Seafarer’s Ghostshark
Chimaera willwatchi Clerkin, Ebert & Kemper, 2017
Also calledQuimera-tropical (por)
First described in: Clerkin, P. J.; Ebert, D. A.; Kemper, J. M. (2017). New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4312(1), 1-37.
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
description
Coloration. Three distinct color morphotypes were observed and each appears to separate spatially within the SWIO by major submarine geographical features (Fig. 9); each color morph, here designated morphs A, B, and C, and its associated location are provided in the distribution section below. Morph A specimens prior to preservation are brownish-purple with iridescent-opal, oil-like sheen, brown and white mottling noticeably on snout, around mouth, white labials, and ventral half of trunk; tail brownish-purple, more uniform in color, with light and dark longitudinal striations (Fig. 10). Fins purplish with a slightly grayishbrown and black speckling, dark radials, light basal border; thin dark shading where fin attaches to body; thick white margins very distinct on posterior margin of first dorsal fin and posterior margin of pelvic fins; a thin distinct white marking along anterior edge of second dorsal fin, eXtending up to one-half of fin margin length; white marking present, less distinct along posterior tips of dorsal caudal and ventral caudal fin margins. Lateral lines light in color and bordered by dark shading, running length of head and trunk. After preservation, colors fade
New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean
description
Comparisons. All comparisons of Chimaera willwatchi were made with specimens> 400 mm BDL, representing mature and larger immature individuals. Chimaeroids eXhibit considerable allometric changes with growth, with smaller immature specimens having proportionally different body dimensions than larger immature and mature specimens (Kemper et al., 2015). Therefore, removal of smaller immature individuals, those <400 mm BDL, allows for comparisons among similar sized individuals to better discern morphological differences across species; differentiation between species is indicated by either no overlap in a character range or a considerable difference in the minimum or maXimum range of the character (Kemper et al., 2015).
New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean
description
Description. Morphometric proportions for the holotype, with ranges for large (> 519 mm BDL) paratypes (male and female separate), and ranges of small non-types (<300 mm BDL; male and female combine) are presented in Table 1. The following description proportions include the holotype followed by paratypes of large specimens with seXes combined in parentheses. Additional descriptive information of small specimens highlighting ontogenetic differences is also provided. A large-bodied species reaching up to 519 mm BDL in males and 645 mm BDL in females. Head huge, blocky with prominent subocular ridges, head height 26.6 % (23 ̄ 26.7 %) BDL, length about one-fifth (20.6 %) precaudal length; snout short, blunt, length about one-half head length; nostrils and mouth below ventral contour of snout; prenarial length 4.0 % (3.0 ̄ 7.7 %) BDL. Trunk slightly compressed, body depth similar to head height, maXimum depth occurs mid trunk, height 30.3 % (22.7 ̄ 30.7 %) BDL, gradually tapering to pelvic girdle, abdomen height 26.8 % (18.4 ̄ 24.9 %) BDL, tapering rapidly to relatively thin tail, 16.6 % (12 ̄ 24.5 %) BDL, and continuing to a caudal peduncle height 3.2 % (2.4 ̄ 3.0 %) BDL. Tail long, m
New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean
description
Non-type. — 9 male, 29 female specimens — CAS 242355, 242340, 242342, 242344, 242345, 242346, 242347, 242348, 242349, 242350, 242351, 242352, 242353 ¸ 242356, 242357, 242358. Males ranged from 479 + to 810 + mm TL, 450 to 152 mm BDL, Southwestern Indian Ocean, 29 o 51 ’ S to 39 o 32 ’ S, 44 o 03 ’ E to 53 o 42 ’ E, bottom and midwater trawl between 715 m – 1328 m, collected by P. J. Clerkin from 6 March to 3 April 2012 and 23 April to 31 May 2014, and R. Downie between 23 March to 2 April 2014. Females ranged from 290 + to 971 + mm TL, 118 to 645 mm BDL, Southwestern Indian Ocean, 29 o 51 ’ S to 39 o 02 ’ S, 44 o 03 ’ E to 55 o 16 ’ E, bottom and midwater trawl between 752 m – 1340 m, collected by P. J. Clerkin from 5 March to 13 April 2012 and 18 April to 31 May 2014, and R. Downie between 23 March to 2 April 2014.
New species of Chimaera (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean
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Every page naming Chimaera willwatchi in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 9624116.