Biogeography 18.
47–52. Sep. 20, 2016

First specimen-based record of Epinephelus quoyanus (Perciformes: Serranidae)
from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Harutaka Hata1*, Mio Nishimura2 and Hiroyuki Motommura3
1

The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University,
1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
2
Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru,
Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
3
The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
Abstract.

A single specimen of Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes, 1830), collected from the Kerama

Islands, represents the first specimen-based record from the Ryukyu Islands, thereby confirming the distribution of the species in that region. At 312.3 mm standard length, the specimen, described in detail, is the largest
recorded for the species.
Key words: groupers, distribution, fish fauna, new record, taxonomy, morphology

as SL. All measurements were made with digital

Introduction

calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Institutional codes
The serranid fish genus Epinephelus Bloch, 1793

used in this study are as follows: Kyoto University

is currently represented in Japanese waters by 43

Museum, Kyoto (FAKU); the Kagoshima University

species (Senou, 2013, Fujiwara et al., 2015). Among

Museum (KAUM); Kanagawa Prefectural Museum

these, Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes, 1830)

of Natural History, Odawara (KPM); Kochi Senior

has been reliably reported from Izu-oshima island,High School, Kochi (KSHS; currently transferred

Wakayama and Kochi prefectures, and Yaku-shima

to National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsuku-

island, although its distribution in waters off theba); and Okinawa Churashima Foundation, Motobu

Ryukyu Islands has been uncertain (Senou, 2013). A(OCF).

single specimen, recently collected from the Kerama
Islands, represents the first confirmed record of theEpinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes, 1830)

species from the Ryukyu Islands.

Standard Japanese name: Moyo-hata(Fig. 1; Table 1)

Materials and Methods
Material examined. OCF-P 3218, 312.3 mm SL,
Methods for counts and proportional measure-southeastern Mae-shima island, Kerama Islands,

ments followed Randall & Heemstra (1991) are

Ryukyu Islands, Japan, 25 m depth, spear, 25 Dec.

shown in Table 1. Standard length is abbreviated2015, S. Kato.
Description. Body oblong, rather compressed,———————————————————————*Corresponding author: k2795502@kadai.jp

greatest depth at origin of 2nd dorsal-fin spine,− 47 −

Epinephelus quoyanus from Okinawa

Fig. 1. Fresh specimen of Epinephelus quoyanus (OCF-P 3218, 312.3 mm SL, Mae-shima island, Kerama Islands,
Okinawa Prefecture, Japan).

Table 1. Counts and measurements of Epinephelus quoyanus from the Ryukyu Islands.

Standard length (thousandths)
Counts
Dorsal-fin spines
Dorsal-fin rays
Anal-fin spines
Anal-fin rays
Pectoral-fin rays
Pelvic-fin spines
Pelvic-fin rays
Principal caudal-fin rays
Pored lateral line scales
Scale rows in longitudinal series
Gill rakers
Measurements (% of SL)
Body depth
Body width
Head length
Snout length
Orbit diameter
Interorbital width
Suborbital depth
Upper-jaw length
Caudal-peduncle depth
Caudal-peduncle lengthPre-dorsal-fin lengthPre-anal-fin length

Mae-shima island,
Kerama Islands, Japan
OCF-P 3218
312.3
11
17
3
8
16
1
5
8+7
50
80
5 + 13
34.7
20.0
38.9
8.4
6.5
6.7
3.2
16.9
12.0
17.6
32.5
67.2

Mae-shima island,
Kerama Islands, Japan
OCF-P 3218
Measurements (% of SL)
Pre-pelvic-fin length
Dorsal-fin base
1st dorsal-fin spine length
2nd dorsal-fin spine length
3rd dorsal-fin spine length
4th dorsal-fin spine length
5th dorsal-fin spine length
6th dorsal-fin spine length
7th dorsal-fin spine length
8th dorsal-fin spine length
9th dorsal-fin spine length
10th dorsal-fin spine length
11th dorsal-fin spine length
1st dorsal-fin ray length
Longest dorsal-fin ray length
Anal-fin base
1st anal-fin spine length
2nd anal-fin spine length
3rd anal-fin spine length
1st anal-fin ray length
Longest anal-fin ray length
Caudal-fin length
Pectoral-fin length
Pelvic-fin length
Pelvic-fin spine length− 48 −

36.9
61.9
5.5
10.3
13.1
13.7
12.7
12.0
12.1
11.2
10.1
9.8
10.0
13.4
16.7
19.0
4.9
9.8
10.0
13.6
17.6
26.7
29.3
22.1
10.5

