Jørgen G. Nielsen

• lektor emeritus
• University of Copenhagen

541 Zootaxa 5100 (4): 541-558 https://www.mapress.com/zt/ Abstract The rare deepsea ophidiid genus Leucicorus was described by Garman (1899) based on L. lusciosus Garman, 1899 caught in the East Pacific. Until 1973 only three additional specimens were caught of which two from the East Pacific belong to L. lusciosus and one from off Hawaiʽi is an un...

Two specimens from the Koko Seamount (Koko Guyot), in theHawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, Central North Pacific, caught in 2009 and 2010 are here described as a new species, Bidenichthys okamotoi. The taxonomy of the species in the genera Bidenichthys Barnard, 1934, and Fiordichthys Paulin, 1995, has been confusing due to the lost type of B. consor...

This review was motivated by the recent collection of a specimen of the specious cuskeel genus Neobythites (Ophidiidae) off Myanmar and difficulties to identify it based on the available literature. This specimen has an ocellus consisting of a dark oval spot and a concentric white ring placed on the dorsal fin at mid-body, typical for many Neobythi...

The order Ophidiiformes is a large but not very well known group of fishes, unique among teleosts for showing high diversity in both deep sea and shallow reef habitats. The current classification includes more than 500 species, 115 genera and four families, based primarily on mode of reproduction: vivipar-ous Aphyonidae and Bythitidae vs oviparous...

This article comprise the data related to the research article “A new classification of viviparous brotulas (Bythitidae) – with family status for Dinematichthyidae – based on molecular, morphological and fossil data” [1], and makes it possible to explore and reproduce the topologies that allowed [1] to infer the relationship between the families By...

A new species of Barathronus (Ophidiiformes: Aphyonidae) is described from a single, mature male specimen (101 mm SL) bottom trawled on the continental slope of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, between 1,964 and 2,045 m depth. The new species is diagnosed among congeners by the following combination of characters: peritoneum transparent, d...

Currently, three of the seven described species of Sirembo Bleeker, 1858 and both species of Spottobrotula Cohen & Nielsen, 1978 are considered valid. The present revision is based on 73 specimens of Sirembo known from the Red Sea to Japan and southwards to off northwestern Australia and northern New South Wales and 19 specimens of Spottobrotula kn...

A new bythitid fish, Timorichthys angustus, is described on the basis of a single specimen (52 mm in standard length, SL) collected from the East China Sea, Japan. The genus Timorichthys Nielsen and Schwarzhans 2011 was only known from the holotype of the type species Timorichthys disjunctus Nielsen and Schwarzhans 2011 caught in the Timor Sea. The...

Following the recent revision of Microbrotula (Schwarzhans & Nielsen, 2011), an additional nine specimens of the vivi-parous genus Microbrotula (Teleostei: Bythitidae), all caught in the Cenderawasih Bay, Irian Jaya, New Guinea, Indone-sia, were made available to us. These specimens represent a new species described here as M. geraldalleni. It belo...

Material of three similar and probably related genera of the viviparous ophidiiform family, Bythitidae, has been studied.The monotypic Hastatobythites is only known from the original two specimens; re-examination of the paratype and infor-mation of the holotype clearly demonstrates the validity of the genus. The revision of Saccogaster (Cohen & Nie...

We report the presence of an aglomerular kidney in the pelagic deep-sea fish Saccopharynx ampullaceus (Saccopharyngiformes: Saccopharyngidae). The thin kidney is unpaired and ribbon-like rostrally, while it is thicker caudally with a rod-like shape. Light microscopic observation of serial sections revealed no glomeruli at all. The kidney is compose...

The bathyal genus Penopus (Ophidiidae) is revised based on 23 specimens. One specimen from the Ryukyu Trench represents a new species, Penopus japonicus. The remaining 22 specimens were found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and neither 28 meristic and morphometric characters nor several morphological characters show any differences between the...

Barathronus pacificus n.sp. is described from three specimens from the northeastern Pacific. Previously, the genus was represented from the Pacific by one specimen of an unnamed species from off Japan. Three specimens of Sciadonus sp., possibly pedicellaris, from the northeastern Pacific and one from the southeastern Pacific are described. Sciadonu...

The bathyal genus Bassogigas (Teleostei: Ophidiidae) is revised based on 25 specimens, 18 from the west Atlantic Ocean and seven from the Indo-west Pacific Ocean. One specimen, from off Guam, west Pacific Ocean, represents a new species, Walker's cusk eel Bassogigas walkeri. The other 24 specimens all belong to the type species, Gills cusk eel Bass...

This paper is based on 760 Atlantic specimens of pelican eels caught from off Iceland to 48°S in depths between 2750 and c. 500 m. Stomach contents from 120 specimens show a varied diet dominated by crustaceans, fish and squid. The frequent occurrence of Sargasso weed consumed by Eurypharynx indicates a lack of prey-item discrimination. The forward...

