A new Western North Atlantic Ocean kitefin shark (Squaliformes: Dalatiidae) from the Gulf of Mexico

Details

• Journal Title:
  Zootaxa
• Personal Author:
  GRACE, MARK A. ; DOOSEY, MICHAEL H. ; DENTON, JOHN S. S. ; NAYLOR, GAVIN J. P. ; BART, HENRY L. Jr. ; MAISEY, JOHN G.
• NOAA Program & Office:
  NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SEFSC (Southeast Fisheries Science Center)
• Description:
  A new species of kitefin shark (Squaliformes; Dalatiidae) is described from the Gulf of Mexico (Western North Atlantic Ocean)
  
  based on five diagnostic features not seen on the only other known Mollisquama specimen, the holotype of Mollisquama parini
  
  Dolganov which was captured in the Eastern South Pacific Ocean. The new species, Mollisquama mississippiensis sp. nov., is
  
  distinguished from its congener by a putative pit organ located ventrally just posterior of the lower jaw margin center, photophores
  
  irregularly distributed along many areas of the body, 16 distinct ventral-abdominal photophore aggregations, and two differences
  
  associated with the dentition. Other potential distinguishing features are 10 fewer vertebrae than Mollisquama parini and six
  
  morphometric proportional differences that exceeded +/- 20% from the holotype
  
  
• Keywords:
  Sharks
• Source:
  Zootaxa, 4619(1)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.4
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Mexico, Gulf of
• Rights Information:
  CC BY
• Compliance:
  Submitted
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:61397bb295fc6fadcfdd3a5d8980227667292fc26b2bd632a900ad0d845a4522
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/27367/noaa_27367_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.87 MB ]