RESEARCH ARTICLE

Atelomycterus erdmanni, a new species of catshark (Scyliorhinidae: Carcharhiniformes) from Indonesia

Fahmi & William T. White

Abstract

A new species of catshark of the genus Atelomycterus is described from eastern Indonesia based on two type specimens. Atelomycterus erdmanni is closely related to A. baliensis and A. marmoratus, being sympatric with the latter. It differs from these two species in coloration, external morphology, meristics and clasper morphology. Atelomycterus erdmanni differs from A. baliensis in having white spots present over the body (vs. white spots absent), a larger first dorsal fin, paired fins closer together, and pelvic fin farther apart from the ventral caudal-fin origin. It differs from A. marmoratus in having far less numerous white spotting, a larger first dorsal fin, and the clasper glans about half length of clasper outer margin (vs. less than half length of outer margin). Its status was also confirmed by genetic analysis with comparison of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) genetic marker utilised in DNA barcoding producing a genetic divergence of 4.8% and 5.3% between the new species and its closest congeners, A. baliensis and A. marmoratus, respectively.