Nezumia proxima (Smith and Radcliffe, 1912 )

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 : 93

Nezumia proxima (Smith and Radcliffe, 1912)

Figure 19 .

Macrourus proximus Smith and Radcliffe in Radcliffe, 1912:119–120, pl. 26, fig. 2 (holotype, 292 mm TL, USNM 72936 ; Sogod Bay , Leyte I., Philippines, 10°12ʹ00ʺN, 125°04ʹ10ʺE, 502 fm [918 m]; paratypes, USNM 135338–39 ).

Macrourus nasutus [non Coryphaenoides nasutus Günther, 1877 ]: Jordan and Gilbert, 1904:618 (spec. from off Izu, Japan).

Lionurus proximus : Gilbert and Hubbs, 1916:201–202 (11 spec. [excluding 3 types]; East China Sea, Pacific coast of s. Japan, 361–544 fm [660–995 m]).

Lionurus (subgenus Nezumia ) proximus : Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920:554 (3 spec. [including holotype], Philippines).

Lionurus abei Matsubara, 1943:146–147 , fig. 7, 8 (holotype, 160.7 mm TL, cat. no. 4909, Kumano-nada, Japan; “ Sigenkagaku Fish Coll. No. 7”).

Nezumia proximus : Okamura, 1970:94–98, pl. XXI, text-fig. 41(17 spec., 174–370 mm TL; e. coast s. Japan, East China Sea; 420–910 m; synonymized Lionurus spinosus Gilbert and Hubbs, 1916 with N. proxima ).

Nezumia proxima : Okamura in Okamura et al., 1982:163, 351, fig. 98 (p. 162) (1 spec., 160 mm TL; Kyushu-Palau Ridge).— Sawada in Amaoka et al., 1983:107, 192, fig. 58 (p. 106) (4 spec., 269.6–346. 4 mm TL; Ibaragi [central Honshu, ca. 37°N], Japan, 1100 m).— Okamura in Masuda et al., 1984:95, pl. 81–I (compiled).— Okamura in Okamura and Kitajima, 1984:217, 362, fig. 152 (p. 216) (8 spec., 186–350 mm TL; Okinawa Trough [East China Sea], 820–932 m).— Iwamoto, 1990:281–282, fig. 645–646 (compiled).— Nakabo, 2002:424 (compiled).— Shao et al., 2008: table 2 (2 spec., Taiwan [ ET, SCS], 488–1098 m; first record from Taiwan).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (2 spec.).— NET: ASIZP 65632 (1, 377+ TL) , CP 214, 488– 1027 m. SCS: ASIZP 66187 (1, 32 HL, 163+ TL) ; CD 322, 1098 m. SWT: ASIZP 65529 (1, 282+ TL) , CD 142, 227– 335 m.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— 1D II,9–11; P i17–i21; V 9, rarely 10; inner GR-I 9–11 total; scale rows below midbase 1D 5–7.5, below 2D 7–8.5; pyl. caeca 24–31. Snout length 23–31% HL; interorbital 18–25%; orbit 28–33%; suborbital 14–17%; upper jaw 31–34%; barbel 15–23%. Body relatively slender, compressed; head in TL about 6–7 times; snout conical, protruding well beyond mouth, with stout tubercles at tip and lateral angles; suborbital ridge sharp and beset with stout modified scales; underside of head mostly scaled except for broad naked median swath on underside of snout; body scales densely covered with recumbent narrowly triangular to lanceolate spinules. Long spinous ray of 1D about 70–100% HL, serrations strong, sharp, widely spaced. Anterior dermal window of light organ small, situated between inner V-fin bases; anus about midway between V and A. Color overall dark brown, abdominal region bluish to black; gill cover, gill membranes black; mouth dusky; fins dark dusky to black. Attains at least 380 mm TL.

DISTRIBUTION.— Broadly distributed from east-central Japan and East China Sea to South China Sea off Taiwan and the Philippines; recorded depth range 355–1100 m. The sw. Taiwan specimen was taken in 227–335 m; the ne. Taiwan specimen in 488–1027 m, and the SCS specimen in 1098 m.

REMARKS.— The 133 mm specimen listed in the table in Gilbert and Hubbs (1916:202) as N. proxima from Albatross sta. 4918 is deposited at CAS [cat. no. CAS-SU 22941]; we have determined that it represents N. spinosa , a species that is closely similar to N. proxima and with which it has been mistaken in the past. However, the underside of head of N. spinosa is almost wholly naked, compared with only the median portion of snout in front of the mouth naked in N. proxima . The spinous 1D ray is also longer in N. spinosa , the scale spinules needle-like and not flattened (viz., not lanceolate or spear-shaped), and the outer premaxillary dentition is larger than in N. proxima .

Figures

FIGURE 19. Nezurnia proxima (Smith and Radcliffe, 1912), ASIZP 66187, 163+ mm TL, fresh (A) and preserved (B).