Harutaka Hata, Mio Nishimura and Hiroyuki Motommura

greatest width at uppermost point of pectoral-fin in-orly on both jaws. Ventral edge of maxilla smooth,

sertion; dorsal and ventral profiles slightly concave,without step-like projection. Gill rakers long, slen-

dorsal profile moderate rising from snout tip to 5thder. Pseudobranchial filaments present. Lateral line

dorsal-fin spine origin, thereafter lowering to poste-

continuous, parallel with dorsal contour, straighten-rior end of dorsal-fin base; ventral profile loweringing along caudal peduncle.

from lower-jaw tip to origin of pelvic fin, thereafter

Color when fresh (Fig. 1): Body and dorsal

rising to posteriormost point of anal-fin base. Caudal

and caudal fins yellowish-white with close-set red-peduncle compressed. Pectoral fin rather long, 1.32

dish-brown blotches (dark brown on fins), forming

times in head length; uppermost point of insertion

yellowish-white reticulation. Two reddish-brownanterior to posteriormost point of opercle; lower-

oblique bands on thorax. Pectoral fin reddish brown

most point of insertion slightly anterior to pelvic-fin

with white vermicular markings. Posterior part oforigin; posterior fin margin rounded, reaching to apectoral fin uniformly very dark red. Pelvic fin palevertical line through origin of 9th dorsal-fin spine.

yellow with dark red spots and black margin. Anal

Anterior most point of pelvic-fin base just below 2nd

fin very pale yellow with reddish-brown blotch anddorsal-fin spine origin; posteriormost point slightly

black margin. Iris reddish. Pupil blueish-black.

posterior to origin of 3rd dorsal-fin spine. Posterior

Remarks. The specimen was identified on theend of depressed pelvic fin beyond a vertical line

basis of the following combination of characters,

through 7th dorsal-fin spine origin, not reachingwhich closely matched the diagnostic features ofanus. Last pelvic-fin ray connected to body by mem-E. quoyanus given by Randall & Heemstra (1991),

brane. Dorsal-fin base extending from slightly ante-

Heemstra & Randall (1993, 1999), and Senou (2013):

rior to pelvic-fin origin to posterior to anal-fin base.

pectoral-fin length 1.32 times in head length; 17

Contour of spinous portion of dorsal-fin moderately

dorsal-fin rays; serration at corner of preopercle en-notched, soft rayed portion straight. Anal-fin baselarged; two reddish-brown oblique stripes running

extending from just below 1st dorsal-fin-ray origin

from lower part of opercular margin to origin of

to just below 12th dorsal-fin-ray origin. Caudal fin

pelvic fin; ventral margin of maxilla smooth, with-rounded. Body covered with small rough ctenoidout step-like projection; body covered with roughscales. Isthmus, lips and pectoral-fin axillary region

ctenoid scales; body and caudal fin with close-set

without scales. Eye and iris elliptical. Interorbital

reddish-brown blotches, forming yellowish-whitespace flat. Nostrils round, paired, positioned close

reticulation; anal-fin margin black; pectoral fin red-

together and anterior to eye. Anterior nostril withdish-brown with white reticulated markings on base.

dermal flap. Mouth large, posteriormost point of up-

Although E. quoyanus is most similar to E. mac-

per jaw well beyond a vertical line through posteriorrospilos (Bleeker, 1855), both having the body andmargin of eye. Anteriormost point of lower jaw ante-caudal fin with close-set reddish-brown blotches,rior to that of upper jaw. Posterior edge of preopercle

forming yellowish-white reticulation, rounded caudal

serrated, serration at corner enlarged. Lower edge

fin and the dorsal fin base lacking large black blotch-of preopercle and posterior edge of opercle smooth.

es (Heemstra & Randall, 1993, 1999; Senou, 2013),

Opercle with two spines, upper spine longer than

the former is characterized by the anal fin margined

lower. Anus oval, situated anterior to anal-fin origin.

with black (margined with white in E. macrospilos),Upper jaw, vomer, palatine and lower jaw with small

two reddish-brown oblique bands on the thorax (spots

dense conical teeth. A pair of fang-like teeth anteri-on thorax), and the body covered with rough scales− 49 −

Epinephelus quoyanus from Okinawa(midlateral body scales smooth; Randall & Heems-

record of E. quoyanus from the Ryukyu Islands.

tra, 1991; Heemstra & Randall, 1993, 1999; Senou,
2013).

