Taxonomic study of the genus Apristurus (Scyliorhiniddae, Chondrichthyes)

Apristurus属是一组深海猫鲨，该属的分类十分混乱，已知种较少，还有许多未报道的种，本文对命名种进行了分类学分析，并与作者直接采集的模式标本进行了比较。目前已鉴定出31种独立种。此外，在世界海洋中发现了许多未描述的物种。外部和内部的检查，形态测量和分生特征分析表明，存在三个亚组内属。所有的物种被分配到三个组之一。第一组，长吻组的特征是在鼻孔之前长吻，包括两个物种，A.herklotsi和A. longcephalus。第二类，短吻海绵类，上唇沟短，螺旋瓣数量少。第三类，短吻褐口类，上唇沟较长，螺旋瓣较多，有9种，如A.fedorovi、A.profundorum、A.kampae等。这些群体的分类学处理一直没有解决，直到carcharhiniform鲨鱼的系统发育考虑。一些新发现的未描述的物种正在出版，或将在合适的期刊上发表。

Genus Apristurus is a group of deep sea catsharks, and the taxonomy of the genusis is extremely confusing with poorly known species, and many undescribed species which have been either published or unpublished.Nominal species were taxonomically analyzed, comparing with data of type specimens, which were directly taken by the present author. Thirty one species were recognized as distinct at present. In addition, quite many undescribed species were found from the world oceans. External and internal examination, and morphometric and meristic character analyzes suggested the presence of three subgroups within the genus. All the species were assigned to one of the three groups. First groups, the long-snouted group is characterized by long snout before nostrils, and contains two species, A.herklotsi and A.longicephalus. Second group, short-snouted spongiceps group is characterized by short upper labial furrow and less number of spiral valves. This contains 20 species, like A.atlanticus, A.platyrhynchus, A.laurussoni, A.parvipinnis, etc. Third group, short-snouted brunneus group has longer upper labial furrow and more number of spiral valves, with 9 species, such as A.fedorovi, A.profundorum, and A.kampae. Taxonomic treatments of these groups were left unsolved, until the phylogenetic consideration of the carcharhiniform sharks. Some of the newly found undescribed species are in press, or will be published in the suitable journals.