Fishes of the genus Artedidraco (Pisces, Artedidraconidae) from the Ross Sea, Antarctica, with the description of a new species and a colour morph

Abstract

Notothenioid fish of the artedidraconid genus Artedidraco are a little studied, component of the bottom fauna on the Antarctic continental shelf. Trawling in the south-western Ross Sea, especially in shallow areas with sponge beds, yielded a collection of 65 specimens of Artedidraco. These included all four species occurring in the Ross Sea as well as a new species. The new species Artedidraco glareobarbatus is described and illustrated. This species is most similar to A. orianae, but is distinguished by barbel morphology, by higher counts for dorsal rays and vertebrae, by lower counts for upper lateral-line scales and by colour pattern and visceral anatomy. A distinctive spotted colour morph of A. shackletoni is also documented and compared with the typical barred morph. Depth distribution and meristic variation among species of Artedidraco are summarized, and a taxonomic key to the six species is provided.

A new species of Artedidraco (Pisces: Artedidraconidae) from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica

“…1). Counts and measurements follow Eakin and Eastman (1998) and Eastman and Eakin (1999) ( Table 1). Specimens were measured using a caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm (reported as percent of standard length (SL) unless otherwise indicated), weighed (g) and sexed, based on histological analysis.…”

“…Waite (1911) added Artedidraco shackletoni, Roule (1913) Artedidraco loennbergi and Regan (1914) Artedidraco orianae. A sixth species, A. glareobarbatus, was described by Eastman and Eakin (1999). The new species described herein, A. longibarbatus n.…”

“…Fourteen valid species of artedidraconids have been discovered (and five placed in synonymy; Eastman and Eakin 2000) since publication of Fishes of the Southern Ocean (Gon and Heemstra 1990), i.e., one Artedidraco (Artedidraco glareobarbatus Eastman and Eakin, 1999) and 13 Pogonophryne, the latter genus accounting for 25 of the 33 currently recognized artedidraconid species. An additional Pogonophryne, Pogonophryne minor Balushkin and Spodareva, 2013, was considered by Eakin (pers.…”

“…Noteworthy is that A. glareobarbatus was discovered 85 years after the last species had been described. New color morphs of two species of Artedidraco have been discovered as well (Eastman and Eakin 1999;La Mesa and Vacchi 2005). Ongoing fishing effort continues to yield new species of artedidraconids, even from well-sampled locations.…”

“…Comparative meristic and morphometric data have been taken from Regan (1914), Norman (1938), Eakin (1981Eakin ( , 1990, Eastman and Eakin (1999), La Mesa and Vacchi (2005) and Eakin et al (2006). In addition, we provide an updated list of important meristics and morphometrics and a key to all known species of Artedidraco.…”