246 



Fishery Bulletin 102(2) 



Figure 1 



Psednos rossi n.sp., paratype, USNM 372727. Adult, 51.8 mm SL, 57.2 mm TL. Sta. CH-01-047, 

 off Cape Hatteras. Scale 5 mm. Infraorbital pore 6 not shown owing to damage. 



We selected the smaller specimen to serve as the holo- 

 type owing to its better condition (skin, pores, shape of 

 head) and the availability of more characters. Unfortu- 

 nately, it is distorted and does not look natural; therefore 

 the undistorted larger (adult) specimen, the paratype, is 

 illustrated. It is also more useful to have a drawing of an 

 adult for comparison with other Psednos specimens. 



In these small fishes, precise counts of number of tooth 

 rows are possible only in disarticulated cleared and 

 stained specimens; thus, we provide approximate counts. 

 Similarly, the drawing of the gill arch of the paratype was 

 made without dissection by viewing through an opening in 

 the branchiostegal membrane. 



Although Andriashev (1986) and Andriashev and 

 Stein (1998) demonstrated the importance of the pectoral 

 girdle in distinguishing among species and in explain- 

 ing liparid relationships, we did not dissect, clear, and 

 stain a pectoral girdle from these specimens owing to the 

 high probability of damaging them and destroying other 

 characters (Chernova, 2001; Chernova and Stein, 2002). 

 The new species is so easily distinguished from congeners 

 that it is not necessary for a diagnosis of the species to 

 look at additional characters that the pectoral girdle can 

 provide. Future specimens should be used to study these 

 characters. 



The holotype and paratype are permanently deposited 

 in the Division of Fishes, Smithsonian Institution, Na- 

 tional Museum of Natural History (USNM collection). 



Results 



Psednos rossi, n.sp. 



Holotype 



USNM 372726, juvenile, 37.2 mm SL. TL?, Sta. EL-00-033, 

 off Cape Hatteras (The Point), 35°30.036'N, 74°46.497'W, 

 500-674 m over about 900 m depth, 23 July 2000, Tucker 

 trawl. Good condition but distorted. 



Paratype 



USNM 372727, adult (sex not identified), 51.8 mm SL, 

 57.2 mm TL, Sta. CH-01-047, off Cape Hatteras (The Point), 

 35°28.93'N, 74°45.93'W, 628-658 m over 1090-704 m depth, 

 24 Aug. 2001, Tucker trawl. Throat slightly damaged, head 

 slightly compressed, skin on head partly missing. 



Diagnosis 



Vertebrae 47, dorsal-fin rays 42-44, coronal pore absent. 

 Mouth vertical, symphysis of upper jaw above level of 

 eye. Body not humpbacked, vertebral column not curved 

 behind cranium. Gill cavity enlarged. Anus on vertical 

 behind head. Pectoral fin notched, rays 8+2+5-6. Eye 

 17-19% HL. 



Description 



Counts and proportions are given in Table 1. Head large, 

 about one-third SL, its depth less than, and its width 

 equal to or a little greater than, its length (Fig. 1). Head 

 depth slightly greater than its width. Mouth very large, 

 distinctly superior. Jaws almost vertical, at angle of about 

 90° to horizontal. Symphysis of upper jaw above level of 

 eye. Ascending process of premaxilla horizontal, its distal 

 end almost above center of eye. Posterior tip of lower jaw- 

 exactly below symphysis of upper jaw. Posterior (lower) 

 end of mouth cleft well below level of lower margin of eye. 

 When mouth closed, ventral surface of lower jaw forms 

 entire frontal surface of head. Lower jaw included. Sym- 

 physeal process present at lower jaw symphysis, projecting 

 forward prominently; retroarticular processes of lower 

 jaw large, acute, directed anteroventrally (Fig. 2 A I. Teeth 

 large, sharp, spear-shaped, strongly curved inward (Fig. 

 2B), in (smaller) holotype in approximately 22 and 24 (32 

 and 35) rows on upper and lower jaw; 5 (8-9) teeth in first 

 full row near symphyses of both jaws. Snout short, 1.5 ( 1.0) 

 times eye diameter. Olfactory rosette (7 lobes) and nostril 

 above anterior third of eye. Eyes not large, close to upper 



