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Zoantharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) Diversity Research in Japan: Current State and Future Trends

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Species Diversity of Animals in Japan

Part of the book series: Diversity and Commonality in Animals ((DCA))

Abstract

The order Zoantharia (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia) comprises benthic anthozoans found in most of the world’s marine ecosystems. Although historically understudied, research during the past 20 years has helped clarify our understanding of the diversity of this group. Much of this research on this group has originated from Japanese waters and has shown higher-level taxa (above genus) zoantharian diversity here to be among the highest recorded of any region in the world. Here, we introduce the overall species and higher-level zoantharian diversity as it is currently understood in Japan, and focus particularly on taxa that have been described or recorded from this country. Within Japan, taxonomic, phylogenetic, and ecological research has primarily focused on the southwestern Pacific Coast and the Ryukyu Archipelago, with little to no research performed in the Sea of Japan or in northern Japan. Additionally, results suggest that the deep sea, as well as other under-examined ecosystems such as rubble and muddy areas, still harbors much unknown zoantharian diversity. Even from relatively well-researched areas such as the Ryukyu Islands, data indicate that there are still many undescribed species. In the near future, more basic research efforts are needed before we can accurately estimate the diversity of Zoantharia. The methods and analyses used in recent studies of Japanese Zoantharia, as well as the new ideas proposed here, can be utilized in the near future in Japan and other marine regions to help us obtain a broader, more global understanding of zoantharian species distribution, biogeography, and diversity.

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Acknowledgments

The first author was funded by the International Research Hub Project for Climate Change and Coral Reef/Island Dynamics at the University of the Ryukyus, and by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science ‘Zuno-Junkan’ grant entitled ‘Studies on origin and maintenance of marine biodiversity and systematic conservation planning.’ The second author was funded in part by the ‘Program for Establishment of Research and Education Network on Biodiversity and Its Conservation in the Satsunan Islands’ at Kagoshima University. Comments from the editor and three reviewers improved this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer

  2. Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer

  3. Research Center for the Pacific Islands Amami Station, Kagoshima University, Naze-Yanagimachi 2-1, Amami, Kagoshima, 894-0032, Japan

    Takuma Fujii

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  1. James Davis Reimer
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  2. Takuma Fujii
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Correspondence to James Davis Reimer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

    Masaharu Motokawa

  2. Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

    Hiroshi Kajihara

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Reimer, J.D., Fujii, T. (2017). Zoantharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) Diversity Research in Japan: Current State and Future Trends. In: Motokawa, M., Kajihara, H. (eds) Species Diversity of Animals in Japan. Diversity and Commonality in Animals. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56432-4_14

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