Hiromitsu Endo

Kōchi University · Faculty of Science

Two new species of luminous roughies, Aulotrachichthys spiralis and Aulotrachichthys titan (Beryciformes: Trachichthyidae), are described, based on 32 specimens from three main islands of Japan (from Honshu, Shikoku, and southern Kyushu) and a single specimen from the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (northwestern Pacific Ocean), respectively. The holotype of A....

A new scorpionfish, Sebastapistes perplexa, is described on the basis of 43 specimens from the Pacific coast of Japan, where it ranges from the Boso Peninsula to Shikoku, including the Izu Islands, in depths of 2-48 m. The new species is characterized by having 12-15 (mode 14) pectoral-fin rays; 33-42 (37) scale rows in longitudinal series; 4 or 5...

A new snailfish, Careproctus tomiyamai , is described on the basis of four specimens collected from Suruga Bay, Tosa Bay, and the Hyuga-nada Sea, southern Japan (600–808 m depth). It is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by the following combination of characters: total vertebrae 56–58; dorsal-fin rays 51 or 52; anal-fin rays 44–...

Four specimens (696–1268 mm total length) of the Bigtail skate Dipturus macrocauda (Ishiyama, 1955) (Rajiformes; Ra¬jidae) collected off Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures (the Off¬shore Joban area), Pacific coasts of northern Japan, represent the first records of the species from the Joban area, the former lo¬cality also representing the northernmo...

The Japanese Archipelago has a unique geographic history related to tectonic activities in the western North Pacific Ocean, and it is influenced by two strong currents (the Kuroshio and Oyashio currents). Because it extends for 3000 km from north to south, covering the subboreal to subtropical climatic zones, there are various aquatic environments...

A taxonomic review of Plectrogenium (Teleostei: Plectrogeniidae) disclosed 10 valid species, eight being new (most previously identified as P. nanum Gilbert 1905): P. nanum (Hawaiian Islands); P. barsukovi Mandrytsa 1992 [Nazca Ridge (southeastern Pacific Ocean)]; P. capricornis sp. nov. (New Caledonia); P. kamoharai sp. nov. (Japan and Taiwan); P....

The population structures of four Japanese species of the rajid genus Okamejei were investigated based on sequence variations in the mitochondrial DNA control region and morphometric data. These suggested that geographic barriers, such as straits and ocean currents, had shaped the population structures on a small spatial scale, the Tsushima Warm Cu...

Ocosia spinosa Chen, 1981 (Tetrarogidae) is newly recorded from the Pacific coast of Japan, on the basis of 10 specimens (31.3–78.1 mm standard length), having been previously reported only from Taiwan. A revised diagnosis for the species, based on the Japanese specimens plus a single specimen from Taiwan, is given as follows: XV–XVIII, 7 or 8 dors...

The snailfish Osteodiscus abyssicola sp. nov. is described from a single specimen collected off the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, northern Japan, at a depth of 4,671–4,744 m. It is distinguished from all currently recognized congeners by the following combination of characters: vertebrae 49; dorsal-fin rays 44; anal-fin rays 39; principal caudal-fin r...

The lantern shark genus Etmopterus contains approximately 40 species of deep-sea bioluminescent cartilaginous fishes. They emit blue light mainly from the ventral body surface. The biological functions of this bioluminescence have been discussed based on the luminescence patterns, but the bioluminescence mechanism remains uncertain. In this study,...

Priolepis duostella sp. nov. (Perciformes: Gobiidae) is described based on a single specimen of 28.8 mm in standard length collected from an artificial reef released established for 2.5 years in ca. 100 m depth off Kashiwa-jima Island, Kochi, southern Japan. Within the three species grades of the genus, the new species is included in the “Priolepis...

Ninety-seven shore fish species have previously been reported from the inside of a harbor of Haruno Fishing Port, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Fifty-one species belonging 27 families were newly reported from the same locality in this study. Additionally, a single specimen (24.9 mm standard length) of Luciogobius sp. 10 sensu Shibukawa et al., 2019 (Gob...

Three snailfish species of Careproctus (Cottoidei: Liparidae), including two new species, are described from the deep Pacific Ocean off northern Honshu Island, Japan. Careproctus cyanogladius sp. nov., collected from the depths of 2,698–3,223 m, can be distinguished from congeneric species by having the following combination of characters: vertebra...

