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Type: Articles
Published: 2006-12-11
Page range: 33–45
Abstract views: 46
PDF downloaded: 32

A new species of chimaeroid, Hydrolagus alphus sp. nov. (Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Galapagos Islands

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
Department of Biology, Millersville University, P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551 USA
Department of Biology, St. Mary's College, 1928 St. Mary's Road, Moraga, CA 94575, USA Research Associate, Department of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, 875 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
Pacific Shark Research Center, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
Pisces Hydrolagus Chimaeriformes Chimaeridae Galapagos Islands new species

Abstract

A new species of chimaerid belonging to the genus Hydrolagus Gill, 1862 is described from two specimens collected from the Galapagos Islands. This species was taken from depths ranging from 600 – 900 m. Hydrolagus alphus sp. nov. is distinguished from other members of the genus by having proportionately large eyes, dark brown coloration with a noticeable white spot on lateral side, paired fins with a bluish hue and white distal margins, and second dorsal fin with dark anterior and posterior sections separated by a middle portion indented and completely white. This new species is compared to Hydrolagus macrophthalmus, the most similar congener and Hydrolagus mccoskerii the only other known species within this genus to occur in the eastern South Pacific.

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