Early maturation of rosyface dace Biogeography 19. 127–132. Sep. 20, 2017 First record of the ponyfish Deveximentum interruptum (Teleostei: Leiognathidae) from Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan Ryohei Miki1, 2*, Atsunobu Murase1, 3 and Masaaki Wada4 1 Nobeoka Marine Science Station, Field Science Center, University of Miyazaki, 376-6 Akamizu, Nobeoka, Miyazaki 889-0517, Japan 2 Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Agriculture and Engineering, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan 3 Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuen-kibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan 4 Fisheries Cooperative Association of Iorigawa, 6-188 Iorigawa-nishi, Kadogawa-cho, Miyazaki 889-0605, Japan Abstract. A specimen (35.6 mm in standard length) of the leiognathid fish Deveximentum interruptum (Va- lenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835) collected from Kadogawa Bay, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan represents the first record of the species from Japan and northernmost specimen-based record of the species to date. It has previously been recorded from the tropical Eastern Indian and Western Pacific oceans, from India to New Guinea, northward to Taiwan and southward to northern Australia. A brief description of the specimen is given, and comparisons with congener similar species provided. Key words: Deveximentum megalolepis, distribution, Kadogawa Bay, new record, Perciformes, Secutor The leiognathid fish genus Deveximentum scribed by Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes Fowler, 1904 is currently represented in the Indo- (1835) as Equula interrupta, based on a single West Pacific by five species (Eschmeyer et al., specimen collected from Puducherry (formerly 2017: as genus Secutor). Although members of the Pondicherry), India. To date, the species has been genus were included under Secutor until recently recorded from the tropical Eastern Indian and (e.g. Chakrabarty et al., 2010; Kimura, 2011; Allen Western Pacific oceans, from India to New Guinea, & Erdmann, 2012; Senou, 2013), they are currently northward to Taiwan and southward to northern recognized as belonging to the genus Deveximentum Australia (Kimura, 2000). During a survey of the (e.g. Kottelat, 2013; Sparks & Chakrabarty, 2015; marine fish fauna of Miyazaki Prefecture (Pacific Kimura, 2017). To date, D. indicium (Monkolprasit, coast of Kyushu), a single leiognathid, collected by 1973) and D. megalolepis (Mochizuki & Hayashi, the third author from Kadogawa Bay, northern Mi- 1989) are known from Japanese waters (Yamashita yazaki Prefecture, was identified as D. interruptum, et al., 2001; Kimura et al., 2008; Senou, 2013). being the first record of the species from Japanese Deveximentum interruptum was originally de- waters and representing a northernmost extension ——————————————————————— of the known distribution of the species by more *Corresponding author: [email protected] than 1200 km. − 127 − First record of Deveximentum interruptum from Japan Ryohei Miki, Atsunobu Murase and Masaaki Wada The Kadogawa Bay specimen of D. interruptum anal-fin spines longest. Origin of dorsal fin slightly was fixed with 10% formalin and preserved in 70% behind pelvic-fin insertion. Pelvic fins short, with a ethanol, and deposited in the fish collection of the paired axillary scale-like process. Pelvic-fin inser- Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural His- tion just below lower margin of pectoral-fin base. tory (KPM-NI). Species identification followed Caudal fin forked. Mochizuki & Hayashi (1989) and Yamashita et al. Color when fresh (Fig. 1): body yellowish-silver (2001), although the scientific name follows Kottelat dorsally, brilliant silvery-white ventrally. Twelve (2013) and Sparks & Chakrabarty (2015). Counts and measurements followed Hubbs & Lagler (2004). Table 1. Counts and measurements of Deveximentum interruptum from Kadogawa Bay, Miyazaki Prefecture, southern Japan Counts of lateral-line scales followed Mochizuki & Hayashi (1989). Standard length is abbreviated as Mochizuki Present and SL in the text. Color photographs of the specimen study Hayashi (1989) were taken when fresh and deposited in the im- KPM-NI n=29 age data base of Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of 41928 India, Natural History (KPM-NR). Southern Locality Japan southeast Asia, and Taiwan Standard length (mm) 35.6 31.1–63.7 Deveximentum interruptum Counts (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835) Dorsal-fin rays VIII, 16 VIII, 16 [New standard Japanese name: Anal-fin rays III, 14 III, 14 Kadogawa-ukeguchi-hiiragi] Pectoral-fin rays 16 15–18 (16.5) Pelvic-fin rays I, 5 Unavailable (Fig. 1, Table 1) Lateral-line scales 53 54–60 (56.8) Scales above lateral line 11 9–14 (11.0) Material examined. A single specimen from Scales below lateral line 22 18–26 (21.1) Kadogawa Bay: KPM-NI 41928, (photo number Scales between P1 and P2 bases 14 10–16 (12.7) KPM-NR 176931A, B), 35.6 mm SL, Kadogawa-cho, Scales on