Monomitopus magnus new species is described from slope waters off the southeastern coast of North America. M. magnus is most closely related to M. american urn from the continental slope of Uruguay and southern Brazil and is more distantly related to the western Pacific M. pallidus. M. magnus differs from M. americanum in having fewer developed gill rakers on the anterior arch (10-11 compared to 14-22) and more precaudal vertebrae (15 compared to 13-14). The 13 nominal species of Monomitopus are divided into three groups based on head shape and degree of ossification

Carter, HJ

Cohen, DM

English

College of William & Mary: W&M Publish

W&M ScholarWorks VIMS Articles 1985 Monomitopus-magnus, A New Species Of Deep-Sea Fish (Ophidiidae) From The Western North-Atlantic HJ Carter Virginia Institute of Marine Science DM Cohen Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles  Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Carter, HJ and Cohen, DM, "Monomitopus-magnus, A New Species Of Deep-Sea Fish (Ophidiidae) From The Western North-Atlantic" (1985). VIMS Articles. 1556. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/1556 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in VIMS Articles by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@wm.edu. BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 36(1): 86-95,1985MONOMITOPUS MAGNUS, A NEW SPECIES OF DEEP-SEAFISH (OPHIDIIDAE) FROM THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTICH. Jacque Carter and Daniel M. CohenABSTRACTMonomitopus magnus new species is described from slope waters off the southeastern coastof North America. M. magnus is most closely related to M. american urn from the continentalslope of Uruguay and southern Brazil and is more distantly related to the western Pacific M.pallidus. M. magnus differs from M. americanum in having fewer developed gill rakers onthe anterior arch (10-11 compared to 14-22) and more precaudal vertebrae (15 comparedto 13-14). The 13 nominal species of Monomitopus are divided into three groups based onhead shape and degree of ossification.The circumglobal neobythitine ophidiid genus, Monomitopus includes long andslender fishes inhabiting depths ranging from about 200-1,870 m beneath tropicaland subtropical seas. In this paper we describe a large, distinctive species ofMonomitopus that first came to notice in photographs taken on the Blake Plateauand later published by Marshall and Bourne (1967), here reproduced as our Figuresla and lb. We have subsequently examined 11 specimens of the same speciesand determined that they represent a new species of Monomitopus. The newspecies is the largest of the genus, reaching a size of 535 mm SL.MATERIALS AND METHODSCounts and measurements follow those of Hubbs and Lagler (1958). Measurements were obtainedto the nearest 0.1 mm using dial calipers and are expressed as percent standard length. Vertebraland fin-ray counts were taken from radiographs. Anatomical illustrations were drawn with the aid ofa camera lucida.Abbreviations used are USNM, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution(Washington, D.C.); BPBM, Bernice P. Bishop Museum (Honolulu); FMNH, Field Museum of NaturalHistory (Chicago); LACM, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History; MCZ, Museum ofComparative Zoology, Harvard University (Cambridge); UMML, University of Miami, RosenstielSchool of Marine and Atmospheric Science (Miami); VIMS, Virginia Institute of Marine Science(Gloucester Point); BMNH, British Museum (Natural History) (London); ZMUC, Zoological Museum,University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen); ISH, Institut fill Seefischerei (Hamburg).SYSTEMATICSIn order to properly classify our material we have reviewed the 13 nominalspecies assigned to Monomitopus (Cohen and Nielsen, 1978) as well as severalthat are apparently undescribed. The species are divisible into three