Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identification keys to halosaurs and notacanthids (Notacanthiformes, Elopomorpha) in the subarctic Atlantic Ocean including three new distributional records and multiple molecular OTUs of Notacanthus cf. chemnitzii

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biodiversity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As part of an ongoing effort to monitor the fish diversity in Greenland waters using morphological and molecular taxonomy, and construct pragmatic identification keys, we here update distributions of all known halosaurs (Halosauridae) and notacanthids (Notacanthidae) in the subarctic Atlantic Ocean. New distributions are included for Aldrovandia oleosa, Halosauropsis macrochir, and Notacanthus bonaparte, all caught once in the Denmark Strait off SE Greenland. We also present the first observation of luminous tissues in halosaurs. Photo, illustrative and text identification keys are included for pragmatic identification corroborated by molecular barcoding data, produced as part of the Greenland Fishes Barcoding Project (GLF) introduced in this study. Barcoding data revealed five operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Notacanthus cf. chemnitzii present, including three distinct haplotypes observed off SE Greenland alone, within this species complex currently described as one circumglobal species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

SE:

Southeast

SW:

Southwest

NW:

Northwest

NE:

Northeast

OTU:

Operational Taxonomic Unit

MAR:

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

SPF:

Subpolar Front

References

  • Bañón R, Arronte JC, Vázquez-Dorado S, Río JLD, Carlos AD (2013) DNA barcoding of the genus Lepidion (Gadiformes: Moridae) with recognition of Lepidion eques as a junior synonym of Lepidion lepidion. Mol Ecol Res 13:189–199. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.12045

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bañón R, Arronte JC, Armesto Á, Barros-García D, Carlos AD (2016) Halosaur fishes (Notacanthiformes: Halosauridae) from Atlantic Spanish waters according to integrative taxonomy. Zootaxa 4184(3):471–490. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4184.3.3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros-García D, Arronte JC, Fernández-Peralta L, García R, De Carlos A (2015) DNA barcoding of deep-water notacanthiform fishes (Teleostei, Elopomorpha). Zool Scr 45(3):263–272. doi:10.1111/zsc.12154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros-García D, Bañón R, Arronte JC, De Carlos A (2016) New data reinforcing the taxonomic status of Lepidion eques as synonym of Lepidion lepidion (Teleostei, Gadiformes). Biochem Syst Ecol 68:6–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergstad OA, Clark L, Hansen HØ, Cousins N (2012) Distribution, population biology, and trophic ecology of the deepwater Demersal fish Halosauropsis macrochir (Pisces: Halosauridae) on the mid-Atlantic ridge. PLoS One 7(2):e31493. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031493

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bloch ME (1788) Ueber zwey merkwürdige Fischarten. Abh Böhmischen Ges Wiss 3:278–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrkjedal I, Godø OR, Heino M (2004) Northward range extensions of some mesopelagic fishes in the northeastern Atlantic. Sarsia 89:484–489. doi:10.1080/00364820410009265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campana SE (2004) Photographic atlas of fish otoliths of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. NRC Research Press, Ottawa, pp 1–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Castle PHJ (1984) Notacanthiformes and Anguilliformes: Development. In: Moser HG, Richards WJ, Cohen DM, Fahay MP, Kendall AW Jr, Richardson SL (eds) Ontogeny and systematics of fishes. American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology Special Publication 1. Allen Press, Lawrence Kansas, pp 62–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen J-N, López JA, Lavoué S, Miya M, Chen W-J (2014) Phylogeny of the Elopomorpha (Teleostei): evidence from six nuclear and mitochondrial markers. Mol Phylogenet Evol 70:152–161

  • Chernova NV (2014) New species of the genus Careproctus (Liparidae) from the Kara Sea and identification key for congeners of the North Atlantic and Arctic. J Ichthyol 54(10):757–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claes JM, Dean MN, Nilsson D-E, Hart NS, Mallefet J (2013) A deepwater fish with ‘lightsabers’ — dorsal spine-associated luminescence in a counterilluminating lanternshark. Sci Rep 3:1308. doi:10.1038/srep01308

