Scymnodon niger Chu & Meng, 1982

White, William T. & Last, Peter R., 2013, Notes on shark and ray types at the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (SCSFRI) in Guangzhou, China, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 228-248 : 234

Scymnodon niger Chu & Meng, 1982

[= Zameus squamulosus ( Bonnaterre, 1788) ]

( Figures 8a , 9 )

Scymnodon niger Chu & Meng in Chu, Meng, Hu & Li, 1982: 304, fig. 3 (South China Sea).

Possible junior synonym of Scymnodon squamulosus – Compagno, 1984: 101, fig.

Junior synonym of Zameus squamulosus – Taniuchi & Garrick, 1986: 119.

Material examined. SCSFRI S 07561 (holotype), female 482 mm TL, South China Sea, 19°27.6' N, 114°19.3' E, depth 964 m, 5 Oct 1980 .

Remarks. Described by Chu & Meng in Chu et al. (1982) based on four specimens collected from the South China Sea. Compagno (1984) considered Scymnodon niger to be a possible junior synonym of Scymnodon squamulosus ( Günther, 1877) . Scymnodon squamulosus was subsequently assigned to the genus Zameus Jordan & Fowler, 1903 by Taniuchi & Garrick (1986). These authors also stated that using a variety of information sources, they could not distinguish between S. niger and Z. squamulosus . In the original description, S. niger was compared with Scymnodon obscurus ( Vaillant, 1888) and considered to be distinguishable in having a snout subequal to eye diameter vs. longer than eye diameter. However, Taniuchi & Garrick (1986) highlighted that this was most likely due to the illustration by Vaillant (1888); this appears to be incorrect according to measurements of the holotype taken by Yano & Tanaka (1984). They also highlighted that the other cited differences are likely attributable to intraspecific variation. Chu & Meng in Chu et al. (1982) distinguished S. niger from S. squamulosus in having denticles with transverse ridges (vs. without), but this difference is invalid as Z. squamulosus does possess strongly ridge denticles (e.g. Yano & Tanaka, 1984). The other distinguishing character they presented was a first dorsal-fin base a third of the interdorsal space (vs. a fifth). However, comparison of the holotype with Z. squamulosus ( Figure 8 ) showed that this difference is not valid and is possibly due to intraspecific variation or differences in interpretation of dorsal-fin origins which would affect these measurements. Thus, as previously suggested, Scymnodon niger should be considered a junior synonym Zameus squamulosus ( Bonnaterre, 1788) .

Figures

FIGURE 8. Lateral view of: A. holotype of Scymnodon niger SCSFRI S 07561 (female 482 mm TL); B. Zameus squamulosus (CSIRO H 2560–03, adult male ~500 mm TL) from Australia.

FIGURE 9. Ventral head view the holotype of Scymnodon niger SCSFRI S 07561 (female 482 mm TL).