Kali macrodon Norman 1929
Creators: name: Melo, Marcelo R. S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Perciformes
Chiasmodontidae
Kali
Kali macrodon

description: Kali macrodon (Norman 1929)
(Figs. 1 C, 5, and 6; Tables 1, 5 and 6)
Dysalotus macrodon Norman 1929: 542 –543, figure 10 [original description; type locality West of Cape Town, South Africa, 33°20’– 33°46’ S, 15°18’– 15°08’ E, 2000–2500 m, 4–X–1926, R/V Discovery; Holotype: BMNH 1930.1.12.1064].
Gargaropteron pterodactylops Smith 1965: 569 –571 [original description, type locality Beach at Seapark, Natal, South Africa, 30°42’ S, 30°29’ E G. Joliffe col.].
Dolichodon macrodon Parr 1931: 46 [reassignment of genus].
Kali macrodon Smith 1965 [species validated as a member of Kali]; Johnson 1969: 588 –589, figure 1 [revision of the genus and key to the species]; Kotthaus 1972: 19, figure 5 [records from the Canary basin, Eastern North Atlantic]; Johnson and Cohen 1974: 41 –42 [revision of the genus, diagnosis and brief description]; Johnson and Keene 1986: 733, figure 228.6 [key to the species];Smith (in press) [key to species]; Johnson and Keene 1990: 902 [record of eastern tropical Atlantic species]; Mooi and Paxton 2001: 3495 –3496 [list of Pacific species]; McEachran and Sutton 2003: 1742 –1743 [list of Atlantic species]; Moore et al. 2003: 227 [checklist of deep-sea fishes from off New England, Western North Atlantic]; Hardy 2005: 1902, 1910–1911 [identification of larvae]; Hardy 2007: 1312 [identification of larvae]
Material examined. 33 specimens, including holotype of Kali macrodon; holotype of K. pterodactylops examined via pictures and x-rays. Atlantic, Slope Water: MCZ 138040, 1, 145.0 mm, 39°42'N, 71°27'W, 1325–1830 m, 15–IX–1995, F/V Contender; MCZ 163317, 1, 238.2 mm, 39°48'N, 67°22'W, 18–V–2003, R/ V Delaware. North Sargasso Sea: USNM 207651, 1, 190.2 mm (female), 34°26’ N, 75°33’ W, 1925–2200 m, 13–IV–1972, R/V Eastward. Straits of Florida: UF 166993, 1, 66.6 mm, 23°30’ N, 75°30’ W [coordinates inferred], 10– II –1976, Staiger et al. col. Amazonian: ZMUC P. 6512, 1, 99.2 mm, 12°11’ N, 35°49’ W, 9–XI–1921, R/V Dana. South Atlantic Subtropical: SIO 63–542–60, 1, 114.4 mm, 31°9.0’ S, 0°45.5, E, 0– 2200 m, 09–VI–1963, R/V Argo; SIO 63–552–60, 1, ca. 50.0 mm, 18°44’ S, 10°14’ W, 25/ 26–VI–1963, R/V Argo; USMN 207598, 2, 67.1–116.0 mm, 15°45’ S, 6°06’ W, 5–IV–1971, R/V Walther Herwig; UW 21248, 1, 138.0 mm (cs), 33°00’ S, 7°05’ E, 2000 m, 20–IV–1917, R/V Walther Herwig. Azores Britain Province: AMS 25862001, 2, 190.1– 194.3 mm, 52°55’ N, 16°15’ W, 2300 m, 9–VII–1986, R/V Walther Herwig. North African Subtropical: BMNH 1996.2.14.15, 1, 149.1 mm, 31°15’ N, 16°59’ W, 0–1470 m, 12–X–1995, R.R.S. Challenger; ZMH 7123, 1, 263.5 mm, 4°2’ N 15°18’ W, 0–3900, 8–III–1970, R/V Meteor. Guinean: MCZ 161015, 1, 71.6 