4 from Argentina (133.2-222.0 mm SL), FSFL EM 42, 114, 115, 515.
Description:
D U 34-36; A 33; P1 15-19; P2 ?, GR 1+10-12.
HL 26.1-29.2% of SL; ED 3.1-3.8; BD 17.6-21.8; SN 7.1-8.4; IO 7.4-11.1; UJ 15.4-16.0; HW 19.1-21.4; PreD 29.3-30.2.
Body elongate, slightly compressed. Head greatly depressed. Two spines on first dorsal fin short and solid. Eye very small, situated on upper surface of head. Lower jaw well anterior to upper. Teeth on upper jaw small villiform, those on lower jaw small, uniserial and caniniform. A pair of canine-like teeth on vomer; several teeth sparsely set on palatines. Large strong spine on opercle; no spine on subopercle. Body scaleless. Four lateral lines; two on midbody, other two along base of dorsal and anal fins. Many photophores developed along lateral lines; about 76 to 78 along dorsal fin, 46 to 49 along upper side of body, 68 to 70 along lower side of body, and about 30 pores along anal fin base. Discrete glands present on inner surface of pectoral fins between upper fin rays. Eight pores of glandular tissue from preopercle to lower side of lower jaw. Upper side of body greyish brown, silvery on side, yellowish on belly. Seven dark broad bands on upper part of body. Tip of each fin blackish. Dark blotches on fin membrane of dorsal and pectoral fins. Pelvic fin yellowish.
Distribution:
Coastal waters from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to northern Argentina, at depths of about 30-200 m.
Remarks:
Attains 32 cm SL (Figueiredo and Menezes, 1978). Three species of Batrachoididae, P. porosissimus, Thalassophryne montevidensis Berg, 1893, and Triathalassothia argentina (Berg, 1897) are recorded in Argentine waters (Menni, Ringuelet and Aramburu, 1984).
(Tadashi INADA)
Distribution of Porichthys porosissimus in Patagonia.