Third specimen and northernmost records of the rare velvetfish Cocotropus possi from Taira-jima island, Tokara Islands, Japan, with a fresh color description

Abstract

The third specimen of a rare velvetfish Cocotropus possi Imamura and Shinohara, 2008, previously known only from two type specimens from the Okinawa Islands, was collected at a depth of 15 m from Taira-jima island, Tokara Islands, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. The specimen represents the northernmost record for the species. Because the species was originally described on the basis of preserved specimens only, descriptions of morphology and fresh coloration are given here, based on the Tokara Islands specimen and color photographs taken of the latter before preservation.