cheek 8 7–10 (8.2) Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, 32°28ʹ37ʺN, Upper gill rakers 5 3–7 (4.9) 131°39ʹ42ʺE, 8 m depth, set net, Masaaki Wada, 11 Lower gill rakers 19 17–21 (17.3) Total gill rakers 24 18–28 (23.3) November 2016. Measurements (% SL) Description. Counts and measurements are shown 53.4–65.5 Body depth 55.1 in Table 1. Body deep, strongly compressed. An- (57.9) 22.8–31.8 terodorsal profile of head concave above eye, then Head length 29.8 (28.2) slightly convex to dorsal fin origin; ventral profile 9.7–12.6 Eye diameter 11.5 (11.0) more strongly convex than dorsal profile. Mouth Snout length 9.6 6.8–9.7 (8.1) extending upwards, with minute teeth on both Predorsal length 41.0 Unavailable jaws. Profile of lower jaw concave. Lower margin 54.4–60.0 Length of dorsal fin base 55.6 (57.4) of preopercle weakly serrated. Head naked except Length of anal fin base 51.1 49.3–56.0 for scaly cheek. Body, including thoracic region, (52.9) Length of caudal peduncle 12.1 Unavailable completely scaly. Pored scales on lateral line pres- Depth of caudal peduncle 6.7 Unavailable ent until caudal-peduncle region. Dorsal and anal- Distance between pelvic-fin 11.9–19.3 15.7 fin spines slender, weak. Second dorsal- and second insertion and origin of anal fin (15.2) − 128 − First record of Deveximentum interruptum from Japan Ryohei Miki, Atsunobu Murase and Masaaki Wada Fig. 1. Color photographs of Deveximentum interruptum from Kadogawa Bay, Miyazaki Prefecture, southern Japan. KPM-NI 41928, 35.6 mm in standard length. Photo number: upper, KPM-NR 176931A; lower, KPM-NR 176931B. Photographed by A. Murase. indistinct dark narrow vertical bars or blotches dor- distinguishable from other genera by the following solaterally; several anterior bars or blotches broader combination of characters: mouth angled upwards than posterior ones. A faint black line from lower (protruding anterodorsally), located level with margin of orbit to chin. Dorsal and anal fin spines center of eye; anterior profile of lower jaw almost weakly silver, soft rays colorless. Pectoral fin pale vertical when mouth closed; a black line from an- yellow. Pelvic fin weakly silver. Margin of anterior teroventral margin of orbit to lower jaw articulation. dorsal-fin membrane between second and fifth Kottelat (2013) considered Secutor a replacement spines black. Dorsal-fin base weakly blackish. In- name for Equula, itself a synonym of Leiognathus, ner pectoral-fin base black. A faint black line from it cannot presently be used. Moreover, the species pectoral-fin base to rear portion of pelvic fin. Mar- implicated are currently recognized as members gin of caudal fin blackish. of the genus Deveximentum (e.g. Kottelat, 2013; Remarks. The Kadogawa Bay specimen agreed Sparks & Chakrabarty, 2015; Kimura, 2017). Thus, well with the diagnostic features of the genus Secu- scientific name of the present specimen as Devexi- tor, described by Kimura et al. (2008), being clearly mentum interruptum follows Kottelat (2013). − 129 − First record of Deveximentum interruptum from Japan Ryohei Miki, Atsunobu Murase and Masaaki Wada The present specimen being identified as such may have been based on misidentified S. interrup- on the basis of the following combination of char- tus or S. megalolepis, due to errors in scale counts. acters, which agreed well with the diagnostic fea- On this basis, Kottelat (2013) and Eschmeyer et al. tures given for the species (as Secutor interruptus) (2017) have recognized the species as Leiognathus by Mochizuki & Hayashi (1989) and Yamashita et ruconius (Hamilton, 1822), although no types exist al. (2001): cheek scaled; body completely scaled; and the validity of L. ruconius is uncertain. lateral-line scales 53; scales above lateral line 11, Kadogawa Bay, opening widely to the Pacific below lateral line 22, between bases of pectoral fin Ocean, is located on the east coast of Kyushu, the and pelvic fin 14, and on cheek 8; body high, its southernmost main island of Japan. Offshore of this depth 55.1% SL; head length 2.6 times eye diam- region, the strong warm Kuroshio Current flows eter. All meristic and morphometric values for the from southwest to northeast. Consequently, a num- present specimen were within the ranges given by ber of tropical fish species have been reported from Mochizuki & Hayashi (1989) (Table 1). Among its the bay as northernmost distribution records (e.g. congeners, D. interruptum is morphologically most Miyamoto et al. 2011; Miki et al., 2017; Murase et similar to D. megalolepis, sharing the scaly cheek, al., 2017b). The bay is also known the southernmost deeper body, and similar indistinct dark narrow Pacific coast (eastern Kyushu) limit of several en- vertical bars on the body. The former can be clearly demic cool temperate East Asian fish species (Nak- distinguished from the latter as follows: 52–60 lat- abo, 2013; Murase et al., 2017a). Further compre- eral-line scales (vs. 42–49 in D. megalolepis); scales hensive fish surveys in this region are required for above lateral line 10–14 (vs.