Editorial Type:
Article Category: Article Commentary
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Online Publication Date: 01 May 2007

A New Synaphobranchid Eel (Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae) from Brazil, with Comments on the Species from the Western South Atlantic

Page Range: 315 – 323
DOI: 10.1643/0045-8511(2007)7[315:ANSEAS]2.0.CO;2
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Abstract

A new synaphobranchid eel from the Brazilian continental slope is described herein as Synaphobranchus calvus. The species is distinguished from its congeners by the absence of scales on the head (vs. head scaled in other species) and its black to brown body with a deep blue belly (vs. body entirely black, gray, or brown in the remaining species). Further comments about the synaphobranchid eels of the western South Atlantic are given and a key with new characters to all species of Synaphobranchus are provided.

Resumen

Uma nova espécie de Synaphobranchus do talude continental brasileiro é descrita como Synaphobranchus calvus. A espécie é diagnosticada de seus congêneros pela ausência de escamas na cabeça (vs. cabeça escamada) e pela coloração do corpo, negro a marrom na parte dorsal e cabeça com barriga azul escura (vs. corpo inteiramente negro, cinza ou marrom nas demais espécies). Comentários adicionais sobre as espécies de sinafobranquídeos no Atlântico Sul ocidental são feitos, e uma chave de identificação para todas as espécies de Synaphobranchus foi elaborada.

Copyright: 2007 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Figure 1
Figure 1

Synaphobranchus calvus, holotype, MNRJ 28279, 532.0 mm TL, 22°16′S, 39°53′W, 1059–1110 m depth. (A) Lateral view of body; (B) lateral view of head.

Figure 2
Figure 2

Pattern of body scales in Synaphobranchus calvus at level of anus (MNRJ 26747, 546.0 mm TL).

Figure 3
Figure 3

Known distribution of Synaphobranchus calvus. Each star may represent more than one lot or locality.

Contributor Notes

Section editor: D. Buth.

Received: 03 Oct 2005
Accepted: 23 Jan 2007
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