Three-spot righteye flounder, Samariscus triocellatus Woods,1960, is first recorded from Shikoku Island, Japan, based on a single specimen (60.0 mm standard length) collected near Kashiwa-jima Island, southwest of Kochi Prefecture. We provide its description and comment on a relevant year of the original description of the species: i.e., a brief de...

The lantern shark genus Etmopterus is a group of deep-sea bioluminescent fishes. They emit blue light mainly from the ventral body surface, and the primary biological function is considered to be for camouflage by counterillumination. In this study, we detected both coelenterazine and coelenterazine-specific luciferase activity in the ventral photo...

The lantern shark genus Etmopterus is a group of deep-sea bioluminescent fishes. They emit blue light mainly from the ventral body surface, and the primary biological function is considered to be for camouflage by counterillumination. In this study, we detected both coelenterazine and coelenterazine-specific luciferase activity in the ventral photo...

The rare Japanese deep-sea snailfish Careproctus rhodomelas Gilbert and Burke, 1912 is redescribed based on the holotype and 10 newly-collected specimens (30.0–131.4 mm standard length), with notes on morphological variations in pelvic disk size and body coloration caused by ontogenetic development. An updated distribution of the species is also pr...

Two specimens of Brown Stingray, Bathytoshia lata (Garman, 1880) (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae), collected from Kochi and Mie Prefectures, Japan, were reported in detail on their morphological and genetic characteristics. As for COI sequence data of the mitochondrial DNA, Kochiʼs specimen is identified as B. lata, distinguishing from other congeners...

New distributional records of forty-five fish species off the Pacific coast of Tohoku District, northern Japan are reported, based on specimens trawled by the R/V Wakataka-maru (Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency) during surveys in autumn of each year from 1995 to 2019. The records include northern distribution range extensions of 19 spe...

A new species of softnose skate (Arhynchobatidae), Bathyraja sexoculata Misawa, Orlov, Orlova, Gordeev and Ishihara is described on the basis of five specimens collected from off the east coast of Simushir Island, Kuril Islands, located in the western North Pacific. The specimens conformed to the genus Bathyraja by having the anteriormost pectoral-...

A new codlet species is described from Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia. It is distinguished from its congeners by having a pointed snout extending beyond jaws, a stripe of black dots above anal-fin base, a black vertical band on caudal-fin base, and the following combination of characters: ventral surface of head and abdomen devoid of melano...

Bregmaceros retrodorsalis sp. nov., a new codlet species is described based on specimens from shallow to deep waters off Japan and Melanesia. It differs from all congeners by having the origin of second dorsal-fin well posterior, above bases of 5th to 7th anal-fin rays and combination of the following characters: a pointed snout distinctly longer t...

Larva and juveniles belonging to two ophidiid species of the genus Brotula Cuvier 1829, Brotula sp. 1 [3 specimens, 14.2, 50.7, and 55.7 mm in standard length (SL)] and Brotula sp. 2 (1 specimen, 47.8 mm SL), were collected from the Northwest Pacific Ocean off the Okinawa, Izu (Aoga-shima Island and Miyake-jima Island), and Ogasawara Islands, Japan...

Serranid specimens collected from Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture, Japan (1 specimen) and the South China Sea [Gulf of Tonkin, off Vietnam, Riau Islands (Indonesia) and Borneo] (10 specimens) were identified as Epinephelus craigi, previously been known only from Taiwan and China. The species is characterized by five dark vertical bands bisected by a lon...

Epinephelus kupangensis Tucker, Kurniasih, and Craig, 2016, previously known from the Indo-West Pacific as far north as Taiwan, was recorded from Japan for the first time on the basis of two specimens (98.1–384.6 mm SL) collected from Tosa Bay, Kochi and Okinawa prefectures. The Kochi specimen had been previously reported as the first Japanese spec...

A new species of argentinid fish, Glossanodon macrocephalus Bineesh & Endo, from the Arabian Sea, off the southwestern coast of India, is described on the basis of four specimens (129–164 mm SL). The new species clearly differs from its congeners in the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays 10–11; pectoral-fin rays 21–23; anal-fin ra...

A new tilefish, Branchiostegus biendong, is described on the basis of three specimens (181–209 mm in standard length [SL]) collected from a local fish market of Quy Nhon on the South China Sea coast of central Vietnam. It can be distinguished from 17 congeners in having the following combination of characters: six diagonal scale rows exposed on che...

