Pliotrema kajae Weigmann, Gon, Leeney & Temple 2020, sp. nov.

Pliotrema kajae Weigmann, Gon, Leeney & Temple sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D4EF80CA-3448-4015-A96C-279C5A0A7970.

Proposed English vernacular name: Kaja's sixgill sawshark.

Proposed German vernacular name: Kajas Sechskiemer-Sägehai.

Local name: vae vae.

Figs 1–14; Tables 1–2.

Poliotrema warreni (misspelling for Pliotrema): Séret [26]: 1.

Pliotrema warreni: Compagno et al. [27]: 73 (in part), based on Séret [26].

Assuming that this new species does not occur off the southern African continent (South Africa, Mozambique), no records of Pliotrema kajae sp. nov. (as Pliotrema warreni) before Séret [26] have been found. All subsequent records of Pliotrema from off Madagascar are apparently based on Séret [26]. The holotype is deposited in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris (MNHN), 10 paratypes are deposited in the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), and one paratype in each of the Natural History Museum, London (BMNH), Ruth H. Leeney personal collection (RHL), and Simon Weigmann personal collection (SW), National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. (USNM), and Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH).

Holotype MNHN 1987–1266, juvenile female, 560 mm TL, off Tulear (Madagascar), 23º 19'58.8” S 43º31'1.2” E, 320 m depth, Dec 1985.

Paratypes (15) SAIAB 84039, gravid female, 1170 mm TL fresh, 1143 mm TL 70% ethanol preserved, RV 'Dr. Fridtjof Nansen', Survey 2008407, Station 7, Mascarene Ridge, 16º27.62'S 60º16.84'E, 214–219 m depth, bottom trawl # 22, duration 27.3 minutes, 14 Oct 2008 (taken together with 1 further specimen, which was not retained); SAIAB 84096, adult male, 970 mm TL fresh, 940 mm TL 70% ethanol preserved, RV 'Dr. Fridtjof Nansen', Survey 2008407, Station 11, Mascarene Ridge, 15º41.11'S 61º4.54'E, 302–305 m depth, bottom trawl # 22, duration 34.3 minutes, 18 Oct 2008 (taken together with 1 further specimen, which was not retained); SAIAB 189447, 1 gravid female, 3 of 6 mid- to late-term embryos (1 male: 246 mm TL; 2 females, 320 mm TL, 324 mm TL; three embryos of 243 mm TL, 318 mm TL, and 329 mm TL were donated to the ZMH, BMNH and USNM collections, respectively), and 4 early embryos (71+ mm TL with tail broken off, 95 mm TL, 103 mm TL, 110 mm TL), RV 'Dr. Fridtjof Nansen', Survey 2009408, Station 24, off western Madagascar, 21º58.79'S 43º8.38'E, 235–239 m depth, trawl, duration 30.1 minutes, 07 Sep 2009; BMNH 2019.1.28.1 (ex SAIAB 189447), male late-term embryo, 318 mm TL, data the same as SAIAB 189447; RHL-Mad-01 (dried rostrum), presumably adult female, estimated TL 1100 mm (TL estimated based on the prebarbel length [160 mm] in comparison to the ratios prebarbel length to TL in other type specimens), taken off southwestern Madagascar by local fishermen; SW 01–2016 (dried rostrum), presumably adult female, estimated TL 1300 mm (prebarbel length 191.1 mm), taken off southwestern Madagascar by local fishermen, USNM 443683 (ex SAIAB 189447), male late-term embryo, 329 mm TL, data the same as SAIAB 189447; ZMH 26360 (ex SAIAB 189447), female midterm embryo, 243 mm TL, data the same as SAIAB 189447.

