New record of rare gigantic sized deep-sea cod in the north western Indian Ocean

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gadiformes

Family: Moridae

Lepidion inosimae (Günther, 1887)

Collection: SE Arabian Sea slope, off Trivandrum- 7°51′N, 76°24′E, 1360 m, 26.07.2014 (FORV SS 327, St. 02). HSDT

Voucher No.: Not Available

Description: Body elongate and fusiform, maximum body depth at the origin of dorsal fin, about 3.7 in SL; thereafter tapering towards a very slender caudal peduncle. Head small and depressed, about 4.4 in SL. First dorsal fin very much elongated, 1.7 times of head length (HL); snout very short, 3 in (HL), upper margin of eye touching the dorsal profile of the head; posterior nostril immediately anterior to eye; orbit diameter 5.5 in HL; second dorsal fin with 55 rays; anal fin with 51 rays; small, round-shaped vomerine tooth patch.

Biological association: Not observed

Remarks: The present report of L. inosimae from the Southwest coast of India indicate a marked extension its range of distribution from the Western Pacific (type localities) to the Western Indian Ocean.

Distribution: L. inosimae was restricted in the Western Pacific Region: in temperate waters off Japan; Sagami Bay, Ramapo Bank and Emperor Seamounts; south eastern Australia, New Zealand North off Chatham Rise and off New Caledonia; in tropical waters off Hawaiian Archipelago. The present report of L. inosimae from the Southwest coast of India indicate a marked extension its range of distribution from the Western Pacific (type localities) to the Western Indian Ocean.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Vinu Jacob

Publication: Vinu, J., Kumar, M. R., Sumod, K. S., Deepa, K. P., Hashim, M., Sanjeevan, V. N., & Sudhakar, M. (2017). Occurrence of a rare gigantic sized deep-sea cod Lepidion inosimae (Günther, 1887) in the Northwestern Indian Ocean. Marine Biodiversity, 47(2), 575-578.