A harpellalean fungus, Simuliomyces microsporus, was collected from hindguts of blackfly larvae of Simulium (Simulium) japonicum for the first record in Kanagawa prefecture. The larvae were collected at a small stream (150 m above sea level) located ca. 600 m northwest of the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History, Iryuda, Odawara, Japan. Those larvae were dissected to observe fungi both in midguts and in hindguts. Twelve out of fourteen larvae were infected with S. microsporus. Double infections with both Harpella sp. (midgut) and S. microsporus (hindgut) in the same individuals were also observed. Simulium (Simulium) japonicum is recorded as a new host for S. microsporus.

Thus far, 848 species of naturalized plants have been reported in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. In this study, the origin of 700 of these species was successfully traced to 15 distinct regions worldwide based on descriptions in the “Flora of Kanagawa 2001” (the Flora-Kanagawa Association, 2001). The proportion of species in each of these regions of origin was calculated. A high percentage of naturalized plants in Kanagawa Prefecture originated in Europe, followed by that in North America, East Asia, and South America. Moreover, a previous study found that high proportions of naturalized plants in the whole of Japan originated from Europe, North America, Asia, or Central and South America. The result of the present study suggests that the naturalized plants in Kanagawa Prefecture and those in the whole of Japan have similar regions of origin.

We evaluated the natural environments of urban forests in Fujisawa and montane forests in Minami-Ashigara, Kanagawa Pref., inferred from soil invertebrate fauna. In both forest areas, some environmental factors were investigated at 12 points in three localities of each area. In addition, soil invertebrates were obtained from 100 cm³ soil (196 mm² x 51 mm in depth) from each point using a Tullgren funnel. The total numbers of invertebrates were apparently larger in the Minami-Ashigara area (n = 6,684) than in the Fujisawa area (n = 5,210). Such differences in the total numbers of individuals were significantly influenced by two environmental factors: the canopy coverage of trees and the soil porosity. In the invertebrates obtained, Oribatida was found in the largest numbers. Here, we compared the number of families in both areas; there were 49 families in the Fujisawa area and 57 in the Minami-Ashigara area. This fact indicates a richness of plant species in the Minami-Ashigara area. Moreover, the Gamasida / Oribatida ratio was calculated and found to be significantly higher in the Fujisawa area (0.38 ± 0.44) than in the Minami-Ashigara area (0.19 ± 0.13). This tendency means that the Fujisawa area has been influenced by artificially generated environmental changes and urbanization. Specifically, based on the current research results of the soil invertebrate fauna and a few environmental factors, we concluded that natural environments are poorer in the urban forests of Fujisawa than in the montane forests of Minami-Ashigara.

Five species of tropical amphidromous caridean shrimps and prawns collected from rivers in Kanagawa Prefecture and Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture are briefly described, together with habitat notes. Forty-six individuals of Caridina laoagensis represent the first records from Honshu, being the northernmost records of the species. In addition, three individuals of the mangrove prawn Palaemon concinnus represent the first record of the species from Kanagawa Prefecture and the northernmost record. Three rare species, the monkey river prawn Macrobrachium lar, Koua river prawn M. australe and soldier brush shrimp Atyopsis spinipes were also recorded. With the exception of Kawazugawa and Yatsugawa River, the species were considered to be unlikely to overwinter in the areas from which they had been collected, thus representing abortive migration.

Two individuals of mud club, Scylla serrata were collected from around the mouth of Sakaigawa River, Kanagawa Prefecture, central Japan on 22 September 2011 and 19 July 2016. One mud crab was collected from freshwater or brackish water in the river, and the other was collected on land around the river. Because both individuals were adults, they would inhabit Sagami Bay in the winter. However, it is unclear whether the crab bred in the sea. Some of the larvae that had been transported to the river from the south by the Japan Current might have matured into adults.

The arboreal ant fauna was investigated at isolated small stands in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, from June to November in 2013 and 2014. Ants were directly collected mainly from the trunks of living Quercus acutissima and Chamaecyparis obtusa in the daytime. In total, 15 species belonging to nine genera in four subfamilies were obtained from the tree trunks. Among these ant species, eight species （Camponotus quadrinotatus，C. nawai, C. itoi, C. keihitoi, Crematogaster matumurai，C. teranishii，Monomorium intrudens，and Dolichoderus sibiricus） are regarded to be truly arboreal. During the survey, 1786 ant individuals were collected from Q.acutissima and 563 from C. obtusa. Lasius japonica and Pristomyrmex pungens nearly always dominated on Q. acutissima and C. obtusa, respectively. The number of ant species and of individual ants collected from Q. acutissima was larger than that from C. obtusa. The number of ant species and of individual ants was positively correlated with air temperature and increased in the summer. In comparisons of the occurrence of ants among Q. acutissima, Q. serrata, C. obtusa，Cryptomeria japonica, Cornus controversa, and Prumus × yedoensis, the ants used Q. acutissima significantly more than C. obtusa. In addition, comparisons of the number of individuals of seven ant species among the six tree species mentioned above showed that a larger number of ants were found on Q.

The fish fauna of Shimoyama River system was investigated between 2014 and 2016. We collected fish throughout the Shimoyama River main stream and 4 of its tributaries (Osawayato River, Inomata River, Yokote Stream and Kuritsubo River). As a result, fish from 20 species belonging to Anguillidae, Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Plecoglossidae, Mugilidae, Adrianichthidae, Sparidae, Gobiidae and Tetraodontidae were recorded. Opsariichthys platypus and Rhinogobius nagoyae appear to be the most common species in the Shimoyama River system. Phoxinus lagowskii steindachneri, Rhinogobius brunneus and Gymnogobius petschiliensis, listed as near threatened species in The Red Data Species in Kanagawa Prefecture 2006, were recorded in the tributaries, indicating the need for preservation of this unique environment.

Five fish species collected from the rivers and coastal areas of Sagami Bay and adjacent waters were briefly described to document the effects of a rising trend in sea surface temperature in those areas in response to global warming. Two tropicalsubtropical species, i.e. Monodactylus argenteus and Oxyurichthys visayanus, were newly reported from the Kanto area representing the northernmost records for the species. A rare tropical–subtropical species, Eleotris acanthopoma, was recorded for the first time from the rivers flowing to Tokyo Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture. The occurrence of Plectorhinchus gibbosus in Shimoda represents a new record from Sagami Bay. A rare temperate species, Hippichthys penicillus, was also noted.

A female basking shark (5710 mm TL), Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus, 1765) (Lamniformes: Cetorhinidae), was collected from a set net off Chojagasaki, Sagami Bay, on 29th March 2016. This occurrence represents the fourth record and largest specimen of the species collected from the bay. The frequency of occurrence in Japanese waters appears to be decreasing in the 21st century.

A male Aetobatus narinari (978.1 mm in DW) was collected from Enoshima on June 30, 2016. This specimen represents the northernmost record of the species and its first record from Sagami Bay. We inferred that the species entered Sagami Bay because of a slight difference in water temperature between the bay and the Kuroshio Current at that time.

An adult louvar (1536 mm TL), Luvarus imperialis was stranded on a beach (35º18'09.858 'N，139º28'56.094 'E) of Enoshima Island, Sagami Bay, on 8 October, 2015. This is the first adult and the third specimen of the species recorded from the bay; two juvenile specimens were reported in 1974. Morphometric and meristic data are provided.