Careproctus spiraki Orr, 2021
Pimpled snailfish

Family:  Liparidae (Snailfishes)
Max. size:  5.46 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 193 - 447 m
Distribution:  Northeast Pacific: Alaska (Aleutian Islands).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 38-43; Anal soft rays: 32-37; Vertebrae: 42-46. This species is distinguished from its congeners described in North Pacific by having a slender body covered with small bumps and with the anterior dorsal-fin rays forming a lobe with deeply exserted rays. It differs from C. maslenikovae by having a more slender, longer body reflected in the following morphometric characters: body depth at pelvic disc less than 17.3-24.6 % (vs. 24.1-31.0 %); head width less than 11.1-14.9 % (vs. 15.1-20.1 %); anus placed more anteriorly, with snout to anus length less 24.9-33.1 % (vs. 34.4-37.2 %), anus closer to the posterior edge of the pelvic disc 1.6-5.6 % (vs. 5.8-7.0 %); pre-anal-fin length shorter 34.4-43.2 % (vs. 43.9-47.7 %); and length posterior to anal-fin origin longer 56.8-65.6 (vs. 52.3-56.1 %); and, meristic characters are also different between the two species: vertebrae 42-46 (vs. 42-43), dorsal-fin rays 38-43 (vs. 38-40), and pectoral-fin rays 28-32 (vs. 26-29). This species differs from C. lacrima with its more slender body with its tight skin (vs. more robust body with loose thin skin in C. lacrima), suprabranchial pores 2 (vs. one), chin pores 2 and separate (vs. one), and with lower meristic counts: dorsal-fin rays 38-43 (vs. 47-52); anal-fin rays 32-37 (vs. 43-45); pectoral-fin rays 28-32 (vs. 32-38); and total vertebrae 42-46 (vs. 53-57) (Ref. 124469).
Biology:  A partially digested specimen (discarded) was found in the stomach of a Malacocottus zonurus collected from central Aleutian Islands (Ref. 124469).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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