Eustomias cirritus Gibbs, Clarke & Gomon 1983

View data on Catalog of Fishes here.

The following is a description of the holotype and only known specimen from Gibbs et al. (1983).

Female, 147.5 mm SL, with a developing ovary. D 25. A 38. PI 3. P2 7. IP 7. PV 34. VAV 17. OV 34. VAL 19. AC 19. IA 58. IC 77. OA 53. OC 72. VAV photophores over anal–fin base 6. Branchiostegal photophores 10. Premaxillary teeth 15 left, 13 right: from anterior to posterior, a long fixed tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang, a short-to-long series of 2 fixed and 3 depressible teeth (1 fixed, 3 depressible right), short-to-long series of 4 depressible teeth, and 4 moderate depressible teeth (3 right). Maxilla with about 20 short, slanting, serra-like teeth. Mandibular teeth 19 left, 20 right: from anterior to posterior, a short fixed symphysial tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, 2 long depressible teeth, a short fixed tooth (2 right), 2 long depressible teeth, a short-to-long series of 5 depressible teeth, a short–to–moderate series of 4 depressible teeth, and another short-to-moderate series of 4 depressible teeth. Vertebrae 68, the 1st only partly ossified.

Measurements (in mm): Predorsal length 124.0, preanal length 109.5, prepelvic length 84.0, head length 17.3, barbel length 72.4, terminal-bulb length 1.6, filament length 3.4, snout length 5.8, fleshy orbit length 4.0, postorbital-organ length 1.1, lower–jaw length 16.0, upper-jaw length 14.8, depth behind head (greatest depth) 10.4, caudal-peduncle least depth 2.0, pectoral and pelvic fins damaged, dorsal-base length 19.3, postorbital-organ length 37.3, longest premaxillary tooth 2.3, longest mandibular tooth 1.5.

Barbel described in diagnosis. Bulb shape could be called short–ovoid or oblate spheroid. Filaments unpigmented. Three multi-branched filaments, 1 of which is continuous with a thick distal projection of the material surrounding the bulb.

A single terminal bulb 1.1%–1.2% SL. Barbel length 48%–49% SL at 112–148 mm, 32%–37% at 192–214 mm. Three short, slender terminal filaments (2.0%–2.3% SL, 1.7–2.1 times bulb length), each filament branching complexly and with numerous small bulblets forming swellings. Axis of stem well pigmented proximally, becoming sparsely pigmented distally; a dark spot at base of distal bulb. No external pigment spots proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Middorsal paired spots between occiput and dorsal-fin origin 7 and 1 specimen.

The holotype was taken just southeast of New Caledonia, the paratype on the opposite side of the Pacific over the Nazca Ridge. The tentatively identified specimen was taken just north of the Marquesas Islands.

Gibbs RH, Jr, Clarke TA, Gomon JR. 1983. Taxonomy and distribution of the stomioid fish genus Eustomias (Melanostomiidae), I: Subgenus Nominostomias. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 380:1–139.

The holotype and only known specimen in 147.5 mm SL.

Southeast of New Caledonia, 24°47'S, 170°19'E, depth 0-ca. 300 meters.

Holotype: ZMUC P201873.

A single terminal bulb 1.1-1.2% SL. Barbel length 48-49% SL at 11.2-14.8 cm; 32-37% at 19.4-21.4 cm. Short, slender terminal filaments 3, each branching complexly and with numerous small bulblets forming swellings. Axis of stem well pigmented proximally, becoming sparsely pigmented distally; a dark spot usually at the base of distal bulb. No external pigment spots proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Middorsal paired spots between occiput and dorsal-fin origin 7 (Ref. 11333).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 25; Analsoft rays: 38; Vertebrae: 68

Eustomias cirritus

Eustomias patulus.—King and Iversen, 1962: 319 [listed from South Equatorial Current].—Johnson and Rosenblatt, 1971: 310 [part; Hugh M. Smith cruise 31, sta 164; this and the King and Iversen record refer to the specimen tentatively called cirritus below].

