KEY TO SPECIES
la LL scales and vertebrae 63-67 . . ... .. . . . .. . . .. S. hamiltoni
1 b LL scales and vertebrae 53-62 .. .... . ... .... . . ...... . 2
2a A distinct black spot surrounding anus . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. meadi
2b No distinct black spot surrounding anus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3a Mandibular pores never heavily outlined with
black pigment, primary pores small, in a single
row and obscured by numerous secondary pores ;
53-56 LL scales and vertebrae .... . ............. S. smithii
3b Mandibular pores heavily outlined with black pigment,
primary pores large , arranged in pairs and always
distinct; 54-62 LL scales and vertebrae . .. . . .. . . ........ . 4
4a LL scales and vertebrae 60-62 . .. .. .... . . . . . . .. S. herwigi
4b LL scales and vertebrae 54-59 ........... . . . . .. . . .... 5
5a 54-56 (rarely 57) LL scales and vertebrae ;
GR 1+(15-17); 6-13 pyloric caeca . ..... . . . . .. .. . . S. hoedti
5b 58-59 (rarely 57) LL scales and vertebrae ;
GR 1+(16-19); 15-18 pyloric caeca ....... .. . .. . S. ahlstromi
78.3 Scopelosaurus ahlstromi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus ahlstromi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 37, Fig. 24
(40 0 00'S,30 0 35'W).
D 10-12; A 16-18; P 12-13; V 9; GR 1+(16-19); LL57-59; 15-18 pyloric
caeca.
Body brownish; scale pockets on dorsum and upper
lateral part of body densely speckled with melanophores;
lower lateral parts much lighter, milky-bluish on abdomen,
and whitish on ventral side of belly behind vent; interior of
mouth, opercies and peritoneum black. In life, all scales
below LL bright silvery. Attains 20 cm. Epipelagic to
mesopelagic; feeding adults on continental slope in 400 -
500 m; from about 32° to 45°S, in all 3 oceans; small adolescents in Indian Ocean northward to about 12°S.
78.3 Scopelosaurus ahlstromi: 11 em holotype and ventral view
(after Bertelsen et al., 1976).
78.4 Scopelosaurus hamiltoni
(Waite, 1916)
Notosudis hamiltoni Waite, 1916 (Maquarie Id.). Scopelosaurus hamiltoni: Bertelsen et aI., 1976: 87*.
D 10-13; A 18-21; P 11-14; V 9; GR 1+(18-21); LL 63-67; vertebrae
63-67; 15-20 pyloric caeca.
78: NOTOSUDIDAE (NOTOSUDIDS)
Body dark brownish to blackish, paler below; an indistinct blackish anal spot of the peritoneum showing through
the skin may be observed in scaleless specimens; no silvery
scales on ventral parts of body. Attains 50 cm. Mesopelagic
(juveniles) to benthopelagic (adults) down to 1 000 m;
southern oceans from about 30° to 60 0 S.
78.4 Scopelosaurus hamiltoni: 14 em (after Bertelsen et aI., 1976).
78.5 Scopelosaurus herwigi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus herwigi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 40, Fig. 26
(27°57'5,40 0 52'W).
D 10-12; A 17-19; P 12-14; GR 1+(14-15); LL 60-62; vertebrae 60-62
(specimens from New Zealand with 59-60 vertebrae); 15-17 pyloric caeca.
Very similar to S. ahlstromi.
Juveniles with silvery scales on ventral part of body.
Attains 35 cm. Juveniles epipelagic to mesopelagic inhabiting warm currents sweeping southwest from the equator;
adults benthopelagic in slope areas of southern Africa in
Atlantic and Indian oceans, down to about 750 m; also off
New Zealand.
78.5 Scopelosaurus herwigi: 10.5 em holotype (after Bertelsen et aI., 1976).
78.6 Scopelosaurus meadi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus meadi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 64, Figs.
43-44 (40
0
18'S, 39°12'W).
D 10-12; A 17-20; P 12-14; V 9; GR 1+(18-20); LL 57-60; vertebrae
57-60; 12-17 pyloric caeca.
78.6 Scopelosaurus meadi: 6 em paratype; ventral view of pelvic fins and
anus below (after Bertelsen et al.. 1976).