Diagnosis. A large six-gilled sawshark with the following characters: barbel origin to anterior nostrils 1.4–2.3 times anterior nostrils to symphysis upper jaw; prenarial length 1.5–1.7 times prebarbel length; preoral length 2.0–2.7 times interdorsal space; pectoral-fin anterior margin 1.2–1.6 times dorsal–caudal space; mouth width 2.8–6.6 times spiracle length. First dorsal fin originates about opposite pectoral-fin free rear tips. Lateral trunk dermal denticles tricuspidate, rather flat and imbricated. Color pale to light brown dorsally with two thin yellowish longitudinal stripes; uniform white ventrally; fins with rather indistinct white posterior fin margins; dorsal rostrum surface with two distinct longitudinal dark stripes, lateral rostral teeth dark-edged. Monospondylous centra 52–57; precaudal diplospondylous centra 48– 56; total vertebral centra 151–164. This new species is distinguished from its two congeners, Pliotrema warreni and the second new species, by a combination of characteristics, including most notably, a rostrum that is clearly constricted between barbel origin and nostrils. Furthermore, P. kajae has sharp folds in both upper and lower jaw teeth, as well as a posteriorly notched, teardrop-shaped dorsal fenestra of the precerebral fossa. Pliotrema kajae is further distinguished from P. warreni by barbels that are situated about half way from rostral tip to mouth, with prebarbel length about equidistant from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw (vs. barbels about two thirds way from rostral tip to mouth, with prebarbel length about twice distance from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw) and the presence of two indistinct, yellowish longitudinal stripes on the dorsal surface (vs. one pronounced yellowish longitudinal stripe). Pliotrema kajae also clearly differs from the second new species in a generally longer snout, more upper and lower jaw tooth rows, higher total large lateral rostral tooth and ventral rostral spine counts, and a pale to light brown dorsal coloration with two indistinct yellowish stripes, uniform white ventral coloration, and posterior fin margins with narrow white edges (vs. uniform medium to dark brown dorsally without longitudinal stripes, white ventrally but with few indistinct dark blotches on belly, posterior fin margins conspicuously white-edged).

Description of the holotype. Values of the paratypes are presented in parentheses, more complex differences between holotype and paratypes are described separately. Where relevant, ratios are based on horizontal measurements unless otherwise stated. Morphometric measurements and meristics are given in Table 1.

External morphology. Body firm and slender, depressed forward of gills, abdomen subcircular in cross-section, tail subtriangular in cross-section, deepest at abdomen; not tapering gradually and evenly beyond pectoral fins; snout flattened, greatly extended, saw-like; abdomen elongate, horizontal head length 0.6 (0.6–0.7) times snout–anterior vent length, pectoral– pelvic space 16.1 (13.5–18.5)% TL; pelvic–caudal space 2.7 (2.5–3.0) times pelvic-fin length; tail flattened ventrally, elongate, snout–anterior vent length 1.5 (1.5–1.6) times anterior vent– caudal tip length; caudal peduncle short, dorsal–caudal space 7.7 (6.7–9.1)% TL, caudal peduncle height 3.5 (2.8–4.0) times in dorsal–caudal space and width 1.0 (0.8–1.6) times in height; ventrolateral keels well developed, extending from slightly behind level of free rear tip of pelvic fins (from about level to slightly behind level) to beyond origin of ventral lobe of caudal fin, converging strongly near their posterior extremity; no precaudal pit; no median predorsal, postdorsal or preventral caudal grooves (Figs 1 and 2).

Head narrow, subtriangular and deepest at sixth gill slit, strongly depressed above eyes, head width 6.7 (6.8–8.7)% TL, 1.3 (0.9–1.9) times head height. Snout forming a very elongate, blade-like rostrum. Rostrum triangular in dorsal view; constricted between barbel origin and nostrils, sides of rostrum nearly straight from tip to barbel origin but concave in posterior part from barbel origin to origin of orbit; tip narrowly rounded; rostrum extending laterally below eyes as a well-defined suborbital ridge along ventrolateral edge of head, terminating somewhat behind level of posterior edge of spiracle (Fig 3).

A slender, filamentous, dorsoventrally flattened barbel originating on the ventrolateral margin about half way from rostral tip to mouth on each side, with prebarbel length 1.0 (1.0–1.1) times distance from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw, 51.1 (49.4–52.9)% of preoral length and 15.6 (14.8–16.2)% TL. Barbel length 1.6 (0.8–2.3) times in prebarbel length and 1.5 (0.8–2.1) times in length from barbel origin to symphysis of upper jaw. Preorbital length, horizontally 6.0 (4.8–6.0) times mouth width, 19.7 (16.4–31.5) times spiracle length, 2.9 (2.7–3.6) times first dorsal-fin length, 4.4 (3.4–4.9) times rostral width at anterior nostrils; extremely narrow in lateral view; preoral length 30.6 (28.6–31.3)% TL, 4.6 (3.4–4.4) times head width, 5.1 (4.0–5.4) times rostral width at anterior nostrils, 7.2 (6.0–8.2) times rostral width at origin of barbels, 2.0 (1.9–2.0) times prebarbel length, 1.2 (1.2–1.3) times prenarial length, and 2.3 (2.0– 2.7) times interdorsal space (Fig 3).