The largest specimen of E. quoyanus previously recorded being 308 mm SL [collected from the

Although Randall & Heemstra (1991) and Heem-

southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Randall &stra & Randall (1993, 1999) described the numbers

Heemstra, 1991)], the present specimen (312.3 mmof upper and lower gill rakers of E. quoyanus as 6–8

SL) becomes the largest record for the species.

and 14–16 respectively, those of the present spec-

Comparative material examined. Epinephelus

imen numbered 5 and 13 respectively. This minor

macrospilos (6 specimens, 84.8–361.0 mm SL):difference is regarded herein as an intraspecific vari-

KAUM–I. 36320, 127.7 mm SL, KAUM–I. 36322,

ation of E. quoyanus.

84.8 mm SL, off Okinoerabu-jima island, Amami

Reliable records of E. quoyanus in Japanese wa-

Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, collection

ters have been reported only from Wakayama anddate and collector’s name unknown; KAUM–I.

Kochi prefectures (Ikeda, 1999), Yaku-shima island

51312, 158.9 mm SL, Chabana Port, Yoron-jima(Motomura et al., 2010) and Izu-oshima island (Se-island, Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Ja-nou, 2013). Ikeda (1999) reported two specimenspan (27°02′09″N, 128°24′08″E), 24 Oct. 2012, linefrom Minabe Town, Wakayama Prefecture (FAKU

fishing, Y. Kimura; KAUM–I. 60916, 297.7 mm SL,

72319, 220.0 mm SL) and Kashiwa-jima island,

off Yoron-jima island, Amami Islands, Kagoshima

Kochi Prefecture (KSHS 21064, 138.0 mm SL);

Prefecture, Japan, purchased at Yoron Fish Market,

Motomura et al. (2010) reported a single specimen

1 May 2014, H. Motomura; KAUM–I. 66189, 361.0(KAUM–I. 20042, 81.2 mm SL) from Yudomari,mm SL, off Sunasaka Fishing Port, Tanega-shima

Yaku-shima island. Senou (2013) included an under-

island, Osumi Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japanwater photograph (KPM-NR 98668) of the species(30°28′N, 130°53′E), 10 m depth, line fishing (pur-taken off Izu-oshima island. Although Katayama

chased at Minamitane Fish Market), 17 Sept. 2014,(1960) and Yoshino & Nishijima (1981) reported

H. Hata and M. Takayama; KAUM–I. 71148, 139.3

the species from Amami-oshima and Sesoko-jima

mm SL, Chabana Port, Yoron-jima island, Amami

islands respectively, their records were not based

Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan (27°02′57″N,

on voucher specimens or reliable photographs. Fur-

128°24′43″E), depth 1–2 m, 18 Mar. 2015, hand net,

thermore, records of E. quoyanus from Sagami Bay

T. Yoshida.

(Hayashi & Ito, 1974), Suruga Bay (Kuroda, 1951),
Mie Prefecture (Kataoka & Tomita, 1981), the Japan

Acknowledgements

Sea coast of Yamaguchi (Kawano et al., 2011a, b)
and Fukuoka prefectures (Kawano et al., 2011b), andWe are especially grateful to S. Kanda (Kan-the Tokara Islands (Kamohara, 1954) were similarly

da Fresh Fish Store) for collecting the specimen,

unsupported by voucher specimens. Unsupported

T. Kunishima (Graduate School of Engineering

records of E. quoyanus from the Ogasawara Islands

and Science, University of the Ryukyus), and H.

in Sugiura (1970), Kurata et al. (1971) and Zama &Kobayashi and K. Tachihara (Faculty of Science,

Fujita (1977) were suggested by Randall et al. (1997)

University of the Ryukyus) for assisting in our re-as having been based on mis-identifications of E.

search. We also thank K. Hagiwara (Yokosuka City

macrospilos. Accordingly, the present specimen

Museum) for comments on the manuscript and G.

from the Kerama Islands represent the first reliable

Hardy (Ngunguru, New Zealand) for reading the− 50 −

Harutaka Hata, Mio Nishimura and Hiroyuki Motommura

manuscript and providing help with English. This

thiines, etc.). In: Carpenter, K. E. & Niem, V. H.

study was supported in part by the Sasakawa Scien-(Eds.), FAO species identification guide for fish-tific Research Grant from the Japan Science Society

ery purposes. The living marine resources of the(28-745); Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Researchwestern central Pacific. Vol. 4. Bony fishes part 2(A: 26241027, B: 24370041 and C: 23580259 and(Mugilidae to Carangidae): 2442–2548, pls. 1–7.

26450265) from the Japan Society for the Promotion

FAO, Rome.

of Science, Tokyo, Japan (JSPS); the JSPS Core-to-

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