A New Snailfish of the Genus Careproctus (Cottiformes: Liparidae) from the Beaufort Sea

Abstract

A new species of Careproctus is described on the basis of two individuals collected from the eastern Beaufort Sea during the U.S.–Canada 2013 Transboundary Cruise. It is distinguished from all known species of Careproctus primarily by its elongate deeply exserted filamentous rays in the middle part of the pectoral fin, an unlobed dorsal fin, protruding snout, and counts of dorsal- (58–60) and anal-fin rays (52–54) and vertebrae (64–65). The two known specimens were collected at depths of 488–599 m. Among other liparids of the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans, the new species is most similar to Careproctus mica, from which it can be readily distinguished by the filamentous rays of the pectoral fin and higher counts of median-fin rays and vertebrae.