mm, 10° N, 30° W, 24–V–1965, R/V Trident. Atlantic Subantarctic: BMNH 1930.1.12.1064, holotype, 129.6 mm, 33°20’ S, 15°18’ E, 2000–2500 m, 4–X–1926, R.R.S. Discovery; USMN 207601, 2, 173.2–235.0 mm, 37°08’ S, 5°23’ E, 0–2200 m, 21–III–1971, R/V Walther Herwig; USMN 207597, 4, 180.4– 239.4 mm, 39°19’ S, 3°15 W, 0–2000 m, 19–III–1971, R/V Walther Herwig; ZMUC P. 6513, 1, 166.6 mm, 39°19’ S, 3°15’ W, 19–III–1971, R/V Walther Herwig; ZMUC P. 6514, 1, 196.8 mm, collected with ZMUC P. 6513; ZMUC P. 6515, 1, 236.1 mm, collected with ZMUC P. 6513; ZMUC P. 6516, 1, 234.4 mm, collected with ZMUC P. 6513. Indian: SIO 61–31–60, 1, 87.9 mm, 12°05’ S, 115°26’ E, 0– 2000 m, 28/ 29–X–1960, R/V Argo; USNM 207610, 1, 225.8 mm, 29°45’ S, 64°58’ E, 1710 m, 28–VI–1964, R/V Anton Bruun. Pacific, Western Pacific: NMNZ P. 20019, 1, 217.5 mm, 43º13’ S, 168º50’ E, 932–938 m, 14–XII–1983, R/V James Cook; NMNZ P. 30778, 1, 264.1 mm, 41º07’ S, 176º46’ E, 1335–1427 m, 02–IV– 1993, R/V Tangaroa. Pacific Plate: USMN 207613, 1, 109.1 mm, 8°00’ N, 164°33’ W, 0–1400, 8–VIII– 1963, R/V Te Vega. Eastern Pacific: SIO 64–16–60, 1, 169.9 mm, 24°37’ N, 113°14’ W, 1– II –1964, R/V Horizon; SIO 51–87–60, 1, 189.4 mm, 25°30’ N, 115°16.7’ W, 1900 m, 21–III–1951, R/V Paolina; USNM 207599, 1, 180.4 mm, Colombia, 1°51’ N, 81°20’ W, 3300 m, 17–IX–1966, R/V Anton Bruun.
Diagnosis. Kali macrodon can be distinguished from all species of Kali, except K. kerberti by the ascending process of premaxilla with a strong concavity limited anteriorly by bony crest (vs. ascending process of premaxilla flat or with gentle concavity, anterior bony crest absent); teeth in lateral series of premaxilla and dentary 16 or more, type 4, needle-like (vs. teeth in lateral series of premaxilla with ventral attachment, recurved, teeth in K. parri; premaxilla six to 11, dentary five to eight, caniniform, slightly curved in K. indica and K. falx; premaxilla 13–22, dentary six to 10, recurved in K. colubrina). Kali macrodon further differs from K. macrura, by teeth in lateral series of premaxilla and dentary type 4, needle-like, extending to the end of dentigerous area, teeth with ventral attachment absent in lateral series (vs. teeth in lateral series of premaxilla and dentary type 4, needle-like in anterior third and fourth, respectively, followed by teeth with ventral attachment, recurved in posterior areas).
Kali macrodon can be distinguished from K. kerberti by the teeth in mesial series of premaxilla six to nine, modally seven, and of dentary seven to nine, modally eight (vs. teeth in mesial series of premaxilla and dentary four to five, modally five).
Description. Moderate-sized species of Kali, largest specimen examined 239.4 mm SL. Meristic data summarized in table 2, and morphometric in table 4. General body pattern as described for genus.
