Bathygadus garretti Gilbert and Hubbs, 1916

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 : 39-40

Bathygadus garretti Gilbert and Hubbs, 1916

Bathygadus garretti Gilbert and Hubbs, 1916:151–153, pl.8, fig. 1 (holotype USNM 76863, 513 TL, Suruga Gulf, Japan, Albatross sta. 5059, 197–297 fm [360–543 m]) .

Bathygadus (Melanobranchus) garretti : Gilbert and Hubbs, 1920:380 (in key).

Bathygadus garretti : Okamura, 1970:34–36, pl. 12, text-fig. 17 (descr. based on paratype, USNM 135351); Okamura, 1984:197, 357, fig. 139 (descr. in Japanese and English; 7 spec., Okinawa Trough, 360–650 m).— Chiou et al., 2004b:42, fig. 6 (1 spec., Da-xi, NET).— Shao et al., 2008: table 2 (6 spec., NET, SWT, SCS).

Bathygadus nipponicus : Howes and Crimmen, 1990:191 (in part; synonymized B. garretti with B. nipponicus ). Chiou et al., 2004b:42, fig. 7 (1 spec., NET).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (20 spec.).— NET: ASIZP 61226 (1, 86.5 HL, 446 TL) ; Da-xi; ASIZP 61227 (2, 70–77 HL, 362–380 TL) ; Da-xi; ASIZP 61228 (1, 96.8 HL, 458 TL) ; Da-xi, ASIZP 64274 (1, 91.3 HL, 365 TL) ; CP 235, 764 m; ASIZP 70241 (1, 281 TL) ; Da-xi; ASIZP 70244 (1, 153 TL); Da-xi; ASIZP 70246 (3, 127–175 TL); Da-xi; ASIZP 70249 (3, 360–456 TL); Da-xi; ASIZP 70253 (1, 444 TL); Da-xi. SWT: ASIZP 65512 (1, 58.1 HL, 320 TL); CP 130, 709– 728 m ; ASIZP 65593 (1, 70 HL, 338 TL); CD 140, 280– 452 m ; ASIZP 65599 (1, 65.6 HL, 291+ TL); CD 137, 316– 477 m. No data: ASIZP 65580 (1, 71.6 HL, 335+ TL). Other material : Japan: BSKU 98225 (1, 62.5 HL, 305+ TL) and BSKU 98224 (1, 58.9 HL, 320 TL); Suruga Bay , 520–545 m; 23 Nov. 1978 .

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— A species of Bathygadus with gular membrane scaled; a rudimentary chin barbel usually present (sometimes absent); dorsal profile behind head relatively low, nape not humpbacked; 1D II8–10; P i15–i18; V 10 (rarely 11); GR-I (5–6) + (17–20); pyl. caeca 34–46 (or more); interorbital width 27–32% HL; orbit diameter 21–26%; upper jaw length 52–58%; none of fins with greatly elongated rays.

DISTRIBUTION.— Southern Japan s. to Taiwan ( NET, SWT) in 360–650 m.

REMARKS.— Our identification of specimens of this species was based on a combination of characters, including the presence of a rudimentary chin barbel. In a few specimens, the barbel was not present, but other characters that we deemed important appeared to confirm our identification. Howes and Crimmen (1990:1910) synonymized B. garretti with B. nipponicus , stating that the only difference between the two was the presence of a rudimentary chin barbel in the former, a suggestion made earlier by Okamura (1984:358). However, our ASIZ specimens suggest that B. garretti almost always has V 10 (11 on one side in a paratype) vs. mostly 9 in B. nipponicus (the holotype has 10, fide Okamura 1970 and Howes and Crimmen 1990, not 9 as stated in the original description), a slightly larger orbit (1–26% HL vs. 17–22%), and more pyloric caeca (34–46 [5 spec.] vs. 12–19 [5 spec.]). The count of pyloric caeca in the single paratype of B. garretti was given as 50 by Gilbert and Hubbs (1916:152), 49 by Okamura (1970:34), and 54 by Howes and Crimmen (1990:191).

Specimen ASIZP 61227, listed in Chiou et al. (2004b) as the first Taiwan record of B. nipponicus , was determined by us to be B. garretti . One of two specimens of B. antrodes ( ASIZP 61226) recorded in the same paper is now re-identified as this species.