Two New Variegated Snailfishes of the Genus Careproctus (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes: Liparidae) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Author
James Wilder Orr
Author
Katherine Pearson Maslenikov
text
Copeia
2007
2007
3
699
710
journal article
10.1643/0045-8511(2007)2007[699:Tnvsot]2.0.Co;2
4aa72488-dd6c-45a7-b5f6-9da8e38a5ac3
269704
Careproctus
Kröyer
1862
Diagnosis.—
Careproctus
is distinguished from all other liparids by the following characters: one pair of nostrils; pseudobranch absent; pelvic disk present, small to large; pectoral fins typically with fewer rays than anal fin, with or without developed lower lobe, notch variable; body color uniformly dark or light, often gradually darkening posteriorly when light, rarely variegated (Stein et al.,
2001
, emended).
Comments.—
The genus
Careproctus
has been diagnosed in part by the lack of a variegated color pattern (
Kido,
1988
;
Andriashev and Stein,
1998
; Stein et al.,
2001
). However, both new species described herein possess this general coloration. While the two new species are apparently sister species forming a clade diagnosed by color and a unique character of the pectoral fin described below, liparid phylogenetics are poorly understood and additional new species are awaiting description and probable discovery (
Andriashev and Stein,
1998
; Stein et al.,
2001
; Chernova et al.,
2004
). Therefore, rather than erect a new genus to accommodate these differences, we have emended the diagnosis of
Careproctus
by broadening it to include the body coloration of these new species.