Species Diversity 25: 55–60 Published online 25 January 2020 DOI: 10.12782/specdiv.25.55 First Record of the Lizardfish Synodus mundyi (Actinopterygii: Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from Japan Naohide Nakayama1,3 and Takaaki Tamai2 1 Department of Marine Biology, School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, 3-20-1 Orido, Shimizu, Shizuoka 424-8610, Japan E-mail: [email protected] 2 Training Vessel Administrative Office, Tokai University, 3-20-1 Orido, Shimizu, Shizuoka 424-8610, Japan 3 Corresponding author (Received 2 July 2019; Accepted 22 November 2019) A rare lizardfish, Synodus mundyi Randall, 2009, is newly reported from the northwestern Pacific around Japan, based on a single specimen (147 mm in standard length) collected from off Muko-jima island of the Ogasawara Islands at a depth of 63 m. Prior to the present study, the species was represented by only the two type specimens collected from the Hawaiian Islands. Among Japanese congeners, it is most similar to the Indo-Pacific Synodus doaki Russell and Cressey, 1979 especial- ly in having a very long nasal flap, but differs notably from the latter in that the tip of the pectoral fin extends well beyond a line connecting the dorsal- and pelvic-fin origins (vs. just reaching this level). The Japanese specimen is fully described, with a color photograph of the fresh specimen. A new standard Japanese name, “Kaede-eso”, is proposed for S. mundyi. Key Words: Distribution, range extension, description, Ogasawara Islands, northwestern Pacific. then thawed at a laboratory to take muscle tissues for fu- Introduction ture molecular analyses and to record fresh coloration (Fig. 1A) before formalin fixation. Counts and measurements The lizardfish genus Synodus Scopoli, 1777 currently in- follow Hubbs and Lagler (1947), Randall and Pyle (2008), cludes about 50 valid species worldwide (Allen et al. 2017); and Randall (2009). The standard and head lengths are ex- of these, the Indo-Pacific Synodus doaki Russell and Cressey, pressed as SL and HL respectively. Counting scale rows was 1979 was originally described from New Zealand (type lo- facilitated by a temporal stain with a Cyanine Blue solu- cality), northeastern Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, and tion (Akihito et al. 1993; Saruwatari et al. 1997). Osteologi- the western Indian Ocean off Kenya. Subsequently, in their cal features were examined using radiographs. Institutional review of the Hawaiian species of Synodus, Waples and Ran- abbreviations follow Sabaj (2019). The specimen examined dall (1988) listed four specimens (including a paratype) of here is deposited at the ichthyological collection of the Ma- this widespread species from their study area. However, rine Science Museum, Tokai University, Shizuoka (MSM). Randall (2009) described Synodus mundyi as a new species based on two specimens that Waples and Randall (1988) Synodus mundyi Randall, 2009 had identified as S. doaki, suggesting that none of the above [New standard Japanese name: Kaede-eso] Hawaiian specimens represented the true S. doaki. Since its (Figs 1–3, Table 1) original description, S. mundyi has not been collected else- where. During an annual training cruise for third-year un- Synodus doaki (not of Russell and Cressey, 1981): Waples dergraduate students of the Department of Marine Biology, and Randall, 1988: 191, fig. 1, pl. 1C [in part, 2 spec. from School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hawaii: BPBM 28623 and USNM 392810 (ex. BPBM a single specimen of a reddish Synodus with a well-devel- 24758); comparisons with other Hawaiian spp.]; Mundy, oped nasal flap was collected from 63 m depth off Muko- 2005: 200 (listed from Hawaiian Archipelago); Randall, jima, a remote island located at the northern end of the 2007: 110, lower fig. (compiled; Hawaiian Is.). Ogasawara Islands, southern Japan. Subsequent examina- Synodus mundyi Randall, 2009: 410, fig. 7, table 5 (original tion revealed that it represents the first record of S. mun- description; 2 spec. from Hawaii; holotype: BPBM 28623, dyi from the northwestern Pacific. Herein, we describe this 68 mm SL, Penguin Bank, Kaiwi Channel, 84 m depth; specimen and propose a new standard Japanese name for paratype: USNM 392810, 140 mm SL, male, northwest of the species. O’ahu, 21º39′N, 158º06′W, 180–200 m depth). Material examined. MSM-19-152, male, 147 mm SL, Materials and Methods northwest of Muko-jima I., Ogasawara Is., Japan, 27º47′12″N, 142º02′36″E, 63 m, T/V Bosei-maru, cr. 19-06, sta. 6-4, rod The specimen examined was frozen on board the vessel, and reel, 5 June 2019. © 2020 The Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology 56 