First Find of Epigonichthys maldivensis (Cooper) and Rediscovery of E. lucayanus (Andrews) from Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan (Cephalochordata)

Teruaki Nishikawa; Hiroko Shirai; Yungtse Chen; Chang-feng Dai; Masahiro Nohara; Keryea Soong

doi:10.5179/benthos1996.52.2_103

Teruaki Nishikawa, Hiroko Shirai, Yungtse Chen, Chang-feng Dai, Masahiro Nohara, Keryea Soong

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Keywords: cephalochordates, Epigonichthys, Taiwan, morphology, gut contents

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1997 Volume 52 Issue 2 Pages 103-109

DOI https://doi.org/10.5179/benthos1996.52.2_103

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Published: December 25, 1997 Received: February 27, 1997 Available on J-STAGE: August 07, 2009 Accepted: August 18, 1997 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: August 07, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Andrews, A. 1893 An undescribed acraniate: Asymmetron lucayanum. Studies from the Biological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 5: 213-247.
Bigelow, H.B. and I.P. Farfante 1948 Fishes of the Western North Pacific-Part One, Chapter One. Lancelets. Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research, 1: 1-28.
Cai, Y., Z. Liu, Z. Zhang and C. Deng 1986 The amphioxus in the Beibu Gulf of China. Tropic Oceanology, 5 (2): 42-50. (In Chinese with English summary)
Carandang, N. C. 1978 The lancelets [Cephalochordata, Amphioxi] of Lucena Anchorage, Quezon, Philippines. Kalikasan, 7: 177-186.
Chin, T. 1941 Studies on the biology of the Amoy amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri Gray. Philippine Journal of Science, 75: 369-424.
Cooper, C. F. 1903 Cephalochordata. I. Systematic and geographical accout. In, Fauna and Geography of the Maldive and Laccadive Archipelagos, Gardiner, T. (ed.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, vol. 1, pp. 347-360.
Dai, C. 1991 Reef environment and coral fauna of southern Taiwan. Atoll Research Bulletin, No. 354, 24pp. +4 unpaginated figures.
Dai, C. 1993 Patterns of coral distribution and benthic space partitioning on the fringing reefs of southern Taiwan. P.S.Z.N.I.: Marine Ecology, 14: 185-204.
Franz, V. 1922 Systematische Revision der Akranier. Jenaische Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaft, 58: 369-452.
Franz, V. 1924 Lichtsinnversuche am Lanzettfisch zur Ermittelung der Sinnesfunktion des Stirn-oder Gehirnbläschens. Wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen, Neue Folge, Abteilung Helgoland, 15: 1-19.
Gibbs, P.E. and J.H. Wickstead 1969 On a collection of Acrania (Phylum Chordata) from the Solomon Islands. Journal of Zoology, London, 158: 133-141.
Huang, C. and R. Yang 1979 A newly recorded lancelet (Asymmetron lucayanum Andrews) found in the southern tip of Taiwan. Acta Oceanographica Taiwanica, 10: 172-178.
Jones, O.A., R.H. Randall, Y. Cheng, H. Kami and S. Mak 1971 A marine biological survey of southern Taiwan with emphasis on corals and fishes. Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Special Publications, No.1, 93pp.
Massé, H. 1964 Contribution àl'étude des Céphalocor des de la côte occidentals de Madagascar. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume, Bulletin, 35: 269-273.
Nishikawa, T. 1980 Records of two lancelet species, Asymmetron maldivense and A. lucayanum, from the western North Pacific. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 25: 167-173.
Nishikawa, T. 1981 Considerations on the taxonomic status of the lancelets of the genus Branchiostoma from the Japanese waters. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 26: 135-156.
Noda, H. and T. Nishikawa 1989 New finds of the two lancelet species, Asymmetron lucayanum and A. maldivense, on the coast of Kuroshima Island, Yaeyama Islands, Japan. Nankiseibutu: The Nanki Biological Society, 31: 37-38. (In Japanese)
Parker, G. H. 1904 Maldive cephalochordates with the description of a new species from Florida. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College in Cambridge, 46: 39-52.
Piyakarnchana, T. 1962 Taxonomic study on the lancelets found in the Gulf of Thailand, from the specimens collected by the Naga Expedition in the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society, 20: 95-107.
Richardson, B.J. and A.M. McKenzie 1994 Taxonomy and distribution of Australian cephalochordates (Chordata: Cephalochordata). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 8: 1443-1459.
Steiniz, H. 1962 On the occurrence of Asymmetron in the Gulf of Eylath (Aqaba). Bulletin of the Sea Fisheries Research Station of Israel, 30: 35-38.
Tchang, S. and K. Koo 1936 Description of a new variety of Branchiostoma belcheri Gray from Kiaochow Bay, Shantung, China. Contributions from the Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Peiping, 3: 77-114.
Tchang, S. 1962 Sur la présence du genre Asymmetron dans la mer de Chine et la distribution géographique de Branchiostoma belcheri (Gray). Acta Zoologica Sinica, 14: 525-528. (In Chinese with French summary)
Webb, J. E. 1956 A note on the lancelets of Singapore, with a description of a new species of Branchiostoma. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 127: 119-123.
Wickstead, J. H. 1970 On a small collection of Acrania (Phylum Chordata) from New Caledonia. Cahiers du Pacif ique, 14: 237-243.
Wickstead, J. H. 1980 The validity of certain species of Acrania (Phylum Chordata). Journal of Natural History, 14: 453-462.

