![Thumbnail: [Volume 88, 1960-61 page 537]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_88/thumbnails/rsnz_88_03_0592_0537_ac_02.gif)
General Account and Key to the New Zealand Squaloidea
The preceding account of New Zealand species of Squalus completes a revision of the known New Zealand Squaloidea. The revision is in nine parts (Garrick 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959a, 1959b, 1959c, 1960, in press, and the present account) which contribute to the continuing series “Studies on New Zealand Elasmobranchii” where they form Parts IV to XII.
![Thumbnail: [Volume 88, 1960-61 page 538]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_88/thumbnails/rsnz_88_03_0593_0538_ac_02.gif)
| ♀ 370 mm Austral Mus. No. IB. 4257 | ♀ 555 mm | ♀ 588 mm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk at pectoral origin: Breadth | 13.5 | 14.2 | 13.7 |
| Height | 9.7 | 10.9 | 11.9 |
| Snout length in front of: Outer nostrils | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Mouth | 9.2 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Eye: Horizontal diameter | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Mouth: Breadth | 7.0 | 6.1 | 6.3 |
| Nostrils: Breadth between inner corners | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| Preoral clefts: Breadth between inner corner, | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.3 |
| Gill-opening lengths: 1st | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| 5th | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 1st dorsal fin: Vertical height | 7.3 | 6.8 | 7.3 |
| Length of base measured from origin of spine | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.6 |
| 2nd dorsal fin: Vertical height | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 |
| Length of base measured from origin of spine | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.6 |
| Caudal fin: Upper margin | 22.1 | 20.7 | 19.6 |
| Lower anterior margin | 11.9 | 10.9 | 11.0 |
| Pectoral fin: Anterior margin | 14.3 | 14.6 | 14.9 |
| Distance from snout to: Eye | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| 1st gill-opening | 17.3 | 16.8 | 16.6 |
| 5th gill-opening | 21.1 | 19.8 | 20.4 |
| 1st dorsal spine | 31.4 | 32.8 | 33.5 |
| 2nd dorsal spine | 65.0 | 67.0 | 68.5 |
| Upper caudal | 79.0 | 80.1 | 82.0 |
| Pelvic | 47.6 | 50.5 | 51.0 |
| Interspace between: 1st dorsal base and 2nd dorsal spine | 28.4 | 29.8 | 29.6 |
| 2nd dorsal base and upper caudal | 11.2 | 10.3 | 10.0 |
| Pelvic and lower caudal | 26.2 | 25.2 | 26.1 |
| Distance from origin to origin of: | |||
| Pectoral and pelvic | 26.3 | 30.5 | 29.3 |
| Pelvic and lower caudal | 32.0 | 29.2 | 30.6 |
It is now possible to examine the New Zealand squaloid fauna as a whole, and in the account below its composition, relationships and distribution are considered. This is followed by a key to the species. Lastly, two growth phenomena which are of considerable importance in the systematics of the Squaloidea—change with growth of dimensions, and change in the dermal denticles with successional replacement—are reviewed.