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crabtree RE, Sulak KJ, Musick JA (1985) Biology and distribution of species of Polyacanthonotus (Pisces: Notacanthiformes) in the western North Atlantic. Bull Mar Sci 36:235–248

    Google Scholar 

  • De Filippi F, Verany GB (1857) Sopra alcuni pesci nuovi o poco noti del Mediterraneo. Nota. Mem Accad Sci Torino (Ser 2) 18:187–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Eschmeyer WN, Fricke R, van der Laan R (eds) (2017) Catalog of fishes: genera, species, References. (http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp). Electronic version Accessed 10 Jan 2017

  • Figueroa DE, Brunetti NE, Sakai M (2008) The southernmost record of notacanthiform Tiluropsis leptocephali, with notes on possible species identity. Mar Biodiv Rec 1(e53):1–4. doi:10.1017/S1755267207005805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fossheim M, Primicerio R, Johannesen E, Ingvaldsen RB, Aschan MM, Dolgov AV (2015) Recent warming leads to a rapid borealization of fish communities in the Arctic. Nat Clim Chang 5:673–678. doi:10.1038/nclimate2647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilchrist JDF, von Bonde C (1924) Deep-sea fishes procured by the S.S. “Pickle” (part II). Rep Fish Mar Biol Surv Union S Afr 3(7):1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Goode GB, Bean TH (1895) A revision of the order Heteromi, deep-sea fishes, with a description of the new generic types Macdonaldia and Lipogenys. In: Scientific results of explorations by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross. Proc US Nat Mus 17(1013):455–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goode GB, Bean TH (1896) Oceanic ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made by the steamers Blake, Albatross, and Fish Hawk in the northwestern Atlantic, with an atlas containing 417 figures. Spec Bull US Nat Mus 2:1–553

    Google Scholar 

  • Günther A (1878) Preliminary notices of deep-sea fishes collected during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger. Ann Mag Nat Hist 2:248–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Günther A (1887) Report on the deep-sea fishes collected by H. M. S. Challenger during the years 1873–76. Zoology 22:241

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartel KE, Kenaley CP, Galbraith JK, Sutton TT (2008) Additional records of deep-sea fishes from off greater New England. Northeast Nat 3:317–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue JG, Miya M, Tsukamoto K, Nishida M (2004) Mitogenomic evidence for the monophyly of elopomorph fishes (Teleostei) and the evolutionary origin of the leptocephalus larva. Mol Phylogen Evol 32:274–286. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.11.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Izzo C, Doubleday ZA, Grammer GL, Gilmore KL, Alleway HK, Barnes TC, Disspain MC, Giraldo AJ, Mazloumi N, Gillanders BM (2016) Fish as proxies of ecological and environmental change. Rev Fish Biol Fish 26(3):265–286. doi:10.1007/s11160-016-9424-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jónsson G, Pálsson J (2013) Islenskir Fiskar (Icelandic fishes), 2th edn. Mál og Menning, Reykjavík, pp 1–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamikawa DJ, Stevenson DE (2010) New records of Aldrovandia oleosa (Notacanthiformes: Halosauridae) from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Calif Fish Game 96(3):216–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura M (1980) A simple method for estimating evolutionary rates of base substitutions through comparative studies of nucleotide sequences. J Mol Evol 16:111–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knudsen SW, Møller PR (2008) Careproctus kidoi, a new Arctic species of snailfish (Teleostei: Liparidae) from Baffin Bay. Ichthyol Res 55:175–182. doi:10.1007/s10228-007-0034-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie BR, Payne MR, Boje J, Høyer JL, Siegstad H (2014) A cascade of warming impacts brings bluefin tuna to Greenland waters. Glob Chang Biol 20:2484–2491. doi:10.1111/gcb.12597

