Japanese Journal of Ichthyology

A New Stargazer, Uranoscopus flavipinnis, from Japan and Taiwan with Redescription and Neotype Designation of U.japonicus

Hirokazu Kishimoto

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 1-14
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: February 23, 2011

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.1

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Uranoscopus flavipinnis sp.nov. is described based on 39 specimens from the coasts of southern Japan and Taiwan. It differs from other Uranoscopus species in having the following combination of external characters: posterior nasal valve tubular, as long as anterior one; nape naked between the lateral lines; body reddish brown with irregular yellow spots. Previously, U.flavipinnis was wrongly identified as U.japonicus Houttuyn, 1782 (=U.asper Temminck et Schlegel, 1843). This new species occurs from the South China Sea northward to Ibaraki and Niigata Prefectures, Japan. Since the type specimen of U.japonicus has been lost, one of the present specimens, HUMZ 109237, is designated as the neotype of U.japonicus to stabilize the nomenclature. Uranoscopus japonicus is redescribed and compared with U.flavipinnis.

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Melanotaenia iris, a New Freshwater Rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae) from Papua New Guinea with Notes on the Fish Fauna in Head Waters

Gerald R. Allen

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 15-20
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.15

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A new melanotaeniid rainbowfish, Melanotaenia iris, is described from mountain tributaries of the Strickland River in west-central Papua New Guinea. It is most closely related to M. goldiei of southern New Guinea, but differs in colour pattern, a distinctive high number of scales on the suborbital-preopercle bones, and a greater number of soft dorsal fin rays. Notes are also included on the poorly developed fish fauna of head waters in the Fly-Strickland and Sepik river systems. Most streams thus far investigated have less than 4 species. The plotosid catfish Tandanus equinus appears to be the most successful colonizer of fast-flowing highland streams in the Fly-Strickland system and is sometimes the only species present.

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Jaw Structures and Movements in Higher Teleostean Fishes

William A. Gosline

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 21-32
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.21

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All of the diverse jaw structures in higher teleosts appear to be modifications of a single basal type and are treated as such. Only some of the principal variants are discussed. Though the two jaws act as a coordinated unit during feeding, their movements are different. The upper and lower jaws are discussed separately. In the upper jaw the principal concern is with the various types of premaxillary protrusion and with the secondary development in some groups of a rocking premaxilla. For the lower jaw most of the account is devoted to the repeated differentiation of movements in its anterior and posterior sections. The paper concludes with comments on the jaw apparatus as a functional unit and its evolution in higher teleosts.

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Geographical Variations in Freshwater Populations of the Three-Spined Stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in Japan

Seiichi Mori

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 33-46
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.33

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This paper describes an investigation of morphological variation among six freshwater populations (dominantly low-plated morph) of the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in Japan. Such populations are mainly distributed in restricted water areas within a band from Ise to Wakasa Bays, the most constricted part of Honshu Island. According to some differences in morphological variation, i.e. plate morph, number of lateral plates, body size, body shape and body colour, they were classified into two types corresponding to occurrence in the Ibi River and Lake Biwa water systems. The former type was monomorphic dominated by low-plated morphs in spring-fed water, whereas the latter was a dimorphic population consisting of low- and partially-plated morphs. My results suggest that the plate morph type is not correlated with climate nor predation but is related to geological isolation patterns during the course of the landlocking process. Conversely, variations in meristic (number of dorsal and anal fin rays and gill rakers) and morphometric (body shape and body colour) characteristics may have been related to different environmental conditions. This study also provides supporting evidence that the freshwater three-spined stickleback is a distinct species from the anadromous stickleback, G. aculeatus.

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Classification of Late Embryonic Stages of Medaka, Oryzias latipes

Kunisuke Takeuchi

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 47-52
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.47

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To indicate more clearly the stages of development in late embryo of the medaka, Oryzias latipes, the quotients obtained from the length of tail (measured from the vent to distal end of caudal fin) in microns divided by 100μm were adopted to nominate stage numbers. The 25 stages thus defined were checked against the calcification of 8 elements in the chondrocranium, and also 4 other structures which develop numerically. By the observations of development (cartilages and calcification indicated by alizarin red S staining) of the 8 elements-parasphenoid, clavicle, operculum, occipital arch, hyomandibular, ceratohyal, anterior otic process and mandibular, the stages defined here were found to classify the order and degree of development of bony elements more precisely than other stage classification in the past. The numerical structures-branchio-stegal rays, pharyngeal teeth, vertebrae and mandibular teeth also demonstrated clearly their development corresponding to tail length. The “critical” stages in embryonic development of the medaka as shown by the length of notochord with vacuolized cells associated with development of bony elements were also noted.

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Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Post-Embryonic Stages of the Climbing Perch, Anabas testudineus

Amita Moitra, Tapan K. Ghosh, Asha Pandey, Jyoti S.D. Munshi

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 53-58
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.53

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Different developmental stages, fertilized eggs through hatchlings, of the climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, have been studied by scanning electron microscopy. The surface specialization of eggs and hatchlings reveals that while the egg surface is reticulate in appearance, the hatchlings are covered with microridges. Vitelline arteries are seen at the pharyngeal and abdominal regions. They supply nutrients directly from the yolk sac to the developing embryo. Three pairs of such arteries are distinctly seen in the pharyngeal region. Mucous glands are discernible at places over the entire body surface of the embryo before the formation of scales. The skin seems to be helpful in gaseous exchange till the gills and accessory respiratory organs develop and become functional.

