Morphology and taxonomic redescription of Squatina occulta Vooren & Silva, 1991 (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii, Squatinidae)

• Grant number: 11/09918-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Rodrigues de Carvalho
• Grantee: Diego Francisco Biston Vaz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The order of Squatinifomes contains a single family, Squatinidae, with two valid genera, Pseudorhina Jaekel, 1898 and Squatina Duméril, 1806. Species of Squatina occur in almost all seas of the world. Species of Squatina are markedly similar, presenting a dorsoventrally depressed body, terminal nostrils and mouth, and five open gill openings situated laterally to the head, covered by the anterior pectoral fin. The taxonomy of these species is based mainly on external morphological characters such as the shape of nasal barbels and nasoral region, coloration pattern, morphometric proportions, tooth formula and morphology of dermal denticles. The number and validity of Squatina species from western South Atlantic is still controversial, mainly because some diagnostic characters used for identification are not species-specific and there is intraspecific variation. Therefore, Squatina occulta Vooren & Silva, 1991 will be revised concerning its morphology and taxonomy to clarify if it represents a valid species and clarify its intraspecific variation. This revision will be based on characters form external morphology (body proportions, coloration, dermal denticles) and internal morphology (skeleton, musculature, sensory canals), and will include from almost its entire distribution, including type specimens. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VAZ, DIEGO F. B.; DE CARVALHO, MARCELO R.. New Species of Squatina (Squatiniformes: Squatinidae) from Brazil, with Comments on the Taxonomy of Angel Sharks from the Central and Northwestern Atlantic. Copeia, v. 106, n. 1, p. 144-160, MAR 2018. (13/13137-4, 12/07712-3, 11/09918-5)

VAZ, DIEGO F. B.; DE CARVALHO, MARCELO R.. Morphological and taxonomic revision of species of Squatina from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Chondrichthyes: Squatiniformes: Squatinidae). Zootaxa, v. 3695, n. 1, p. 3+, AUG 9 2013. (11/09918-5)