Dentition. Teeth present on premaxilla, dentary, palatine, upper and lower pharyngobranchials; premaxilla and dentary as illustrated in figure 1 C and summarized in table 1. Tooth crown length 15.5–21.0% in tooth length. Premaxilla elongate, strongly arched in lateral view, with teeth arranged in two series: lateral and mesial. Lateral series in single row; teeth small and numerous, type 4, needle-like, without flange, closely spaced, increasing in size from anterior to posterior on first half, gradually decreasing in size to posterior end. Teeth at anterior portion smaller, increasing in size until middle of premaxilla, than decreasing in size posteriorly. Mesial series in single row, irregularly arranged; first tooth type 4, conical, slightly curved, without flange, not developed as fang; following teeth with ventral attachment, recurved fang-like, largest tooth 20.1– 21.1% in premaxillary length, with flange. Base of first tooth at anterior-ventral tip of premaxilla; second to last teeth (fangs) equally spaced between level of ascending process of premaxilla and posterior margin of orbit, decreasing in size from anterior to posterior.
Dentary elongate, strongly arched in lateral view; teeth arranged in two series: lateral and mesial. Teeth in lateral series numerous and closely spaced, type 4, needle-like, without flange, increasing in size from anterior to posterior on first half, gradually decreasing in size to posterior end. Teeth in mesial series with ventral attachment, recurved, fang-like, largest tooth 14.0–16.7% in dentary, with flange; closely spaced, decreasing in size from anterior to posterior. Base of first tooth opposite to gap between first and second teeth in mesial series of premaxilla; remaining teeth opposite to gaps between premaxillary fangs, extending to end of dentigerous area of dentary.
Palatine teeth type 4, conical, slender, with short flange, in single row. Lower pharyngeal teeth type 4, needle-like, without flange, in two rows; upper pharyngeal teeth type 4, needle-like, in one to two rows. Gill rakers tooth-like, type 1, conical, slender, without flange; present on second and third arches; absent on first hypobranchial, basihyal and basibranchials.
Color. Skin covering body fragile, missing in most specimens, description based on NMNZ P. 30778. Epidermis black, thin and fragile, rarely preserved especially in head; dermis thin, transparent, with widely spaced melanophores. Peritoneum transparent, with moderate concentration of melanophores. Orobranchial chamber pale with scarce melanophores, including in gill arches and membranes between branchiostegal rays, roof of mouth dusky; gill filaments not pigmented.
Distribution. World-wide in the equatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate regions: in the Atlantic from 53° N to 40° S; in Indian from 12° S to 29° S; in the Pacific 25° N to 43° S.
Bathymetric distribution. Bathypelagic zone; more frequently recorded in depths between 1000 and 2500 m (mean 1808 m). A single record from above 1000 m (325 m); deepest record at 3700 m.
Remarks. In a single specimen (NMNZ P. 30778) teeth were absent from first epibranchial and a single tooth was present on the ceratobranchial; for all other specimens examined three or more teeth were present on the first epibranchial and 10 or more on the ceratobranchial, including specimens from adjacent areas (e.g. AMS 25862001).
The status of Gargaropteron pterodactylops. Gargaropteron pterodactylops was described from a 45 mm specimen found on the beach, washed up by the waves. Johnson and Cohen (1974) were the first authors to identify that specimen as a juvenile of Kali, and considered it to be a junior synonym of K. macrodon based on a combination of meristic characteristics. The larval stage of Kali is now known as the gargaropteron stage, and substantially differs from adults by having very elongated pectoral and pelvic fins, and a relatively larger eye; the dentition is composed of two rows of conical teeth in both premaxilla and dentary. With the discovery of two new species, the characters used to fit K. pterodactylops with K. macrodon are not useful anymore. Because of the differences in dentition between the juveniles and adults, allied to the lack of a good series of larval specimens, a precise identity of juveniles can not be given. I prefer to follow Johnson and Cohen (1974), however, and regard to K. pterodactylops as a junior synonym of K. macrodon to avoid the proliferation of taxonomic problems.
description: Published as part of Melo, Marcelo R. S., 2008, The genus Kali Lloyd (Chiasmodontidae: Teleostei) with description of new two species, and the revalidation of K. kerberti Weber, pp. 1-33 in Zootaxa 1747 on pages 14-19, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.181658