BAJACALIFORNIA-AEQUATORIS, NEW SPECIES OF ALEPOCEPHALID FISH (PISCES,SALMONIFORMES) FROM THE CENTRAL EQUATORIAL PACIFIC

A new alepocephalid fish, Bajacalifornia aequatoris, is described from a single specimen collected by deep-sea midwater trawl from the centr al equatorial Pacific. It differs from its five congeners in lower gil lraker counts (2 + 1 + 14 = 17 vs 4-10 + 1 + 15-28 = 22-38), in lower vertebral counts (27 + 17 = 44 vs 26-39 + 18-23 = 46-60), and by a for ward-pointing conical knob at the symphysis of the lower jaw (downward in other Bajacalifornia). A revised key for Bajacalifornia is present ed.