Description of a new deep-sea eelpout Pachycara matallanasi sp. nov. from the Solomon Sea (western South Pacific Ocean)

Abstract

A new species of zoarcid fish, Pachycara matallanasi, is described. During the Danish Galathea 3 expedition, on 28 December 2006, six specimens of Pachycara Zugmayer, 1911 were collected from depths of 4350–4450 m. The new species is the second member of the genus in the western South Pacific Ocean. Pachycara matallanasi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body without scales; pelvic fin absent; lateral line mediolateral; dorsal fin origin associated with vertebrae 5–6 with 0–1 free predorsal pterygiophores; total vertebrae 103–108; smooth ceratohyal–epihyal articulation; post-temporal with well-developed ventral ramus; coracoid with a posterior strut and a small foramen.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B61D0421-8CF3-46E5-BCE0-20E12E3ED69A

Key words:

• Pachycara
• Solomon Sea
• taxonomy
• Zoarcidae

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Verner Larsen (Viborg Katedralskole) and the crew on board RV Vædderen for their help during the Galathea 3 Expedition. We are especially grateful to Jørgen Nielsen and Tammes Menne, Natural History Museum of Denmark, who took care of the specimens on board and to Marcus Krag, Natural History Museum of Denmark, for taking the photos. The expedition was conducted under the auspices of the Danish Expedition Foundation. The authors would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and comments that made this a better manuscript. The first author thanks Jesús Matallanas (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain) for his continued support.

Funding

This research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project (http://www.synthesys.info/) which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 ‘Capacities’ Programme.

Editorial responsibility: Christopher Kenaley

Additional information

Funding

Funding: This research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project (http://www.synthesys.info/) which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 ‘Capacities’ Programme.