Carepoctus solidus sp.n., a New Species of Liparid Fish
(Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae) from the Lower Bathyal
of the Polar Basin
N.V. Chernova
Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, I Universitetskaya, 199034 St. Petershur[;, Russia
Received 3 March 1997 and accepted in revised form 3 March 1998
Abstract - A new species of snail fish, Careproctus solidus (Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae l,
is described from lower bathyal depth of the Polar Basin. The holotype and only known
specimen is deposited in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.
Petersburg (ZISP 50626, immature female SL 117.5 mm). The fish was collected by the
German-Russian expedition by RV "Polarstern" in 1993 on the continental slope of the
northern part of the Laptev Sea (78°23.4 N, 133°09,5 E) at a depth of 2151-1934 m. C.
solidus resembles the Arctic shelf species C. reinhardti (K.r~yer) in counts, prickled skin,
0+2 pores in temporal canal, but differs in the oblique mouth, the pectoral fin in a low
position, 3 (2+0+ 1 l radials in the pectoral girdle, a small triangular opercular flap, round
(not longitudinally oval) pupil, and a solid (ungelatinous) body. The relantionships of this
unusially deep-living Careproctus species are unclear, but it is the second example of a
unique liparid fish from the deep Polar Basins.
Introduction
Fish investigations in the Laptev Sea are still at the stage of faunal exploration. The GermanRussian expeditions of 1993-1995 there provided new and valuable ichthyological results, and
the list of fish species confirmed as occuring in the area has been increased by about 25 %; the
number of marine species recorded has doubled (Neyelov and Chernova, 1994; Chernova and
Neyelov, 1995). This report contains the description of a new species of liparid fish which has
been collected during those expeditions by the RN "Polarstern" in the northern part of the
Laptev Sea.
Only three species of deep-sea Jiparids have so far been found in the Central Arctic Basin at
a depth in excess of 1000 metres: Paraliparis bathybius (Collett, 1879), P. violaceus
Chernova, 1991 and Rhodichthys regina Collett, 1879 (Collett, 1879; Andriashev, 1948, 1954;
Chern ova, 1991; Andriashev and Chernova, 1993). Liparids of the genus Careproctus Kr0yer,
1862 are known in the marginal Arctic seas only from shelf waters in neighbouring parts of the
North Atlantic; in the Barents and Kara Seas their vertical distribution is restricted to depths of
50-628 m (Able and Irion, 1985; Chern ova, 1991). Therefore, the finding of a specimen of the
genus Careproctus at depth approaching 2000 m in the lower bathyal of the Laptev Sea is quite
unexpected and very noteworthy. Comparison of the specimen with other known Careproctus
reveals that it is a new species, which is described below.
Careproctus solidus new species - Thickset tadpole (Figures 1-4)
Material examined
Holotype. ZISP 50626. Immature female, standart length (SL) 117.5 mm. RlV "Polarstern",
cruise ARK 27, St. 35: 78°23.4 N, 133°09.5 E; Sept.4, 1993.; depth 1151-1934 m. Collector
Katja Hinz.
In: Kassens, H., H.A. Bauch, l. Dmitrenko, H. Eicken, H.-W. Hubberten, M. Melles, J. Thiede and L. Timokhov (eds.)
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999, 181-188.
(Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae) from the Lower Bathyal
of the Polar Basin
N.V. Chernova
Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, I Universitetskaya, 199034 St. Petershur[;, Russia
Received 3 March 1997 and accepted in revised form 3 March 1998
Abstract - A new species of snail fish, Careproctus solidus (Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae l,
is described from lower bathyal depth of the Polar Basin. The holotype and only known
specimen is deposited in the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.
Petersburg (ZISP 50626, immature female SL 117.5 mm). The fish was collected by the
German-Russian expedition by RV "Polarstern" in 1993 on the continental slope of the
northern part of the Laptev Sea (78°23.4 N, 133°09,5 E) at a depth of 2151-1934 m. C.
solidus resembles the Arctic shelf species C. reinhardti (K.r~yer) in counts, prickled skin,
0+2 pores in temporal canal, but differs in the oblique mouth, the pectoral fin in a low
position, 3 (2+0+ 1 l radials in the pectoral girdle, a small triangular opercular flap, round
(not longitudinally oval) pupil, and a solid (ungelatinous) body. The relantionships of this
unusially deep-living Careproctus species are unclear, but it is the second example of a
unique liparid fish from the deep Polar Basins.
Introduction
Fish investigations in the Laptev Sea are still at the stage of faunal exploration. The GermanRussian expeditions of 1993-1995 there provided new and valuable ichthyological results, and
the list of fish species confirmed as occuring in the area has been increased by about 25 %; the
number of marine species recorded has doubled (Neyelov and Chernova, 1994; Chernova and
Neyelov, 1995). This report contains the description of a new species of liparid fish which has
been collected during those expeditions by the RN "Polarstern" in the northern part of the
Laptev Sea.
Only three species of deep-sea Jiparids have so far been found in the Central Arctic Basin at
a depth in excess of 1000 metres: Paraliparis bathybius (Collett, 1879), P. violaceus
Chernova, 1991 and Rhodichthys regina Collett, 1879 (Collett, 1879; Andriashev, 1948, 1954;
Chern ova, 1991; Andriashev and Chernova, 1993). Liparids of the genus Careproctus Kr0yer,
1862 are known in the marginal Arctic seas only from shelf waters in neighbouring parts of the
North Atlantic; in the Barents and Kara Seas their vertical distribution is restricted to depths of
50-628 m (Able and Irion, 1985; Chern ova, 1991). Therefore, the finding of a specimen of the
genus Careproctus at depth approaching 2000 m in the lower bathyal of the Laptev Sea is quite
unexpected and very noteworthy. Comparison of the specimen with other known Careproctus
reveals that it is a new species, which is described below.
Careproctus solidus new species - Thickset tadpole (Figures 1-4)
Material examined
Holotype. ZISP 50626. Immature female, standart length (SL) 117.5 mm. RlV "Polarstern",
cruise ARK 27, St. 35: 78°23.4 N, 133°09.5 E; Sept.4, 1993.; depth 1151-1934 m. Collector
Katja Hinz.
In: Kassens, H., H.A. Bauch, l. Dmitrenko, H. Eicken, H.-W. Hubberten, M. Melles, J. Thiede and L. Timokhov (eds.)
Land-Ocean Systems in the Siberian Arctic: Dynamics and History. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999, 181-188.