Bull. Natl. Mus. Nat. Sci., Ser. A, Suppl. 2, pp. 47–57, March 21, 2008

Acanthopagrus chinshira, a New Sparid Fish
(Perciformes: Sparidae) from the East Asia
Masayuki Kume* and Tetsuo Yoshino
Department of Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus,
1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903–0213, Japan
E-mail: b985005@sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp* Present address: EAC Co. Ltd., 3–34–17 Yafuso, Urasoe, Okinawa 901–2127, Japan

Abstract A new sparid fish, Acanthopagrus chinshira, is described on the basis of specimens
collected from Nakagusuku Bay and Haneji Inlet, Okinawa Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Although the present new species has been often misidentified as Acanthopagrus australis (Günther),morphological and genetic evidence showed that it is clearly different from the latter species. This
species is distinguished from the other congeners by having the following combination of characters: pale (yellow when fresh) pelvic and anal fins, dorsal-fin rays XI, 11, 4 1/2 scale rows between
lateral line and base of middle dorsal spine, 6 rows of cheek scales; no diffuse black blotch at origin of lateral line, and no black spot on upper base of pectoral fin. This species is currently known
from Okinawa Island, Japan, northwest coast of Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Key words : Sparidae, new species, Acanthopagrus chinshira, East Asia, Okinawa Island.

The sparid fishes of the genus Acanthopagrus
are coastal marine fishes that are important asfood fishes in tropical and temperate waters of
the Indo-West Pacific. Among the 3 species
found in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, the Okinawan yellow-fin seabream has been identified asconspecific with Acanthopagrus australis (Gunther, 1859) (e.g., Akazaki, 1962, 1984) or treatedas a species of unknown taxonomic status (e.g.,
Akazaki, 1997; Hayashi, 2000). Recent study ofallozyme electrophoretic analysis showed that the
Okinawan yellow-fin seabream is a distinct
species (see Kume et al., submitted). Subsequentmorphological and taxonomical study revealed
that the Okinawan yellow-fin seabream is an undescribed species, as described below.

name it simply as “scale rows above lateral line”,
which is the number of scale rows from the baseof fifth or sixth dorsal-fin spine downward andbackward to the lateral line, excluding the lateralline scale, but including the uppermost row ofsmaller scales expressed as 1/2. Internarial width
is the least width between the anterior narial
openings. Standard length and head length are
expressed as SL and HL, respectively. Institutional codes follow Eschmeyer (1998), with additional institutional abbreviations as follows: Divisionof Fisheries Science, University of Miyazaki,
Japan (MUFS); Shanghai Fisheries University,
China (SFU).
Acanthopagrus chinshira sp. nov.
(Japanese name: Okinawa-kichinu)

Materials and Methods(Figs. 1–4)

Counts and measurements follow Akazaki(1962, 1984) and Hubbs and Lagler (1964) withminor modifications. For the count of transverse
series of scales between lateral line and medianspinous dorsal fin [Akazaki’s (1984) Trac], we

Acanthopagrus sivicolus (not of Akazaki): Masuda et al.,
1975: 231, pl. 57-F (in part, Ryukyu Is., Japan).
Mylio berda (not of Forsskal): Au, 1978: 628, fig. 1(northern shelf of South China Sea).
Acanthopagrus australis (not of Günther): Akazaki, 1984:
178, pl. 167-E (Okinawa I., Japan); Jean and Lee,

48

M. Kume and T. Yoshino

1992: 221, fig. 1 (Tanshui, northwest coast of Taiwan);
Lee, 1993: 364, pl. 104-7 (Tanshui, northwest coast of
Taiwan).
Acanthopagrus sp.: Akazaki, 1997: 353 (Sashiki, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., Japan); Hayashi, 2000: 857,
1567 (in part, Haneji Inlet, Okinawa I., Japan).
Holotype. NSMT-P 73081 (ex URM-P 41079), male,
204 mm SL, Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 23 Jan. 2001, collected by M.
Kume.
Paratypes (15 specimens, 102–399 mm SL, all fromJapan). FAKU 130713 (ex URM-P 41059), 106 mm
SL, nearshore Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 13
Oct. 2000, collected by A. Hachimine; MUFS 23014 (exURM-P 36915), 117 mm SL, Nago Fish Market, Okinawa
I., 11 Dec. 1996, collected by H. Yoshigou, H. Mochizuki,
N. Takei, S. Mutoh; MUFS 23015 (ex URM-P 41157),
112 mm SL, nearshore Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa
I., 1 Aug. 1997, collected by M. Tanaka; NSMT-P 63507(ex URM-P 40969), 187 mm SL, Awase Fish Market,
Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 13 Oct. 2000, collected by
M. Kume; URM-P 23780, 232 mm SL, off Awase, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 21 Feb. 1984, donated from Okinawa Fisheries Experimental Station; URM-P 41058,
105.4 mm SL, nearshore Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 13 Oct. 2000, collected by A. Hachimine; URMP 40887, male, 131.1 mm SL, Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay,
Okinawa I., 29 June 2000, collected by A. Hachimine;
URM-P 40888, 112 mm SL, Haneji Inlet, Okinawa I., 2