Large lateral rostral teeth of prenarial portion of rostrum variable in length, curved, rather stout, serrated, longest near barbel origin and near apex of rostrum posterior to anteriormost two teeth; longest tooth immediately anterior to barbels only slightly shorter than spiracle length, length 1.1 (0.9–2.3)% TL and 0.8 (0.9–2.6) times first complete interspace anterior to barbels, width 0.2 (0.2–0.4)% TL; anteriormost two large rostral teeth on each side of the rostrum very close to snout tip, without interstitial tooth between or anterior to them; large teeth shortest near nostrils, longest rostral tooth posterior to nostrils 0.6 (0.2–0.3)% TL; large teeth absent behind nostrils but interstitial-like teeth present, short to very short and closely set, partially directed almost ventrally, particularly near mouth. Interspaces between large rostral teeth rather regularly sized, about as long as adjacent teeth, with 2–4 (1–4) smaller, variable interstitial teeth. Rostral tooth counts mostly symmetrical between left and right hand sides; left side with 21 (22–31) large teeth, right side with 21 (22–31); anterior to barbels left side with 13 (12– 14) large rostral teeth, right side with 13 (13–14), posterior to barbels left side with 8 (9–17) large rostral teeth, right side with 8 (9–17); anterior to nostrils left side with 23 (~19–~24) ventral spines, right side with 23 (~19–~23), anterior to barbel origin left side with 13 (~11–~14) ventral spines, right side with 12 (~12–~13); one enlarged ventral spine, distinctly larger than the other ventral spines, present just in front of each nostril. Large rostral teeth (Fig 4a and 4b) with elongated crown and oval-shaped base, slightly bent to the rear and flattened towards the apex, forming anterior and posterior cutting edges at front and rear, the latter serrated by barbed hooks. Crown base with numerous short longitudinal ridges forming a pronounced transversal crest. Both, anterior and posterior faces of the root are curved outwards from the junction of crown and root towards the base of the root. The basal face shows a deep v-shaped median groove that is antero-posteriorly directed and has an oval-shaped cavity in the center. Interstitial rostral teeth (Fig 4c–4h) with blade-shaped crown and without serration (large interstitial rostral teeth serrated and similar to large lateral rostral teeth in all specimens larger than the holotype). Crown of ventral spines (Fig 4i and 4j) elongated cone-shaped with a pronounced transversal basal ridge, root with roundish and pedestal-like base. The basal face has a large and deep roundish foramen in the center.

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228791.t001

Eyes lateral on head, large, oval, length 3.3 (2.8–5.2)% TL; skeletal interorbital space 0.9 (0.7–1.0) times eye length, 9.3 (6.1–9.5) times in horizontal preorbital length; posterior eye notches and suborbital grooves present. Spiracles moderately large, length 1.4 (0.8–1.6)% TL and 0.4 (0.2–0.6) times eye length, left spiracle with 12 (12–15) folds, right one with 13 (12– 15); spiracles strongly crescentic, oblique, directed posteroventrally from top to bottom, located just posterior to posterior eye notch, separated by a narrow but deep vertical groove along posterior margin of orbit, shorter than eye; upper edge below level of top of eye. Gill slits small, upright, weakly pleated, lateral on head, close to ventral surface, extending slightly onto ventral surface, subequal in length, sixth slit arches around pectoral-fin origin. Mouth large, strongly inferior, broadly arched, symphysis about level with posterior edge of eye, width 4.5 (4.4–5.4)% TL and 1.5 (1.3–1.8) times in head width; upper labial furrows absent, lower furrows short, 0.4 (0.4–0.5)% TL; corner of mouth partly concealed by lateral muscles of jaw (Fig 5). Teeth unicuspidate, in well-defined series, bases oval and flattened with short but pronounced, narrow median cusp near middle of jaw, no lateral cusps (cusps similar in paratypes except for adult male SAIAB 84096, which has distinctly longer cusps); cusps diminishing in height towards jaw angles, indistinct near jaw corners; about 4–5 series of functional teeth (Figs 6 and 7). Median cusp with labial face slightly convex and with both mesial and distal cutting edges weakly bent mesially and distally in occlusal view, respectively. The mesial and distal crown base parts somewhat curve apically. A pronounced and broad, irregularly shaped apron overlaps the junction of crown and root, building a notch at the junction with both mesial and distal crown base parts. Basal ornamentation, striae or reticulations absent, but sharp folds present in both upper and lower jaw teeth. The lingual face of the cusp is strongly convex, a well-developed uvula is present at the central crown base. The mesial/distal latero-lingual crown faces curve strongly towards the apex of the crown, partially forming a sharp notch with the uvula (Fig 6k and 6l). The root is anaulacorhizid and slightly arched without lobation. The outer surface of the root shows up to five large basal foramina, which are mostly oval-shaped.