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Effect of Body Size on the Dimensions of the Respiratory Organs of a Freshwater Catfish, Mystus vittatus

Jagdish Ojha, Randhir Singh

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 59-65
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.59

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The data on gill and skin dimensions of 12 freshwater catfish Mystus vittatus ranging from 3g to 23g in relation to body weight have been analysed using logarithmic transformation. The exponent value for total gill area was 0.789; corresponding values for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gill arches and skin were 0.753, 0.772, 0.816, 0.823 and 0.631 respectively. The gill diffusing capacity (0.211) was greater than that for skin (0.002).

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The Breeding Behavior and the Behavior of Larvae and Juveniles of the Sharksucker, Echeneis naucrates

Haruo Nakajima, Hiroshi Kawahara, Shiro Takamatsu

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 66-70
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: February 23, 2011

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.66

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Eleven sharksuckers, Echeneis naucrates, in the Oita Ecological Aquarium spawned from 2 June to 3 December 1974. The spawning behavior began as soon as the lights were turned off. Just before a female spawned, it was driven toward the surface of the water by a group of males. The spawned eggs were pelagic and 2.6mm in diameter. Approximately 500 eggs were spawned each day. Seventy larvae were hatched on 15 July, and 26 of them were reared until 1 September. We observed the behavior of their larvae and juvenile stages, from the hatching to the attaching phases. The caudal fins of the larvae expanded as they grew. They swam near the bottom with their caudal fins folded. When the sucking disk began to form on the back of a larva's pectoral fin, it stood still with its caudal fin bent on bottom. After the formation of the sucking disk, a larva would lie on its stomach or back. Some quickly-growing specimens began to stick to the walls, pipes, or plates when they attained 55mm SL, 35 days after hatching.

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Survival of Broods under Parental Care and Parental Roles of the Cichlid Fish, Lamprologus toae, in Lake Tanganyika

Makoto Nagoshi

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 71-75
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.71

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The survival of offspring guarded by both parents and by only the female parent who remained after experimental removal of the male parent was observed in the cichlid fish Lamprologus toae in its natural habitat. The number of offspring guarded by both parents abruptly de-creased during the period from eggs through postlarvae. It became stable for low rate of mortality when the offspring were between 0.5 and 1.8cm in body length. The number again de-creased this time gradually after attaining 1.8cm in body length. Mortality seemed to be caused by predation. Experimental removal of the male parent at any larval stage caused the decrease of offspring by predatory fishes. It seems that both parents are indispensable to protect the offspring against predators under natural conditions.

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Quantitative Observations of Predation during Spawning Rushes of the Labrid Fish Thalassoma cupido at Miyake-jima, Japan

Jack T. Moyer

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 76-81
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.76

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A rapid upward spawning rush is a nearly universal phenomenon among reef fishes that spawn pelagic eggs. Although spawning rushes have long been considered to have evolved as a defense against egg predators and/or attacks on the spawning fishes by piscivores, these hypotheses have never been tested in the field. We analysed piscivore attacks during three motor patterns associated with group spawning of the labrid fish Thalassoma cupido at Miyake-jima, I zu Islands, Japan. Egg predation on group spawnings was also quantified . Of 206 piscivore attacks on spawning fishes by seven predator species, 171 (83.1%) occurred during 461 spawning rushes (1/2.7 spawning rushes). No attacks were successful during spawning rushes, and only four kills were made in 206 attacks summed from all three motor patterns associated with spawning, amounting to a piscivore success rate of only 1.9%. In contrast, gametes from 90 of 213 spawnings (42.3%) were consumed by nine species of planktivorous fishes. Spawning fish seemed not to recognize egg predators and made no attempt to avoid them, often spawning in the midst of waiting aggregations of damselfishes. Our data indicate that the rapidly of the spawning rush of T. cupido serves as an excellent defense against piscivores, but is ineffective against egg predators. Evidence is presented from observations of seven other species suggesting that spawning ascents provide little protection against water column egg predators in predator-rich environments .

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Social Organization of a Polygynous Cichlid Lamprologus furcifer in Lake Tanganyika

Yasunobu Yanagisawa

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 82-90
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.82

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Lamprologus furcifer inhabited vertical or overhanging rock surfaces. Females persistently stayed at particular sites and singly guarded the offspring there. Males also stayed at particular sites but often left them to visit females. A dominant male controlled the territories of several breeding females at a time. Schools of young under maternal care spread horizontally on the rock surface as they developed and fed mainly on benthic organisms such as atyid shrimps.It is suggested that the emancipation of males from brood care is attributed to the benthic life of young.

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Apogon sphenurus Klunzinger, 1884, a Senior Synonym of Neamia octospina Smith et Radcliffe, 1912

Ofer Gon

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 91-95
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.91

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First Record of the Gobiid Fish Eviota fasciola from Japan

Tomoki Sunobe, Kazuhiko Shimada

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 96-99
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.96

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New Records of Three Fish Species from Hawaii

Ofer Gon

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 100-104
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.100

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First Record of a Triacanthodid Fish, Macrorhamphosodes uradoi from New Zealand

Keiichi Matsuura

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 105-107
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.105

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Feeding Habits of Two Sympatric Ostraciid Fishes at Miyake-jima, Japan

Jack T. Moyer, Mitsuhiko Sano

1987 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 108-112
Published: June 10, 1987
Released on J-STAGE: June 28, 2010

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.34.108

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