Sep. 2000, collected by M. Kume; URM-P 40889, 113
mm SL, Haneji Inlet, Okinawa I., 3 Sep. 2000, collectedby M. Kume; URM-P 40891, 102 mm SL, Awase Fish
Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 15 Sep. 2000, collected by M. Kume; URM-P 41060, male, 244 mm SL,
Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 11 Jan. 2001, collected by M. Kume; URM-P
41061, male, 399 mm SL, Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 19 Jan. 2001, collectedby M. Kume; URM-P 41083, 59 mm SL, nearshore
Awase, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 4 July 2000, collected by M. Kume; URM-P 41141, male, 209 mm SL,
Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 10 Feb. 2001, collected by M. Kume; URM-P
41144, female, 343 mm SL, Chinen Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I., 16 Feb. 2001, collected by M.
Kume.
Other materials (total 103 specimens). Okinawa Island, Japan (97 specimens): URM-P 3521–3525, 5 specimens, 132–149 mm SL, Haneji Inlet; URM-P 4875, 290
mm SL, Naha Fish Market; URM-P 23539, 165 mm SL,
Haneji Inlet; URM-P 23541–23553, 13 specimens,
223–297 mm SL, Chinen Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay;
URM-P 23780, 232 mm SL, off Awase, Nakagusuku Bay;
URM-P 32553, 185 mm SL, nearshore Awase, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P 32556 (skeletonized), about 400 mm
SL, Haneji Inlet; URM-P 36915, 117 mm SL, Nago Fish
Market; URM-P 40886, 186 mm SL, Awase Fish Market,
Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P 40890, 90 mm SL, Hama, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P 40969–40970, 2 specimens,

Fig. 1. Acanthopagrus chinshira sp. nov., URM-P 41079 (holotype), 204 mm SL, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I.,
Japan.

New Sparid Fish from East Asia
177–187 mm SL, Awase Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay;
URM-P 40988–40989, 41058–41059, 4 specimens,
77–106 mm SL, nearshore Awase, Nakagusuku Bay;
URM-P 41080–41082, 41084–41099, 41102–41138, 55
specimens, 36–69 mm SL, nearshore Awase, Nakagusuku
Bay; URM-P 41139–41140, 2 specimens, 294–305 mm
SL, Chinen Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P
41145–41147, 3 specimens, 72–83 mm SL, nearshore Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P 41148–41149, 2 specimens, 64–168 mm SL, Hama, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P
41150–41157, 8 specimens, 94–161 mm SL, nearshore
Atsuta, Nakagusuku Bay; URM-P 41178, 169 mm SL,
Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay. Hong
Kong (6 specimens): FAKU 69111–69115, 5 specimens,
362–406 mm SL; MUFS 10573, 247 mm SL.

