The Morphology and Systematics of Some Deep-Sea Eels from Cook Strait

Abstract

Seven species of deep-sea eel (Teleostei, Apodes) collected from Cook Strait during 1956-57 by the Zoology Department, Victoria University of Wellington, are described. These include one new species each of Ariosoma and Serrivomer; the remainder are Borodinula infans (Günther), 1878, B. gilli (Bean), 1890, Simenchelys parasiticus Gill, 1879, Synaphobranchus affinis Günther, 1877 and Diastobranchus capensis Barnard, 1923, all of which are here recorded for the first time from the New Zealand region. The systematic relationships of each species are discussed on the basis of external morphology and in addition, in the case of Synaphobranchus affinis, Borodinula gilli and Diastobranchus capensis, on osteology. The osteological characters of these latter two species are described in detail. The systematic position of Diastobranchus capensis is discussed and the morphology of this species compared with that of Synaphobranchus affinis and Ilyophis brunneus Gilbert, 1891. Comparative notes on the nature of the apodal chondrocranium are also given.