First Records of Rare Mesopelagic Fishes from the Gulf of Alaska

Abstract

Two brief midwater trawl surveys were conducted at depths of 250–1000 m in the Gulf of Alaska in April 2007 and March 2008, during which several species were recorded for the 1st time from this region. In this report we note the 1st records of Maulisia argipalla, Pachystomias microdon, Lestidiops ringens, and Scopelengys tristis from the Gulf of Alaska, the 1st records of Argyropelecus lychnus and Aristostomias scintillans from the subarctic North Pacific, and the 1st record of the rare alepocephalid Asquamiceps caeruleus from the Pacific Ocean. Meristics, morphometrics, and morphological details are provided in the context of previously reported data for each species. In addition, we provide data for 2 specimens of Caristius macropus encountered for the 1st time in the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska.