Neoepinnula minetomai, a new species of sackfish from off Kuchierabu-jima Island, southern Japan (Actinopterygii: Gempylidae)

Abstract

Neoepinnula minetomai, a new species of sackfish, is described from two specimens collected from the East China Sea off Kuchierabu-jima Island, Kagoshima, Japan, at depths of about 380–420 m. The species is separable from its two congeners, Neoepinnula americana and Neoepinnula orientalis, by the following combination of characters: orbit huge, 1.0–1.1 in snout length, its upper margin forming predorsal profile in lateral view; fleshy interorbital width less than orbit diameter; posteroventral corner of preopercle forming an acute angle; distal margin of second dorsal and anal fins concave; tip of lower jaw without distinctly enlarged fangs; lower lateral line above pectoral fin base hidden behind opercle; oral cavities uniformly blackish; head length (HL) 33.5–34.8 % standard length (SL); body depth at pelvic fin base 28.2–29.0 % SL, and at anal fin origin 27.0–28.0 % SL; pectoral fin length 17.9–18.1 % SL; upper caudal fin lobe length 25.6 % SL; lower caudal fin lobe length 23.4–24.0 % SL; snout length 31.3–33.4 % HL; postorbital length 38.2–39.0 % HL; upper jaw length 40.5–41.2 % HL.