Diagnosis. A species of Acanthopagrus withfollowing combination of characters: pelvic andanal fins pale (yellow in fresh); dorsal fin XI, 11;
pored lateral-line scales 46–49 (usually 47 or48); scale rows above lateral line 4 1/2; cheekwith 6 rows of scales; lower edge of infraorbitals
straight; no prominent black spot on upper end of
pectoral-fin base, and no diffuse black blotch atorigin of lateral line.
Description. Proportional measurements of
the holotype, paratypes, and non-type specimens
are shown in Table 1. Data for the holotype arepresented first, followed by paratype data inparentheses. Dorsal-fin rays XI, 11 (XI, 11);anal-fin rays III, 8 (III, 8); pectoral-fin rays 15(15); pelvic-fin rays I, 5 (I, 5); pored lateral-line
scales 47 (46–49); scale rows above lateral line
4 1/2 (4 1/2); scale rows below lateral line 13(12–13); cheek scales 6 (6); gill rakers 6915(6915); vertebrae 101424 (101424).
Head and body compressed; body rather high,depth at base of pelvic fin 2.2 (2.1–2.4) in SL.
Head 3.3 (3.1–3.4) in SL. Dorsal outline of headsteep, forming an angle of about 60 degrees tohorizontal axis passing from tip of snout to middle of caudal fin base. Snout rather blunt; length
2.5 (2.5–2.8) in HL. Mouth terminal and a little
protractile; upper jaw projecting slightly overlower. Maxilla reaching below middle of orbit.
Six curved peg-like incisors at front of both jaws.
Molar teeth in 4 or 5 rows on each side of upper
jaw, and in 2 or 3 rows on each side of lower jaw;

49

small anteriorly, becoming gradually larger posteriorly (Fig. 3). Ventral edge of infraorbitals
above posterior part of upper jaw almost straight
without concavity. Nostrils separate; anterior
nostril circular with a flap on upper rim, posterior
nostril elongate, slit-like. Gill opening wide; posterior end of operculum bluntly pointed. Scales
moderately large, circular and weakly ctenoid;
interorbital space rather wide, naked; anteriormost head scales rounded without small scales
anteriorly. Snout and infraorbitals naked. Cheek
with 6 rows of scales reduced dorsally to 3 rows
at postorbital region. Lateral line complete,curved parallel to dorsal body profile and straighton caudal peduncle. Scaly sheath developed on
bases of soft dorsal and anal fins. Origin of dorsal fin slightly posterior to pectoral-fin base;fourth dorsal-fin spine longest, 5.3 (5.3–6.9) in
SL. Pectoral fin elongate and pointed; length 2.3(2.4–2.7) in SL, fifth ray longest. Pelvic-fin insertion posterior to pectoral-fin axilla, length of
longest ray 4.0 (3.9–4.5) in SL. Anal-fin origin
below or approximately below tip of pectoral fin;anal-fin base 5.2 (5.1–6.2) in SL; second spine
stoutest and longest, length 4.5 (4.3–5.7) in SL,
1.4 (1.2–1.7) in HL; third spine shorter than first
soft ray. Caudal fin forked with pointed lobes;
upper lobe subequal to or slightly longer than
HL, lower lobe subequal to or slightly shorter
than HL.
Color when fresh. Head and body silvery
gray, darker above, silvery white below. Body
scales with a dark center, forming longitudinal
series of spots following scale rows. Cheek
scales with a dark center, forming horizontal series of spots from postorbital to posterior rim ofpreopercle. No black edge along operculum; lateral line without diffuse black blotch at origin.
Dorsal-fin spines dusky silver, rays dusky white;membranes dusky with black blotching and black
margin. Pectoral fin pale olivaceous without aconspicuous black spot at upper end of base; axilla with a faint black spot. Pelvic fin canary yellow with basal dusky shading on membranes between spine and third soft ray. Anal fin brightyellow with white ivory spines and rays; mem-50

M. Kume and T. Yoshino
Table 1. Proportional measurements of holotype, paratypes and non-type specimens of Acanthopagrus chinshirasp. nov., expressed as % of standerd length.

SexStandard length (mm)Fork length (mm)Body depth at base of plevic fin
Head length
Snout length
Eye diameter
Interorbital width
Suborbital width
Maxillary lengthInternarial width
Predorsal length
Dorsal-fin origin to caudal peduncle
Dorsal-fin base
4th dorsal-fin spine length
Snout to pelvic-fin origin
Pelvic-fin length
Pelvic-fin origin to anal fin origin
Snout to anal-fin origin
Anal-fin base
2nd anal-fin spine length
Caudal-peduncle length
Caudal-peduncle depth
Pectoral-fin length

Holotype
URM-P 41079

Paratypesn15

Nontypes
n102

M
204
240
46.6
30.6
12.4
6.9
8.5
6.3
12.7
5.8
41.4
76.4
59.3
18.7
37.5
24.8
33.7
69.4
19.1
22.2
19.2
12.6
42.7

M(14)F(1)58–39970–45941.0–47.9
29.1–32.1
10.5–12.7
5.5–10.6
7.7–9.4
4.8–6.6
11.5–13.9
5.0–6.2
39.1–42.5
72.4–77.2
56.0–59.9
14.4–19.0
36.2–38.9
22.1–25.8
32.9–36.3
67.8–71.7
16.2–19.5
17.5–23.6
18.8–20.8
11.4–12.7
37.4–41.2