Right : Andrews, A. 1893 An undescribed acraniate: Asymmetron lucayanum. Studies from the Biological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 5: 213-247.
Bigelow, H.B. and I.P. Farfante 1948 Fishes of the Western North Pacific-Part One, Chapter One. Lancelets. Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research, 1: 1-28.
Cai, Y., Z. Liu, Z. Zhang and C. Deng 1986 The amphioxus in the Beibu Gulf of China. Tropic Oceanology, 5 (2): 42-50. (In Chinese with English summary)
Carandang, N. C. 1978 The lancelets [Cephalochordata, Amphioxi] of Lucena Anchorage, Quezon, Philippines. Kalikasan, 7: 177-186.
Chin, T. 1941 Studies on the biology of the Amoy amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri Gray. Philippine Journal of Science, 75: 369-424.
Cooper, C. F. 1903 Cephalochordata. I. Systematic and geographical accout. In, Fauna and Geography of the Maldive and Laccadive Archipelagos, Gardiner, T. (ed.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, vol. 1, pp. 347-360.
Dai, C. 1991 Reef environment and coral fauna of southern Taiwan. Atoll Research Bulletin, No. 354, 24pp. +4 unpaginated figures.
Dai, C. 1993 Patterns of coral distribution and benthic space partitioning on the fringing reefs of southern Taiwan. P.S.Z.N.I.: Marine Ecology, 14: 185-204.
Franz, V. 1922 Systematische Revision der Akranier. Jenaische Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaft, 58: 369-452.
Franz, V. 1924 Lichtsinnversuche am Lanzettfisch zur Ermittelung der Sinnesfunktion des Stirn-oder Gehirnbläschens. Wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen, Neue Folge, Abteilung Helgoland, 15: 1-19.
Gibbs, P.E. and J.H. Wickstead 1969 On a collection of Acrania (Phylum Chordata) from the Solomon Islands. Journal of Zoology, London, 158: 133-141.
Huang, C. and R. Yang 1979 A newly recorded lancelet (Asymmetron lucayanum Andrews) found in the southern tip of Taiwan. Acta Oceanographica Taiwanica, 10: 172-178.
Jones, O.A., R.H. Randall, Y. Cheng, H. Kami and S. Mak 1971 A marine biological survey of southern Taiwan with emphasis on corals and fishes. Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Special Publications, No.1, 93pp.
Massé, H. 1964 Contribution àl'étude des Céphalocor des de la côte occidentals de Madagascar. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume, Bulletin, 35: 269-273.
Nishikawa, T. 1980 Records of two lancelet species, Asymmetron maldivense and A. lucayanum, from the western North Pacific. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 25: 167-173.
Nishikawa, T. 1981 Considerations on the taxonomic status of the lancelets of the genus Branchiostoma from the Japanese waters. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 26: 135-156.
Noda, H. and T. Nishikawa 1989 New finds of the two lancelet species, Asymmetron lucayanum and A. maldivense, on the coast of Kuroshima Island, Yaeyama Islands, Japan. Nankiseibutu: The Nanki Biological Society, 31: 37-38. (In Japanese)
Parker, G. H. 1904 Maldive cephalochordates with the description of a new species from Florida. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College in Cambridge, 46: 39-52.
Piyakarnchana, T. 1962 Taxonomic study on the lancelets found in the Gulf of Thailand, from the specimens collected by the Naga Expedition in the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society, 20: 95-107.
Richardson, B.J. and A.M. McKenzie 1994 Taxonomy and distribution of Australian cephalochordates (Chordata: Cephalochordata). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 8: 1443-1459.
Steiniz, H. 1962 On the occurrence of Asymmetron in the Gulf of Eylath (Aqaba). Bulletin of the Sea Fisheries Research Station of Israel, 30: 35-38.
Tchang, S. and K. Koo 1936 Description of a new variety of Branchiostoma belcheri Gray from Kiaochow Bay, Shantung, China. Contributions from the Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Peiping, 3: 77-114.
Tchang, S. 1962 Sur la présence du genre Asymmetron dans la mer de Chine et la distribution géographique de Branchiostoma belcheri (Gray). Acta Zoologica Sinica, 14: 525-528. (In Chinese with French summary)
Webb, J. E. 1956 A note on the lancelets of Singapore, with a description of a new species of Branchiostoma. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 127: 119-123.
Wickstead, J. H. 1970 On a small collection of Acrania (Phylum Chordata) from New Caledonia. Cahiers du Pacif ique, 14: 237-243.
Wickstead, J. H. 1980 The validity of certain species of Acrania (Phylum Chordata). Journal of Natural History, 14: 453-462.

Abstract

Two species of tropical lancelet, Epigonichthys maldivensis (Cooper) and E. lucayanus (Andrews), were collected from bottom sand dredged by SCUBA-divers at depths of 10-14m among coral reefs in Nanwan Bay, southern Taiwan, in June, 1996. The average density, inclusive of both species, was roughly 25 ind. m^-2, with E. maldivensis in the minority. Many individuals of both species longer than 13mm were sexually mature. The present specimens represent the second record from Taiwan of the circum-tropical E. lucayanus after a gap of 20 years and the first find in Taiwan of the Indo-West Pacific E. maldivensis. SEM observations of the gut contents and material extracted from the sandy bottom of the habitat suggest that the lancelets may feed on surface detritus. Some morphological notes and a key to 5 East Asian lancelet species are also given.

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