Species Diversity, 2007, 12, 9–15

Scopelarchoides kreffti (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes:
Scopelarchidae) from off Tasmania, Australia:
First Records from Outside the South Atlantic Ocean
Hiroyuki Motomura1, Peter R. Last2 and Gordon K. Yearsley2
1

The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065 Japan
E-mail: motomura@kaum.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
2
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart,
Tasmania 7001, Australia
E-mail: peter.last@csiro.au (PRL); gordon.yearsley@csiro.au (GKY)(Received 12 June 2006; Accepted 26 October 2006)
Three specimens (146.9–190.2 mm standard length) of the scopelarchid
Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972, previously known only from the type
series from the South Atlantic, are documented from off Tasmania, Australia (600–820 m depth). The smallest specimen represents the southernmost
record (44°16S) of the species. This range extension of approximately
10,000 km indicates that S. kreffti is widely distributed along the Subtropical
Convergence. A photograph and the first description of the coloration of S.
kreffti are presented.
Key Words: Teleostei, Aulopiformes, Scopelarchidae, Scopelarchoides kreffti, new record, Australia, Subtropical Convergence.

Introduction
The scopelarchid fish Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972 was originally described from 10 specimens (holotype, 159.0 mm standard length; nine paratypes,
52.6–187.5 mm) taken at five localities in the South Atlantic Ocean bounded by 34°
and 41°S, and 48° and 07°W (Johnson 1972). Subsequently, Johnson (1974b) revised
the Scopelarchidae, recognizing four genera and 17 species. Scopelarchoides kreffti
is distinguished from all other species of the family in having the pectoral fin distinctly shorter than the pelvic fin, the pelvic-fin origin anterior to a verticalthrough the first dorsal-fin origin, lingual teeth occurring over the basihyal andthe first basibranchial, 58 or 59 lateral-line scales, and pigment stripes along thelateral line (Johnson 1974b).
Since Johnson’s (1972) original description, neither additional specimens nor
new records of S. kreffti have been reported in literature. During an ichthyologicalsurvey off northeastern Tasmania, Australia, one specimen (176.2 mm) of S. kreffti
was collected by midwater trawl from off Cape Barren Island at a depth of 600 m.
Later, two additional specimens (146.9 and 190.2 mm) were collected in the vicinityof Pedra Branca Seamount, off southern Tasmania, at depths of 773–820 m by midwater and demersal trawls. These specimens represent the first records outside theSouth Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost record (44°16S) of the species. Johnson (1972) examined preserved specimens only, and the fresh coloration of the10

Hiroyuki Motomura et al.

species has until now been unknown. The first detailed color description of S.
kreffti is provided here, based on photographs of the two Pedra Branca specimens
taken before preservation. In addition, a photograph of S. kreffti is also presented
to improve on the simple line drawings of the species provided by Johnson (1972,
fig. 1; 1974b, fig. 42).

Methods
Counts and measurements follow Hubbs and Lagler (1947) and Johnson (1972).
Standard length is expressed as SL. The last two soft rays of the dorsal and anal
fins, being associated with a single pterygiophore, are counted in each fin as a single ray. Descriptions related to fin-ray structures and lengths are based on the two
smaller specimens (CSIRO H 3165-01, 146.9 mm SL and CSIRO CA 3228, 176.2 mmSL) because all fin rays of the largest specimen (CSIRO H 2710-01, 190.2 mm SL) aredamaged. Osteological characters were observed from radiographs. Color terminology follows JCE (2001). In preparing the original description of S. kreffti, Johnson (1972) examined two adults (holotype, 159.0 mm SL, and a paratype, 187.5 mmSL) and eight juveniles (paratypes, 52.6–68.0 mm SL). Morphometric values of the
Tasmanian specimens were compared only with those of Johnson’s adult specimens to avoid ontogenetic bias. The Tasmanian specimens, along with the radiographs and color transparencies, have been deposited in the Australian National
Fish Collection at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Marine and Atmospheric Research laboratories in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (CSIRO). Other institutional abbreviations used in this paper are: AMS,
Ichthyology, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia; and ISH, Institut fuur Seefischerei, Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei, Hamburg, Germany (currently
ZMH, Zoologisches Institut und Zoologisches Museum der Universität Hamburg,
Hamburg, Germany).

