6 from Argentina (212.1-245.3 mm SL), FAKU 42982, 42983; S 366-368; AP 829.
Description:
D ]Y-]Z, 15-17+4-5; A T, 15-17+4-5; P1 15-16; P2T, 5; GR 6+1+10-11=17-18; BR 7; X 17+16=33.
HL 27.7-29.3% of SL; ED 4.3-5.3; BD 17.4-19.7; SN 10.5-11.2; IO 4.3-5.6; UJ 12.5-13.7; CP 4.7-5.2; P1L 13.5-14.9; P2L 7.2-8.2; D1H 3.5-6.0; D2H 7.0-9.7; AH 6.4-9.0.
Body fairly elongate and compressed, body depth 5.3-5.7 times in SL. Head large, 3.3-3.7 times in SL. Snout long, sharply pointed, its length slightly shorter than postorbital length, about 2.5 times in head. Mouth large, posterior end of upper jaw reaching below middle of eye, lower jaw more projected anterior to upper jaw. Several large fangs on anterior part of upper jaw. No fangs on lower jaw. About 15 small caninifrom teeth uniserial on upper jaw, about 10 small caninifrom teeth uniserial on lower jaw, teeth of lower jaw larger than teeth of upper jaw. Minute two caniniform teeth on palatines. Two small nostrils fairly separated each other, anterior nostril semicircular and posterior nostril slit-like. Eye small, 7 times in head. Interorbital region depressed and flat, its width slightly larger than eye diameter. A small bony notch covered with skin on posterior margin of opercle. Gill-rakers on first arch short spinescent, a raker on corner extremely larger than others. Pseudobranchiae well developed. First dorsal fin base larger than second dorsal fin base including finlets. Second dorsal and anal fins similar in size and shape, each followed by several finlets. Small thin cycloid scales deciduous. Tubular lateral line running almost straight and obliquely from above upper margin of opercle to caudal fin base.
Distribution:
Off Chile in the Pacific and southern Brazil to central Argentina in the Atlantic.
Remarks:
Small-sized fish as gem-pylids (up to about 40 cm SL). Less abundant compared with Thyrsites atun in Patagonian waters.
(Izumi NAKAMURA)
Distribution of Thyrsitops lepidopoides in Patagonia.