Two new species of blennioid fish, Neoclinus monogrammus and N.nudiceps, are described on the basis of, respectively, ten specimens from the Boso Peninsula, Pacific coast of Japan, depth 28m, and seven specimens from the Oki Islands, Sea of Japan, depth 7-9m. The two new species are distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: lateral-line canal continuous, with single row of pores; two cirri on orbit; no true ocellus on anterior part of dorsal fin; dorsal fin low, not elevated anteriorly in either sex; no narrow membrane along anterior edge of 1st dorsal-fin spine. Neoclinus monogrammus and N.nudiceps differ in the following characters: pore counts and extent of lateral-line canal (9-15 pores, reaching to below 6th to 9th dorsal-fin spine in the former vs 3-5 pores, reaching to below 3rd to 4th dorsal-fin spine in the latter); counts of supraorbital cirri tips (anterior and posterior cirri with 10-28 and 3-14 tips, respectively, vs 2-6 and 1-2 tips, respectively); male color pattern on head (scattered reddish spots vs no conspicuous spots); body depth in proportion to standard length (11.3-13.4% vs 13.0-15.4%); and head depth in proportion to head length (51.2-58.0% vs 56.6-60.6%).

View full abstract

The nominal species, Thysanichthys evides Jordan and Thompson, 1914 (Scorpaenidae), originally described from Misaki, Japan, has not been reported since its original description. Examination of the type specimens of T.evides showed them to be identical with the holotype and non-type specimens of a species previously widely-regarded as Scorpaenodes littoralis (Tanaka, 1917), originally described as Sebastella littoralis, also from Misaki. Thysanichthys evides is herein regarded as a senior synonym of Sebastella littoralis, and is a valid species of Scorpaenodes.

View full abstract

Species of the genus Spinileberis (Crustacea: Ostracoda: Podocopida: Cytheridae) have been recorded frequently from brackish waters around the North Pacific Ocean and as fossils from sedimentary deposits of and after the Neogene of East Asia. A new species of this genus, S.endoi, is herein described from the Philippines. In having a thick and ragged carapace and merodont hingement, the new species substantially differs from the type species of the genus, S.quadriaculeata (Brady, 1880), but the morphology of the soft parts (appendages) places S.endoi in this genus. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to S.costata Hu, 1977 and S.marginocarinalis Hu, 1981. It represents the southernmost record so far known for this genus in the northwestern Pacific.

View full abstract

Polycope japonica Hiruta, 1983 is transferred to the genus Parapolycope based on the morphology of the upper lip, antennula, antenna, mandibula, maxillula, and copulatory organ. In addition, a new species, Parapolycope digitolabrum sp. nov., is described and illustrated from a small sandy beach in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan.

View full abstract

The first halacarid mite described from Japan, Halacarus spongiphilus Kishida, 1927, is redescribed on the basis of newly collected specimens. Several newly discernible characteristics of this species separating it from congeners are reported. In addition, the original description by Kishida is translated into English. A female specimen collected at the type locality is designated the neotype of this species to replace the lost holotype, the unique specimen on which the original publication by Kishida was based.

View full abstract