536 



Fishery Bulletin 93(3). 1995 



Etymology We name this species for Fernando 

 DeBuen in recognition of his extensive work on fishes 

 of South America. 



Distribution Known only from the two specimens 

 from the Straits of Magellan (Fig. 3). 



Comments This species and M. fernholmi (de- 

 scribed above) are similar in that each has a tail 

 length of 10% or less of TL and a somewhat longer 

 trunk length than other species treated here. Each 

 has a 3-cusp multicusp on the anterior sets of cusps; 

 they differ primarily in M. debueni lacking a VFF 

 (prominent in M. fernholmi); also, the last four 

 prebranchial pores lie in a straight line not forming 

 the letter W. 



Myxine hubbsi new species. 



Synonymy Myxine circifrons Chirichigno, 1968:383 

 (description; a 2-cusp multicusp on anterior set of 

 cusps; northern Peru to Gulf of Panama). 



Holotype SI065-452, female, 515 mm TL, taken at 

 32°38'N, 118°08°4'W, 25 September 1965, bottom 

 trap, 2,009 m. 



Paratypes SI065-452, 82 (209-522 mm), taken with 

 the holotype; SIO68-60, 36 (120-484 mm), 23°07'N, 

 109°16'W, 1,830 m; SI068-61, 2 (350, 400 mm), 

 23°06'N, 109°13'W, 2,196 m; SI073-293, 16 (230-480 

 mm), 09°24'N, 85°06'W, 1,107 m; SI092-114, 7 (260- 

 450 mm), 03°41'S, 81°36'W, 2,440 m; SI092-115, 7 

 (290-420 mm), 08°26'S, 80°36'W, 1,830-1,930 m; 

 SI072-176, 8 (326-473 mm), 21°37'S, 70°55'W, 2,114 

 m; CAS 79536, 10 (280-445 mm), taken with the ho- 

 lotype, CAS 77360, 3 (322-410 mm), 31°00'N, 

 118°06'W, 1,739 m (formerly SI065-451); LACM 

 45786-1, 18 (222-456 mm), 32°40'N, 118°12'W, 1,742 

 m (formerly SI065-451); USNM 325214, 16 (258-486 

 mm), 32°39'N, 118°11'W, 1,830 m, (formerly SI068- 

 676); MCZ 101240, 6 (275-460 mm), 32°41'N, 118°12'W, 

 1,823 m. 



Diagnosis A 2-cusp multicusp on both anterior and 

 posterior sets of cusps; six gill pouches each side (very 

 rarely 5 or 7); body nearly cylindrical; VFF low to 

 vestigial; rostrum rounded; color light to dark brown- 

 ish-purple to nearly black; head and barbels pale. 



Description Counts and proportions are given in 

 Tables 1-7. Body nearly cylindrical, its width nar- 

 rowing posteriorly; tail length about 10% of TL, its 

 depth about 38% of its length; VFF weakly devel- 

 oped, often vestigial or absent. Of 205 specimens, 



155 (75%), VFF ranges in height between 3 and 4 

 mm, and between 6 and 8 mm in only 4 specimens; 

 CFF well developed, often thick at margin, ending 

 over cloacal origin; head bluntly pointed, rostrum 

 short, rounded; multicusps small, short, bulbous at 

 bases; unicusps slender, sharp; body color variably 

 light to dark purplish-black, rarely with pale 

 blotches; head usually pale anteriorly; all barbels 

 pale; VFF and CFF color of body; GA with narrow 

 pale margins; slime pores only occasionally with pale 

 margins. From 7 to 15 large eggs, ranging between 17x6 

 and 24x8 mm, occur in eight females (415-450 mm TL); 

 all other females have small eggs. The largest number 

 of eggs (15) occur in a female of 440 mm TL. 



Etymology We name this species for our deceased 

 friend and mentor Carl L. Hubbs, primarily for his 

 foresight in instigating the worldwide study on 

 hagfishes. 



Distribution Known from 33°N to 34°S, at depths 

 from about 1,100 to 2,440 m (Fig. 3). As in M. 

 circifrons (discussed above), we find no significant 

 differences in counts or proportions over this range 

 of about 9,000 km. 



Comments The sex ratio in our material is ex- 

 tremely unbalanced; of 150 specimens, 114 (76%) are 

 female, 35 (23%) hermaphroditic, and 6 (0.4%) male. 

 Although there were few large eggs (7-15), no eggs 

 were lost since no specimens were opened prior to 

 our examination. Bichromatism is rare; only five of 

 36 specimens from near Cape San Lucas, Baja Cali- 

 fornia, Mexico (SIO68-60), are notably bichromatic 

 with colors generally bluish-purple ventrally and 

 laterally, the dorsal areas pinkish. Most bodies are 

 pale anterior to GA, with occasional small to large 

 bluish blotches; similar bichromatism occurs in five 

 of nine specimens off San Diego, California. 



Myxine hubbsoides new species 



Holotype SIO90-143, hermaphroditic female, 826 

 mm TL, taken at 34°00'S, 72°14'W, 880 m, formerly 

 MNHMC 80047). 



Paratypes SIO90-141, hermaphroditic female, 702 

 mm TL, 34°21'S, 78°18'W, 820 m (formerly MNHMC 

 80043); SIO90-142, female, 651 mm TL, 34°14'S, 

 72°21'W, 735 m (formerly MNHMC 80044). 



Diagnosis A 2-cusp multicusp on both the anterior 

 and posterior sets of cusps; six gill pouches each side; 

 VFF vestigial or nearly so, often absent; total pores 

 111-116. 



