José I. Santana

NEW RECORDS OF GREY CUTTHROAT, SYNAPHOBRANCHUS AFFINIS (ACTINOPTERYGII: ANGUILLIFORMES: SYNAPHOBRANCHIDAE) FROM THE EASTERN-CENTRAL ATLANTIC OCEAN

Following a series of surveys with bottom longlines and fish traps along the island slopes off the arch- ipelagos of Madeira, Canaries and Cape Verde, and with bottom trawls along the coast of Morocco and Western Sahara between 2004 and 2006 many specimens of Synaphobranchus were caught, revealing the presence of two species. Based on these specimens and Museum preserved specimens from this area grey cutthroat, Synaphobranchus affinis Gunther, 1877, is recorded for the first time from off Portugal, Madeira archipelago, Great Meteor Seamount, Canary Islands, Morocco, Western Sahara, Cape Verde Islands, and Senegal. It is con- firmed that S. kaupii is also conspecific in this area. Meristic and morphometric data of the specimens studied are also presented.

First record of hydrolagus affinis (Holocephali: Chimaeriformes: Chimaeridae) from Madeira and the seine seamount (North Atlantic Ocean)

The smalleyed rabbitfish, Hydrolagus affinis (de Brito Capello, 1868) (Chimaeridae), is recorded from the archipelago of Madeira for the first time, based on seven specimens caught between 1200 and 2500 m depth. This record extends the previously known range of distribution of this species, and also confirms its vertical dis - tribution down to 2500 m. Additional material collected from the Canary Islands and the Azores was used for comparison.

Three new decapods (Aristeidae, Chirostylidae, Pandalidae) from the Cape Verde Islands (NE Atlantic)

In the present article three benthic decapods, Aristeus varidens Holthuis, 1952 (Aristeidae), Gastroptychus formosus (Filhol, 1884) (Chirostylidae) and Plesionika longicauda (Rathbun, 1901) (Pandalidae), are recorded for the first time from the Cape Verde Islands. This is the southernmost record of G. formosus , as well as the northernmost of P. longicauda ever recorded from the eastern Atlantic. Preliminary data on batch fecundity and egg size of the pandalid shrimp are provided. Studied specimens were caught in the frame of a scientific trapping survey.

THE FAMILY LEUCOSIIDAE (DECAPODA, BRACHYURA) AROUND THE CANARY ISLANDS

An account of the species of the family Leucosiidae reported from the Canary Islands is given. Ebalia tuberculata and E. tumefacta are recorded for the first time from the Canaries. The presence of Ilia spinosa is confirmed for this archipelago. Whenever available, data on distribution, habitat, biometry, and breeding are presented.