title: Hydrolaguserithacussp. nov. (Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae), a new species of chimaerid from the southeastern Atlantic and southwestern Indian oceans.
abstract: A new species of chimaerid, Hydrolagus erithacus sp. nov., is described from nine specimens collected from the southeast Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans from depths of 470-1,000 meters. This species is distinguished from all other Hydrolagus species based on the following characteristics: head bulky, relatively large, followed by stocky body; head and body height from about pectoral fin origin to pelvic fin origin similar, then tapering rapidly to filamentous tail; first dorsal fin spine height about equal to, or slightly less than first dorsal fin apex height; second dorsal fin up to 81% of total body length and uniform in height; trifurcate claspers forked for approximately 20% of total length; robust frontal tenaculum nearly uniform in width, prepelvic tenaculae with five to seven medial spines, and a uniform black coloration with robust, non-deciduous skin. Comparison of mitochondrial NADH2 gene sequences with other morphologically similar Hydrolagus species suggests that H. erithacus is a distinct species.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Shark Research Center, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA.. kwalovich@mlml.calstate.edu.
authors.forename: Kristin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Walovich
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: Jenny M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kemper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005399:Fishes; D019156:Indian Ocean; D009929:Organ Size
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Pisces, Chimaera, ghost shark, taxonomy, NADH2 gene