Taxonomic Account
Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972
[New English name: Twin-striped Pearleye](Figs 1, 2)
Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972: 37, fig. 1 (type locality: South Atlantic,
34°01S, 47°39W); 1974a: 453 (key only); 1974b: 133, fig. 42 (diagnosis); 1982: 165(distribution only); 1986: 266 (key only).
Material examined. CSIRO CA 3228, 1 specimen (176.2 mm SL), southwest ofCape Barren Island, off Tasmania, Australia, 40°43S, 148°58E, 600 m depth, midwater trawl, CSIRO, FRV Soela, 17 January 1982; CSIRO H 2710-01, 1 specimen (190.2mm SL; Fig. 1), Pedra Branca Seamount, off Tasmania, Australia, 44°15S 147°08E
to 44°16S 147°12E, 773 m depth, midwater trawl, A. Graham, FRV Southern Surveyor, 10 July 1991; CSIRO H 3165-01, 1 specimen (146.9 mm SL), “Northern SisterHill”, southeast of Pedra Branca Seamount, off Tasmania, Australia, 44°16S,

Scopelarchoides kreffti from Australia

11

Fig. 1. Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972, CSIRO H 2710-01, 190.2 mm SL, Pedra Branca
Seamount, off Tasmania, Australia.

147°14E, 820 m depth, orange roughy trawl, D. Whennan, FRV Barameda, 5 September 1992.
Description. Proportional measurements of the Tasmanian specimens of S.
kreffti, along with data for the holotype and an adult paratype of the species (fromJohnson 1972), are given as percentages of SL in Table 1.
Dorsal fin with 8 or 9 rays; pectoral fin with 24 rays; pelvic fin with 9 rays; anal
fin with 26 or 27 rays; caudal fin with 10 dorsal and 9 ventral segmented rays, and13 dorsal and 14 or 15 ventral procurrent rays; lateral-line scales 58 or 59; vertebrae
55.
Dorsal fin with unbranched first ray, other rays branched; length of longest
ray greater than orbit diameter; fin origin slightly posterior to vertical throughpelvic-fin origin. Adipose fin small, not strongly fleshy; fin base wider than any
other part of fin; posterior tip of depressed fin just reaching vertical through lastanal-fin ray base. Pectoral fin with thick, unbranched uppermost ray, other rays
thin, branched; fifth ray longest, its posterior tip just reaching origin of firstpelvic-fin ray; fin base slightly oblique, forming angle of about 20 degrees with respect to horizontal axis of head and body. Pelvic fin with branched rays; third or
fourth ray longest; posterior tip of depressed fin not reaching anus; origin of firstray on ventrolateral surface of body. Anal fin with unbranched first and secondrays, other rays branched; third ray longest, but still shorter than longest pectoralfin ray. Caudal fin with unbranched uppermost and lowermost segmented rays,
other rays branched. Lateral-line scales relatively large, height of each scale
greater than that of pearl organ (located below eye); all scales, except several lateral-line scales, lost in specimens examined.
Body elongate, moderately compressed; body depth less than head length. Dorsal profile of head nearly straight, dipping slightly to rounded snout. Eye large, tubular, directed upward; eye diameter less than snout length; pearl organ slightly
elongate anteriorly and posteriorly, smaller than pupil diameter. Interorbital
space and infraorbitals exposed, not covered with skin. Interorbital space with several longitudinal ridges; its width remarkably narrow, 18.6–20.0 in head length.
Posterior margin of opercle wavy; pectoral-fin insertion opposite notch at junctionof opercle and subopercle.
Mouth large, slightly oblique, forming angle of about 15 degrees with respect
to horizontal axis of head and body. Supramaxilla well developed, its height12

Hiroyuki Motomura et al.