A new species of the viviparous fish genus Grammonus (Ophidiiformes: Bythitidae) is described, based on two ripe males, 32–55mm SL. They were caught over a muddy bottom in a shrimp trawl at 70–119m off Central Vietnam. A comparison with the nine hitherto described Grammonus species shows them to be clearly distinct from other species. Except for G....

Although the Greenland fish fauna has been studied for more than 200 years, new species continue to be discovered. We here take the opportunity of the International Polar Year 2007–08 (IPY) to present an updated check-list of the fishes of Greenland and discuss whether the growing diversity can be explained by global warming. A total of 269 species...

Three species of the ophidiid genus Neobythites containing ocelli in the dorsal fin are known from the West Atlantic: Neobythites gilli Goode and Bean 1885, N. ocellatus Günther 1887 and N. monocellatus Nielsen 1999. In the year 2000, 18 specimens of Neobythites were caught on the upper continental slope off eastern Brazil. This is the first docume...

Three species of the ophidiid genus Neobythites containing ocelli in the dorsal fin are known from the West Atlantic: Neobythites gilli Goode and Bean 1885, N. ocellatus Günther 1887 and N. monocellatus Nielsen 1999. In the year 2000, 18 specimens of Neobythites were caught on the upper continental slope off eastern Brazil. This is the first docume...

Thirteen specimens of the bythitid fish-genus Bellottia have been reported from the Western North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. A comparison with the three known species, B. apoda Giglioli, 1883 from the East Atlantic and the Mediterranean, B. armiger (Smith & Radcliffe, 1913) from the Philippines and B. galatheae Nielsen & Møller, 2008 from the Sol...

FIGURE 2. Bellottia robusta. Paratype. TCWC 10956.01. SL 64. Right sagitta: A—median view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 5. Bellottia cryptica. Holotype. NCSM 44451. SL 42.

FIGURE 4. Records of Bellottia robusta () and Bellottia cryptica (●). The number indicates the number of neighbouring stations.

FIGURE 6. Bellottia cryptica. Holotype. Right sagitta: A—median view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Bellottia apoda. IIPB 454 / 1982. SL 52.

FIGURE 10. Records of Bellottia apoda. One record outside the map on Great Meteor Bank (29 ° 50.2 ’ N, 28 ° 29.8 ’ W).

FIGURE 1. Bellottia robusta. Holotype. USNM 394117. SL 62.

FIGURE 9. Bellottia apoda. MMF 22860. SL 65. Right sagitta: A—median view, B—dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Bellottia robusta. Paratype. USNM 394118. SL 34. Head spines: 1 — spine on cleithrum, 2 — opercular spine, 3 — preopercular spines, 4 - spine on preopercular crest.

FIGURE 7. Neobythites ocellatus, 127 mm SL, MOVI 38800. Right sagitta: A—Median view, B—Anterior view, C— Dorsal view.

FIGURE 1. Records of ocellus-bearing Neobythites species in the West Atlantic. The numbers indicate the number of neighbouring stations.

FIGURE 6. Neobythites ocellatus, 147 mm SL, MOVI 39146.

FIGURE 3. Neobythites gilli, holotype, 80 mm SL, USNM 37340. Right sagitta: A—Median view, B—Anterior view, C—Dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Neobythites monocellatus, 97 mm SL, MOVI 39139.

FIGURE 5. Neobythites monocellatus, 141 mm SL, USNM 309244. Right sagitta: A—Median view, B— Anterior view, C—Dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Neobythites multiocellatus, holotype, 124 mm SL, ZMUC P 771207.

FIGURE 2. Neobythites gilli, 104 mm SL, ZMUC P 771224.

FIGURE 9. Neobythites multiocellatus, holotype, 124 mm SL, ZMUC P 771207. Right sagitta: A—Median view, B— Dorsal view.

The systematics of the abyssal giant cusk-eel genus Spectrunculus was revised, based on the examination of 55 specimens recently collected from the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge and 32 specimens from earlier collections in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The conclusion of Nielsen and Hureau that only one sexually dimorphic species, S. grandis, exist...

The Mediterranean ophidioid fish genus Bellottia is diagnosed, and its relationships with other viviparous ophidioids are discussed. Its closest relative may be Microbrotula Gosline. Previous opinionsabout Bellottia are summarized. A description is presented of B. apoda, the only known species in the genus.

Collections made by two deep-sea expeditions off eastern Brazil between 11° and 23°S, revealed the occurrence of a rich fish fauna. A total of 94 trawl stations were performed by the RV Thalassa and RV Astro Garoupa, at depths from 200 to 2300 m. The fishes of the order Ophidiiformes are reported upon here, including 23 species from three families:...

