Odontanthias rhodopeplus Günther

Odontanthias rhodopeplus Günther View in CoL

Figures 5–7 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 ; Table 3

Anthias rhodopeplus Günther, 1872: 654 View in CoL , pl. 55 ( type locality Manado , Sulawesi).

One individual ( 150 mm TL) of this species was collected and photographed ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 ) during the 2013 survey but not retained. The specimen was trawled on the 28 November 2013 off the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar, Andaman Sea ( 13°55.75’ N, 95°41.10’ E) at a depth of 175 m. Two additional specimens were collected and photographed during the 2015 survey ( Figures 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 ). The photos and specimens agree well with the diagnosis of the species provided by Randall & Heemstra (2006). However, the specimens will not key unambiguously to that species using either Randall & Heemstra’s (2006) or White’s (2011) key to species. In both cases, the specimens are ambiguous at couplet 2, having the elongate third dorsal-fin spine of 2a (typical of O. rhodopeplus View in CoL ), and the relatively elongate ( 2.2–2.4 in SL) caudal fin with filamentous tips of 2b. The specimens also extend known variation in the species for numbers of pectoral rays (18–19 versus 17–18 in Randall & Heemstra 2006). Randall & Heemstra (2006) brief diagnosis lacks information on certain characters, which we provide here: principal caudal rays 9 + 8 (counting method follows Gill et al. 2017); branched caudal-fin rays 7 + 6; upper procurrent caudal-fin rays 6; lower procurrent caudal rays 6; total caudal-fin rays 29; scales above lateral-line to origin of dorsal fin 5–6; scales above lateral-line to base of fifth dorsal spine 3; scales below lateral line to origin of anal fin 1 7–19; circumpeduncular scales 18; pseudobranch filaments 31–34.

Radiographs and CT scans of the two specimens revealed the following osteological details: vertebrae 10 + 16; supraneurals 2; predorsal formula 0/0/2/1+1; main shaft (proximal component) of first dorsal pterygiophore slanting slightly anterodorsally relative to main axis of body; no trisegmental pterygiophores associated with dorsal and anal fins; ribs present on vertebrae 3 through 10; epineurals present on vertebrae 1 through 12; parhypural and hypurals autogenous; well-developed hypurapophysis on parhypural; epurals 3; single uroneural (posterior uroneural absent); ventral tip of cleithrum with well-developed posteroventral process.

Morphometric values for the two specimens are provided in Table 3.

Material examined: SAIAB 203717, 151 mm SL, SAIAB 203728, 192 mm SL, off Tanintharyi coast, Myanmar, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean ( 13°55.22’ N, 95°42.27’ E), 173–176 m, R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, stn 90, bottom trawl, 14 May 2015, collected by P. N. Psomadakis