Table 1. Selected proportional measurements of all known adult specimens of Scopelarchoides
kreffti, expressed as percentages of standard length.
South Atlantic
specimens*

Tasmanian specimens
CSIRO
H 3165-01

CSIRO
CA 3228

CSIRO
H 2710-01

Holotype
Paratype
ISH 1561/68 ISH 630/71

Standard length (mm)

146.9

176.2

190.2

159.0

187.5

Body depth at 1st D origin
Head L
Snout L
Postorbital L
Horizontal eye diameter
Vertical eye diameter
Interorbital width
Upper-jaw L
Lower-jaw L
Longest dentary tooth L
DB snout and D origin
DB snout and pectoral-fin
originDB snout and pelvic-fin
originDB snout and anus
DB snout and A origin
D base L
Longest D ray L
DB verticals through D and
A origins
DB end of D base and C base
Adipose fin base L
DB end of adipose fin and C
base
DB end of adipose fin baseand fin tip
Longest pectoral-fin ray L
Longest pelvic-fin ray L
DB pectoral- and pelvic-fin
origins
DB pelvic-fin and A origins
DB anus and A origin
A base L
Longest A ray L
C peduncle depth
C peduncle L

16.4
21.6
6.5
7.8
6.9
7.4
1.2
16.3
19.3
3.3
39.0
22.5

17.2
21.3
6.8
7.7
6.9
7.4
1.1
14.8
17.9
3.0
38.9
23.1

16.9
22.1
6.5
8.5
7.1
7.8
1.1
15.7
18.5
2.9
37.7
22.3

14.6
21.5
7.0
7.0
7.6
7.2
1.5
15.7
18.1
2.8
37.4
23.0

16.5
21.4
6.7
7.3
7.4
7.1
1.2
15.3
17.9
3.1
39.7
23.3

39.7

39.5

39.6

38.7

40.7

67.6
70.0
5.4
–
31.5

66.7
70.9
5.7
–
31.2

66.7
67.7
5.6
–
30.7

67.3
69.2
5.0
6.9
30.6

69.3
71.4
5.0
8.6
31.1

57.7
3.2
15.6

57.0
3.0
14.6

56.5
2.9
14.9

58.1
3.1
16.0

55.7
2.2
15.4

4.4

4.8

4.1

4.7

3.8

16.5
21.5
18.1

16.0
21.6
16.5

–
–
18.0

13.9
18.9
16.4

12.3
16.3
18.3

28.9
–
20.1
12.0
6.1
10.8

31.6
2.1
20.3
–
6.3
10.7

32.2
1.2
21.0
–
6.0
10.1

31.4
1.9
20.8
8.2
6.0
11.4

33.9
2.7
18.5
9.0
6.4
11.1

* Data from Johnson (1972) (thousandths of SL converted here into percentages of SL).
Abbreviations: A, anal fin; C, caudal fin; D, dorsal fin; DB, distance between; L, length; –, damaged.

Scopelarchoides kreffti from Australia

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greater than that of deepest portion of dentary. Posterior margin of maxilla justreaching vertical through posterior margin of orbit; posterior tip of maxilla
pointed. Lips poorly developed or absent. Lower jaw upcurved anteriorly in lateralview and its anterior tip projecting slightly beyond that of upper jaw when viewed
from above. Premaxilla with row of small teeth; no teeth around symphysis.
Vomer with pair of small teeth, these longer than premaxillary teeth. Each palatine with row of 7–15 teeth, including tiny teeth interspersed between large teeth;
longest tooth shorter than longest dentary tooth. Dentary with 2 rows of teeth; numerous small teeth in outer row, similar in size to those on premaxilla; 6–16 muchlarger teeth in inner row, second or third tooth longest. Lingua with row of 14
teeth; 11 or 12 teeth on basihyal and 2 or 3 teeth on first basibranchial (9 teeth onbasihyal and none on first basibranchial in CSIRO H 3165-01); teeth progressively
shorter posteriorly.
Fresh coloration. Based on color transparencies of CSIRO H 2710-01 andCSIRO H 3165-01. Upper half of head pale grayish-brown, blackish dorsally; upperand lower jaws pale grayish-brown, mottled with black (entire lower jaw black in
CSIRO H 3165-01); lower half of head bright greenish-blue, suborbital region
darker; pearl organ bright greenish-blue. Black stripe extending from behind eye
to base of caudal fin above lateral line; stripe darkest near midlength, paler anteriorly and posteriorly; width of this stripe below first dorsal fin subequal to height ofpearl organ; additional faint blackish stripe extending from above base of pelvic
fin to base of caudal fin below lateral line (very faint in CSIRO H 3165-01), width
subequal to that of stripe above lateral line; remaining trunk pale grayish-brownanteriorly, becoming beige posteriorly; abdominal area (bordered by posterior tipof opercle, inner base of pectoral fin, pelvic-fin base, and anal-fin origin) brightgreenish-blue; anterior half of ventral abdomen dark greenish-blue; posterior halfof ventral abdomen silver, with dense black stripe on ventral margin; bases of firstdorsal and caudal fins blackish; base of pectoral fin bluish white; anterior part ofanal-fin base blackish. Fin membranes transparent, without distinct markings.
Coloration of preserved specimens. Anterior part of head blackish; underside of lower jaw and opercle yellowish brown. Trunk yellowish brown with twolongitudinal blackish stripes above and below lateral line coalescing at base of caudal fin, forming vertical band there; stripe above lateral line thicker than stripe
below lateral line (latter poorly developed in CSIRO CA 3228 and CSIRO H 3165-01);

