 |
| Akheilos suwartanai
White, Fahmi & Weigmann, 2019
Ambon Catshark || DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4691.5.2
|
Abstract
A new genus and species of catshark is described based on a single specimen collected off Ambon in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. Akheilos suwartanai belongs to the subfamily Schroederichthyinae which differs from the other catsharks in a combination of: similar sized dorsal fins, supraorbital crests present, pseudosiphon present on claspers, broad subocular ridges under eyes, posterior nasal flaps present, tips of rostral cartilage fused into a rostral node. It represents the first record of this subfamily outside of the Americas. Akheilos differs from the other genus in the subfamily, Schroederichthys in a combination of: clasper groove not fused dorsally, ventral lobe of caudal fin produced, more intestinal valve turns, anal fin slightly larger than second dorsal fin, and in colour pattern.
Keywords: Pisces, Schroederichthys, Schroederichthyinae, new genus, new species, catshark, Indonesia
 |
| Figure 1. Akheilos suwartanai n. sp., holotype, MZB 18227, adult male, 537 mm TL, in (A) lateral, (B) dorsal and (C) ventral views. |
Family Scyliorhinidae Gill, 1862
Subfamily Schroedericthyinae Compagno, 1988
Genus Akheilos n. gen. White, Fahmi & Weigmann
Etymology. Name comes from the Greek mythological sea daemon Akheilos who was a handsome boy transformed into a shark by the goddess Aphrodite as punishment for his boasting that he was more beautiful than her.
Akheilos suwartanai White, Fahmi & Weigmann, n. sp.
Ambon Catshark
Etymology. Named after the first director of the Research and Development Center of Oceanology, Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in Ambon, Atjep Suwartana.
William T. White, Fahmi Fahmi and Simon Weigmann. 2019. A New Genus and Species of Catshark (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from eastern Indonesia. Zootaxa. 4691(5); 444–460. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4691.5.2
