Thursday, July 27, 2017

[Ichthyology • 2017] Etmopterus lailae • A New Lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands


Etmopterus lailae
Ebert, Papastamatiou, Kajiura & Wetherbee, 2017

Laila’s Lanternshark || DOI:   10.11646/zootaxa.4237.2.10 

Abstract

A new species of lanternshark, Etmopterus lailae (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae), is described from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, in the central North Pacific Ocean. The new species resembles other members of the “Etmopterus lucifer” clade in having linear rows of dermal denticles, and most closely resembles E. lucifer from Japan. The new species occurs along insular slopes around seamounts at depths between 314–384 m. It can be distinguished from other members of the E. lucifer clade by a combination of characteristics, including a longer anterior flank marking branch, arrangement of dermal denticles on the ventral snout surface and body, flank and caudal markings, and meristic counts including number of spiral valve turns, and precaudal vertebrate. A key to species of the Etmopterus lucifer-clade is included.

Keywords: Pisces, Chondrichthyes, elasmobranch, Etmopterus lucifer clade, new species, central North Pacific Ocean

FIGURE 1. Etmopterus lailae new species, immature male holotype (BPBM 40183).

Etmopterus lailae, new species 
Laila’s Lanternshark

Distribution. The new species presently is known only from the Koko and South Kanmu seamounts, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and at a depth range of 314–384 m. 

Etymology. The new species is named after Laila Mostello-Wetherbee, shark enthusiast and daughter of coauthor Brad Wetherbee. The proposed common name is Laila’s Lanternshark. 


David A. Ebert, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Stephen M. Kajiura and Bradley M. Wetherbee. 2017. Etmopterus lailae sp. nov., A New Lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Zootaxa. 4237(2); 371-382. DOI:   10.11646/zootaxa.4237.2.10