Eustomias sp.—Parin et al., 1981: 9 [E. Pacific; examined by us].

DIAGNOSIS.—A single terminal bulb 1.1%–1.2% SL. Barbel length 48%–49% SL at 112–148 mm, 32%–37% at 192–214 mm. Three short, slender terminal filaments (2.0%–2.3% SL, 1.7–2.1 times bulb length), each filament branching complexly and with numerous small bulblets forming swellings. Axis of stem well pigmented proximally, becoming sparsely pigmented distally; a dark spot at base of distal bulb. No external pigment spots proximal to bulb. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Middorsal paired spots between occiput and dorsal-fin origin 7 and 1 specimen.

DESCRIPTION OF HOLOTYPE.—Female, 147.5 mm SL, with a developing ovary. D 25. A 38. P1 3. P2 7. IP 7. PV 34. VAV 17. OV 34. VAL 19. AC 19. IA 58. IC 77. OA 53. OC 72. VAV photophores over anal-fin base 6. Branchiostegal photophores 10. Premaxillary teeth 15 left, 13 right: from anterior to posterior, a long fixed tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang, a short-to-long series of 2 fixed and 3 depressible teeth (1 fixed, 3 depressible right), short-to-long series of 4 depressible teeth, and 4 moderate depressible teeth (3 right). Maxilla with about 20 short, slanting, serra-like teeth. Mandibular teeth 19 left, 20 right: from anterior to posterior, a short fixed symphysial tooth followed by a moderate space, a fixed fang followed by a moderate space, 2 long depressible teeth, a short fixed tooth (2 right), 2 long depressible teeth, a short-to-long series of 5 depressible teeth, a short-to-moderate series of 4 depressible teeth, and another short-to-moderate series of 4 depressible teeth. Vertebrae 68, the 1st only partly ossified.

Measurements (in mm): Predorsal length 124.0, preanal length 109.5, prepelvic length 84.0, head length 17.3, barbel length 72.4, terminal-bulb length 1.6, filament length 3.4, snout length 5.8, fleshy orbit length 4.0, postorbital-organ length 1.1, lower-jaw length 16.0, upper-jaw length 14.8, depth behind head (greatest depth) 10.4, caudal-peduncle least depth 2.0, pectoral and pelvic fins damaged, dorsal-base length 19.3, anal-base length 37.3, longest premaxillary tooth 2.3, longest mandibular tooth 1.5.

Barbel described in diagnosis. Bulb shape could be called short-ovoid or oblate spheroid. Filaments unpigmented. Three multi-branched filaments, 1 of which is continuous with a thick distal projection of the material surrounding the bulb.

SIMILAR SPECIES.—Only teuthidopsis has a single terminal bulb and short filaments with bulblets and fairly complicated structure; that species has a longer barbel (89% SL vs. 48%–49% in cirritus), the bulblets in the filaments are not as prominent as in cirritus, there are more filaments, and 2 of the filaments are notably thick and blunt-tipped. The short filaments of cancriensis, another species with a single terminal bulb, are simple and without bulblets. The other single-bulbed species with multiple terminal filaments (vitiazi, bulbornatus, and pacificus) have longer filaments with different structure.

The Atlantic species arborifer somewhat resembles cirritus, but has 2 terminal bulbs and a single main terminal filament that bears all branches.

DISTRIBUTION.—The holotype was taken just southeast of New Caledonia, the paratype on the opposite side of the Pacific over the Nazca Ridge. The tentatively identified specimen was taken just north of the Marquesas Islands (Figure 43).

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Latin adjective cirritus (filamentous, having fine filaments), alluding to the delicate terminal filaments of this species.

MATERIAL EXAMINED (3 females).—Holotype: ZMUC P201873 (147.5), 24°47′S, 170°19′E, 0–~300 m (600 mw), 2110, 7 Dec 1928.

Paratype: IOAN uncat. (112), 21°29′S, 81°42′W, 0–335 m, 15 Oct 1979.

Non-type: USNM 223722 (192.4), 06°37′S, 141°53′W 0–337 m, 2010–2111, 1 Nov 1955.