Tosanoides aphrodite Pinheiro, Rocha & Rocha, 2018
Aphrodite anthias

Family:  Anthiadidae (Fairy basslets or Streamer basses)
Max. size:  5.988 cm SL (male/unsexed); 5.709 cm SL (female)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 100 - 260 m
Distribution:  Southwest Atlantic: Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-9; Vertebrae: 27-27. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D X, 15-16 with last dorsal spine the longest, 1.8-2.2 in head length and the 7th dorsal ray the longest, 2.65-2.80 in head length; A 9; pored lateral-line scales 32-35; ventral scale rows 9-10; body is slender and compressed, with greatest depth 2.96-3.18 in SL, width 1.77-2.09 in depth. Phylogenetic analysis shows the new species belongs to Tosanoides and differs of the other known species by: a divergence of at least 12.35% at the cytochrome oxidase I gene, last dorsal spine the longest (instead first through fourth), fewer dorsal-fin rays (15-16 vs. 16-17), and more anal-fin rays (9 vs. 8) (Ref. 120716)
Biology:  Found on mesophotic coral ecosystems of the island and observed while rebreather diving. A single observation at 260 m depth was taken from a submersible dive. It inhabits small crevices of complex rocky reefs. Ambient seawater temperature at the collecting depth (ca. 120 m) varied between 13 and 15 °C during the two-week observation period (Ref. 120716).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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