35–40642–46639.9–48.9
28.7–34.7
9.8–14.3
5.8–13.0
7.2–10.4
4.8–7.0
11.3–15.0
5.0–7.2
39.1–45.0
68.9–77.4
51.1–60.5
13.8–19.4
35.9–43.8
20.8–27.1
29.0–36.5
67.3–72.9
16.0–19.4
16.2–23.7
17.6–20.9
11.0–13.8
32.7–40.1

Mean

44.0
31.6
11.7
9.4
8.5
5.3
12.5
5.8
42.3
73.7
55.6
17.4
38.3
23.9
32.4
69.2
17.7
20.2
19.6
12.1
37.1

Mean including type data.

branes between second spine and third soft ray
with dusky shading basally. Caudal fin dusky olivaceous with a black band along posterior edge.
Color in alcohol. Head and body silvery
white. Body with pale yellowish brown streaks
along the longitudinal scale rows. Fins pale except for dark blotching, dusky shading and marginal band on membranes.
Distribution. The present new species isknown from Okinawa Island, Japan, and Hong
Kong in this study. It also seems to occur along
the northwestern coast of Taiwan based on theliterature (Jean and Lee, 1992; Lee, 1993). Attempts to collect Acanthopagrus chinsira fromsouthern Japan (Tanega and Yaku Islands northward) and the Ryukyu Islands except for Okinawa Island, were all unsuccessful. On Okinawa
Island, A. chinsira is currently known only from
Nakagusuku Bay and Haneji Inlet, where it is not
rare.
Ecological notes. Large and fully matured

adults of Acanthopagrus chinsira are caught
around coastal waters of Okinawa Island in midwinter, when fishery of this species is carried out
by using set nets, gill nets, and bottom long-lines(Watanabe, 1985). Juveniles (10 cm) occur
near shore from late spring to mid-summer. Although in Australia, A. australis spawns at theentrance of estuaries with the larvae moving into
estuarine nursery habitats (Pollock et al., 1983;
Miskiewicz, 1986), A. chinsira never shows sucha migration (Watanabe, 1985; this study). However, nearly nothing is known about the larvaeand juveniles in spite of the commercial importance of this species in Okinawa Island, Japan.
Etymology. The specific name “chinshira”,
used as a noun in apposition, is the local namefor this species around Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa Island. The fishermen around Nakagusuku
Bay clearly distinguish this species from theother congeneric species.
Comparisons. The present new species has

New Sparid Fish from East Asia

often been misidentified as Acanthopagrus australis in Japan and Taiwan (see Akazaki, 1984;
Jean and Lee, 1992; Lee, 1993). Acanthopagrus
chinshira is distinguished from A. australis by 2
meristic characters: number of cheek scales (6vs. 5), number of pored lateral-line scales(46–50, mean 47.4 vs. 43–49, mean 45.8, significant in Mann-Whitney U-test, p0.05) (Table 2).
In morphometric characters, 10 significant differences: eye diameter, suborbital width, interorbital
width, distance between anterior nostrils, distance between dorsal-fin origin and caudal peduncle, 4th dorsal-fin spine length, pelvic-fin
spine length, 2nd anal-fin spine length, length of
longest anal-fin soft ray, and pectoral-fin length
are observed between both species (ANCOVA,p0.01), of which 2 (4th dorsal-fin spine lengthand 2nd anal-fin spine length) are shown in Fig.
4. Coloration is also different: a black spot on theupper end of the pectoral fin base is not distinct
in A. chinshira (vs. present in A. australis) (Fig.
2).
The members of the genus Acanthopagrus except for Acanthopagrus bifasciatus (Forsskål,1775) currently regarded as valid are divided into
3 groups by the count of scale rows above lateralline: 1) Acanthopagrus berda (Forsskål, 1775),
Acanthopagrus latus (Houttuyn, 1782), Acanthopagrus palmaris (Whitley, 1935) , and Acanthopagrus taiwanensis Iwatsuki and Carpenter,2006 having 3 1/2 scale rows from spinous dorsal
to lateral line; 2) Acanthopagrus akazakii Iwatsuki, Kimura and Yoshino, 2006, A. australis,51

Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro, 1949), Acanthopagrus novaecaledoniae (Castelnau, 1873),
Acanthopagrus sivicolus Akazaki, 1962, Acanthopagrus longispinnis (Valenciennes, 1830), andA. chinshira having 4 1/2 scale rows above lateralline ; and 3) Acanthopagrus schlegelii (Bleeker,1854) having more than 4 1/2 scale rows above
lateral line (5 1/2–6 1/2) (Table 2). The morphological characters observed in this study, distinguish A. chinshira from the other species of thesecond group (4 1/2 scale rows above lateral line)
and other congeneric species are listed in Tables
2–5 (meristic characters) and in Table 6 (morphometric and other characters). Acanthopagrus
longispinnis (Chrysophrys longispinnis Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1830), often
regarded as a junior synonym of A. latus (e.g.,
Munro, 1949; Akazaki, 1962), is tentatively
treated as valid, because the syntypes except for a
Japanese specimen deposited at ZMB (about thetype series, see Bauchot and Daget, 1972) and all
the specimens examined here had 4 1/2 scalerows above lateral line and XII, 12 dorsal-fin
rays. Although further taxonomic study shouldbe needed to confirm the validity of C. longispinnis, the number of dorsal-fin rays of this species
is unique in the genus and clearly different from
A. chinshira. The holotype of A. novaecaledoniae
has fewer number of cheek scales (5 vs. 6) andslender body (37% SL vs. 40–49% SL), being
different from A. chinshira (see Iwatsuki et al.,2006). Acanthopagrus akazakii is distinguishedfrom A. chinshira in having shorter second anal-Fig. 2. Markings on posterior edge of operculum and upper base of pectoral fin in 2 species of Acanthopagrus.
A, A. chinshira sp. nov., URM-P 23589; B, A. australis, URM-P 20281.

52

M. Kume and T. Yoshino

Fig. 3. Dentitions of upper jaw (A) and lower jaw (B) in Acanthopagrus chinshira sp. nov., URM-P 32556.
Scale indicates 10 mm.

Fig. 4. Relationships of 4th dorsal spine lengthand 2nd anal spine length to standard length inAcanthopagrus chinshira sp. nov. (solid circles) and A. australis (open triangles).

fin spine (shorter than vs. longer than anal-finbase) (see Iwatsuki et al., 2006). Acanthopagrus
bifasciatus is clearly different from the othermembers of the genus in having 2 black bars onhead and more anal-fin rays (III, 10–12)(Forsskål, 1775; Randall, 1983; Smith and Smith,1986).
From the results of genetic study using allozyme electrophoretic analysis, A. chinshira is adistinct species from A. australis, A. berda, A.
sivicolus, and A. schlegelii (see Kume et al., submitted). Another genetic study of comparative
analysis of mtDNA (entire D-loop region and apart of 12S rRNA, total 1471 bp) also suggested
that A. chinshira (as A. australis in the literature)
is a distinct species from the sympatric congeners, A. berda, A. schlegelii, and A. latus (seeJean et al., 1995).
Remarks. As there has been no recent revision of the genus Acanthopagrus, we briefly review here all the nominal species of Acanthopagrus except for Coius datnia Hamilton, 1822,
Dentex hasta Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1830, Chrysophrys cuvieri Day, 1875,
and Petrus belayewi Hora and Misra, 1943,
which belong to the genus Sparidentex Munro,
1948 owing to absence of molar teeth on jaws.
Among 29 nominal species in the genus Acan-

