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A new species of rockling fish genus Gaidropsarus is described based on six specimens collected in Galicia and Porcupine Banks, in Atlantic European waters. An analysis of morphological characters has confirmed the specific status of specimens of a previously described clade by comparison of DNA sequences. Gaidropsarus gallaeciae sp. nov. it is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: 43–44 vertebrae; 54–60 third dorsal fin rays; 44–52 anal fin rays; 21–23 pectoral fin rays; head length 21.1–25.2% of standard length (SL); length of the pelvic fin 16.2–19% SL; length of the first dorsal fin ray 15.8–27% of head length (%HL); eye diameter 15.8–20.5% HL; and interorbital space 21.7–28% HL. Using the nucleotide sequence of the 5’ end of the mitochondrial COI gene as a molecular marker, the genetic p-distance between the new species and its congeners far exceeds the usual 2%, granting the former the status of an independent taxon, which is in accordance with the morphological identification. A comparison with the other 12 valid species of the genus is presented. The study also highlights the morphological diversity resulting from the meristic and biometric variability of Gaidropsarus species and lays the groundwork for future taxonomic studies on this genus., SI

One specimen of the shortfin neoscopelid Neoscopelus microchir Matsubara, 1943, has been recorded for the first time on the Porcupine Bank, southwestern Ireland, providing a new northern limit of distribution for the eastern Atlantic. Morphometric and meristic parameters confirm the taxonomic identification. However, DNA barcoding shows deficiencies in current taxonomy and the potential occurrence of cryptic species. On this basis, the specimen is cautiously reported as Neosopelus cf. microchir pending a taxonomic revision of the genus., SI

This study combined morphological and molecular approaches to the species assignment of several rare or poorly known deep-water fishes caught between 549 and 1371 m depth during a Spanish bottom trawl survey in the Porcupine Bank, west of Ireland. The following fish species were identified: Nessorhamphus ingolfianus (Schmidt, 1912), Borostomias antarcticus (Lönnberg 1905), Scopelosaurus lepidus (Krefft and Maul 1955), Bathypterois dubius Vaillant, 1888, Evermannella balbo (Risso, 1820), Antimora rostrata (Günther, 1878), Melanonus zugmayeri Norman, 1930, Lyconus brachycolus Holt and Byrne, 1906, Paraliparis hystrix Merrett, 1983, Neocyttus helgae (Holt and Byrne, 1908), Platyberyx opalescens Zugmayer, 1911, Howella atlantica Post and Quéro, 1991, Lycodes terraenovae Collett, 1896 and Pseudoscopelus altipinnis Parr, 1933. The presence of L. brachycolus, P. opalescens and P. altipinnis is reported for the first time in the Bank. The DNA barcoding results were largely consistent with morphological identification in 10 species but four did not fit the current taxonomy, indicating cases of potential cryptic speciation, misidentification, synonymy or recent diversification. Among them, the results strongly suggest that P. garmani and P. hystrix are conspecific, making P. hystrix a junior synonym of P. garmani.