|
Order Lophiiformes(anglerfishes) Family Lophiidae(Goosefishes). Shaefer’s anglerfish.
Sladenia shaefersi(Caruso & Bullis, 1976). 28.0 cm SL
D/spine 3, soft ray 8 or 9. A/soft ray 6. Pl/18. P2/spine I, soft ray 5 Caudal/soft ray 8(the two outer elements unbranched, the others branched); vertebrae/19
Distribution; Western Central Atlantic/Colombia and Venezuela; north on the seamount of Angular Rise.
General; S. shaefersi is distinguished from other members of its genus by having an intermediate head length, moderate snout length. Head rounded, body compressed, with cranial spines low and rounded except those on frontal and sphenotic bones which are slightly produced; pronounced muscular hump immediately behind head. Spinous portion of the dorsal fin consisting of three spines, two cephalic, one post-cephalic(the latter completely embedded in subcutaneous tissue and not contained in a loose fold of skin). IIlicial spine long and slender; second dorsal spine slender, approximately half length of illicial spine. Skin bearing numerous small, lanceolate cirri arranged in irregular rows and patches on head, lower jaw, and pectoral and caudal fins, but confined generally to region of lower jaw and lateral line on body. Teeth typically cardiform but proportionally smaller than those of other lophiids. Pectoral fins with all rays unbranched and covered with thick layer of connective tissue, making the rays visible only distally; tips of pectoral rays unpigmented. Color pattern consisting of relatively coarse, irregular, light vermiculations over a brown background covering the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the head and body, and dorsal, anal, caudal, and pectoral fins. Color pattern in alcohol consisting of dark brown background pigment with irregular light markings. However, there is confusion as there is document with the name Shaefer's anglerfish attached to photograph of individual without vermiculations.
|