New Sparid Fish from East Asia

thopagrus, 12 species (A. akazakii, A. australis,
A. berda, A. bifasciatus, A. butcheri, A. latus, A.
longispinnis, A. novaecaledoniae, A. palmaris, A.
schlegelii, A. sivicolus, A. taiwanensis) are currently regarded as valid and the remaining 17
species are junior synonyms of other species.
Eight nominal species of the 17 synonyms,
Sparus hasta Bloch and Schneider 1801,
Chrysophrys calamara Valenciennes in Cuvier
and Valenciennes, 1830, Chrysophrys madagascariensis Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1830, Chrysophrys vagus Peters, 1852,
Pagrus caffer Castelnau, 1861, Chrysophrys
berda var. calamara Day, 1875, Chrysophrys estuarius Gilchrist and Tompson, 1908, andChrysophrys robinsoni Gilchrist and Tompson,
1908, are currently treated as junior synonyms of
A. berda (Sparus berda Forsskål, 1775)(Munro, 1949; Bauchot and Skelton, 1986; Smithand Smith, 1986; Iwatsuki and Carpenter, 2006;
Iwatsuki et al., 2006). Acanthopagrus berda canbe distinguished from A. chinshira sp. nov. inhaving fewer scale rows above lateral line (3 1/2
vs. 4 1/2) and pored lateral-line scales (42–45 vs.
46–50) (Table 2). Three of the remainig 9 synonyms, Chrysophrys auripes Richardson, 1846,
Chrysophrys xanthopoda Richardson, 1846, andChrysophrys rubroptera Tirant, 1883, are juniorsynonyms of A. latus (Sparus latus Houttuyn,1782) (Munro, 1949). Acanthopagrus latus differs from A. chinshira in having fewer scale rows
above lateral line and pored lateral-line scales(3 1/2 and 44–47 vs. 4 1/2 and 46–50, respectively) (Table 2). Identification of C. auripes, C. xanthopoda, and C. rubroptera was confirmed by the
figures (Reeves’ drawing numbers 128 and 85) inthe library of BMNH (see Richardson, 1846 andWhitehead, 1969 for the Reeves’ drawings), andthe figure of a syntype shown in Kottelat (1986:
fig. 12). Three of the remaining 6 synonyms,
Pagrus macrocephalus Basilewsky, 1855,
Chrysophrys swinhonis Günther, 1874 and Lutianus hudsoni Evermann and Shaw, 1927, areherein regarded as junior synonyms of A.
schlegelii. Acanthopagrus schlegelii differs from
A. chinshira in having more scale rows above

53

lateral line, more cheek scales, and more pored
lateral-line scales (5 1/2–6 1/2, 7, and 51–53
vs. 4 1/2, 6, and 46–50, respectively) (Table 2).
Identification of P. macrocephalus, C. swinhonis,
and L. hudsoni was confirmed by the originaldescription and figure [Tab. I fig. 3, not Tab.
III fig. 1 as refered in the text of Basilewsky(1855)], photograph of the syntypes (BMNH
1874.1.16.2), and photograph of the holotype(CAS 505) shown on the Primary Types Imagebase of CAS, respectively. The remaining 3 nominal species, Labrus catenula Lacepède, 1801,
Sparus mylio Lacepède, 1802, and Holocentrus
rabaji Lacepède, 1801 are junior synonyms of A.
bifasciatus according to Dor (1984) and Fricke(1999). Consequently, no available name is
known for the present new species.
Comparative materials. Acanthopagrus australis(41 specimens). Australia: MUFS 3495–3496,
3500–3501, 4 specimens, 135–213 mm SL, Port Jackson,
Sydney, NSW.; MUFS 7411–7412, 2 specimens, 197–199mm SL, Australia; QM I. 26309, 5 specimens, 69–108mm SL, Caboolture River Mouth, SE Queensland; QM I.
26327, 10 specimens, 79–122 mm SL, Deception Bay,
Moreton Bay, SE Queensland; QM I. 23571, 10 specimens, 71–138 mm SL, 19°50S, 147°42E, Molongle
Creek, east of Gumlu, NE Queensland; QM I. 31846, 150
mm SL, near mouth, north side, Tweed River, SE Queensland; URM-P 18691, 193 mm SL, Sydney, NSW.; URM-P
20281–20282, 23501–23505, 23507–23508, 9 specimens,
182–199 mm SL, Brisbane Fish Market, Brisbane, Qld.
Acanthopagrus berda (total 45 specimens). India (1 specimen): MNHN 5261 (1 of 3 syntypes of Chrysophrys calamara), 148 mm SL, Malabar. Australia (3 specimens):
FAKU 125925–125927, 3 specimens, 78–144 mm SL.
Ryukyu Islands, Japan (41 specimens): URM-P 0814, 148
mm SL, Urauchi River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 0816,
1062–1063, 3 specimens, 150–274 mm SL, Shiira River,Iriomote I.; URM-P 1095, 199 mm SL, Shirahama, Iriomote I.; URM-P 23511–23516, 23518, 23520–23522, 10
specimens, 141–346 mm SL, Yaeyama Is.; URM-P 28483,
65 mm SL, Urauchi River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 29626–
29627, 29629–29630, 4 specimens, 76–112 mm SL,
Nakama River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 31214, 105 mm SL,
Shiira River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 32649, 33628, 2 specimens, 155–165 mm SL, Urauchi River, Iriomote I.; URMP 36354–36356, 3 specimens, 106–116 mm SL, Shiira
River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 38474, 225 mm SL, YaeyamaIs.; URM-P 41046–41048, 41050–41051, 41070–41078,
14 specimens, 123–195 mm SL, Yaeyama Is. Acanthopa-