pheneticgroups recognized by gross morphological similarity.The M. nigripinnis group is characterized by a relatively deep head with anotable downward inflection in the form or a down slung head, beginning at theocciput (Fig. 2A), poorly ossified bones in the opercular series, weak and flexiblepreopercular armature (flaps rather than spines in some instances). Nominal speciesinclude M. agassizii (Goode and Bean, 1896), M. conjugator (Alcock, 1896), M.garmani (Smith and Radcliffe, in Radcliffe, 1913), M. malispinosus (Garman,1899), M. metriostoma (Vaillant, 1888), M. nigripinnis (Alcock, 1889), and M.vitiazi (Nielsen, 1971). In addition, Cohen (1981) has suggested that "M. metrio-stoma" may comprise two species. An unidentified specimen from Hawaii (BPBM)also belongs in this group.86CARTER AND COHEN: NEW DEEp·SEA OPHIDIID FISH 87Figure I. A, Monomitopus magnus with a small rattail in close attendance. Blake Plateau, 30051'N,78°8'W-30050'N, 78°3'W, 920-970 m; B, dorsal view of M. magnus swimming over bottom in regionof Blake Plateau. A from Hersey (\ 967).The M. pallidus group contains fishes with a relatively slender head with anearly straight dorsal profile, well ossified bones in the opercular series, and strongspines on the preopercle (Fig. 2B). Species included in this group are M. americanus(Nielsen, 1971), M. magnus new species, and M. pallidus Smith and Radcliffe inRadcliffe, 1913.Fishes of the M. torvus group have a relatively straight dorsal profile and in-termediate development of head spines with respect to the previous two groups(Fig. 2C). Species included in this group are M. kumae Jordan and Hubbs, 1925,M. longiceps Smith and Radcliffe in Radcliffe, 1913, M. microlepis Smith andRadcliffe in Radcliffe, 1913, and M. torvus Garman, 1899. In addition, an un-described species from the Bahamas and off West Africa may belong here.Monomitopus magnus new speciesFigures 1-6H%type.-USNM 262507 (425 mm SL, male), SILVERBAY,St. 3516, 24°24'N, 80000'W, 857 m, 9November 1961.88 BULLETINOFMARINESCIENCE,VOL.36, NO. I, 1985Figure 2. Specimens depicting three distinct morphological groups in genus Monomitopus: A, M.agassizii 194 mm SL; B, M. magnus n. sp. 425 mm SL; C, M. torvus 291 mm SL.Paratypes.-USNM 228226 (4:362-535 mm SL), LACM 43581 (310 mm SL) SILVERBAY,St. 3516,24°24'N, 80"00'W, 857 m; ZMUC P77754 (388 mm SL), COLUMBUSISELIN,Cr. CI8007, St. C062,29"09'N, 77"09'W, 930 m; MCZ 39414 (372 mm SL), ATLANTIS,Cr. Harvard-Havana Exped., St.2990B, 23°16'N, 80012'W, 759 m; UMML 13206 (245 mm SL), OREGON,St. 4374, 24°21'N, 83°36'W,731 m; UMML 12512 (335 mm SL), GERDA,St. 103, 25°17'N, 79°40'W, 822 m; FMNH 94947 (244mm SL), SILVERBAY,St. 452, 29°54'N, 79"02'W, 786 m.Diagnosis.-Monomitopus with strong spines on preopercle; relatively slenderhead; nearly straight dorsal profile between eye and origin of the dorsal fin; gillraker formula on anterior arch of 4 short + 10-11 developed + 4 short rakers;CARTER AND COHEN: NEW DEEP-SEA OPHIDIID FISHFigure 3. Monornitopus rnagnus n. sp., holotype, USNM 262507. Photographed by J. Russo.89Figure 4. Arrangement of dentigerous plates in oral branchial cavity of holotype of M. rnagnus; A,vomer and palatine; B, upper pharyngeal patches. Basibranchial plate not shown.90 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO.1, 198510m••Figure 5. First branchial arch from right side of holotype of Monomitopus magnus.104-108 dorsal fin rays; 85-92 anal fin rays; 15precaudal vertebrae, 46-49 caudalvertebrae; and 56-59 lateral line scales to level vent. Table 1compares M. magnuswith its two most similar congeners, M. americanum and M. pallidus.Description.