![]() ![]() They reach approximately 75 cm in standard length. The members of this genus are bathypelagic, inhabiting depths between 7 m, and are distributed globally. The genus Narcetes Alcock, 1890, is a member of the family Alepocephalidae (slickheads), consisting of three named species, i.e., N. As such, in terms of gaining an understanding of the vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems to anthropogenic impacts, Suruga Bay represents an ideal research location for constructing dynamic ecosystem models that incorporate large predators. Commercial deep-sea trawl, bottom longline, and baited pot fishing have been actively conducted in this bay and tons of predatory fish are caught annually. Since the late 1800s, natural history studies have been conducted in this bay and the fauna inhabiting the bay have accordingly been well documented 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 2500 m), is located in the central region of the Pacific coastline of the Japanese Archipelago. Suruga Bay, which is the deepest bay in Japan (maximum depth: ca. In 2016, we conducted bottom longline surveys and in situ camera observations in Suruga Bay, Japan, with the aim of obtaining information on the faunal diversity and trophic interactions of deep-sea predatory fishes. There is thus an urgent need to elucidate the present biodiversity and abundance of predatory fishes inhabiting deep-sea sites 3. Such global changes are assumed to initially affect large, predatory consumers and subsequently have repercussions for organisms at lower trophic levels 2. Marine environments are increasingly being affected by global climate change and anthropogenic activities, leading to oceanic warming, acidification, and deoxygenation even in deep-sea regions 1. shonanmaruae might be correlated with its colossal body size and relatively high trophic position. The scavenging ability and broad gape of N. Video footage recorded using a baited camera deployed at a depth of 2572 m in Suruga Bay revealed the active swimming behaviour of this slickhead. ![]() shonanmaruae occupies one of the highest trophic positions reported from marine environments to date. In addition, a stable nitrogen isotope analysis of specific amino acids showed that N. Although most slickheads are benthopelagic or mesopelagic feeders of gelatinous zooplankton, behavioural observations and dietary analyses indicate that the new species is piscivorous. Mitogenomic analyses also support the novelty of this large deep-sea slickhead. 140 cm in total length and 25 kg in body weight) and possesses a unique combination of morphological characters comprising anal fin entirely behind the dorsal fin, multiserial teeth on jaws, more scale rows than congeners, precaudal vertebrae less than 30, seven branchiostegal rays, two epurals, and head smaller than those of relatives. Compared to other alepocephalids, this species is colossal (reaching ca. A novel species of the family Alepocephalidae (slickheads), Narcetes shonanmaruae, is described based on four specimens collected at depths greater than 2171 m in Suruga Bay, Japan. ![]()
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