A revision of the abandoned snailfish genus Menziesichthys with description of a new species (Teleostei, Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae)

• Published in: Travaux du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle "Grigore Antipa" Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 93 - 115
• Main Authors: Prokofiev, Artem M., Iftime, Alexandru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 30-06-2020
• Subjects: Menziesichthys; Psednos; Rhodichthys; Snailfishes
• DOI: 10.3897/travaux.63.e48237
• EISSN: 2247-0735
• ISSN: 1223-2254

The genus
Menziesichthys
is revised and re-diagnosed, its type-species,
M. bacescui
, is redescribed and a new species is described.
Menziesichthys
shares intermediate morphological characters between the genera
Psednos
and
R
hodichthys
. It is unique within all liparid genera in the combination of strongly humpbacked body, uninterrupted infraorbital canal with huge pore openings, relative position of sec- ond nasal pore and nostril, very large gill slits, and diminutive size of adult specimens. A new species,
M. alaid
, is described from the Sea of Okhotsk off the northern Kuriles. It differs from the type-species (distributed in the southeastern Pacific) in having a lower pectoral-fin ray count, more anteriorly situ- ated anus, minute (vs. well-developed) protrusion at the posterior end of the maxilla and in other minor characters.