The inner face of the root shows up to six well-developed foramina along the crown-root junction at each side of the uvula. The basal face of the root is flat, partly showing some outer foramina.

Nostrils small, widely separated, subcircular; nostril width 0.8 (0.7–1.0)% TL, 4.5 (3.8–5.6) times in internarial width, 5.7 (4.8–7.0) times in mouth width, 7.7 (6.4–9.6) times in width of rostrum at nostrils; located distinctly forward of level of anterior margin of eye; distance from anterior nostrils to symphysis of upper jaw 1.3 (1.2–1.5) times internarial space, distance from barbel origin to anterior nostrils 10.4 (8.5–10.5)% TL. Anterior nasal flaps well developed, leaf-like, extended ventrally beyond nostrils; incurrent and excurrent apertures surrounded by pronounced marginal lobes; no nasoral or circumnarial grooves; no dermal lobes (Fig 5).

Lateral trunk dermal denticles densely set and overlapping, with flat, tricuspidate crowns (Fig 8). The lateral cusps are rather weakly pronounced but situated quite far anteriorly so that the median cusp is not much longer than the lateral cusps. The median ridge is strongly pronounced and reaches the tip of the median cusp. The lateral ridges are less pronounced and do not reach the tips of the lateral cusps. The surface of the denticles is only weakly structured by reticulations very close to base. No sexual dimorphism detectable in the morphology of the trunk dermal denticles. Dermal denticles on rostrum fan-shaped, with an obtusely angled, weakly pronounced median cusp and no lateral cusps but with 6–7 strongly pronounced ridges (Fig 9). The surface of the rostral dermal denticles is only weakly structured by reticulations very close to base (Fig 9a–9c).

Pectoral fins large, anterior margin weakly convex, 11.4 (10.3–12.2)% TL and 1.5 (1.4–2.0) times inner margin; apex narrowly rounded; posterior margin weakly concave, directed across horizontal axis at about origin of first dorsal fin; inner margin convex and strongly notched basally; free rear tip angular (Figs 3 and 10a). Pelvic fins moderately large, anterior margin almost straight to slightly convex, 6.5 (5.3–6.7)% TL, 1.6 (1.6–1.9) times in first dorsal-fin anterior margin, and 1.5 (1.3–1.7) times in second dorsal-fin anterior margin; apex narrowly rounded; posterior margin concave; inner margin weakly convex and slightly notched basally; free rear tip broadly rounded; origin distinctly posterior to level free tip of first dorsal fin and well forward of level second dorsal fin origin (Fig 10a).

First dorsal fin broad, semifalcate, anterior margin slightly convex; apex narrowly rounded; posterior margin slanting posteroventrally, slightly convex distally, strongly concave in basal three quarters; inner margin straight, free rear tip narrowly pointed; origin about opposite pectoral-fin free rear tips; insertion and free rear tip clearly anterior to level pelvic-fin origins (Fig 10a). Second dorsal fin somewhat smaller than first but of similar shape, anterior margin weakly convex, apex very narrowly rounded; posterior margin weakly convex distally, strongly concave near basal three quarters; inner margin straight, free rear tip narrowly pointed; origin clearly behind level pelvic insertions; interdorsal space 1.4 (1.3–1.7) times first dorsal-fin length, 1.7 (1.3–1.9) times dorsal–caudal space; second dorsal-fin inner margin 1.0 (0.7–1.2) times subterminal caudal-fin margin (Fig 10b).

