Author: Norman, 1939

Bathytyphlops sewelli Norman, 1939

Diagnosis: gillrakers on the first arch 6-7 + I + 11-13. Dorsal finrays 11-13; anal finrays 14-17; pelvic finrays 8; pectoral finrays 12-14; length of anal fin base 16-18% of SL (v. 12-14% in B. marionae). Lateral line scales 67-70. Vertebrae 62-65. Colour: ground colour off-white to light grey; body finely dusted with brown to black pigment specks; scale pocket outlines and branchiostegal membranes dark. Size: to 36 cm.

Habitat: benthic at abyssal depths (3,000-4,200 m). Behaviour: solitary bottom feeder. Food and reproduction: see genus.

Distribution: known from the eastern (five records) and western (one record) North Atlantic and the north-western Indian Ocean (two records: Merrett, 1980). The closely related congener B. marionae is confined to shallower depths (850-2,650 m).

Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Scopeliformes
Suborder Myctophoidei
Family Chlorophtalmidae
Genus Bathytyphlops
Species Bathytyphlops sewelli

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Bathytyphlops sewelli (Norman, 1939)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Bathytyphlops sewelli Norman, 1939

Synonyms:

Bathytyphlops azorensis Geistdoerfer, Hureau & Rannou, 1970
Bathymierops sewelli Norman, 1939. The John Murray Expedition 1933-34, Scient. Rep., 7 (1): 26, fig. 7 (Arabian Sea, 3840 m). Holotype BMNH.
Bathytyphlops azorenis Geistdoerfer, Hureau & Rannou, 1970, Bull. Mus. natn. Hist nat., 42 (3): 454, fig. 2A-2B (Azores Islands, 3550 m). Holotype MNHN 1970-30.
Bathytyphlops azorensis: Sulak, 1974: 570-573, 2 fig.
Bathytyphlops azoriensis :Marshall & Merrett, 1977: 486, table 1.
Bathytyphbps sewelli: Merrett, in press.


Common names:

none

Geistdoerfer, P.; Hureau, J. C.; Rannou, M. 1970. Deux poissons abyssaux nouveaux capturés dans l'Atlantique nord et est: Bathytyphlops azorensis n. sp. (Ipnopidae) et Lycenchelys labradorensis n. sp. (Zoarcidae). Bull. Mus. Hist. nat., Paris, (2) 42 (3): 452-459, 4 fig.

Marshall, N. B.; Merrett, N. R. 1977. The existence of a benthopelagic fauna in the deep-sea. In: A Voyage of Discovery, p. 483-497. George Deacon Ann. Vol., suppl. to Deep-Sea Res. Pergamon Press.

Merrett, N. R. 1980. Bathytyphlops sewelli (Pisces, Chlorophthalmidae): a senior synonym of B. azorensis, from the eastern North Atlantic with notes on its biology. J. Linn. Soc., Zool. 68 (2): 99-109.

Norman, J. R. 1939. Fishes. Sci. Rep. John Murray Exped., Lond , 7 (1): 116 p., 41 fig.

Sulak, K. J. 1974. Morphological and ecological observations on Atlantic ipnopid fishes of the genus Bathytyphlops. Copeia (2): 570-573.

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