Taxonomic study of Bathygadidae fishes (Gadiformes) from Atlantic Spanish waters combining morphological and molecular approaches Author Bañón, Rafael Author Arronte, Juan Carlos Author Barros-García, David Author Vázquez-Dorado, Sandra Author Carlos, Alejandro De text Zootaxa 2013 3746 4 552 566 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3746.4.3 0bbea602-0aad-4611-8dca-62a071196dbd 1175-5326 222237 324C4E2C-F8D5-446A-A2F9-7F1D5799C5F4 Bathygadus melanobranchus Vaillant, 1888 Fig. 5 . Bathygadus melanobranchus Vaillant, 1888: 206 , Pl. 18 ( Figs. 1-1 e). Morocco coast, 32°31'N , 9°48'W , station 33, depth 1,350 meters. Lectotype : MNHN 1886-0112. Farran, 1924: 120–121 (description); Parr, 1946: 8–17 (description, key); Iwamoto, 1970: 327–352 (description, key); Marshall & Iwamoto, 1973: 518–530 (description, key); Howes & Crimmen 1990: 192– 201 (description, key). Material examined . MHNUSC 25007- 1, 370 mm TL, 23th August 2010 , Galicia Bank; 42º32.846'N — 11º59.027'W ; 1,185–1,187 m depth. Description. Body elongated and attenuated to the caudal peduncle; head large, 6 times in total length; snout blunt, 4.1 times into head; mouth large and terminal, jaws do not reaching the posterior margin of the orbit; snout as long as eye diameter and 4.1 times into head length; chin barbel absent; only first ventral ray slightly produced, 0.8 in the head length. The main morphometric and meristic characteristics are presented in Table 6 . FIGURE 5. Bathygadus melanobranchus from the north-east Atlantic Ocean, MHNUSC 25007–1, 370 mm total length. Habitat and distribution . Benthopelagic in tropical and subtropical Atlantic at depths between 450 and 2,650 m , but generally from 700 to 1,400 m ( Marshall & Iwamoto, 1973). Amphi-Atlantic distribution; in western Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico , Caribbean sea and off Suriname and in eastern Atlantic from the Irish continental slope, Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Morocco , Mauritania , Guinea-Bissau , Senegal and Gabon (Farran, 1924; Marshall & Iwamoto, 1973; Sobrino et al . 2012). The records from South Africa were not included because they cannot be verified (Howes & Crimmen, 1990). TABLE 6. Comparison of morphometric, meristic data and respective body proportions for specimens of Bathygadus melanobranchus .

Bathygadus melanobranchus	MHNUSC (25007–1)	Parr (1946)	Iwamoto (1970) Marshall & Iwamoto N=22 (1973) N=11
Total Length (mm) Head length (mm) As % TL	370 62	— —	70–400 — — 28–89
Head length As % HL Eye diameter	16.8 24.2	— 27–29	— 15–20 — 24.7–34.2
Preorbital length Postorbital length Interorbital length	24.2 51.6 29.0	— — —	25–33 24.7–29.2 46–52 — 25–35 24.7–33.9
Upper jaw length 1st Predorsal length 2nd Predorsal length	54.8 111.3 151.6	54–57 — —	51–60 46.1–56.5 — 102.3–115.8 — 128.2–147.9
1st Dorsal base length Preanal length	35.5 195.2	40 —	— — — 166.1–187.0

Length of longest ray of first dorsal 51.6 Pectoral length 66.1	50–55 55–60	<50 — — —
Ventral length 83.9 Body depth 83.9 Meristic features 1st Dorsal fin rays II+10 Ventral fin rays 8	80–85 — — —	— — — 71.9–80.3 II+9–11 11–13 8 7–8
Pectoral fin rays 16 Gill rakers 6+24 Pyloric caeca 26	— +21 28	16–20 16–19 6–7+21–24 5–7+0–1+21–23 25–40 —

Key to species of Bathygadidae from the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean waters (adapted from Iwamoto, 2003) 1a. Chin barbel very small or absent; no elongated fin rays in dorsal and pectoral fins and only slightly elongated in the ventral fin. ................................................................................. Genus Bathygadus ...(2) 1b. Chin barbel long, well developed; elongated fin rays in dorsal, pectoral and ventral fins............. Genus Gadomus ...(4) 2a. Very small barbel present on chin; body integument relatively tough, not readily torn; head bones strong; gill filaments pale. .................................................................................... Bathygadus macrops 2b. No barbel on chin; body integument weak, easily torn; head bones weak, easily broken; gill filaments dusky or pale....... 3 3a. Pelvic-fin rays 8; gill filaments dusky; interorbital width moderate, 4 or more times into head length..................... .............................................................................. Bathygadus melanobranchus 3b. Pelvic-fin rays 9; gill filaments pale; interorbital wide, 2.5–3.0 into head length..................... Bathygadus favosus 4a. Two elongated rays in pelvic fin; pectoral-fin soft rays 20 to 28................................... Gadomus arcuatus 4b. One elongated ray in pelvic fin; pectoral-fin soft rays 14 to 21.................................................. 5 5a. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 26 to 31; interorbital length 21–28% head length; pectoral-fin soft rays 14 to 18; orbit 17.1–28.0% head length; 9–13 pyloric caeca in adult specimens.................................. Gadomus longifilis 5b. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 19 to 21; interorbital length 15.2–20.5% head length; pectoral-fin soft rays 17 to 21; orbit 24.6–31.6% head length; more than 50 pyloric caeca in adult specimens............................. Gadomus dispar