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Masson-Delmotte VM, Swingedouw D, Landais A, Seidenkrantz MS, Gauthier E, Bichet V, Massa C, Perren B, Jomelli V, Adalgeirsdottir G, Christensen JH, Arneborg J, Bhatt U, Walker DA, Elberling B, Chaulet FG, Ritz C, Gallée H, Van Den Broeke M, Fettweis X, de Vernal A, Vinther B (2012) Greenland climate change: from the past to the future. WIREs Clim Change 3:427–449. doi:10.1002/wcc.186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCusker MR, Denti D, Van Guelpen L, Kenchington E, Bentzen P (2012) Barcoding Atlantic Canada’s commonly encountered marine fishes. Mol Ecol Res 1755:1–12. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.12043

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDowell SB (1973) Halosauridae. In: Woods LP, Sonoda PM (eds) Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Suborder Halosauroidei. Memoirs of the Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1, p 132–228

  • Miller MJ, Tsukamoto K (2004) An introduction to leptocephali biology and identification. Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, pp 1–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore JA, Hartel KE, Craddock JE, Galbraith JK (2003) An annotated list of deep-water fishes from off the New England region, with new area records. Northeast Nat 10:159–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore JA, Vecchione M, Collette BB, Gibbons R, Hartel KE (2004) Selected fauna of bear seamount (New England seamount chain), and the presence of “natural invader” species. Arch Fish Mar Res 51:241–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Musick JA, Cotton CF (2015) Bathymetric limits of chondrichthyans in the deep sea: a re-evaluation. Deep Sea Res II Top Stud Oceanogr 115:73–80. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.10.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møller PR, Nielsen JG, Knudsen SW, Poulsen JY, Sünksen K, Jørgensen OA (2010) A checklist of the fish fauna of Greenland waters. Zootaxa 2378:1–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson JS (2006) Fishes of the world, 4th edn. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JG, Bertelsen E (1992) Fisk i grønlandske farvande. Atuakkiorfik, Nuuk, Greenland, 68 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Okamura O, Takahashi N (1995) Halosauridae. In: Okamura O, Amaoka K, Takeda M, Yano K, Okada K, Chikuni S (eds) Fishes collected by the R/V Shinkai Maru around Greenland. Japan Marine Fishery Resources Research Center, Tokyo, pp 47–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Olivar MP, Hulley PA, Castellón A, Emelianov M, López C, Tuset VM, Contreras T, Molí B (2017) Mesopelagic fishes across the tropical and equatorial Atlantic: biogeographical and vertical patterns. Progr Oceanogr 151:116–137. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2016.12.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orlov AM, Orlova SY, Volkov AA, Pelenev DV (2015) First record of humpback anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsonii) (Melanocetidae) in Antarctic waters. Polar Res 34:25356. doi:10.3402/polar.v34.25356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paitio J, Oba Y, Meyer-Rochow VB (2016) Bioluminescent fishes and their eyes. In: Thirumalai J (ed) Luminescence — an outlook on the phenomena and applications. InTech, Rijeka, pp 297–332. doi:10.5772/62517

  • Palsson J, Astthorsson OS (2016) New and historical records of the ocean sunfish Mola mola in Icelandic waters. J Fish Biol 90(3):1126–1132. doi:10.1111/jfb.13237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Porteiro F, Sutton T, Byrkjedal I, Orlov A, Heino M, Menezes G, Bergstad OA (2017) Fishes of the northern mid-Atlantic ridge collected during the MAR-ECO cruise in June-July 2004. Arquipelago Life Mar Sci Suppl 10:1–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulsen JY (2015a) A new species of pencil smelt Nansenia boreacrassicauda (Microstomatidae, Argentiniformes) from the North Atlantic Ocean. Zootaxa 4020(3):517–532. doi:10.11646/xootaxa.4020.3.6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poulsen JY (2015b) Fifth confirmed record and North Atlantic range expansion of the rare pelagic bobtail snipe eel genus Neocyema (Cyematidae, Elopomorpha). Mar Biodiv Rec 8(e53):1–5. doi:10.1017/S175526721500024X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poulsen JY, Sado T, Hahn C, Byrkjedal I, Moku X, Miya M (2016) Preservation obscures pelagic deep-sea fish diversity: doubling the number of sole-bearing opisthoproctids and resurrection of the genus Monacoa (Opisthoproctidae, Argentiniformes). PLoS One 11(8):e0159762. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159762

