jordan and Gilbert, 1904

Coelorhynchus anatirostris Jordan and Gilbert, 1904:619 (holotype: USNM 51471 [ex CAS-SU 8550], 40 cm long; Misaki, Japan).— Okamura, 1970:186–189, pl. VIII, text-fig. 80 (72 spec.; s. Japan, 300–540 m).— Okamura in Okamura et al., 1982:171, 352 (2 spec.; s. Japan).— Okamura in Masuda et al., 1984:98, pl. 83E.— Yatou in Okamura and Kitajima, 1984:233. 368 (4 spec; Okinawa Trough, 300–550 m).

Coelorinchus anatirostris: Iwamoto, 1990:141 (compiled).— Shen et al., 1993:168.— Shao et al., 2008: table 2 (5 spec., NET, SWT, 200–441 m).

Caelorinchus anatirostris: Iwamoto and Merrett, 1997:486, fig. 6c (7 spec., New Caledonia, Chesterfield and Ballona Plateau, 600–855 m).— Merrett and Iwamoto, 2000:743 (7 spec., Vanuatu, New Caledonia, 450–1160 m).— Chiou et al., 2004b:36, 47 (in key, Taiwan, listed).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (20 spec.).— NET: ASIZP 61324 (1, 346 TL), Da-xi; ASIZP 65572 (1, 432 TL), Da-xi; ASIZP 70217 (3, 157–337 TL), Da-xi; ASIZP 70219 (3, 330–358 TL), Da-xi; ASIZP 70698 (1, 79 HL, 272+ TL); Da-xi; CAS 214596 (2); Da-xi; CAS 214728 (4, 215+-325+ TL), Su-ao. SWT: ASIZP 65540 (4, 160+-255 TL), CD 138, 441 m. SCS: CAS 224495 (ex ASIZP 65594) (1, 63.1 HL, 227 TL), CD 141, 985– 1110 m.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— 1D II 8–10; P i16–i18; GR-I (inner) 5–7 (total). Scales below midbase 1D 3.0–4.5, below 2D 4–6; pyl. caeca 21–30. Snout pointed, length moderate, 38–45% HL, 1.3–1.6 times orbit; preoral length 36–40% HL; anterolateral margin of snout completely supported by bone; orbit 26–31% HL; upper jaw 21–27% HL. Nasal fossa scaled ventrally; underside of head naked except for two small scale patches under orbit and preopercle angle; light organ group II of Iwamoto (1990), fossa narrow and short, not extending to V bases; median rostral ridge scales 9–12, with spinules radiating laterally and posteriorly; body scales covered with narrowly triangular spinules in 4–10 (usually 6–8) slightly divergent, ridgelike rows, median row strongest. Dorsally grayish, ventrally heavily peppered over ivory ground, bluish over abdomen, pale over chest; mouth and gill cavity grayish to blackish; leading edge of 1D black, other fins dusky to pale. Attains about 430 mm TL.

DISTRIBUTION.— Widely distributed in the w. Pacific from s. Japan and East China Sea, Taiwan, New Caledonia, Chesterfield and Bellona Plateau, Vanuatu, and off ne. Australia. Depth range 300–1160 m.

REMARKS.— An apparent distributional gap in the Philippines and East Indies is somewhat disconcerting; specimens from the sw. Pacific should be carefully compared with those from Taiwan and points north. Specimen CAS 224495 from the SCS has scale spinules that are short and uniform, unlike those in others in the materials examined, and the snout seemed too slender for the species. It is tentatively included here, but should be further compared with other closely related species. Among Taiwan species, C. anatirostris is most closely similar to C. productus and C. asteroides, but the former has stronger and fewer (3–5) divergent rows of spinules on body scales and the latter has fewer scales (6–8) on the median rostral ridge. Fukui et al. (2009) synonymized C. anatirostris and C. productus, but we have reservations about accepting their conclusion (see discussion in description of C. productus).