A psychrolutid, Malacocottus gibber, collected from the mesopelagic zone of the sea of Japan, with comments on its intraspecific variation

• Published in: Gyoruigaku zasshi Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 419 - 424
• Main Authors: Shinohara, G. (Hokkaido Univ., Hakodate (Japan). Faculty of Fisheries), Yabe, M, Amaoka, K, Meguro, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Nippon Gyogaku Shinkokai 01.12.1992
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; AMBIENTE PELAGICO; Biological and medical sciences; COTTOIDEI; ESPECE; ESPECIES; FENOTIPOS; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; JAPAN; JAPON; MAR DEL JAPON; Marine; MER DU JAPON; MILIEU PELAGIQUE; PELAGIC ENVIRONMENT; PHENOTYPE; PHENOTYPES; SEA OF JAPAN; SOMATIC VARIATION; SPECIES; VARIACION SOMATICA; VARIATION SOMATIQUE; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Japan Sea; INW, Japan Sea; INW, Japan, Hokkaido; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Geographic distribution; Taxonomy; Pisces; Morphology; Diagnosis (taxonomy); Intraspecific comparison; Morphometry
• ISSN: 0021-5090
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02905604

During the mid-water trawl survey made by the T/S Hokusei-Maru of Hokkaido University in the Sea of Japan off southern Hokkaido, many adult specimens of M. gibber were collected from mid-water at 400-420 m (bottom depth 800-1500 m) along with Theragra chalcogramma, Aptocyclus ventricosus, Thamnaconus modestus and Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi . This study documents the occurrence of M. gibber in mid-water layers in the Sea of Japan, describes the specimens in detail and discusses intraspecific variation in diagnostic characters of this species.