In this study, we examined the phytosociological status of vegetation units of shrub communities established on rocks along streamsides. As a result, previously described four association: Ainsliaeo-Rhododendretum indici Suz.-Tok. 1976, Rhododendretum indici Minamikawa 1963, Rhododendretum ripensis Yamanaka & Takezaki 1959 and Spiraeetum thunbergii Ya. Sasaki & Oota 1986 were placed in newly established one class: Lespedezetea buergeri class nov. , one order: Lespedezetalia buergeri order nov. , two alliances: Rhododendrion indici alliance nov. and Spiraenion thunbergii alliance nov. These higher units are characterized by shrubs on rocks and the rheophyte. In addition, we designated the types of Rhododendretum indici Minamikawa 1963, Rhododendretum ripensis Yamanaka & Takezaki 1959, and Spiraeetum thunbergii Ya. Sasaki & Oota 1986. We also reiterate that the original description of Salicion gracilistylae has been sometimes attributed to Ohba (1973), but we again pointed out that it is Ohba (1975).

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In this study, we examined type specimens and related materials collected from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, deposited in the herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LE). Many of these specimens were collected by the Russian botanist C. J. Maximowicz (1827–1891) and his assistant Tschonosuki Sukawa, and most have been described as new taxa by C. J. Maximowicz. Additional complementary data obtained in this investigation, such as collection date, locality, and collector, are registered in the database of Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History along with images of the specimens: 62 specimens from 29 taxa comprising lycophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms (monocots and some dicots). In this paper, we indicated the information of examined type materials, including the type materials of two taxa (Polygonatum giganteum A. Dietr. var. macranthum Maxim. and Juncus effusus L. var. decipiens Buchenau) that we have discovered.

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In the present paper, 17 genera and 37 species of Japanese Ctenopelmatinae were taxonomically studied. The genera Mesoleptidea Viereck, 1912, Lagarotis Förster, 1869, and Lethades Davis, 1897 were newly recorded from Japan. The following 22 new species were described: Notopygus bicornis sp. nov., N. japonicus sp. nov. (Ctenopelmatini); Anisotacrus nocturnus sp. nov., An. pulchellus sp. nov., Euryproctus flavidens sp. nov., Mesoleptidea amanoi sp. nov., Mesolep. japonica sp. nov., Mesolep. mesorufa sp. nov. (Euryproctini); Alcochera nigra sp. nov., Campodorus albimarginalis sp. nov., Ca. japonicus sp. nov., Ca. rufidorsalis sp. nov., Hyperbatus ariminensis sp. nov., H. borealis sp. nov., H. montanus sp. nov., H. nigrifemur sp. nov., Lagarotis nigra sp. nov., Lamachus montanus sp. nov., Leipula pulchra sp. nov., Mesoleius morishitai sp. nov. (Mesoleiini); Perilissus autumnalis sp. nov. (Perilissini); Lethades kanagawensis sp. nov. (Pionini). Ischnus karafutonis Matsumura, 1911 is newly synonymised with Ct. boreale Holmgren, 1857 (syn. nov.). Five species, Ctenopelma pineatus Sheng, Sun & Li, 2019, Ct. rufofasciatum Sheng, Sun & Li, 2019 (Ctenopelmatini), Mesolep. maculata Sheng, Sun & Li, 2020 (Euryproctini), Al. flavoclypeata Sheng & Sun, 2021, and Perispuda bibullata Sheng, 1999 (Mesoleiini), were newly recorded from Japan. In addition, the ten Japanese species were newly recorded from several localities in Japan.

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A debilitated female dolphin was stranded on Kugenuma-Kaigan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (35° 18’ 55” N, 139° 27’ 57” E) on 13 August 2022. This individual was rescued and transported to the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, but unfortunately died the next day. We carried out morphological survey, dissection, blood analysis, and genomic analysis for the animal. The dolphin was 241.2 cm in body length and had a short (1.1 % of the body length) but distinct beak and proportionally small flippers. The mitochondrial control region sequence of the specimen showed the highest homology (99.06 %) with that of Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei. Based on these data, this individual was identified as a Fraser’s dolphin. Blood biochemical parameters indicated that the individual was under low-nutrition and dehydrated condition, and inflammation was occurred. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first stranding record of this species in Kanagawa Prefecture. The sea surface temperature off Kugenuma-Kaigan was over 25 ºC around on the stranding day, which corresponded to that of the primary distribution range of this species. Sea surface temperatures over 25 ºC are usually observed in Sagami Bay in summer, and this stranding event indicates the stranding/sighting of this species would occur again off Kanagawa when high sea surface temperatures and other environmental condition are satisfied. Age determination, osteological study, histological observation of the specimen, and accumulation of stranding/sighting information of this species are the next steps to understand the maturation and distribution pattern. The whole skeleton was cataloged in the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History.

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A new perchlet, Plectranthias clavatus, is described from seven specimens [131.3–199.6 mm standard length (SL)] from Sagami Bay and Hachijo-jima Island, Japan, and Guam. Plectranthias clavatus can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with 10 spines and 17–18 (mode 17) soft rays; pectoral-fin rays 13–14 (13), all branched except for uppermost ray; lateral line complete, with 35–36 (35) pored scales; 5.5 and 16–17 (17) scale rows above and below lateral line respectively; 6–7 (6) diagonal rows of large scales on cheek between orbit and corner of preopercle; body deep, its depth at pelvic-fin origin (BDP) 37.8–40.7 % (mean 39.1 %) of SL, its greatest depth 39.6–42.2 % (41.2 %) of SL; 3rd dorsal-fin spine longest, its length 36.5–45.9 % (41.9 %) of BDP; anal-fin soft rays short, longest ray length 47.9–59.1 % (53.5 %) of BDP; no scales on chin, branchiostegal membranes, infraorbital bones, maxilla, mandibles or snout; predorsal scales extending to posterior two-thirds of interorbital area, anterior margin of squamation not reaching line through posterior nostrils; posterior margin of preopercle serrated, ventral margin with 2 antrorse spines; short flaps at tips of 2nd and 3rd dorsal-fin spines; 3 large orange-red saddles on dorsum; single orange-red stripe on posterior four-fifths laterally, saddles and stripe well-spaced. Distributional records of Plectranthias kamii Randall, 1980, widely reported from the East Indian to Central Pacific Oceans and considered most similar to P. clavatus, were reassessed by reidentification of specimens and photographs accompanying previous records. In Japanese waters, new distribution records for P. kamii were confirmed based on the specimens examined from Cape Omaezaki (Pacific coast of central Honshu), and the Goto Islands, Amakusa Nada Sea and Taka-shima Island (northeastern East China Sea).

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A previous checklist of the fishes of Sagami Bay, Japan, which included 1517 species belonging to 249 families (45 orders) recorded up to 2006, was revised using the following resources: fish collections of the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of National History (KPM), the fish image database in KPM and literature records. The survey revealed 1934 species belonging to 284 families (43 orders) in the study area. Many of the species newly recorded in Sagami Bay are distributed mainly in waters south of the bay, which is likely to be closely linked to the transport of fishes by the Kuroshio Current. In addition, the recent rise in seawater temperatures in and around Sagami Bay due to global warming and other factors, may have allowed normally southern fish species to overwinter in Sagami Bay, thus leading to the significant increase in the number of species recorded over a relatively short period.

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