Tuesday, November 14, 2017

[Ichthyology • 2017] Centrophorus longipinnis & C. lesliei • Revision of the Genus Centrophorus (Squaliformes: Centrophoridae): Part 2—Description of Two New Species of Centrophorus and Clarification of the Status of Centrophorus lusitanicus


Centrophorus longipinnis
 White, Ebert & Naylor, 2017


Abstract

Centrophorus specimens with a distinctive long-based first dorsal fin (long-finned species) have previously been considered to be Centrophorus lusitanicus first described from Portugal. Critical examination of the original description and illustration reveal that C. lusitanicus should be considered a junior synonym of C. granulosus. However, the specimen considered to be the syntype of C. lusitanicus in the Natural History Museum in London is clearly a long-finned species and not conspecific with C. granulosus. A more detailed investigation revealed that this specimen should not be considered a syntype and was likely not originally collected off the coast of Portugal. Investigation of long-finned specimens of Centrophorus from the Indo-West Pacific and Eastern Atlantic revealed that two undescribed species exist and are herein formally described as Centrophorus lesliei and C. longipinnis. The two species are similar morphologically and belong to the long-snout Centrophorus group (e.g. C. isodon and C. harrissoni) but are clearly separable based on their very long first dorsal fins. The two species differ in relative length of the first dorsal fin and several other characters. They also differ genetically. Nonmetric multidimensional ordination based on morphometric data reveals both species level and ontogenetic differences. A short erratum is also provided for Part 1 of this revision of the Centrophorus due to two figure related errors which may cause some confusion.

Keywords:  Pisces, Centrophorus, new species, Eastern Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific, genetics, taxonomy

FIGURE 11. Lateral view of Centrophorus longipinnis n. sp.:
 (A) adult male holotype (NMMB-P 15756, 720 mm TL); (B) female paratype (CSIRO H 8104 - 01, 855 mm TL); (C) female paratype (CSIRO H 7990 - 02, 825 mm TL); (D) late-term embryo paratype (CSIRO H 8103 - 02, 346 mm TL).

Centrophorus longipinnis n. sp.
Longfin Gulper Shark

 Etymology. Specific name a combination of the Latin longus (long) and pinna (fin) in allusion to the very distinctive long-based first dorsal fin this species possesses.

Distribution. Type material from off Taiwan (Cheng-gong and Da-xi fish landing sites—local fishing grounds), Indonesia (off southwest Java and eastern Lombok), and Papua New Guinea (Huon Gulf) (Fig. 10). Compagno et al. (2005) reported this species off Puerto Princesa City in the Philippines (JPAG 226, tissue accession GN4348); differed slightly in ND2 sequence and specimen not examined in this study. Limited depth information available as most specimens collected from fish landing sites; caught from depths of 330–460 m in Papua New Guinea (P. Neira, pers. comm.).


Centrophorus lesliei n. sp.
African Gulper Shark

Etymology. Named after Dr Robin Leslie (Fisheries Branch, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in South Africa) who has contributed greatly to our knowledge of southern African chondrichthyans and provided numerous important specimens and tissue samples for various projects.

Distribution. Type specimens were from the Mozambique Channel (Madagascar and Mozambique), and off Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Togo at depths of 340– 500 m. The BMNH and ZMB specimens were most likely collected by Anchieta from Angola or Mozambique in the 1800’s. Additional specimens examined by Munoz-Chapuli & Ramos (1989) were recorded as being collected from Morocco, the Canary Islands, and Ghana at depths of 370– 610 m.


William T. White, David A. Ebert and  Gavin J. P. Naylor. 2017. Revision of the Genus Centrophorus (Squaliformes: Centrophoridae): Part 2—Description of Two New Species of Centrophorus and Clarification of the Status of Centrophorus lusitanicus Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864Zootaxa. 4344(1)86–114. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4344.1.3

White, W.T., Ebert, D.A., Naylor, G.J.P., Ho, H.-C., Clerkin, P., Verissimo, A. and Cotton, C. 2013. Revision of the genus Centrophorus (Squaliformes, Centrophoridae), Part 1—Redescription of Centrophorus granulosus (Bloch & Schneider), a senior synonym of C. acus Garman and C. niaukang Teng. Zootaxa. 3752(1); 35–72.  DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.3752.1.5