First Northwest Pacific Record of the Apogonid Fish, Pristiapogon taeniopterus (Actinopteri: Kurtiformes) from Minamidaito Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

A single specimen of apogonid fish, Pristiapogon taeniopterus (Bennett, 1836) (Actinopteri: Kurtiformes) previously reported from Micronesia, Polynesia, Melanesia, the Hawaiian Islands, Madagascar and Indian Ocean, was recently caught at Minamidaito Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. This specimen is the first record of the species from the Northwest Pacific including Japan and is now the most northerly record. Pristiapogon taeniopterus differs from its congeners in having developed gill rakers 15–17; circumpeduncular scales 15–18; upper-jaw length 17.9–21.5% SL; distinct dark stripes on both dorsal, anal and both lobes of caudal fin; dark vertical bar posterior to the base of caudal fin incompletely developed or interrupted at the central portion of the fin; dark band or blotch on posterior part of caudal peduncle just anterior to caudal-fin base; and pectoral-fin rays usually 13. The new standard Japanese name “Sumihiki-ishimochi” is proposed for the species.