Physiculus cirm, Pires & Carvalho-Filho & Ferreira & Viana & Nunes & Hazin, 2019

Pires, Alessandra M. A., Carvalho-Filho, Alfredo, Ferreira, Rômulo C. P., Viana, Danielle, Nunes, Diogo & Hazin, Fabio H. V., 2019, Review of the Brazilian species of Physiculus (Gadiformes: Moridae), with description of a new species from Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, equatorial Atlantic, Zootaxa 4671 (1), pp. 67-80 : 71-76

Physiculus cirm , n. sp. Carvalho-Filho & Pires

Fig. 2–5 ; Table 1 , 2 and 3 .

Holotype. MZUSP 123403 (ex MOCH 1513 , 1 ) (1, 197.2 mm SL, Brazil, Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, 0°54.498’ N, 29°20.082’ W, 410 m deep, col. A.M.A. Pires, 10 October 2012.

Paratypes. Fifteen specimens, all collected around Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago : MNRJ 49453 (ex MOCH 1512 , 1 ) (1, 245.3 mm SL), 0°54.621’ N, 29°21.240’ W, 415 m deep, col. R.C.P. Ferreira, 10 Oct. 2012 ; MNRJ 49454 (ex MOCH 1512 , 2 ) (1, 242.3 mm SL), 0°54.621’ N, 29°21.240’ W, 415 m deep, col. R.C.P. Ferreira, 10 Oct. 2012 ; MOCH 1510 (1, 313 mm SL), 0°54.498’ N, 29°20.082’ W, 600 m deep, col. R. C. P. Ferreira, 04 April 2014 ; MOCH 1511 (1, 210mm SL), 0°55.681’ N, 29°21.804’ W, 420 m deep, col. A. M. A. Pires, 01 Jan. 2014 ; MOCH 1514 (1, 276 mm SL), 0°55.515’ N, 29°21.100’ W, 320 m deep, col. R. C. P. Ferreira, 04 April 2014 ; MOCH 1516 (2, 238.1- 291.3 mm SL), 0°55.509’ N, 29°21.910’ W, 300 m deep, col. A.M.A. Pires, 14 Oct. 2012 ; MOOCH 1517 (1, 191.3 mm SL), 0°55.515’ N, 29°21.100’ W, 600 m deep, col. R. C. P. Ferreira, 5 April 2014 ; MOCH 1518 (1, 279.8 mm SL), 0°55.145’ N, 29°21.863’ W, 750 m deep, col. A.M.A. Pires, 10 Oct. 2012 ; MOOCH 1521 (2, 289.3- 322.2 mm SL), 0°54.401’ N, 29°22.111´W, 300 m deep, col. A. Pires, 10 Dec. 2017 ; MZUSP 121269 (ex MOCH 1515 ) (2, 177.2- 245.9 mm SL) , 0°54.498’ N, 29°20.130’ W, 500 m deep, col. A.M.A. Pires, 27 Dec. 2013; MZUSP 123404 (ex MOCH 1513 , 2 ) (1, 269.6 mm SL), 0°54.498’ N, 29°20.082’ W, 410 m deep, col. A.M.A. Pires, 10 Oct. 2012 ; ZUEC 8464 (1, 262.2 mm SL), 0°55.599’ N, 29°20.198’ W, 420 m deep, col. B. Macena, 01 Jan. 2012 .

Diagnosis: A Physiculus species with D 6–8, 68–73; A 65–81; P 20–25; scales on longitudinal series 156–189; scales between base of first dorsal fin and lateral line 15–18; gular region usually with a patch of scales; snout tip usually scaled; dorsal-fin membrane with scales on several rays. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners, except P. cynodon Sazonov, 1987 and P. karrerae , by the large number of longitudinal series of scales (156–189 vs. 84–150). P. cynodon from the Northern Pacific has about 200 longitudinal series of scales, and it dif- fers from the new species by the number of rays of the first dorsal fin (6–8 vs. 10), pectoral-fin rays (20–25 vs. 27), and the presence of an outer row of large canine teeth on upper and lower jaw. From P. karrerae , which has 140–160 longitudinal series of scales, the new species differs by the presence of scales on the tip of the snout and dorsal-fin membrane, and the number of pectoral-fin rays (20–25 vs. 24–27).

