Sphagemacrurus richardi ( Weber, 1913 )

Iwamoto, Tomio, Nakayama, Naohide, Shao, Kwang-Tsao & Table, Hsuan-Ching Ho, 2015, Synopsis of the Grenadier Fishes (Gadiformes; Teleostei) of Taiwan, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (3), pp. 31-126 : 100-101

Sphagemacrurus richardi ( Weber, 1913)

Figures 24A–B .

Macrurus richardi Weber, 1913:154 (28 syntypes: FMNH 52442 ex cm 700 [1 spec.] Flores Sea; MOM 0091–1766 [1, disintegrated]; ZMA 110456 [1], 110447–49 [18, 1, 3], 110464 [1]; Makassar Strait; Celebes [Sulawesi] Sea ; Ceram Sea ; Flores Sea ; Siboga sta. 85, 122, 170, 314, and 316; 538–1260 m).

Sphagemacrurus richardi : Iwamoto, 1990:288, fig. 658 (in key).— Iwamoto and Williams, 1999:212 (mentioned).— Iwamoto and Graham, 2001:493 (56 spec., se. Australia; 880–1100m).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (6 spec.).— SCS: ASIZP 65621 (1, 29.3 HL, 176 TL) , CD 203; ASIZP 66087 (1, 32.7 HL, 165+ TL) , CD 320; ASIZP 66184 (1, 35.5 HL, 186+ TL) , CD 320; ASIZP 66192 (1, 32.9 HL, 176 TL) , CD 320; ASIZP 66910 (1, 34.5 HL, 190+ TL) , CD 321; ASIZP 66944 (1, 127 TL) , CD 321.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— 1D II,9–10; P i19–i21; V 10–11(12); inner GR-I 11–14 total; scale rows below 2D 8–9; pyl. caeca about 10. Snout length 35–37% HL; interorbital 30–34%; orbit 28–34%; suborbital 19–21%; postorbital 40–43%; orbit-preopercle 40–41%; upper jaw 37–39%; barbel 13–16%. Body relatively deep, about equal to HL; head about 5.3–6.0 in TL; mouth rather small, upper jaw extends posteriorly to under midorbit; barbel well developed, about half orbit diameter; underside of head mostly scaled except ventrally on snout and suborbital margin; body scales with short fine spinules arranged in about 7–9 parallel rows. Outer ray of V slightly prolonged, its tip extending to or somewhat beyond A origin. Periproct broad, abutting A origin posteriorly, spanning about 2 ⁄ 3 distance between V and A; anus closer to A than to outer base of V. Attains about 23 cm TL. (Data from Taiwan specimens only.)

DISTRIBUTION.— The ASIZ specimens captured in 634–954 m off Taiwan were the first recorded from the area ( Shao et al. 2008) and extend the range to northward from Indonesia where it was first described.

REMARKS.— Our specimens represent the first record for Taiwan. In his original description of the species, Weber (1913) gave 8 as the count of V rays, but one of the current author’s ( TI) examination of what was probably the illustrated syntype ( ZMA 110.456) had 10 rays in each fin. No other specimen of the species that we know of had such a low count, and we suspect it to be erroneous. Sphagemacrurus decimalis (Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920) has a low V count of 10, similar to S. richardi , but it differs in a number of morphometric features (as enumerated in the original description), including a somewhat lower count of rakers on the lower limb of GR-I (7 cf. 9–12); shorter snout (26–28% HL cf. 35–37%); shorter upper jaw (28–29% cf. 40–41%; shorter orbit-preopercle distance 33–34% cf. 40–41%; and shorter barbel (9–11% cf. 13–16%). Sphagemacrurus richardi differs from S. pumiliceps in having slightly fewer V rays (10–11, rarely 12, vs. 11–14), shorter barbel (13–16% vs. 16–21%), and somewhat wider interorbital (30–34% vs. 24–28%) ( S. pumiliceps data from Iwamoto and Graham 2001:493).

Figures

FIGURE 24. Sphagemacrurus richardi (Weber, 1913). A. ASIZP 66910, 190+ mm TL, fresh. B. ASIZP 65621, 176 mm TL, preserved, photo reversed laterally.