AbSTRACT.-seven ophidiid specimens were collected during the benthic Crozet research cruise (RRs Discovery, D300), December 2005-January 2006, indian sector of the southern Ocean. Two are Apagesoma australis n. sp., which can be distinguished from the two described species in this genus by the number of precaudal vertebrae (15 vs 13), body depth at...

During the Danish Galathea 3 Expedition, leg 10, 14–29 December 2006, 29 species of bottom or nearbottom deep-water fishes were caught at depths between 440 and 4450 meters in the Solomon Sea. Sixteen of these belong to the order Ophidiiformes, and are new records for the Solomon Sea. Several of the species are hitherto known only from very few spe...

A new species of the fish genus Grammonus (Ophidiiformes: Bythitidae) is described based on a ripe female, 98 mm in standard length (SL). It was caught at the bottom of a cave at a depth of 20 m under lightless conditions in Ie-shima Island, one of the Ryukyu Islands. A comparison to the seven described species of Grammonus shows the greatest simil...

A new genus and species of ophidiid fishes, Ventichthys biospeedoi, is described based on two male specimens caught in the French BIOSPEEDO expedition to the South East Pacific Rise. They were caught by a baited trap at the hydrothermal vent site Oasis ( 17 degrees 25.38' S, 113 degrees 12.29' W) at 2586 m. The new genus differs from all of the 48...

Since the description of the Bahamian cave-fish Lucifuga spelaeotes Cohen & Robins, 1970, which was based on two specimens from New Providence Island, the species has been observed and/ or collected several times in marine blue-holes and inland caves on various Bahamian Islands. Hith- erto, all Lucifuga records from the Bahamas have been referred t...

Since the description of the Bahamian cave-fish Lucifuga spelaeotes Cohen & Robins, 1970, which was based on two specimens from New Providence Island, the species has been observed and/ or collected several times in marine blue-holes and inland caves on various Bahamian Islands. Hitherto, all Lucifuga records from the Bahamas have been referred to...

An additional and hitherto undescribed ipnopid genus and species, Discoverichthys praecox Merrett and Nielsen, is reported and described, and its relationships with the family and aspects of its biology are discussed.

Tuamotuichthys marshallensis is described as a new species of bythitid fish from two specimens collected at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. It differs from the only other known species of the genus, T. bispinosus, i. a. in the lack of scales on top of the head (vs scales present), head pores present on occiput and upper operculum (vs absent), hy...

This chapter describes polar fishes from a biogeographical point of view, employing areas with major shifts in species composition as borders for the Arctic and Antarctic areas. These are often defined by oceanic frontal systems and topographical structures, such as submerged ridges. The two polar areas of the world contain 538 species of fish, 289...

Based on the examination of almost 1200 specimens representing 50 species of the secondary deep-sea fish genus Neobythites (family Ophidiidae), this study provides an overview of body coloration and a detailed comparison among species that have typical ocelli or eyespots consisting of a dark spot surrounded by a contrasting pale ring on their dorsa...

An ongoing revision of the dinematichthyine fishes (Ophidiiformes, Bythitidae, Brosmophycinae) of the Indo-West Pacific based on ca. 5000 specimens will be published in parts. Part I includes 765 identified specimens in the genera Brotulinella (new genus with one new species), Diancistrus Ogilby, 1899 (with four described and 23 new species) and Pa...

An ongoing revision of the American dinematichthyine fishes (Ophidiiformes, Bythitidae) based on examination of about 2000 specimens will be published in two parts. This publication is Part I, which includes 209 specimens in the genera Dinematichthys (one W. Atlantic species), Gunterichthys (one W. Atlantic and two new E. Pacific species), Ogilbich...

A new bythitid genus and species, Tuamotuichthys bispinosus, is described from an adult male (88mm SL), caught by dredge in 1990, off Morane Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago (230843 S, 1370919 W, 536m). It is characterized by having large scales on head and body, two opercular spines, few gill rakers (total 11, 3 of them long), depressed head, vertically...

This paper presents the first thoroughly revised list of Danish fishes in more than 30 years. It comprises 246 species, summarizing e.g. the 30 species recorded for the first time since 1970 and one that is the result of a taxonomic revision. The earliest account of Danish freshwater and marine fishes included 139 species (Krøyer 1838-53), the late...

A comparison of the bythitids Fiordichthys slartibartfasti Paulin, 1995 and the two species of Melodichthys, paxtoni and hadrocephalus both Nielsen & Cohen (1986), clearly shows that M. paxtoni is much closer to F. slartibart-fasti than to M. hadrocephalus. Consequently, M. paxtoni is reassigned to Fiordichthys. By examination of the copulatory org...

