A new species of Nezumia (Gadiformes : Macrouridae) from Fieberling Guyot,eastern North Pacific Ocean

A new species of the macrourine genus Nezumia is described from specimens c ollected from the crest of Fieberling Guyot in the eastern North Pacific Oc ean, The new species is distinguishable from all other Nezumia species chie fly on the basis of a high number of pelvic fin rays, a relatively high num ber of first dorsal fin soft rays, a steep blunt snout lacking scales ventr ally, a relatively weak suborbital ridge, and a moderately long, thin barbe l. Although possibly endemic to the Baja California Seamount Province, the new species appears to lack close relatives among the other Nezumia species of the eastern North Pacific Ocean. It might have arrived there either fro m a disjunct Tethyan distribution, thus retaining close relatives among the Atlantic Ocean species of Nezumia, or by way of stepping-stone dispersal f rom the Indo-west Pacific Ocean.