-Body compressed, pale brown, opercular flap dark, almost bluishblack. Orobranchial cavity lining dark brown. Dorsal and anal fin rays short,tipped in dark brown along posterior margins. Opercle with prominent, strong,bifurcated spine, rounded in cross-section; preopercular margin deeply emarginatewith two flattened spine-like projections at lower angle. Pectoral fin margin entire,length equal to distance from tip of snout to posterior orbit of eye. Head com-pressed; nostrils widely separated, posterior naris close to eye, anterior naris withtube-like flap. Mouth large, slightly oblique, maxilla length about twice into headlength; lower jaw slightly inferior. Eye large about four times into head length,Figure 6. Lateral view of the alimentary tract of holotype of Monomitopus magnus.CARTER AND COHEN: NEW DEEP-SEA OPHIDIID FISH 91°<"I N"l:tlr'l'",O-N.....;.,.;d.nM~N .....•'o::!"t"'Ionv""",OOv-.iociMOM""';N- .....•.....•",0N I Ic"u~00on", onon"":",,;-..oMtI'\<"I - V<"l I I I II II IMvonOOvv~r--:MoOlI"iM<"1- -<"1-"'''''''<''1ll5o;",;o;~",;<"1-'" •....<"1-J,,J.<"1-000"1 0 V\N--.::J"-l()-r!.J,J.,r!.J,,J.<"1-IF\OQv,.... •....•tnM.,.;.....;~tri\Ci<"I v <"I<"I"''''' •....''' •....Mv-i""';.¢M..oN .....•vNon ",ono-.,.;-.,.;.....;~N .....•vN"''''''''''''''''onIV00on•....on'"onI'"on•....•....•....I i•.... '""" •....<"I"" 00<"I -I I- '"<"I"''''''''''''' '" '" '" '"•....:::::•...."-0000<"1 "'<"IOooon",o O'\N :::: -v NV•...."-on 00 '" "'<"I000 on 00o OON :::::-v N"""'''''''00o <"1- .•....... V\O\-OOO\f'l""INVCO--.::t N,J.~J,r!.r!.r!.~J,J, d,o OON d -v N-"-"",...;92 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO.1, 1985ovoid and very well developed. Lateral line broad, distinct anteriorly, disappearingbeyond the midpoint of the body (Figs, 1-3).Dentition. - Teeth minute, numerous and villiform, no enlarged outer row in jaws.Palatine tooth patch elongate, rounded anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; vomerinetooth patch with anterior section rounded and narrow diverging arms. Dentitioninterrupted across upper and lower jaw symphyses. Single narrow median basi-branchial tooth patch. There are five upper pharyngeal tooth plates in each side(Fig. 4).Gill Cavity. - Anterior first gill arch with four short rakers on upper limb, onedeveloped at angle plus nine developed rakers and 2-4 short rakers on lower limb(Fig. 5); two rudimentary pseudobranchial filaments.Integument.-Scales small (ca. 0.5 mm diameter), cycloid, completely coveringthe head and body and forming a sheath along base of dorsal and anal fins. Scalesfrequently missing on trawled specimens; however, scale pockets distinct.Viscera. - Esophagus short with muscular walls. Stomach tube-like, longer (11.0%SL) than wide (4.1% SL), slightly swollen posteriorly; nine well developed pyloriccaeca (Fig. 6). Intestine very long (70% SL) convoluted, thin-walled with a compactS-shaped coil immediately following the pylorus. Liver yellowish, extremely large,endingjust in front of anus; highly variable in length in other specimens examined.Pancreas diffuse, occurring as nodules scattered throughout mesentary.Swimbladder.-Swimbladder large, longer (17% SL) than wide (7% SL), thick-walled, overlying anterior portion of stomach. Well developed gas-gland and retemirabile (5.1% SL). Anterior ~nd of swim bladder with two protuberances. Nielsen(1971) notes a similar condition in the swimbladder of M. americanum. Theanterior portion of the swim bladder contains a thick cream colored spongy foam(Wittenburg et al., 1980); its inner surface silvery in appearance. In males, a pairof extrinsic drumming muscles originates on the otic capsules and extend pos-teriorly to insert on the anterior ribs. A similar condition is present in Mono-mitopus metriostoma (Marshall, 1971) and M. agassizii (pers. observ.).Axial Skeleton. - Well ossified skeleton with spindle shaped vertebral centra. Firstneural spine half the length of the second; anterior neural spines pointed anddecreasing in length from 3-8, subsequent spines longer; neural arches becomeprogressively smaller. Parapophyses long and broad on centra 1-4, poorly de-veloped on centra 5-7, remainder of precaudal vertebrae with increasingly welldeveloped