Temperate South America Region
The Temperate South America Region includes the Pacific and Atlantic coasts around southern South America extending from northern Chile to São Paulo state in south-eastern Brazil, along with the waters surrounding the Falkland Islands. It is bounded by the Tropical Eastern Pacific and the Eastern Indo-Pacific to the north-west, the Tropical Atlantic Region to the north-east, and Temperate Southern Africa to the east.
Species and subspecies
The southern sawtail catshark (Galeus mincaronei) has so far only been recorded from the upper continental slope off south-eastern Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul).
The lizard catshark (Schroederichthys saurisqualus) is confined to deep-water reefs off the coast of south-eastern Brazil from Pananá to RioGrande do Sul,where it is threatened by overfishing.
The Argentine angelshark (Squatina argentina) and the angular angelshark (S. guggenheim) are both found along the continental shelf from south-eastern Brazil to north-eastern Argentina, where they are seriously threatened by fisheries activity.
The granular dogfish (Centroscyllium granulatum) is a poorly known species from deep Chilean coastal waters.
The sparsetooth dogfish (Scymnodalatias oligodon) is known only from a single specimen taken from the open ocean about 2300 km west of Chile.
The bigeye chimaera (Hydrolagus macrophthalmus) is known only from two specimens collected off Valparaiso, central Chile.
The striped smoothhound (Mustelus fasciatus) is a small, bottom-dwelling species of houndshark confined to the coastal waters off south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay, and eastern Argentina, where it is seriously threatened by overfishing.
The smalldisk torpedo ray (Torpedo microdiscus) is known only from two specimens collected from the junction of the Nazca and Sala y Gómez ridges off the western coast of South America.
The Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii) is found in the coastal waters of southern Brazil, Uruguay, and eastern Argentina, where it has suffered massive declines due to overfishing. Extremely abundant just a few decades ago, it is now rarely caught by fishermen.
The shortnose guitarfish (Zapteryx brevirostris) is a small species found in shallow waters off the coast of southern Brazil, Uruguay, and eastern Argentina. It has suffered serious declines due to intense and largely unmanaged trawling and gillnet fisheries.
The Brazilian blind electric ray (Benthobatis kreffti) is confined to a small area of deep water off the coast of southeastern Brazil (Santa Catarina and São Paulo).
The Brazilian torpedo ray (Tetronarce puelcha) is a rare species found patchily off the coast of south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay, and eastern Argentina.
The Brazilian cownose ray (Rhinoptera brasiliensis) is confined to the continental shelf off south-eastern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul states).
The Chilean round stingray (Urobatis marmoratus) is known only from a single specimen collected off north-central Chile in 1893.
Menni’s skate (Dipturus mennii) is confined to the continental shelf off south-eastern Brazil (Espírito Santo to Santa Catarina states), where it is seriously threatened by intense fishing pressure. The thintail skate (D. leptocaudus) is found in coastal waters from south-eastern Brazil through Uruguay and possibly as far as north-eastern Argentina.
The bignose fanskate (Sympterygia acuta) is found in the coastal waters of south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay, and eastern Argentina. A commercially important species sold mainly to Asian markets at high prices, it has suffered major declines due to intense, largely unmanaged trawl fishing.
Agassiz’s skate (Rioraja agassizii) is confined to shallow waters of the continental shelf from south-eastern Brazil to eastern Argentina.
The greytail skate (Bathyraja griseocauda) is found off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of southern South America from northern Chile to Uruguay, including the Falkland Islands. The species is everywhere threatened, however, by ever-increasing fishing pressure.
The spotback skate (Atlantoraja castelnaui), eyespot skate (A. cyclophora), and the La Plata skate (A. platana) are all found along the continental shelf from south-eastern Brazil to north-eastern Argentina, where they are seriously threatened by fisheries activity.
The white-dotted skate (Rhinoraja albomaculata) is found off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of southern South America from northern Chile to Uruguay, including the Falkland Islands and the Burwood Bank. The species is everywhere threatened, however, by ever-increasing fishing pressure.
The yellownose skate (Zearaja chilensis) is found in coastal waters of southern South America from Chile to Uruguay and possibly south-eastern Brazil. It is threatened mainly by fisheries by-catch.
The Patagonian starry skate (Amblyraja georgiana) is known for certain only from the south-eastern Pacific near Chile and from South Georgia Island, where it may be vulnerable to by-catch from trawl and longline fisheries.
Günther’s drum (Umbrina imberbis) is known only from a single specimen collected during the late nineteenth century off the coast of northern Chile.
