Abstract
The collection of an adult specimen of Echiodon from Owase, Japan, enabled us to further evaluate one of the unresolved identification problems listed by Markle and Olney (1990). The recognition of Echiodon anchipterus Williams as a valid western Pacific species was questioned by Markle and Olney (1990), who tentatively synonymized it with the western Indian Ocean E. coheni Williams. The Japanese specimen had 15-16 pectoral fin-rays (vs. 18 in Echiodon coheni), 22 total nasal lamellae (vs. 24), and 21 precaudal vertebrae giving a range for E. anchipterus of 19-21 (vs. 18-19). These new data support the recognition-of both E. anchipterus and E. coheni as valid, allopatrically distributed species. The phylogenetic relationships among the species of Echiodon are reexamined and a cladogram summa-rizing our hypothesis of their interrelationships is presented.
Eurypleuron owasianum (Matsubara) is considered to be endemic to the Japan zoogeographic region, where adults are known only from specimens taken off Owase, Japan. The South African, southeastern Australian, New Zealand, and Sala y Gomez Ridge specimens are collectively referred to Eurypleuron cinereum (Smith) pending a comprehensive revision of the group.