parapophyses. First two vertebrae without pleural ribs. Vertebrae 3-12 with pleural ribs; epipleural ribs present on vertebrae 4-10. The caudal skeletonhas two, separate hypural plates, each supporting four caudal rays.Gonads. - Testes 35-50 mm long and 2.5-6.0 mm wide in four specimens (310-425 mm SL); milky-white in color, ribbon-shaped, coalesced along mid-line,borders slightly scalloped. Ovaries 20-23 mm long in a 372-mm SL specimenand 10-13 mm long in a 396-mm SL specimen; ova diameters between 0.3-0.5mm; ovaries horseshoe-shaped, completely coalesced along mid-line and closelyattached to abdominal wall. Remaining three specimens undeveloped.Gut Contents. - The stomachs and alimentary tracts of nine specimens were ex-amined. Five specimens contained euphausiid shrimp, gammaridean amphipods,fish scales, and a midwater myctophid probably of genus Lampadena. A moderateto heavy infestation of nematodes and digene trematodes was present in thestomach and intestinal tract of each specimen examined. M. magnus probablyCARTER AND COHEN: NEW DEEP-SEA OPHlDIlD FISH 9328'24'30'32'22'26'66't68'•• Ooc;::> \~ .•• -\• 0 'oJ oJ.••'JI ,\I10'ATLANTIC OCEANIJ=ocJ,,,,,12'IIII\ ,,,,,,14',I,,III\\,"IIOOOIll•II II I, r-, I\ ."~~~; I1_- ''''~ ,&')),''t <i<~,_~ ',_, \,"',0 ..•." \\)" -",- ,I ~I18'IIIIIII:20011I •\ lIL,It,ICE PLATEolU80'82'us.84'CARIBBEAN SEA"- ,,,, ,,',;\ ~\\ ,\\ \" ," \,\ I, \,\" ,,'\I'.\ '....... .. -I,:; I.•,-:=~ '"I, •\ .'" _ ... -~,/22'20'3620'26'24'32'34'16'Figure 7. Known distribution of Monomitopus magnus.feeds on or just above the bottom, utilizing both benthic and benthopelagic crus-taceans and fishes.Distribution.-All specimens of M. magnus were collected in the western NorthAtlantic between latitudes 23-30oN, and longitudes 77-84°W in depths of 731-930 m (Fig. 7). Estimated water temperatures range between 4.6-9.6°C. M. mag-nus appears restricted to the continental slope of Blake Plateau and Straits ofFlorida. Bottom sediments of these regions consist predominantly of soft, com-pacted, calcareous, globigerina ooze (Emery and Uchupi, 1972). The species maybe restricted geographically to such sediment or an associated factor.Etymology. - From the Latin "magnus" (large) referring to the fact that this speciesreaches a larger size than any known species in the genus.94 BULLETINOFMARINESCIENCE,VOL.36, NO.I, 1985Comparative Material Examined.-Monomitopus conjugator, syntypes (2) BMNH, F56/1 (18 mmSL) F57/l (213 mm SL), INVESTIGATOR,St. 201, 08°44'N, 81°20'E, 592-640 m; USNM 231713 (158mm SL); Monomitopus longiceps, holotype, USNM 74134 (305 mm SL), U.S.S. ALBATROSS,St. 5299,2005'N, 116°5'E, 958 m; Monomitopus pallidus, holotype, USNM 74133 (175 mm SL), U.S.S. AL-BATROSS,St. 5259, 11057'N, 121°42'E, 570 m; Monomitopus american us, paratype USNM 205095(235 mm SL), FFS WALTHERHERWIG,St. 64/68, 30"03'S, 47°44'W, 800 m; Monomitopus torvus,paratype, USNM 135354 (300 mm SL), U.S.S. ALBATROSS,St. 3384, 07°31'N, 79°14'W, 837 m;Monomitopus kumae, holotype, FMNH 58844 (363 mm SL), Misaki, Japan; Monomitopus microlepis.holotype, USNM 74156 (230 mm SL), U.S.S. ALBATROSS,St. 5410, 10"28'N, 124°5'E, 770 m; Mono-mitopus garmani, holotype, USNM 74135 (265 mm SL), U.S.S. ALBATROSS,t. 5610, 00036'S, 122"OI'E,1,350 m.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWe thank J. A. Musick, K. J. Sulak, and J. G. Nielsen for reviewing the manuscript and offeringhelpful suggestions. For the loan of material, we thank C. R. Robins, UMML, R. K. Johnson, FMNH,K. Hartel, MCZ, S. Jewett, USNM, P. Struhsaker, BPBM. We thank J. Russo, USNM, who provideda photograph of the holotype, and D. Bourne and W. Dunkle, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,for providing photographs of living fishes. Figure IA is reproduced with permission of The JohnsHopkins Press. We thank VIMS report center for preparing drafts and final copies of this paper andVIMS photographic