Comparative and morphological review of plunderfishes of the genus Artedidraco (Artedidraconidae, Notothenioidiei)

Abstract

The external morphology and axial skeleton of 5 species of Antarctic plunderfishes of the genus Artedidraco Lönnberg, 1905 were studied using materials from the collection of ZIN. Plastic (26) and meristic (14) characters were analyzed; a morphological characteristics of the species was prepared. The results of the study partially con firm the previously revealed differences between the species of the genus, but some diagnostic characters of plunderfishes are found for the first time: the number of branched rays of the caudal fin, height of the head, length of the chin barbel and height of the second dorsal fin, predorsal, preanal and prebranchial distances, number of vertebrae in different parts of the spine. Assumptions are made about the functional role of characters, according to which the differences between the species associated with the diet and habitat of these fish are established. Two groups of Artedidraco species were found: “skottsbergi” (A. skottsbergi Lönnberg, 1905, A. loennbergi Roule, 1913) and “shackletoni” (A. shackletoni Waite, 1911, A. glareobarbatus Eastman et Eakin, 1999). Species of A. mirus Lönnberg, 1905 and A. orianae Regan, 1914 were not assigned to any group, since during the work a sufficient number of their similarities was not found. An identification key for species of the genus was compiled.