Records of Naso annulatus, N. brachycentron and N. lopezi from the northern East China Sea and Sea of Japan

Abstract

Naso annulatus Quoy and Gaimard, 1824 (Perciformes: Acanthuridae) is newly recorded from Fukue-jima Island (32˚41'24″N, 128˚45'14″E; Nagasaki Prefecture), northern East China Sea, Japan, based on single specimen [531.5 mm standard length (SL)]. In addition, N. brachycentron Valenciennes, 1835 (345.1 mm SL) and N. lopezi Herre, 1927 (453.9 mm SL) are both recorded from O-shima Island (34˚30'30″N, 131˚25'12″E; Yamaguchi Prefecture), Japan, each on the basis of a single specimen. The record of N. brachycentron is the first specimen-supported record of the species from the Sea of Japan. All three species are considered to be important evidence of adult (>300 mm SL) unicornfishes having been transported by the Tsushima Warm Current from a more southern region to the northern East China Sea and Sea of Japan.