Caudal fin short, dorsal margin slightly convex, length 18.8 (17.1–19.9)% TL, 1.1 (0.9–1.3) times in pelvic–caudal space and 5.1 (3.9–7.9) times terminal caudal margin; lower post-ventral lobe absent, upper post-ventral margin slightly convex; terminal lobe well developed, caudal terminal margin slightly concave, apices angular (Fig 10b). Ventral origin of caudal fin situated anteriorly due to low anterior fin ridge (Fig 10b).

Clasper morphology: Fig 11 provides photographs of the claspers of adult male SAIAB 84096. The claspers of adult males extend posteriorly to clearly posterior to level of pelvic-fin free rear tips. Clasper shaft flattened rod-shaped. Glans broad and flattened, with long, straight and thorn-like spur. Due to the fragile condition of the specimen, it was not possible to open one of the claspers for further examination.

Cranium: five anterior-most basiventral cartilages laterally expanded, with curved, dorsally reflected margins. Chondrocranium and cranial nerves highly modified to accomodate the elongated rostrum. Foramen magnum surrounded by crescent-shaped occipital condyles. Dorsal fenestra of the precerebral fossa teardrop-shaped, with posterior notch (Fig 12a).

Skeletal meristics (from radiographs): monospondylous trunk vertebral centra: 57 (52–56); diplospondylous precaudal centra: 49 (48–56); total precaudal centra: 106 (101–110); caudal centra: 54 (47–54); total centra: 160 (151–164).

Coloration. Fresh, prior to preservation (paratypes SAIAB 84039 and SAIAB 84096; Fig 13): ground color pale (SAIAB 84096) to light brown (SAIAB 84039) dorsally with two thin yellowish longitudinal stripes (hardly detectable in paratype SAIAB 84096); uniform white ventrally; fins translucent dusky, upper post-ventral caudal-fin and pelvic-fin posterior margins narrowly edged white, weak white edges also present at posterior margins of pectoral and dorsal fins, as well as terminal caudal-fin margin; rostrum translucent dusky, dark edged and with two distinct longitudinal stripes dorsally; lateral rostral teeth dark-edged; ventrolateral keels white. Color in preservative (holotype and paratypes; Figs 1 and 2): coloration similar to fresh coloration but specimen SAIAB 84096 with formerly pale dorsal coloration somewhat darker dorsally, ventral coloration uniform yellowish instead of white as usual, ventrolateral keels also yellowish; dark edging of rostrum and lateral rostral teeth, as well as longitudinal dorsal rostral stripes still conspicuous.

Size. A large sawshark species reaching about 1430 mm TL based on photographs of an adult female kindly provided by Blue Ventures along with photographs of an adult male of 1020 mm TL. The female was caught on 19 July 2015 and landed at Andranombala, Madagascar, whilst the male was caught on 22 September 2015 and landed at Andavadoaka, Madagascar. Both specimens were not preserved. The male paratype SAIAB 84096 is adult at 970 mm TL fresh, 940 mm TL preserved, the female paratype SAIAB 84039 is gravid at 1170 mm TL fresh, 1143 mm TL preserved, containing about six eggs (based on radiographs). The size at birth is estimated at around 350 mm TL based on the four near-term embryos of 318 to 329 mm TL.

Distribution. Known from off Madagascar and the Mascarene Ridge in depths from 214 to 320 m (Fig 14). The depth range of 425–500 m, given for the holotype of Pliotrema kajae sp. nov. by Séret [26] and Compagno et al. [27] is erroneous. Pliotrema kajae sp. nov. is apparently the only species of the genus occurring in this area.

Etymology. The new species is named after Kaja Magdalena Weigmann, the daughter of the first author, who had her first contact with chondrichthyan taxonomy when observing with great interest the examination of Pliotrema specimens for the present study. The name “Kaja” also has the Frisian meaning “warrior”, referring to the saw-like rostrum.

Remarks. There are several morphometric differences between the embryos and the larger type specimens of Pliotrema kajae sp. nov., which might be of ontogenetic nature, most notably, the barbel length. The differences are demonstrated in Table 2. Further ontogenetic differences can be found in the morphology of the lateral interstitial rostral teeth. In specimens larger than the juvenile holotype, larger interstitial teeth are serrated, similar to the large lateral rostral teeth. In smaller specimens up to at least 560 mm TL all interstitial teeth are unserrated.