First record of Brotula barbata (Bloch, 1801) (Actinopterygii, Ophidiidae) at coast of Bahia State, Brazil (Western Atlantic Ocean)

Roberto Duarte Lopes, PauloTavares de Oliveira-Silva, JailzaLuis Santos Sampaio, Cláudiode Vasconcelos, André

The marine fauna of Bahia state (Brazil), which possess the countrys longest coastline, is little known, especially concerning the fishes. This paper presents the first record of Brotula barbata (Bloch, 1801) (Actinopterygii, Ophidiidae) for the Bahian coast, based on a specimen 482.0 mm in total length and 1.085kg, collected about 1216 S - 3835 W, at a depth of 234m. This species was previously know from Bermudas to the Pernambuco state (Brazil), and also from the Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil). The specimen is housed at the collection of Laboratório de Ictiologia, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, preserved in 70% alcohol. The species has been determined by the following combination of characters: presence of eight barbels in the snout and six barbels in the mento; body color brown, with a few scattered dark blotches and with the margins of the pectorals, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins blackish.