The taxonomic status of two species of the spookfish genus Harriotta Goode and Bean 1895 is revised and discussed. On the basis of a literature review along with a comparison between the two species formerly considered valid, H. haeckeli Karrer 1972 is synonymized with H. raleighana Goode and Bean 1895, and Anteliochimaera chaetirhampha Tanaka 1909...

A specimen (114.4 mm SL) of the rare ophidiid species, Benthocometes australiensis Nielsen, 2010, was collected from a deep-sea water intake at a depth of 320 m off Cape Muroto, Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan. The species is previously only known from the holotype trawled off northwestern Australia. Thus, the present specimen is the first...

Cynoglossus yokomaru sp. nov., previously known as Cynoglossus sp., called “Otafuku-genko” (the standard Japanese name), is described based on 15 specimens [64–226 mm in standard length (SL)] collected at depths of 73–157 m in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea. The new species belongs to the Cynoglossus kopsii complex as redefined in this paper and...

—The population structure of the ocellate spot skate (Okamejei kenojei), distributed in the western North Pacific, was assessed on the basis of genetic variations in the mitochondrial DNA control region (mtCR) and differences in morphological characters and features. Significant genetic differentiation in mtCR was observed among 6 regional populati...

Nineteen specimens of Plectranthias xanthomaculatus (Serranidae), previously known only from Taiwan (type locality) and the East China Sea off Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, are recorded from Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture and off Tonaki-jima Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese specimens [19.4–43.3 mm standard length (SL)] diff...

A single specimen [226 mm in standard length (SL)] of a haemulid fish collected from Iriomote-jima Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, in 2012, was identified as Diagramma melanacrum Johnson and Randall, 2001, characterized by the following combination of characters: third dorsal-fin spine longest; first dorsal-fin spine length 45 % of second dorsal...

Ninety-seven shore fish species belonging to 54 families were collected from the inside of a harbor of Haruno Fishing Port (33°28'09"N, 133°30'18"E) in Kochi City faced to Tosa Bay (Pacific Ocean), Kochi Prefecture, Japan during 2016–2017. (In Japanese with English abstract)

Coelorinchus okamurai sp. nov. is described from five specimens collected in the Timor Sea at a depth of 610–690 m. The new species belongs to the Coelorinchus japonicus group (redefined in this study), and differs from all other congeners in having the following combination of features: snout moderately long, sharply pointed in lateral and dorsal...

The rare jawfish Opistognathus trimaculatus Hiramatsu and Endo 2013 is newly recorded from the East China Sea, based on a single specimen collected from the west of Yaku-shima Island, Kagoshima, Japan. It was previously known only from Tosa Bay (type locality) and the Kii Channel, both located off the Pacific coasts of southern Japan. The new speci...

A replacement name, Mesovagus nom. nov., is proposed for the grenadier genus Mesobius Hubbs and Iwamoto 1977, which is preoccupied by Mesobius Chamberlin 1951 in lithobiid centipedes (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha).

A rare sandperch, Parapercis fuscolineata Fourmanoir, 1985, is reported for the first time from Japan, based on a single specimen (36.8mm SL) collected from Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, at a depth of 200–203m. This species was previously known only from the Philippines (type locality) and the tropical southwest Pacific region (Solomo...

A new species of grenadier, Coryphaenoides soyoae, is described from two specimens collected from the Shichito-Iojima Ridge (type locality) and off Fukushima, Honshu, Japan, at depths of 2740–2991 m. The new species belongs to the subgenus Coryphaenoides and is most similar to Coryphaenoides castaneus Shcherbachev and Iwamoto 1995 and Coryphaenoide...

Nine specimens of Pelagic Stingray (violet stingray), Pteroplatytrygon violacea (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae), were collected from Wakasa Bay, the Sea of Japan. These specimens are the first records of P. violacea in Wakasa Bay, and the first specimen-based records in the Sea of Japan. Among them, one adult female gave birth to five embryos in an a...

A single specimen of the midwater grenadier Odontomacrurus murrayi Norman, 1939 was collected from off the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Tohoku region, northern Japan, at a depth of 168-204 m (bottom depth 2641 m). It represents the first record of O. murrayi from Japanese waters and the northernmost record of this species in the Pacific. Pre...

