2 from Argentina (147.3-222.0 mm TL), FSFL EL 810; EM 53.
Description:
D 135; A 105; C 9; P1 21; GR 7; X 26.
HL 18.8-19.6 % of TL, BD 12.5-13.1; ED 28.0-30.3 % of HL; SN 23.5-25.7; IO 22.4-26.6; UJ 40.8-43.3; P1L 41.5-43.3; P2L 21.7-30.7; DH 16.5; AH 11.2.
Body elongate and little compressed. Caudal fin small, posterior margin rounded. Tip of snout bluntly pointed. A short, blunt spine embedded on upper part of snout anterior to eyes. Nostrils opening at tip of snout. Eye large, its diameter 3-4 times in head. Mouth small, inferior, when closed teeth on anterior part of upper jaw exposed; end of maxilla not extending beyond posterior margin of eye. Teeth on both jaws in villiform bands; vomerine teeth present. Gill-rakers long and slender, 2 on upper arch and 5 on lower. Pectoral fin short, tip rounded; pelvic fin thoracic, comprising two filamentous rays. Dorsal fin origin slightly posterior to level of pectoral fin base; anal fin origin slightly anterior to midbody Dorsal, anal and caudal fins continuous. Scales present on top and sides of head. Lateral line wavy, running along dorsal profile and disappearing at a point slightly before caudal fin base; number of pored lateral line scales about 47. About 10 broad dark brown bands on body. Dorsal, anal and caudal fin margins blackish.
Distribution:
On the continental shelf (40-150 m depth) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the Bonaelensis area of Argentina (Figueiredo and Menezes, 1978).
Remarks:
This species is distinguished from other ophidioid fishes in Genypterus and Ophiodon by the presence of bands on the body and a spine on the snout. Only a single species of Raneya is known (Cohen and Nielsen, 1978), the name Raneya fluminensis (Ribeiro, 1905) have been used for many years. However, Robins (1985) reported that R. brasiliensis should have priority over R. fluminensis.
(Tadashi INADA)
Distribution of Raneya brasiliensis in Patagonia.
Head in lateral view (after Figueiredo and Menezes, 1978).