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The genus Ophiocara (Teleostei: Butidae) in Japan, with descriptions of two new species

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Abstract

A taxonomic review of the genus Ophiocara Gill 1863 in Japan resulted in a revised diagnosis for Ophiocara ophicephalus (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1837) and descriptions of two new species, Ophiocara gigas and Ophiocara macrostoma, from the Ryukyu Archipelago. The three species are genetically isolated based on the mitochondrial COI region, being distinguished from each other and other congeners by differing combinations of opercular scale morphology, upper jaw length, caudal fin length, and coloration: Ophiocara ophicephalus is characterized by having ctenoid scales on the operculum and distinct silver or white spots on the head, body, and dorsal and caudal fins, and in juveniles the absence of bright markings on the lower part of the caudal fin base; O. gigas by two broad beige bands on the body, black spots scattered on the trunk, and in juveniles the presence of three bright markings on the caudal fin base; and O. macrostoma by a uniformly dark caudal fin, elongated upper jaw in adults (16.0–17.5% of standard length), and in juveniles the presence of two narrow bright bands on the body and three bright markings on the caudal fin base. One of two distinct color patterns, previously thought to represent intraspecific dimorphism of O. ophicephalus, is now considered characteristic of the new species O. gigas. The three species also exhibited distinct habitats, salinity preference, and maximum body length.

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Data availability

The sequence data of the mitochondrial DNA have been deposited in the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) under the accession numbers LC731406–731410 and 731412–731421. The other datasets generated and analyzed during the present study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgments

We especially thank His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus Akihito, Katsusuke Meguro, Masayoshi Hayashi, Yuji Ikeda, and Munenori Kishida (BLIP) for providing their photographs and unpublished data of primary types. We are grateful to Uchu Yamakawa (University of Tsukuba) and Haruhiko Fujimoto (Ishigaki City) for helping to promote this study; Ken Maeda (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) for providing specimens and photographs; Kazunori Yamahira (University of the Ryukyus) for helping with laboratory experiments; Koetsu Kon (Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology), Shuya Kato (The University of Tokyo), Suguru Sakai (Idea co. ltd.), Tomoaki Maruyama (Trend Design co. ltd.), Momoko Sakurai, Ifue Fukuchi, Tomohiro Kita, Ryo Amagai, Katsunori Tachihara, Ryunosuke Ueda, and Taigi Sato (University of the Ryukyus), Katsuya Ito (Nishihara Town), Yusuke Hibino (KMNH), Tomoki Iwasaki (Fukuoka City), Taichiro Toyama (Ibaraki Prefecture), Rei Matsuo (Wakayama Prefecture), Kazuki Mizowaki and Yuta Inoue (Kochi University), and Daichi Oyama (Azabu Junior and Senior High School) for their kind support of our field survey; Keiichi Ueda (Okinawa Churashima Foundation: OCF) for taking radiographs; Jonathan Pfliger (MNHN), Amanda Hay and Kerryn Parkinson (AMS) for providing photographs of primary types; Naoto Hanzawa and Kosuke Takeda (Yamagata University) for providing information about Palauan specimens; Masaru Mizuyama (Meio University) for providing information about local consumption of O. gigas; Reo Koreeda (Kagoshima University) for providing information on the specimens from Yakushima Island; and Mizuki Matsunuma (The Kyoto University Museum) for valuable comments for our manuscript. We also thank Esther Dondorp (Naturalis Biodiversity Center), James Maclaine (BMNH), Aßel Edda (ZMB), Susanne Dorow, Moritz Sonnewald, and Friedhelm Krupp (SMF), Kei Miyamoto, Nozomi Hanahara, and Shin-ichiro Oka (OCF), Hiroshi Senou (KPM), Daniel F. Mokodongan, Sopian Sauri, and Haryono (MZB), Masahiro Aizawa (The University Museum, The University of Tokyo), Keita Koeda (University of the Ryukyus), and Masanori Nakae and Gento Shinohara (NSMT) for assisting with access to museum specimens; Graham S. Hardy (Ngunguru, New Zealand) for editing a draft of the manuscript. We also thank the Iriomote Station of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, and the Kyushu Regional Forest Administration Office for assistance during our research activities. This study was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grants to HK (19J22686) and MS (19J13664, 22K15173, 22J01012), the Marine Ecological Research Fund from Mikimoto Foundation to HK, and the Fujiwara Natural History Foundation to MS.

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

    Hirozumi Kobayashi

  2. Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0005, Japan

    Mao Sato

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  1. Hirozumi Kobayashi
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HK was responsible for the study design, resources, analysis of the data, funding acquisition, and preparing of the manuscript. MS was responsible for resources, data of the lateral line system, funding acquisition, and review of the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hirozumi Kobayashi.

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The specimens used in this study were appropriately treated in accordance with the Regulation on Animal Care Committee of the University of the Ryukyus under the permit numbers 201899.

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Kobayashi, H., Sato, M. The genus Ophiocara (Teleostei: Butidae) in Japan, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyol Res 71, 119–153 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-023-00919-z

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