The taxonomic status of two grenadiers, Coelorinchus tokiensis (Steindachner and Döderlein 1887) and Coelorinchus longicephalus Okamura 1982, is revised based on the examination of their types and 42 additional specimens from Japan. Our examinations confirmed the two nominal species to be synonymous and C. longi- cephalus is herein regarded as a ju...

Nezumia infranudis is redescribed from the holotype and an additional specimen collected from the Timor Sea at a depth of 610–690 m. It belongs to the Nezumia spinosa group (herein defined) and is most similar to the Indo-West Pacific N. spinosa. Nezumia infranudis is distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of features: pelv...

A new owstoniine bandfish, Owstonia kamoharai, is described based on six specimens (147-402 mm in standard length) collected from off southern Japan: Shikoku Island, Kii Peninsula, and Suruga Bay. The new species differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays III, 21; anal-fin rays I, 14; pectoral-fin rays 21...

Hymenocephalus yamasakiorum, a new species of grenadier fishes, is described from a single specimen collected from Tosa Bay off Aki, Kochi, Japan, at a depth of 320–400 m. The species is distinguished from its 26 known congeners in having the following combination of features: pelvic-fin rays nine; pectoral-fin rays i16–i17; first dorsal-fin rays I...

Neoepinnula minetomai, a new species of sackfish, is described from two specimens collected from the East China Sea off Kuchierabu-jima Island, Kagoshima, Japan, at depths of about 380-420 m. The species is separable from its two congeners, Neoepinnula americana and Neoepinnula orientalis, by the following combination of characters: orbit huge, 1.0...

A new hoplichthyid species, Hoplichthys mimaseanus, is described on the basis of two specimens (206.4–218.4 mm SL) collected from Tosa Bay, off Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan and off Uotsuri-shima Island, Senkaku Islands, southern East China Sea. In addition, two specimens collected from Western Australia are considered conspecific with th...

A new sand diver Trichonotus somaliensis n. sp. (Trichonotidae) is described on the basis of 13 specimens collected off the coast of Somalia at a depth of 38-78m. The new species is most similar to T. arabicus and T. cyclograptus in lacking elongated anterior dorsal-fin spines and having dark markings on the lateral body surface in males. However,...

A new grenadier, Nezumia shinoharai, is described based on two specimens collected from the continental slope off the Pacific coast of southern Japan, at depths of 627–700 m. The new species is clearly distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: pelvic fin rays 10; spinules on body scales needlelike, arranged...

The oceanic early life of Sicydiinae gobies has remained mysterious although considerable knowledge has been accumulated about their freshwater life. Two marine post-larvae of Sicyopterus japonicus, were collected by otter trawl in the ocean off Shikoku, Japan on 18 July and 22 August 2007. These specimens were identified as S. japonicus using meri...

Aphthalmichthys kuro, described by Kuroda (1947) based on a specimen from Suruga Bay, Japan, is referred to Callechelys (family Ophichthidae, subfamily Ophichthinae). It differs from its congeners in its vertebral number (142–146), tail length (2.0–2.1 in TL), and coloration (brownish black). The holotype is lost; we herein designate a neotype and...

A late-stage larva of Coryphaenoides pectoralis was first observed in situ and subsequently collected by the deep-sea submersible “Shinkai 2000” from mesopelagic waters at a depth of 530m off Hokkaido, Japan. The larva (14.5mm in head length, 149+mm in total length) has fan-like pectoral fins, elongate first dorsal fin, pelvic fin and tail, 10 firs...

A trichonotid sanddiver, Trichonotus blochii Castelnau, 1875, known only from its short original description, is redescribed on the basis of the holotype and 11 additional specimens from northern Australia. This species differs from its congeners by displaying the following combination of characters: dorsal fin soft rays 43-46; anal fin soft rays 3...

An annotated checklist of marine and estuarine fishes of Yaku-shima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan, was compiled from field and literature surveys. All registered specimens previously recorded from Yaku-shima Island in published papers were re-examined. A total of 951 species (382 genera, 112 families, 24 orders), including 374 specie...

In the Pacific, most angel sharks display rather limited geographic distributions. Recent findings of three specimens of the Taiwan angel shark, Squatina formosa, from Tosa Bay, Kochi Prefecture, Japan enlarges the known geographic range of this species considerably. So far, this species only has been known from Taiwan. Other records might be consi...

