Bothrocara nyx: A new species of eelpout (Perciformes: Zoarcidae) from the Bering Sea

Abstract

A new species of eelpout, Bothrocara nyx, is described from the eastern Bering Sea slope on the basis of 142 specimens collected during bottom trawl surveys conducted from 2000 through 2004. This species has a small maximum size, a short snout, a relatively low number of small vomerine and palatine teeth, a high number of gill rakers, and a heavily pigmented mouth and gill chamber. It is similar to B. pusillum, but differs in the number of gill rakers, and in the morphology of gill rakers and pectoral fins. It can be distinguished from all other congeners on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters. Copyright © 2005 Magnolia Press.