Leptochilichthys microlepis, a New Species of the Family Leptochilichthyidae, Salmoniformes, from Aomori, Northern Japan

Abstract

A new deep-sea fish, Leptochilichthys microlepis, is described based on a single specimen trawled in the Pacific off Aomori Prefecture, northernmost district of Honshu, Japan. This species differs from other members of the genus Leptochilichthys in its higher counts of lateral line scales, 64 vs. less than 55, and vertebrae, 58 (35+23) vs. 47-50 (27-30+18-21). A key to the species of the genus is given.