Fig. 2. Collection sites of type series (circles) and additional specimens (stars) of Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson, 1972. Some symbols represent more than one specimen.

14

Hiroyuki Motomura et al.

stripe above lateral line extending from behind opercle to base of caudal fin,thicker and more extensive anteriorly; lower stripe extending from above base ofpelvic fin (dorsoposterior to posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin in CSIRO H 316501) to base of caudal fin. Dark band running obliquely from behind pectoral-finbase to anus; band broader than stripes above and below lateral line. Large, black
blotch on ventral surface of abdomen below pectoral-fin bases and anterior to posterior end of pelvic-fin bases. All fin rays with scattered melanophores.
Remarks. The Tasmanian specimens are identified herein as Scopelarchoides
kreffti since both of them share all the diagnostic characters given by Johnson(1974b) (see also Introduction). Other characters of these specimens were also consistent with those of the 10 type specimens (based on meristics) and, in particular,
the two adult specimens (including the holotype; based on morphometrics) of S.
kreffti, with minor variations noted in some counts and measurements: e.g., eightor nine dorsal-fin rays (vs. nine in the latter), 7–15 teeth on the palatine (vs. 11–13),
and longer pectoral-, pelvic- and anal-fin rays (see Table 1). These small differences
may simply reflect the limited number of specimens collected so far and are inadequate to assess geographic variability of the species.
Johnson (1972, 1974b) presumed that Scopelarchoides kreffti occurs primarily
at the Subtropical Convergence. More recent studies of the Subtropical Convergence ichthyofauna (e.g., Paulin et al. 1989; Paxton and Hanley 1989; Post 1990;
Duhamel et al. 2005) have not included S. kreffti; however, the Tasmanian records
support Johnson’s hypothesis and extend the range of the species approximately
10,000 km to the east (Fig. 2).
Paxton and Hanley (1989) reported Scopelarchoides danae Johnson, 1974 from
Australian waters, making S. kreffti the second species of the genus reported fromthat region. Scopelarchoides kreffti differs from S. danae in having the pelvic-fin
origin anterior to a vertical through the first dorsal-fin origin (vs. posterior to it),
23–25 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 20–22), 58 or 59 lateral-line scales (vs. 50–52), 0–3 teeth on
the basibranchial (vs. 6–11), and pigment stripes along the lateral line (vs. stripes
absent or poorly developed) (Johnson 1974b; this study).
Comparative material examined. Scopelarchoides danae: AMS I. 17811-003, 1
specimen (122.2 mm SL), 32 km west of Tontouta, New Caledonia, 22°05S, 165°50E,
400 m capture depth (1500 m bottom depth), pelagic trawl, J. Paxton et al., ORSTOMRV Coriolis, 28 April 1971; AMS I. 19754-019, 1 specimen (58.0 mm SL), off New Caledonia, 21°05S, 166°45E, 925 m capture depth (2125–2175 m bottom depth), IsaacsKidd midwater trawl, J. Paxton and P. Colman, HMAS Kimbla, 9 May 1971; AMS I.
20309-001, 1 specimen (50.7 mm SL), 90 km east of Tuggerah Lake, New South Wales,
Australia, 33°25S, 152°32E, 450 m capture depth (2500 m bottom depth), engel midwater trawl, J. Paxton et al., FRV Kapala, 13 December 1977.

Acknowledgments
We are especially grateful to A. Graham, T. Fountain, and L. Conboy (CSIRO)
for their curatorial assistance during this study and M. McGrouther (AMS) for theloan of specimens. The first author’s stay at CSIRO for two months in 2006 was supported by CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research.

Scopelarchoides kreffti from Australia

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