First record of deep-water hatchetfish from Indian waters

Phylum:Chordata

Class: Teleostei Müller, 1845

Order: Stomiiformes Rosen, 1973

Family: Sternoptychidae Duméril, 1805

Argyropelecus sladeni Regan, 1908

Collection: Indian Ocean, north of Mauritius, 14.40°S, 57.27°E, 403 m, 05.10.2015 (FORVSS 344II, St. 02), Cosmos Trawl; Indian Ocean, southwest of Maldives, 2.52°S, 67.57°E, 400 m, 14.09.2015 (FORVSS 344I, St. 09), Cosmos Trawl; SE Arabian Sea, northeast of Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep, 8.66°N, 74.16°E, 220 m, 15.10.2015 (FORVSS 344II, St. 12), Cosmos Trawl; Indian Ocean, southeast of Seychelles, 7.75°S, 59.18°E, 300 m, 07.10.2015 (FORVSS 344II, St. 04), Cosmos Trawl; Indian Ocean, north of Mauritius, 15.40°S, 56.76°E, 220 m, 04.10.2015 (FORVSS 344II, St. 01), Cosmos Trawl.

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/FIS/00588, IO/SS/FIS/00589, IO/SS/FIS/00590, IO/SS/FIS/00591, IO/SS/FIS/00592

Description: Dorsal soft rays: 9–10; Anal soft rays: 11–12. PAN, AN and SC in separated groups; denticles in SC photophores absent; two post-abdominal spines with similar sizes; a long, outwardly hooked upper preopercular spine; lower jaw teeth uniform in size; dorsal blade low, three or more times higher than long.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: First distributional record from Indian waters.

Distribution: Circumglobal. Depth range: 0–2926 m.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Rajeev R.

Publication: Rajeev R., Rajeeshkumar M.P., Cubelio S.S., Saravanane N. (2023) An updated checklist of Stomiiformes from Indian waters with nine new records. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 102: e95.

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