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Identification of first recorded ophichthid larvae of Ophichthus celebicus and O. macrochir (Anguilliformes; Ophichthidae) from Japan, based on morphometric and genetic evidence

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Abstract

Two types of ophichthid larvae collected from Japanese coastal waters around Kyushu and Shikoku were identified by DNA barcoding as Ophichthus celebicus (Bleeker 1856) and O. macrochir (Bleeker 1852). These two species have not been reported from Japan previously. The leptocephalus of O. celebicus was found to have melanophore spots or streaks on the eighth to last myosepta on the midline of the body. The metamorphic larva of O. macrochir was found to have subcutaneous melanophore distributed along myosepta in every first to fifth myomeres on the midline of the body. The larvae of those two species were distinguishable from other ophichthid larvae reported from Japan by these morphological features. The new standard Japanese names, “Torinoko-umihebi” and “Kuronaga-umihebi”, are proposed for O. celebicus and O. macrochir, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Katsumori Sakurai (Kuroshio Maru) and Komatsu Akihiro for collecting samples; Seishi Kimura (FRLM), Hsuan-Ching Ho (NMMB), Kei Miyamoto (OCF), Kiyotaka Hatooka (OMNH), Keita Koeda (ZUMT, formerly NMMB) and Ayumi Koeda for their hospitality for YH's visit and providing tissue samples. Terry J. Donaldson (University of Guam Marine Laboratory) is thanked for his comments on the manuscript. This study was supported in part by the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Taiwan, and the Aquatic Biology Research Fund of the California Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Fisheries Biology, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Shunsuke Endo & Noritaka Mochioka

  2. Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History, 2-4-1 Higashida, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 805-0071, Japan

    Yusuke Hibino

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  1. Shunsuke Endo
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  2. Yusuke Hibino
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  3. Noritaka Mochioka
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Correspondence to Noritaka Mochioka.

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Endo, S., Hibino, Y. & Mochioka, N. Identification of first recorded ophichthid larvae of Ophichthus celebicus and O. macrochir (Anguilliformes; Ophichthidae) from Japan, based on morphometric and genetic evidence. Ichthyol Res 69, 393–398 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-021-00848-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-021-00848-9

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