Apristurus garricki sp. nov., a new deep-water catshark from the northern New Zealand waters (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae)

Abstract

A new deep-water catshark, Apristurus garricki sp. nov., is described from northern New Zealand waters. This species is a member of the longicephalus-group and has a conspicuously elongated prenarial snout and short duodenum and is morphologically similar to A. herklotsi from the western North Pacific and A. australis from Australian waters. A. garricki sp. nov. differs from A. australis and A. herklotsi by possessing large dermal denticles on the dorsal side of the body, and higher counts of monospondylous vertebrae and spiral valves. In addition, this species can be distinguished from A. herklotsi by its larger size at maturation, a higher count of monospondylous vertebrae and spiral valves, and distinct longitudinal striations on the surface of egg cases. It differs from A. australis by having fewer tooth rows on both jaws and the posterior position of the first dorsal-fin insertion being distinctly behind pelvic insertions. This species is currently only known from northern New Zealand waters, and is thought to be endemic to this region.

Keywords:

• Apristurus garricki
• new species
• deep sea
• Scyliorhinidae
• New Zealand

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank: Clive Roberts, Carl Struthers (Museum of New Zealand), Michikazu Yorozu (Hakkeijima Sea Paradise) and Junro Kawauchi (Hokkaido University) for assistance in examining specimens and management of the project. Erika Mackay (Museum of New Zealand) drew Figure 1B. We give special thanks to Jack Garrick for providing us with valuable data from his research, and invaluable advice and support. We thank as well as Mark McGrouther (AMS), Alastair Graham (CSIRO) Tom Trnski (AIM), Romain Causse (MNHN), Toshio Kawai (HUMZ) and Jeff Williams (USMN) for providing registration numbers for the paratypes, Senzo Uchida (Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium) for permission to conduct the research and for funding to the first author. This work was supported (in part) by the New Zealand Ministry of Research and Innovation through Te Papa subcontract within NIWA's Biodiversity and Biosecurity Science Programme, previously NIWA's FORST contract: C01X0502.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark