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Chimaera opalescens n. sp., a new chimaeroid (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali) from the north‐eastern Atlantic Ocean
Author(s) -
Luchetti E. A.,
Iglésias S. P.,
Sellos D. Y.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03027.x
Subject(s) - chondrichthyes , biology , dorsal fin , dorsum , anatomy , zoology , chimera (genetics) , gene , biochemistry
A new species of chimaeroid, Chimaera opalescens n. sp., was described from 31 type specimens caught in the north‐eastern Atlantic Ocean at 950–1400 m depth. This species differed from all its congeners by the combination of the following characters: body uniformly pale brown to bronze, iridescent on fresh specimens; unpaired fins brown to purple, uniformly coloured or with pale or whitish edges; iris black; claspers tripartite and divided for a third of their length, not extending beyond the pelvic fins in adults; dorsal spine equal to or shorter than first dorsal fin; ventral caudal lobe equal to or deeper than dorsal caudal lobe. Comparison of DNA sequences of the CO1 gene with those of related species supported C. opalescens n. sp. as a distinct species. Specimens of C. opalescens n. sp. were previously misidentified as Chimaera monstrosa , a species sharing a similar geographical distribution. Chimaera opalescens n. sp. lives in deeper water and is a larger‐bodied species than C. monstrosa. The two species were newly exploited by deep‐sea fisheries and confused under a single landing name.