pletely hidden by preopercle. Eye about 3 or less in head. Abdomen short,
distance isthmus to A less than postrostral length of head. Anus immediately before A (removed at most by 1 or 2 scales); light organ a small
globular gland within body wall in front of anus, not externalJy visible. No
prolonged fin rays; 2nd D low throughout . Body scales with spinules in
discrete, low, slightly divergent ridge-like rows (as many as 11 rows in
large specimens) .
Attains about 65 cm. Apparently abundant off South
Africa; also found off New Zealand and southern Australia
(fideT. Arai, April 1983) .
Genus Ma/acocepha/us Gunther, 1862
About 6 species, although M. nipponensis Gilbert &
Hubbs, 1916, and M. hawaiiensis Gilbert, 1905, may be
synonyms of M. laevis (Lowe, 1843). One species in our
area.
93.17 Malacocephalus laevis
(Lowe, 1843)
Macrurus laevis Lowe, 1843: 92 (Madeira) . Malacocephalus laevis:
Barnard, 1925: 344; Smith, SFSA No. 239*; 1968: 6*; Marshall &
Iwamoto, in Marshall , 1973: 651 * .
D 11 ,9-13 + more than 220; A more than 210; P 16-22; V 9; medial GR
11-14 total; 11-13 scale rows below 2nd D. Upper jaw 0.4-0.5 length of
head. Upper jaw teeth in 2 series, outer series enlarged and widely spaced.
Scale patches on lowermost branchiostegal rays and often on gular membrane. Ventral light organ well developed , with a bean-shaped fossa
between V and a smaller circular fossa in front of anus. Anus remote from
A. Pyloric caeca 70-100, branched .
Attains 60 cm. Widespread in Atlantic and Indian
oceans, and, if M. nipponensis and M. hawaiiensis are
synonyms, also in Pacific, in 200 - 750 m.
93.17 Ma/acocepha/us /aevis: 25 em (off South Africa).
Genus Mesobius Hubbs & Iwamoto, 1977
Two species, 1 in our area. Species bathypelagic, although our species known primarily from deep benthic
trawls.
93.18 Mesobius antipodum
Hubbs & Iwamoto, 1977
Mesobius antipodum Hubbs & Iwamoto , 1977: 233 , Figs . 1-11 (New
Zealand); Arai, 1979: 286*; Shcherbachev et aI. , 1979: 25.
D 11,8-10 + ?; P 13-16; V 6-7; medial GR 12-16 total; pyloric caeca
30-43. Head bones rather soft , head scales elongated ; spinules longitudi93: MACROURIDAE (GRENADIERS)
nally aligned, forming wavy lines on head. Eye less than ~ HL. First D
spine weakly serrated; subequal to postorbital length of head. Teeth
small, in 2-3 series in lower jaw, narrow band in upper jaw.
Colour swarthy to dark bluish, greyish brown on tail.
Attains 66 cm . Off south coast; New Zealand, eastern
Indian Ocean and Madagascar Plateau, also (fide T. Arai,
April 1983) southern Australia.
93.18 Mesobius antipodum: 52 cm (after Arai, 1979).
Genus Nezumia Jordan, 1904
Macruroplus Bleeker has been used for some of the
species treated here under Ventrifossa, Nezumia and
Sphagemacrurus. The use of Macruroplus is, however, untenable because the type-species, Macrurus serratus Lowe,
1843, is a nomen nudum which may represent any of several
eastern North Atlantic macrourids, including species of
Coryphaenoides, Nezumia, Sphagemacrurus and Ventrifossa. About 45 species, 7 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V 14-17 ........ .. .. .. ............ .. .... ...... .. .. ...... .......... . N. propinqua
1b V7-12 .............. ........ .. .. .... ........ .. .. ........ .. ........................ 2
2a Leading dorsal margin of snout and entire ventral
surface of head naked ; no stout scales at tip or
lateral angles of snout; V 8 .... .. .. .......... .. ...... .. ......... N. hebelala
2b Leading margin of snout scaled; ventral surface of head
variously scaled; stout , spiny , tubercular scales at tip and
lateral angles of snout ; V 8-12 .............. .. .... .... ............ .. .. .. .. .. 3
3a Medial GR on 1st arch 13-16 ........ .. ...... .......... N. micronychodon
3b Fewer than 13 medial (inner) GR on 1st arch .......... .. .... .... .. .. .. . 4
4a V 8-9; ventral surfaces of snout and suborbital mostly scaly .... .. .. 5
4b V 11-12; ventral surfaces of snout and suborbital mostly naked .. .. 6
5a V 8; barbel 3.0-3.6 in eye; scale rows below 2nd
D 6-7 ; eye diameter about l/S head , much greater
than snout length .. .... .. ................ .. ............ .. ............ N. milleri
5b V 9; barbel about 1.8 in eye; scale rows below 2nd
D about 12; eye ~ head, subequal to snout .. .. ...... ...... .... N. leonis
6a Snout pointed ; barbel, ~ - \-2 eye; spinules on body
scales broadly lanceolate .. .. ...... ........ .. .. ............. N. brevibarbata
6b Snout blunt ; barbel about \-2 - % eye; spinules on
body scales slender, needle-like .. .. .. .... .. .... .... N. semiquincunciata
337
distance isthmus to A less than postrostral length of head. Anus immediately before A (removed at most by 1 or 2 scales); light organ a small
globular gland within body wall in front of anus, not externalJy visible. No
prolonged fin rays; 2nd D low throughout . Body scales with spinules in
discrete, low, slightly divergent ridge-like rows (as many as 11 rows in
large specimens) .
