Abstract

A new snailfish, Careproctus tomiyamai, is described on the basis of four specimens collected from Suruga Bay, Tosa Bay, and the Hyuga-nada Sea, southern Japan (600–808 m depth). It is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by the following combination of characters: total vertebrae 56–58; dorsal-fin rays 51 or 52; anal-fin rays 44–46; pectoral-fin rays 30–32; pyloric caeca 9–13; body slender, maximum depth 15.6–22.8% standard length (SL); teeth on both jaws strongly trilobed; pectoral fin shallowly notched, longest lower lobe ray 9.8–14.3% SL [46.0–60.4% head length (HL)]; proximal pectoral radials 4 (3 + 1), upper portion of 1st and 3rd radials, and lower portion of 2nd radial notched; fenestrae in pectoral girdle 2, between scapula and 1st proximal radial, and 2nd and 3rd proximal radials; pelvic disk oval, wider than long, length 3.4–4.3% SL (14.2–19.3% HL), moderately to deeply cupped; peritoneum black in preserved specimens.