Descriptions of a new genus and two new species of Caribbean deep-water jawfishes (Teleostei: Opistognathidae)

A new genus and species of deep-water jawfish, Anoptoplacus pygmaeus, n. gen. n. sp., is described on the basis of two specimens collected off Arrowsmith Bank, Yucatán, Mexico, trawled in 240‒267 m. Although only 20.5‒22.5 mm standard length, they exhibit sexual dichromatism, appear to be adults, and have a number of reductive characters generally characteristic of miniaturization in fishes. Other characters of this new species of jawfish include single rows of straight and slender teeth in both jaws, a caudal fin that is not lanceolate and with the middle 10 rays branched, 20‒23 body scale ro... Mehr ...