269
la LL scales and vertebrae 63-67 . . ... .. . . . .. . . .. S. hamiltoni
1 b LL scales and vertebrae 53-62 .. .... . ... .... . . ...... . 2
2a A distinct black spot surrounding anus . . . . . . . . . . . .. S. meadi
2b No distinct black spot surrounding anus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3a Mandibular pores never heavily outlined with
black pigment, primary pores small, in a single
row and obscured by numerous secondary pores ;
53-56 LL scales and vertebrae .... . ............. S. smithii
3b Mandibular pores heavily outlined with black pigment,
primary pores large , arranged in pairs and always
distinct; 54-62 LL scales and vertebrae . .. . . .. . . ........ . 4
4a LL scales and vertebrae 60-62 . .. .. .... . . . . . . .. S. herwigi
4b LL scales and vertebrae 54-59 ........... . . . . .. . . .... 5
5a 54-56 (rarely 57) LL scales and vertebrae ;
GR 1+(15-17); 6-13 pyloric caeca . ..... . . . . .. .. . . S. hoedti
5b 58-59 (rarely 57) LL scales and vertebrae ;
GR 1+(16-19); 15-18 pyloric caeca ....... .. . .. . S. ahlstromi
78.3 Scopelosaurus ahlstromi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus ahlstromi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 37, Fig. 24
(40 0 00'S,30 0 35'W).
D 10-12; A 16-18; P 12-13; V 9; GR 1+(16-19); LL57-59; 15-18 pyloric
caeca.
Body brownish; scale pockets on dorsum and upper
lateral part of body densely speckled with melanophores;
lower lateral parts much lighter, milky-bluish on abdomen,
and whitish on ventral side of belly behind vent; interior of
mouth, opercies and peritoneum black. In life, all scales
below LL bright silvery. Attains 20 cm. Epipelagic to
mesopelagic; feeding adults on continental slope in 400 -
500 m; from about 32° to 45°S, in all 3 oceans; small adolescents in Indian Ocean northward to about 12°S.
78.3 Scopelosaurus ahlstromi: 11 em holotype and ventral view
(after Bertelsen et al., 1976).
78.4 Scopelosaurus hamiltoni
(Waite, 1916)
Notosudis hamiltoni Waite, 1916 (Maquarie Id.). Scopelosaurus hamiltoni: Bertelsen et aI., 1976: 87*.
D 10-13; A 18-21; P 11-14; V 9; GR 1+(18-21); LL 63-67; vertebrae
63-67; 15-20 pyloric caeca.
78: NOTOSUDIDAE (NOTOSUDIDS)
Body dark brownish to blackish, paler below; an indistinct blackish anal spot of the peritoneum showing through
the skin may be observed in scaleless specimens; no silvery
scales on ventral parts of body. Attains 50 cm. Mesopelagic
(juveniles) to benthopelagic (adults) down to 1 000 m;
southern oceans from about 30° to 60 0 S.
78.4 Scopelosaurus hamiltoni: 14 em (after Bertelsen et aI., 1976).
78.5 Scopelosaurus herwigi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus herwigi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 40, Fig. 26
(27°57'5,40 0 52'W).
D 10-12; A 17-19; P 12-14; GR 1+(14-15); LL 60-62; vertebrae 60-62
(specimens from New Zealand with 59-60 vertebrae); 15-17 pyloric caeca.
Very similar to S. ahlstromi.
Juveniles with silvery scales on ventral part of body.
Attains 35 cm. Juveniles epipelagic to mesopelagic inhabiting warm currents sweeping southwest from the equator;
adults benthopelagic in slope areas of southern Africa in
Atlantic and Indian oceans, down to about 750 m; also off
New Zealand.
78.5 Scopelosaurus herwigi: 10.5 em holotype (after Bertelsen et aI., 1976).
78.6 Scopelosaurus meadi
Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976
Scopelosaurus meadi Bertelsen, Krefft & Marshall, 1976: 64, Figs.
43-44 (40
0
18'S, 39°12'W).
D 10-12; A 17-20; P 12-14; V 9; GR 1+(18-20); LL 57-60; vertebrae
57-60; 12-17 pyloric caeca.
78.6 Scopelosaurus meadi: 6 em paratype; ventral view of pelvic fins and
anus below (after Bertelsen et al.. 1976).
269