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ratnasingham S, Hebert PDN (2007) BOLD: the barcode of life data system (www.barcodinglife.org). Mol Ecol Notes 7:355–364. doi:10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01678.x

  • Risso A (1810) Ichthyologie de Nice, ou histoire naturelle des poissons du Département des Alpes Maritimes. F. Schoell, Paris, 388 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Risso A (1840) Observations sur quelques poissons de la mer de Nice. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 6:376–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose GA (2005) On distributional responses of North Atlantic fish to climate change. ICES J Mar Sci: J Conseil 62(7):1360–1374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan WBF, Carbotte SM, Coplan J, O’Hara S, Melkonian A, Arko R, Weissel RA, Ferrini V, Goodwillie A, Nitsche F, Bonczkowski J, Zemsky R (2009) Global multi-resolution topography (GMRT) synthesis data set. Geochem Geophys Geosyst 10:Q03014. doi:10.1029/2008GC002332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sazonov YI (1996) Morphology and significance of the luminous organs in alepocephaloid fishes. Bioinformat Ecol Series 11:151–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith DG (1970) Notacanthiform Leptocephali in the Western North Atlantic. Copeia 1:1–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith DG (1979) Guide to the Leptocephali (Elopiformes, Anguilliformes, and Notacanthiformes). NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 424, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1–39

  • Smith DG (2002) Halosauridae and Notacanthidae. In: Carpenter KE (ed) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic 2. Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). FAO, Rome, pp 685–689

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivathsan A, Meier R (2012) On the inappropriate use of Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) divergences in the DNA-barcoding literature. Cladistics 28:190–194. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2011.00370.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinke D, Zemlak TS, Boutillier JA, Hebert PDN (2009) DNA barcoding of Pacific Canada’s fishes. Mar Biol 156:2641–2647. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1284-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sulak KJ (1977) Aldrovandia oleosa, a new species of the Halosauridae, with observations on several other species of the family. Copeia 1:11–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sulak KJ (1986) Halosauridae, Notacanthidae. In: Whithead PJP, Bauchot ML, Hureau JC, Nielsen J, Tortonese E (eds) Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, volume 2. UNESCO, Paris, pp 593–603

    Google Scholar 

  • Sulak KJ, Crabtree RE, Hureau J-C (1984) Provisional review of the genus Polyacanthonotus (Pisces, Notacanthidae) with description of a new Atlantic species, Polyacanthonotus merretti. Cybium 8(4):57–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton TT, Porteiro FM, Heino M, Byrkjedal I, Langhelle G, Anderson CI, Horne J, Søiland H, Falkenhaug T, Godø OR, Bergstad OA (2008) Vertical structure, biomass and topographic association of deep-pelagic fishes in relation to a mid-ocean ridge system. Deep Sea Res II Top Stud Oceanogr 55(1):161–184. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2007.09.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton TT, Letessier TB, Bardarson B (2013) Midwater fishes collected in the vicinity of the sub-polar front, mid-North Atlantic Ocean, during ECOMAR pelagic sampling. Deep-Sea Res II 98:292–300. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.08.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaillant LL (1888) Expéditions scientifiques du “Travailleur” et du “Talisman” pendant les années 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883. Poissons. Paris, 406 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Vecchione M, Bergstad OA, Byrkjedal I, Falkenhaug T, Gebruk AV, Godø OR, Gislason A, Heino M, Høines ÅS, Menezes GMM, Piatkowski U, Priede IG, Skov H, Søiland H, Sutton T, Wenneck TL (2010) Biodiversity patterns and processes on the mid-Atlantic ridge. Chapter 6. In: McIntyre AD (ed) Life in the world’s oceans: diversity, distribution, and abundance. Blackwell, Oxford. doi:10.1002/9781444325508.ch6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Vecchione M, Falkenhaug T, Sutton T, Cook A, Gislason A, Hansen HØ, Heino M, Miller PI, Piatkowski U, Porteiro F, Søiland H, Bergstad OA (2015) The effect of the North Atlantic Subpolar Front as a boundary in pelagic biogeography decreases with increasing depth and organism size. Prog Oceanogr 138:105–115. doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2015.08.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vedishcheva EV, Orlov AM, Orlova SY, Trofimova AO (2016) First data on the age, growth processes, and otoliths of snub-nosed spiny eel Notacanthus chemnitzii (Notacanthidae). J Ichthyol 56(6):890–898. doi:10.1134/S0032945216060102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward RD, Zemlak TS, Bronwyn HI, Last PR, Hebert PDN (2005) DNA barcoding Australia’s fish species. Phil Trans R Soc B 360:1462. doi:10.1098/rstb.2005.1716