The Arica croaker (Micropogonias fasciatus) is known only from two specimens collected off the northern coast of Chile in 1962. Mann’s croaker (M. manni) is known only from two shallow lagoons along the central coast of Chile.
Schmitt’s flounder (Paralichthys schmitti) is known only from the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile.
The reticulated wrasse (Malapterus reticulatus) is known only from shallow waters off the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas Islands.
The ornate clinid blenny (Myxodes ornatus) is a subtidal species known only from a single locality on the northern coast of Chile.
The cactus-like snailfish (Careproctus cactiformis) and Herwig’s snailfish (C. herwigi) are each known only from a single specimen collected off eastern Argentina. The pallid snailfish (C. pallidus) is known only from two specimens collected off the southern tip of Chile.
Brauer’s spookfish (Dolichopteryx anascopa) is a deep-sea fish known only from a single specimen collected during the early nineteenth century from the south-eastern Pacific.
Herald’s pipefish (Cosmocampus heraldi) is known only from a few specimens collected from the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas islands off Chile.
The dwarf hagfish (Myxine pequenoi) and the central Chilean hagfish (M. hubbsoides) are both known only from their original collection off the coast of Chile. Soto’s hagfish (M. sotoi) is found off the coast of south-eastern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina states), where it is threatened by bottom trawling.
The Argentine hagfish (Notomyxine tridentiger) is confined to the southern coast of South America from eastern Argentina to southern Chile, where it was last recorded in 1968. It is likely threatened by trawling by-catch.
The fourteen-gill hagfish (Eptatretus polytrema), Bischoff’s hagfish (E. bischoffii), and the Valparaiso hagfish (E. nanii) are all known only from a few specimens collected along the coast of Chile, where they are potentially threatened by fisheries by-catch.
The Sala y Gómez Ridge
The Sala y Gómez Ridge is a mostly submarine mountain range located in the eastern South Pacific. It consists of dozens of enormous seamounts, some of which emerge above sea level to form volcanic high islands. The most notable of the latter is Easter Island.
The bold scorpionfish (Scorpaena orgila) is known only from a few specimens collected from a shallow rocky reef near Easter Island.
The narrow-barred butterflyfish (Amphichaetodon melbae) is known only from a few specimens collected from the San Felix Islands off the coast of Chile and Easter Island.
The Sala y Gómez sandfish (Enigmapercis acutirostris) is known only from a few specimens collected from the Sala y Gomez Ridge.
The Easter Island sharpnose pufferfish (C. cyanetron) is confined to coral reefs surrounding Easter Island.
The Easter Island razorfish (Xyrichtys koteamea) is known only from deep waters surrounding Easter Island.
Chapman’s blenny (Entomacrodus chapmani) is confined to Easter Island.
The Sala y Gómez anglerfish (Solocisquama carinata) is known only from a single specimen collected near the Sala y Gomez Ridge.
Parin’s codling (Physiculus parini) is confined to seamounts of the Sala y Gomez Ridge.
The Scotia Sea
The Scotia Sea is located at the northern edge of the Southern Ocean at its boundary with the South Atlantic, extending roughly from the Drake Passage and Tierra del Fuego to the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Scotia Arc
The Scotia Arc is an island arc system forming the northern, eastern, and southern borders of the Scotia Sea, and includes South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the South Orkney Islands.
Tomkins’ snailfish (Paraliparis tompkinsae) and the South Orkney snailfish (P. orcadensis) are both known only from a few specimens collected from around the South Orkney Islands.
The Burdwood Bank
The Burdwood Bank is an undersea bank located some 200 km south of the Falkland Islands.
Kreft’s cod icefish (Patagonotothen kreffti) is known only from the Burdwood Bank.
The Burwood Bank snailfish (Careproctus minimus) is known only from two specimens collected from the Burdwood Bank.
The Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan (Estrecho de Magallanes in Spanish) is located in southern Chile. It separates mainland South America and Tierra del Fuego.
The largespine velvet dogfish (Proscymnodon macracanthus) is known only from a single specimen collected in the Strait of Magellan.
Thompson’s cod icefish (Patagonotothen thompsoni) is known only from a single specimen collected in the Strait of Magellan.
The Magellan hagfish (Myxine debueni) is known only from two specimens collected in the Strait of Magellan. It was last collected in 1970.
Anthropogenic effects on the fauna
Within the Temperate South America Region there are 59 species of marine fishes currently threatened with extinction (that is to say, either Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List, as well as certain forms either listed as Data Deficient or Not Assessed but which are clearly at some risk of extinction).