Lates japonicus, a New Centropomid Fish from Japan

Abstract

Specimens of the centropomid genus Lates occurring in Japanese waters are compared with those from the Philippines, Thailand and Australia.Specimens from localities other than Japan are morphologically identical, and referrable to L.calcarifer (Bloch).Whereas, the Japanese specimens are found to represent a distinct, undescribed species, with clear morphological differences from L.calcarifer, although L.calcarifer was originally described by Bloch on the basis of a material allegedly from Japan.The Japanese form of Lates is described here as L.japonicus sp.nov.This new species differs from L.calcarifer in the relative depth of the body, relative length of the third dorsal and second anal spines, pectoral fin ray count, squamation, and gill raker count.