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ward RD, Costa FO, Holmes BH, Steinke D (2008) DNA barcoding of shared fish species from the North Atlantic and Australasia: minimal divergence for most taxa, but Zeus faber and Lepidopus caudatus each probably constitute two species. Aquat Biol 3:71–78. doi:10.3354/ab00068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wisz MS, Broennimann O, Grønkjær P, Møller PR, Olsen SM, Swingedouw D, Hedeholm RB, Nielsen EE, Guisan PL (2015) Arctic warming will promote Atlantic—Pacific fish interchange. Nat Clim Chang 5:261–265. doi:10.1038/nclimate2500

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

T. Kawai (Hokkaido University Museum, Japan) for specimen search, A. Bentley (Kansas University, USA) and other identifiers for access to North Atlantic fish barcoding data, I. Eidus & R. Thiel (Zoological Museum Hamburg, Germany) and R. Milne (Atlantic Reference Centre, Canada) for specimen data, E. Johannesen & R. Wienerroither (Institute for Marine Research, Norway) for information, T. Wenneck (Institute of Marine Research, Norway) and A. Orlov (Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Russia) for MAR-ECO photographs, J. Nielsen and R/V Pâmiut crew (Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Greenland) for photos and sampling during surveys, M. Krag (Zoological Museum University of Copenhagen, Denmark) for shipping of specimens and information, J. Hlidberg (private, www.fauna.is, Island) for help with illustrations, K. Graham, A. Hay, J. King, M. Lockett, M. McGrouther, K. Parkinson, J.R. Paxton, and S. Reader (Australian Museum, Australia) for help with X-rays, photography, and logistics, D. Barros-García (University of Vigo, Spain) for specimen and sequence information, and K. Sulak (U.S. Geological Survey, USA) and anonymous reviewer for valuable suggestions and comments. We owe a special thanks to I. Byrkjedal and G. Langhelle (Natural History Collections Bergen, Norway) for continuous help with specimens, tissue samples, curating, and providing morphometric/meristic data whenever needed, L. Lindblom (University of Bergen, Norway) for help with molecular work, I. Chemshirova (Zoological Society London, U.K.) for correcting manuscript, and to H. Siegstad (Greenland Institute of Natural Resources) for logistics. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors (part of a larger effort to register biodiversity and facilitate onboard fish identification in Greenland waters).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pinngortitaleriffik (Greenland Institute of Natural Resources), Postbox 570, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland

    Jan Y. Poulsen & Nanette H. Arboe

  2. Fish Section, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia

    Jan Y. Poulsen

  3. Biological Institute, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53 A/B, Postbox 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Solveig Thorkildsen

Authors
  1. Jan Y. Poulsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Solveig Thorkildsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nanette H. Arboe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jan Y. Poulsen.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by O. A. Bergstad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Poulsen, J.Y., Thorkildsen, S. & Arboe, N.H. Identification keys to halosaurs and notacanthids (Notacanthiformes, Elopomorpha) in the subarctic Atlantic Ocean including three new distributional records and multiple molecular OTUs of Notacanthus cf. chemnitzii . Mar Biodiv 48, 1009–1025 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-017-0762-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-017-0762-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation