First Japanese Record of the Fivebar Grouper Epinephelus kupangensis (Perciformes: Serranidae)

Abstract

Epinephelus kupangensis Tucker, Kurniasih, and Craig, 2016, previously known from the Indo-West Pacific as far north as Taiwan, was recorded from Japan for the first time on the basis of two specimens (98.1–384.6 mm SL) collected from Tosa Bay, Kochi and Okinawa prefectures. The Kochi specimen had been previously reported as the first Japanese specimen of “Kokuten-aohata”, Epinephelus amblycephalus (Bleeker, 1857). Epinephelus kupangensis differs from the latter in having slightly lower numbers of lateral-line scales (46–49 vs. 48–51) and lateral scale series 91–99 (vs. 103–120), and lacking a U-shaped white marking dorsolaterally on the head and a white band below the orbit (vs. both present). The standard Japanese name “Kokuten-aohata” should be applied to E. kupangensis, the new standard Japanese name “Yahazu-aohata” being proposed for E. amblycephalus.