First Records of the Snailfish Careproctus lycopersicus (Cottoidei: Liparidae) from the Western North Pacific

Abstract

Four specimens (168.6–204.4 mm standard length) of Careproctus lycopersicus Orr, 2012, previously recorded from the Bering Sea and eastern Aleutian Islands, were collected from the southern Sea of Okhotsk (the Nemuro Strait, eastern Hokkaido, Japan). These specimens represent the first records of the species from the western North Pacific. A detailed description is provided for the specimens, including the intraspecific variations. The new standard Japanese name “Tomato-kon’nyaku-uo” is proposed for the species.