Friday, December 9, 2016

[Ichthyology • 2016] Plectranthias takasei • A New Species of Anthiadine Fish (Teleostei: Serranidae) from southern Japan


Hinomaru Perchlet |  Plectranthias takasei  
Gill, Tea & Senou, 2016  
 DOI: 
10.11646/zootaxa.4205.4.3 

Abstract

Plectranthias takasei is described from two specimens collected in Izu Oceanic Park, Sagami Bay, Honshu, Japan. It is distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X,15; no fleshy flaps on dorsal-fin spines; pectoral rays 13, all unbranched; branched caudal-fin rays 8 + 7; lateral line scales 28 (including intermittent and terminal pitted scales); circumpeduncular scales 12; fourth dorsal-fin spine longest; and preopercle without antrorse spines or serrations ventrally, with 2–3 weak serrations or crenulations posteriorly.

Keywords: Pisces, ichthyology, taxonomy, morphology, Izu Oceanic Park, Sagami Bay, Honshu

FIGURE 3. Plectranthias takasei, underwater photo in 60 m, Izu Oceanic Park, Sagami Bay, Honshu, Japan.
photo by W. Takase DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4205.4.3 

Plectranthias takasei, new species
New standard Japanese name: Hinomaru-hanadai
English common name: Hinomaru Perchlet

Diagnosis. The following combination of characters distinguishes P. hinomaru from congeners: dorsal rays X,15; no fleshy flaps on dorsal-fin spines; pectoral rays 13, all unbranched; branched caudal-fin rays 8 + 7; lateral line scales 28 (including intermittent and terminal pitted scales); circumpeduncular scales 12; fourth dorsal-fin spine longest; and preopercle without antrorse spines or serrations ventrally, with 2–3 weak serrations or crenulations posteriorly.

Habitat and distribution. Plectranthias takasei is known only from Izu Ocean Park, where it has been collected and photographed on rocky reefs at depths of 48–60 metres.


Etymology. The species is named for Mr. Wataru Takase, who collected the holotype. The Japanese standard name and English common names refer to the prominent red spot on the side, which is reminiscent of the red disk (rising sun) in the Japanese flag (commonly called Hinomaru, ‘the sun disk’). 

Gill, Anthony C., Yi-Kai Tea & Hiroshi Senou. 2016. Plectranthias takasei, New Species of Anthiadine Fish from southern Japan (Teleostei: Serranidae). Zootaxa. 4205(4); 349–356. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4205.4.3