N. Nakayama and T. Tamai Fig. 1. Fresh specimens of Synodus mundyi. A, MSM-19-152, 147 mm SL, off Muko-jima i., Ogasawara Is. (the opercle and branchiostegal membrane are partly damaged); B, BPBM 28623, holotype, 68 mm SL, Penguin Bank, Hawaiian Is.; C, specimen reported as S. doaki by Wa- ples and Randall (1988) and Randall (2009), 140 mm SL [missing; not USNM 392810 (ex. BPBM 24758)], O’ahu, Hawaiian Is. Photographed by the Nakayama Lab, School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University (A); J. E. Randall (B, C). Diagnosis. Modified from the diagnosis given in the of each bar with faint yellowish spot; space between second original description by Randall (2009): dorsal-fin rays 13; constricted area of each bar with pale arc; color in alcohol anal-fin rays 9–10; pectoral-fin rays 13–14; lateral-line scales uniformly pale yellowish. 58–60; scale rows between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin Description of Japanese specimen. General features of 1 3 ⁄2; vertebrae 58–60; predorsal vertebrae 15–17; 3–5 anteri- the fish are shown in Fig. 1. Counts and measurements are or palatine teeth of inner row distinctly longer than posteri- given in Table 1. or teeth, arranged in discrete group; preopercle fully scaled; Dorsal-fin rays 13, branched except first 2, last branched posterior flap of anterior nostril very long, slender to leaf- to base; anal-fin rays 10, unbranched except last 2, last like, extending more than 2 posterior-nostril diameters be- branched to base; pectoral-fin rays 13, upper 2 and lower yond nostrils when laid back; body depth at pelvic-fin origin 1 unbranched; pelvic-fin rays 8, first and last unbranched; 6.3–7.35 in SL; pectoral fin extending beyond line connect- principal caudal-fin rays 19, upper and lower ones un- ing dorsal- and pelvic-fin origins, fin length 2.15–2.25 in branched; procurrent caudal-fin rays (upper/lower) 18/15; HL; color when fresh reddish dorsally, abruptly white below lateral-line scales 58, not including tubed scales curving lateral line, with about 8 brilliant red bars, each with 3 con- ventrally on caudal-fin base; scale rows between lateral line 1 strictions (uppermost obscure in lateral view); broad parts and dorsal-fin origin 3 ⁄2; scale rows between lateral line and Synodus mundyi from Japan 57 Table 1. Measurements and counts for Synodus mundyi. References This study Randall (2009) Catalog numbers MSM-19-152 BPBM 28623 USNM 392810 Type status Non-type Holotype Paratype SL (mm) 147 66 140 % of SL Body depth at pelvic-fin origin 15.8 13.6 13.9 Body depth at anal-fin origin 10.3 9.2 9.8 Body width 15.6 12.2 13.5 Head length 27.8 28.4 29.6 Snout length 7.2 7.3 7.5 Orbit diameter 6.7 7.3 6.5 Interorbital width 2.6 2.9 3.3 Upper-jaw length 18.1 18.3 18.9 Caudal-peduncle depth 5.8 5.8 5.8 Caudal-peduncle length 11.6 9.6 10 Predorsal-fin length 41.5 40.3 40.8 Preanal-fin length 79.2 78.3 78.3 Preadipose-fin length 83.1 82.7 81.3 Prepelvic-fin length 36.5 34.9 35.8 Dorsal-fin base 16.7 17.6 16.8 Longest dorsal-fin ray 15.0 16.2 15.7 Anal-fin base 9.5 9.6 9.6 Longest anal-fin ray 8.3 7.5 7.9 Caudal-fin length 14.2 16.1 15 Caudal concavity 6.7 7.5 7.1 Pectoral-fin length 12.9 13.2 13.2 Pelvic-fin length 25.2 23.8 22.8 Counts Dorsal-fin rays 13 13 13 Anal-fin rays 10 9 10 Pectoral-fin rays 13 14 13 Pelvic-fin rays 8 8 8 Principal caudal-fin rays 19 19 19 1 1 1 Scale rows below dorsal-fin origin 3 ⁄2 3 ⁄2 3 ⁄2 1 1 1 Scale rows above anal-fin origin 5 ⁄2 5 ⁄2 5 ⁄2 Predorsal scales 17 16 16 Circumpeduncular scales 14 15 15 Lateral-line scales 58 59 60 Total vertebrae 58 59 60 Predorsal vertebrae 15 16 17 Peritoneal spots 3 14 14 1 anal-fin origin 5 ⁄2; median predorsal scales ca. 17; circum- of upper jaw in 2 closely set rows, those of outer row fixed, peduncular scales 14; lower-limb gill rakers on ceratobran- about 1/2 length of inner teeth, and covered by lip; teeth chial 21; peritoneal spots 3; total vertebrae 58; predorsal ver- of inner row inwardly depressible; teeth in lower jaw in 3 tebrae 15. closely set rows, becoming progressively smaller laterally, Body slender, cylindrical, depth at pelvic-fin origin 6.3 in middle and inner rows inwardly depressible, outer row hid- SL; body width 6.4 in SL; HL 3.6 in SL; snout length 3.9 in den by lip; palatine teeth in about 3–4 rows; 5 anterior teeth HL; orbit diameter 4.1 in HL; interorbital space a broad V- of inner row elongate, longest nearly twice as long as poste- shaped concavity when viewed anteriorly, least bony width rior palatine teeth; bands of palatine teeth arranged in dis- 10.6 in HL; caudal-peduncle depth 4.8 in HL; caudal-pe- crete rows and converging anteriorly, tips of longer anterior duncle length 2.4 in HL.