A comparison of the bythitids Fiordichthys slartibartfasti Paulin, 1995 and the two species of Melodichthys, paxtoni and hadrocephalus both Nielsen & Cohen (1986), clearly shows that M. paxtoni is much closer to F. slartibartfasti than to M. hadrocephalus. Consequently, M. paxtoni is reassigned to Fiordichthys. By examination of the copulatory orga...

Examination of 200 specimens (54–477 mm LS) of the high Arctic cod genus Arctogadus showed that A. borisovi should be considered a junior synonym of A. glacialis. The most important specific characters hitherto used, i.e. length of barbel, interorbital width, horizontal diameter of eye and number of rakers on the anterior gill arch, were shown to b...

A large (1.80 metres in length and weighing 70 kg) Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichtus eleginoides Smitt, 1898) has been caught in the northwest Atlantic, representing the first Northern Hemisphere record of the diverse, abundant and mainly Antarctic suborder Notothenioidei. This extraordinary catch indicates that large, cold-temperate fishes may o...

Analysis of the Dana collection of larval fishes yielded 36 exterilium larvae and 17 rubaniform larvae, referable to the Ophidiidae. Both larval types reach large sizes before transformation and are characterized by an exterilium gut, although it is less strongly expressed in rubaniform larvae. Both have early-forming, elongate, descending processe...

A fourth capture and third extant specimen of the ophidiid, Apagesoma delosommatus, is reported from tropical eastern North Atlantic continental rise waters. Its morphometric and meristic characters are compared with the holotype and paratype and its left sagitta is illustrated.

A new species,Saccopharynx berteli, is described from one specimen collected in the Central Pacific Ocean. It differs from the other nine species in the genus in morphometric characters, principally including the extreme elongation of the caudal region (88.5% of TL) compared with 71–82% in the other species.

A review of West Atlantic Neobythites material (812 specimens) has shown the existence of eight species: N. gilli Goode and Bean, 1885; N. marginatus Goode and Bean, 1886; N. ocellatus Günther, 1887; N. elongatus Nielsen and Retzer, 1994; N. unicolor Nielsen and Retzer, 1994; N. braziliensis n. sp.; N. monocellatus n. sp.; N. multidigitatus n. sp....

Summary In the Wadden Sea areas of Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands, a total of 162 fish and lamprey species is known. 72 of these species are migrants entering the area occasionally; the total number of resident species in the Wadden Sea area is 90. In the Wadden Sea, in total, 20 species of fish and lamprey species are threatened in at least...

A new deepsea monognathid species,Monognathus berteli, is described based on one specimen collected pelagically in the northwestern Indian Ocean at 1440–1018 meters of depth. LikeM. taningi andM. bertini, it belongs to the short-skulled species-group and has very long pectoral fins, but differs from these species by several meristic characters. The...

This new genus and species of Ophidiidae is described on the basis of four bathyally caught specimens, three from off the Hawaiian Islands and one from off Southeast Africa. It is characterized by a high, compressed body with a non-attenuate tail, an eye-diameter almost as long as the snout, a relatively strong opercular spine, short ventral fins,...

Two new, abyssal species of the genus Barathronus are described from the North Atlantic. B. unicolor, based on 18 specimens, all from the Northwest Atlantic, is characterized by its almost complete lack of peritoneal pigmentation, by a ventral flexure of the anterior end of the vertebral column, and by the presence of a pair of lobes at the basis o...

Spottobrotula amaculata, the second known species of the genus, is described from four specimens from the Philippines. Important diagnostic characters are: dorsal fin rays 94-96, anal fin rays 71-73, developed gill rakers 3-4, vertebrae 51-52. Also, specimens 165-297 mm SL have horizontal bands along the body and/or tail. There is an ontogenetic ch...

Annotated identifications of 32 species (21 families) of fishes from the stomachs of Alepisaurus and tunas longlined in the southeastern Pacific Ocean are presented. Many are recorded from this region for the first time. A comparison between these fishes and fishes from North Atlantic Alepisaurus revealed that 39% of the species were found in commo...

ABsTrACT. -A replacement name, Thermichthys, is suggested for the preoccupied, monotypic fish genus, Gerhardia Nielsen & Cohen, 2002. A second specimen of Thermichthys hollisi (Cohen, Rosenblatt & Moser, 1990) caught at the hydrothermal vent site Hobbs is here described and compared to the holotype from the Galapagos Rift Zone about 4000 km northea...

Species of the ophidiid genus Neobythites from the western Indian Ocean are revised based on 225 specimens. The majority of specimens came from the 17th cruise (1988-89) of the Soviet R/V VITYAZ. Twelve species are recognized: N. analis Barnard, 1927 (southern Africa; lectotype designed), N. crosnieri sp.n. (Madagascar), N. kenyaensis sp.n. (east c...