A Review of the Snailfishes (Liparidae, Scorpaeniformes) of New Zealand, Including Descriptions of a New Genus and Sixteen New Species

A review of all snailfishes from New Zealand waters deposited in the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa showed that six genera and at least 18 species occur within the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Of these, one genus and 16 species are new. These new taxa, described here, are Aetheliparis taurocanis n.g., n.sp. from near Moa Seamount at 731-869 m, Careproctus narilobus from the Chatham Plateau at about 1830 m, C. pellucicauda and Paraliparis pseudokreffti from the Bounty Trough at 2786-2821 m, P. exilis from the southeast Chatham slope, P. freeborni and P. pearcyi from the northeast Chatham Rise at 1044-1050 and 1218 m respectively, Osteodiscus rhepostomias from the Bounty Trough at 2786-2821 m, Psednos argyrogaster from the east Chatham Rise at 1015-1037 m, P. chathami from the Chatham Rise at 1335-1340 m, P. cryptocaeca from off the Otago Canyons at 118-121 m, P. longiventris from the Chatham Rise at 1054-1058 m, P. microstomus from Reinga Ridge at 1158-1230 m, P. nemnezi from the Pegasus Canyon and south Chatham Rise at 862-960 m, P. platyoperculosus from Chatham Rise at 1141-1163 m, and P. struthersi from the southern Havre Trough at 1411-1428 m. The two previously known species from New Zealand waters are Careproctus novaezelandiae Andriashev and Notoliparis kermadecensis (Nielsen). In addition, several specimens of Paraliparis and Psednos could not be identified or described because of their poor condition, but do not seem to be the same as any of the 18 described species. Partial descriptions are provided for them. This paper describes the new taxa, reviews the known taxa, and provides keys to their identification.