laboratory for providing plates of figures. The present research was supported inpart by National Science Foundation Grants NSF-OCE 20567 and NSF-aCE 7600729, J. A. Musick,principal investigator. The senior author was supported in part by NSF Predoctoral Grant OCE8104574, and by a Raney Award from the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.This paper is ajoint contribution of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Sciences,College of William and Mary in Virginia and the Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California.VIMS contribution number 1167.LITERATURE CITEDAlcock, A. 1889. Natural history notes from H. M. Indian Marine Survey Steamer "Investigator,"Commander Alfred Carpenter, R.N., D.S.O., commanding.-No. 13. On the bathybial fishes ofthe Bay of Bengal and neighboring waters, obtained during the seasons 1885-1889. Ann. Mag.Nat. Hist., Ser. 6, 4: 376-399.--. 1896. A supplementary list of the marine fish ofIndia, with descriptions of two new generaand eight new species. J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 65: 301-338.Cohen, D. M. 1981. New and rare ophidiiform fishes from the eastern Atlantic: Canary Islands tothe Cape of Good Hope. Proc. BioI. Soc. Wash. 94: 1085-1103.-- and J. G. Nielsen. 1978. Guide to the identification of genera of the fish order Ophidiiformeswith a tentative classification of the order. NOAA Tech. Rep., NMFS Circ. 417. 72 pp.Emery, K. O. and E. Uchupi. 1972. Western Atlantic Ocean: topography, rocks, structure, water,life and sediments. Am. Ass. Petro. Geol. Mem. 17. 532 pp.Garman, S. 1899. Reports on an exploration off the west coasts of Mexico, Central America andSouth America and off the Galapagos Islands, in charge of Alexander Agassiz, by the U.S. FishCommission steamer "Albatross," during 1891, Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U.S.N. com-manding. XXVI. The fishes. Mem. Mus. Compo Zool. Harvard Coil. 24. 431 pp.Goode, G. B. and T. H. Bean. 1896 (1895). Oceanic Ichthyology. U.S. Natl. Mus. Spec. Bull. 2.553pp.Hubbs, C. L. and K. F. Lagler. 1958. Pages 19-26 in Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. CranbrookPress, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.Jordan, D. S. and C. L. Hubbs. 1925. Record of fishes obtained by David Starr Jordan in Japan,1922. Mem. Carnegie Mus. 10: 93-346.Marshall, N. B. 1971. Explorations in the life of fishes. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. 204pp.-- and D. W. Bourne. 1967. Deep sea photography. Johns Hopkins oceanographic studies, J.B. Hersey, ed., No.3. 254 pp.Nielsen, J. C. 1971. Redescription of the genus Selachophidium (Pisces, Brotulidae) with two newspecies. Arch. Fischereiwiss. 22: 17-33.Radcliffe, L. 1913. Description of seven new genera and thirty-one new species of fishes of thefamilies Brotulidae and Carapidae from the Philippine Islands and the Dutch East Indies. Proc.U.S. Natl. Mus. 44: 135-176.CARTERANDCOHEN:NEWDEEP-SEAOPHIDIIDFISH 95Vaillant, L. 188. Expeditions scientifiques du "Travailleur" et du Talisman pendant les annees 1880,1881, 1882, 1883. Poissons. G. Masson, Paris. 406 pp.Wittenberg, J. B., D. E. Copeland, R. L. Haedrich and J. S. Child. 1980. The swim bladder wall isa lipid-rich barrier to oxygen diffusion. J. Mar. BioI. Ass. U.K. 60: 263-276.DATEACCEPTED: April 18, 1984.ADDRESSES: (H.J.C.) Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary in Virginia,Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062; (D.M.C.) Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles County, 900Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90036.

Monomitopus-magnus, A New Species Of Deep-Sea Fish (Ophidiidae) From The Western North-Atlantic

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Monomitopus-magnus, A New Species Of Deep-Sea Fish (Ophidiidae) From The Western North-Atlantic

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