Attains about 65 cm. Apparently abundant off South
Africa; also found off New Zealand and southern Australia
(fideT. Arai, April 1983) .
Genus Ma/acocepha/us Gunther, 1862
About 6 species, although M. nipponensis Gilbert &
Hubbs, 1916, and M. hawaiiensis Gilbert, 1905, may be
synonyms of M. laevis (Lowe, 1843). One species in our
area.
93.17 Malacocephalus laevis
(Lowe, 1843)
Macrurus laevis Lowe, 1843: 92 (Madeira) . Malacocephalus laevis:
Barnard, 1925: 344; Smith, SFSA No. 239*; 1968: 6*; Marshall &
Iwamoto, in Marshall , 1973: 651 * .
D 11 ,9-13 + more than 220; A more than 210; P 16-22; V 9; medial GR
11-14 total; 11-13 scale rows below 2nd D. Upper jaw 0.4-0.5 length of
head. Upper jaw teeth in 2 series, outer series enlarged and widely spaced.
Scale patches on lowermost branchiostegal rays and often on gular membrane. Ventral light organ well developed , with a bean-shaped fossa
between V and a smaller circular fossa in front of anus. Anus remote from
A. Pyloric caeca 70-100, branched .
Attains 60 cm. Widespread in Atlantic and Indian
oceans, and, if M. nipponensis and M. hawaiiensis are
synonyms, also in Pacific, in 200 - 750 m.
93.17 Ma/acocepha/us /aevis: 25 em (off South Africa).
Genus Mesobius Hubbs & Iwamoto, 1977
Two species, 1 in our area. Species bathypelagic, although our species known primarily from deep benthic
trawls.
93.18 Mesobius antipodum
Hubbs & Iwamoto, 1977
Mesobius antipodum Hubbs & Iwamoto , 1977: 233 , Figs . 1-11 (New
Zealand); Arai, 1979: 286*; Shcherbachev et aI. , 1979: 25.
D 11,8-10 + ?; P 13-16; V 6-7; medial GR 12-16 total; pyloric caeca
30-43. Head bones rather soft , head scales elongated ; spinules longitudi93: MACROURIDAE (GRENADIERS)
nally aligned, forming wavy lines on head. Eye less than ~ HL. First D
spine weakly serrated; subequal to postorbital length of head. Teeth
small, in 2-3 series in lower jaw, narrow band in upper jaw.
Colour swarthy to dark bluish, greyish brown on tail.
Attains 66 cm . Off south coast; New Zealand, eastern
Indian Ocean and Madagascar Plateau, also (fide T. Arai,
April 1983) southern Australia.
93.18 Mesobius antipodum: 52 cm (after Arai, 1979).
Genus Nezumia Jordan, 1904
Macruroplus Bleeker has been used for some of the
species treated here under Ventrifossa, Nezumia and
Sphagemacrurus. The use of Macruroplus is, however, untenable because the type-species, Macrurus serratus Lowe,
1843, is a nomen nudum which may represent any of several
eastern North Atlantic macrourids, including species of
Coryphaenoides, Nezumia, Sphagemacrurus and Ventrifossa. About 45 species, 7 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la V 14-17 ........ .. .. .. ............ .. .... ...... .. .. ...... .......... . N. propinqua
1b V7-12 .............. ........ .. .. .... ........ .. .. ........ .. ........................ 2
2a Leading dorsal margin of snout and entire ventral
surface of head naked ; no stout scales at tip or
lateral angles of snout; V 8 .... .. .. .......... .. ...... .. ......... N. hebelala
2b Leading margin of snout scaled; ventral surface of head
variously scaled; stout , spiny , tubercular scales at tip and
lateral angles of snout ; V 8-12 .............. .. .... .... ............ .. .. .. .. .. 3
3a Medial GR on 1st arch 13-16 ........ .. ...... .......... N. micronychodon
3b Fewer than 13 medial (inner) GR on 1st arch .......... .. .... .... .. .. .. . 4
4a V 8-9; ventral surfaces of snout and suborbital mostly scaly .... .. .. 5
4b V 11-12; ventral surfaces of snout and suborbital mostly naked .. .. 6
5a V 8; barbel 3.0-3.6 in eye; scale rows below 2nd
D 6-7 ; eye diameter about l/S head , much greater
than snout length .. .... .. ................ .. ............ .. ............ N. milleri
5b V 9; barbel about 1.8 in eye; scale rows below 2nd
D about 12; eye ~ head, subequal to snout .. .. ...... ...... .... N. leonis
6a Snout pointed ; barbel, ~ - \-2 eye; spinules on body
scales broadly lanceolate .. .. ...... ........ .. .. ............. N. brevibarbata
6b Snout blunt ; barbel about \-2 - % eye; spinules on
body scales slender, needle-like .. .. .. .... .. .... .... N. semiquincunciata
337