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 archipelagos 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 confirmed that S. kaupii is also conspecific in this area. Meristic and morphometric data of the specimens studied are also presented.