Morphological and genetic variations among four local samples (from the Seto Inland Sea, Tokyo Bay, Tosa Bay and Kagoshima Bay) of genko sole, Cynoglossus interruptus, were examined. Morphologically, significant differences were detected among the samples in many characters. Also, differences were recognized among the samples in proportions of indi...

Cynoglossus ochiaii sp. nov. is described on the basis of 28 specimens from Tosa Bay, off Kochi, and Kagoshima Bay, southern Japan. Formerly regarded as a variation of C. interruptus, the latter being originally diagnosed as having 2 lateral lines, the new species differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: 3 continuous o...

Genetic differences between trilinear and dilinear forms of a tongue sole, Cynoglossus interruptus, were examined by use of isozymes. Unequivocal differences were detected between the two forms, including complete replacement of alleles at the FBALD-2*, MDH-3*, PROT-1*, and SOD-1* loci, almost complete replacement at the AAT-3*, AH-1*, AH-2*, EST-3...

Selected electrophoretograms of significant loci in Cynoglossus “interruptus.” Uppercase letters following enzyme or protein name abbreviation indicate tissue; arrows indicate origins of electrophoresis. L, liver; M, muscle

Several groups of marine fishes and squids form mutualistic bioluminescent symbioses with luminous bacteria. The dependence of the animal on its symbiont for light production, the animal's specialized anatomical adaptations for harboring bacteria and controlling light emission, and the host family bacterial species specificity characteristic of the...

Records of the Banded Grouper, Epinephelus amblycephalus (Perciformes: Serranidae), from Japanese waters are reviewed on the basis of specimens examined and literature accounts, and descriptions provided of three newly collected specimens from Kagoshima and Wakayama Prefectures. Although E. amblycephalus has previously been thought not to occur in...

Based on four juvenile specimens of Lutjanus collected from the southern coast of Jeju Island, three species, L. argentimaculatus, L. fulviflamma, and L. quinquelineatus, are described as the first record from Korea. The first species is easily differentiated from other lutjanid juveniles by distinct coloring of the dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins as...

“Photobacterium mandapamensis” (proposed name) and Photobacterium leiognathi are closely related, phenotypically similar marine bacteria that form bioluminescent symbioses with marine animals. Despite their similarity, however, these bacteria can be distinguished phylogenetically by sequence divergence of their luminescence genes, luxCDAB(F)E, by t...

The gene order of mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) has been employed as a useful phylogenetic marker in various metazoan animals, because it may represent uniquely derived characters shared by members of monophyletic groups. During the course of molecular phylogenetic studies of the order Gadiformes (cods and their relatives) based on whole mito...

Halieutopsis bathyoreos Bradbury, 1988 (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae), previously described only on the basis of the holotype (62.6mm in standard length) from the central North Pacific, is redescribed on the basis of the holotype and six additional specimens (41.2–68.7mm in standard length) collected from the western South Pacific, off Papua New Gu...

Eighteen specimens of the helmet gurnard, Dactyloptena tiltoni Eschmeyer, 1997, collected from Tosa Bay, represent the first record of the species from Japan. A redescription of the species is given. Most specimens from Tosa Bay are larger than the types. The lateral line condition, including tubules covered by body scales, and fresh coloration are...

A recent preliminary study using complete mitochondrial DNA sequences from 48 species of teleosts has suggested that higher teleostean phylogenies should be reinvestigated on the basis of more intensive taxonomic sampling. As a second step towards the resolution of higher teleostean phylogenies, which have been described as the "(unresolved) bush a...

A rare deep-sea ophidiid genus Mastigopterus known to contain two species, M. imperator Smith and Radcliffe, 1913 and M. praetor Smith and Radcliffe, 1913, was reviewed on the basis of six specimens including the holotypes of both species. Dorsal and anal fin ray counts and the size of cephalic sensory pores previously thought to be diagnostic char...

A new ogcocephalid batfish,Coelophrys bradburyae, is described on the basis of a single specimen collected from the Pacific coast off Aomori, Japan, at a depth between 557–595 m. The species differs from others of the genus by having a small eye (7.1 in head length), short upper jaw (3.7 in head length), short pectoral and pelvic fins (length 3.0 a...