Description: Meristic and morphometric data are presented in Table 1 . Body elongated, anterior part weakly and caudal part strongly laterally compressed; caudal peduncle short, slender. Head moderately large, dorsoventrally flattened anteriorly. Snout rounded. Mouth large, broad; eye moderately large. Light organ 14.6–19.7% InV-af; distance from interventral line to anterior margin of light organ 7.3–15.4% InV-af; distance from posterior margin of light organ to anterior margin of anus 9.8–15.8% InV-af. Gill membranes narrowly joined anteriorly at isthmus. Suborbital space narrow; chin barbel varies from 25 to 50% of eye diameter. Upper jaw with mouth closed projects beyond lower jaw and reaches rear half of pupil posteriorly. Teeth noticeably curved inward, smooth, villiform, eventually a few arrowhead-shaped on jaws and graded on maxillary: outer row followed by similar inner rows of slightly smaller teeth forming a dense band of 5–7 teeth wide in maxillary; lower jaw with 3–5 rows of sub-equal teeth ( Fig. 3 ). Nostrils contiguous; anterior nostril not in a tube and covered by a skin flap, the posterior open and oval. Opercular opening extending forward ventrally to below margin of orbit. Gill rakers 3 + 7–11, flattened, with numerous minute denticles along upper and lower borders; apices of rakers slightly thickened. Outer lens of photophore round, small. Light organ large, closer to interventral line than anus.

Two dorsal fins of about same height, separated by a very narrow gap. First dorsal fin origin behind pectoral-fin base, third to fifth rays longest. Anal-fin origin under third to fifth ray of second dorsal fin. Pelvic-fin origin under last 25 to 33% of post-orbital length. Pectoral fin reaches 8 th– 13 th anal-fin ray. Caudal fin slightly to evenly rounded. Fins covered with skin, denser on first dorsal and anterior part of second dorsal fin. Rays of all fins flexible, ends free.

Body covered with minute, deciduous cycloid scales, often present on snout tip (12 of 15 specimens), between nostrils, on several dorsal-fin rays, and on middle caudal-fin rays, on lower jaw, between anal opening and base of anal fin, and at pectoral-fin base and anterior part of its rays; scales absent on branchiostegal membrane, in the area immediately below nostrils, and anal-fin membrane and rays. Gular scales present in a small patch at isthmus or a large patch at posterior area of the gular region or in a small cluster of 2–5 scales, rarely totally absent (none in only two of sixteen specimens). Continuous lateral line tubes starting above opercle upper angle and extending to below 7 th to 9 th ray of the second dorsal fin. Vertebrae of two specimens, MOCH 1521, 56 and 57. Largest specimen, 322.2 mm SL, one of the specimens of voucher MOCH 1521.

Color in life: Head and body brown, lighter in lower third and posterior part of body. Abdomen to base of pectoral fin bluish. Gular region, branchiostegal membranes, lips, anterior margin of orbit, and tips of vertical fins dark brown to black. Throat white laterally. Lining of mouth white. Opercle may present a pinkish tinge. Pectoral fin orange to gray-red, its base bluish. Pelvic fin orange to grayish-red. Dorsal and caudal fins brown; anal fin brown, the basal half with a tint of blue. Barbel with red base and whitish tip. Outer lens of photophore and periproctum black. A single specimen observed in about 300 meters was dark blue overall ( Fig. 5 ).

Color in alcohol: Body tan to brownish overall, with stains darker between eyes, on snout, gill covers and gill membranes; regions without scales whitish; fins dark. Ventral region from isthmus to anal fin, around the light organ, and laterally on the abdomen beyond the pectoral fins, bluish.

Distribution: Physiculus cirm n. sp. is known only from Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, equatorial Atlantic, in depths between 300 and 750 m.

Etymology: The species honors the Interministerial Commission for Marine Resources (Comissão Interministerial para os Recursos do Mar—CIRM), who has been, since the middle nineties, the main institution responsible for financing research and keeping a local research station, which made the present study possible. Proposed English name: St. Peter´s codling. Proposed Portuguese (Brazilian) name: abrótea de São Pedro e São Paulo.

Figures

FIGURE 2.A. Physiculus cirm, n. sp., holotype, MZUSP 123403, 197.2 mm SL. B. Physiculus cirm, n. sp., paratype, MOOCH 1521, 289.3 mm SL

FIGURE 3. Dentition of Physiculus cirm n. sp. from left side of dentary showing several arrow-shaped teeth from above (upper) and laterally (lower).

FIGURE 4. Physiculus cirm, n. sp., recently collected, Paratype ZUEC 8464, 262.2 mm SL.A. Lateral view. B. Belly view, showing photophore and anus.

FIGURE 5. Alive in reef formation, depth about 300 m. Picture by Projeto Fontes hipertérmicas do Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo, Universidade Federal Fluminense, 2017.