Abstract
The African dwarf sawshark Pristiophorus nancyae is one of the least known species of the genus. The species was described in 2011 based on type specimens in rather poor condition and with a very restricted distribution off southern Mozambique. Since nine further specimens in mostly excellent condition became available, the authors reinvestigated the species. These new records document a considerable extension of the distribution northwards to off Kenya and off the Socotra Islands. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of dermal denticles and a description of ontogenetic changes in dermal denticle arrangement and shape are presented for the first time. A more detailed photographic documentation and the first radiograph of the species are also given, along with updated and extended morphometrics and meristics, providing insights into wider ranges of natural variation. Furthermore, first images and description of clasper morphology and skeleton are provided. Detailed morphometrics and meristics, as well as SEM images of dermal denticles, are presented for the first time for P. cirratus, P. nudipinnis and P. schroederi.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Peter Last (CSIRO) for the donation of one specimen each of Pristiophorus cirratus and P. nudipinnis to the collection of the ZMH in 1995. Many thanks also to Renate Walter and Dietmar Keyser (ZMH) for help with the SEM, to Bruce Welton (New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science) for comments on the validity of records of P. nancyae from off Pakistan, to Diego F.B. Vaz (MZUSP) for comments on the claspers of P. nancyae, to I.A. Verhigina (ZMMU) for loan of P. nancyae ZMMU P 14847 to MFWS, to Christine Thacker and Rick Feeney (LACM) for providing collection data for a comparative loan specimen of P. cirratus (LACM 42620–20) to MFWS, to Susan Jewett (USNM) for providing radiographs of the type specimens of P. schroederi in 1999 and for loan of comparative specimen P. schroederi USNM 202479 to MFWS, to Dave Johnson and Sandra Raredon (USNM) for providing radiographs of comparative specimen P. schroederi USNM 202479 and to Michael Bougaardt (Iziko South African Museum) for providing photographs of the eight type specimens of P. nancyae. MFWS remembers gratefully the comradeship and great assistance by the RV ‘Vityaz’ crew, all Russian and western guest scientists; special thanks to the late chief scientist N.V. Parin. The authors are grateful to the journal editor and reviewers of the manuscript for their helpful comments.
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Weigmann, S., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Thiel, R. Contribution to the taxonomy and distribution of Pristiophorus nancyae (Elasmobranchii: Pristiophoriformes) from the deep western Indian Ocean. Mar Biodiv 44, 189–202 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-013-0200-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-013-0200-5