Okinawa Island
Hong Kong
Australia
Iriomote Island
Australia
Japan and Taiwan
Indian Ocean
China
Japan
Ryukyu Isands

Locality

Okinawa Island
Hong Kong
Australia
Iriomote Island
Australia
Japan and Taiwan
Indian Ocean
Japan and China
Ryukyu Islands

A. chinshira sp. nov.

SpeciesA. chinshira sp. nov.

A. latus
A. longispinnis
A. schlegelii
A. sivicolus

A. australis
A. berda

A. sivicolus

A. latus
A. longispinnis
A. schlegelii

A. australis
A. berda

Locality

Species

Table 2.

114
6
38
42
3
15
6
19
73

n

58
6
37
40
3
21
10
11
3
34

n

1

3

42

1

2
2

43

4
18
1
1
3

44

7
42
3
15
1
73

5

114
6
31

17

2

3 1/2 4 1/2 5 1/2 6 1/2

Scale rows above lateral line

41

8
17
2
11
2

45

58
6
37
40
3
21
10
15
34

n

4
3

13

8

46
16
2
1

48

3

1

7

49

37

5

34

40
3
21
10

58
6

6

15

7

Cheek scale rows

1

26
4
8

47

Pored lateral-line scales

Frequency distributions of several meristic counts in Acanthopagrus.

10

1

50

114
6
38
42
3
21
9
15
73

n

2
3
16

51

15
71

113
6
38
42
3
21

XI

5

6

52

2

9

1

XII

15
71

113
6
38
42
3
21

11

Dorsal-fin rays

3

53

2

9

1

12

54
M. Kume and T. Yoshino

New Sparid Fish from East Asia
grus butcheri (2 specimens). Australia: MUFS
3498–3499, 80–95 mm SL, Port Jackson, Sydney. Acanthopagrus latus (total 19 specimens). Japan (18 specimens): FAKU 25244, 25248, 25255-2, 25479, 25482,
25483, 6 specimens, 139–159 mm SL, Shiroya, Aichi
Pref.; MUFS 10057, 121 mm SL, Ibii River, Nichinan,
Miyazaki Pref.; MUFS 10578, 90 mm SL, Akamizu,
Miyazaki Pref.; MUFS 13079, 233 mm SL, Miyazaki
Pref.; URM-P 5032, 2 specimens, 56–71 mm SL, Ichinose
River, Miyazaki Pref.; URM-P 5035, 83 mm SL, Kiyotake
River, Miyazaki; URM-P 23423, 179 mm SL, Miyazaki
Central Fish Market, Miyazaki; URM-P 41035,
41037–41040, 5 specimens, 235–301 mm SL, Kagoshima. Taiwan (1 specimen): MUFS 2621, 141 mm SL,
Tungkang. Acanthopagrus longispinnis (total 13 specimens). India (10 specimens): MNHN 5282 (2 of 3 syntypes of C. longispinnis), 121–144 mm SL, Gulf of Bengal; MUFS 19109, 19115, 19123–19124, 19176, 19178,
19568, 7 specimens, 50–192 mm SL, Calcutta; MUFS
20973, 213 mm SL, Munbay. Arabian Sea (2 specimens):
FAKU 17900, 17902, 2 specimens, 133–147 mm SL. Persian Gulf (1 specimen): MUFS 21415, 127 mm SL,
Kuwait. Acanthopagrus novaecaledoniae (1 specimen).
New Caledonia: NMV 51854 (holotype of C. novaecaledoniae), 207 mm SL, Noumea. Acanthopagrus schlegelii(total 22 specimens). Japan (4 specimens): URM-P
05041, 62 mm SL; URM-P 10679–10680, 2 specimens,
147–203 mm SL; URM-P 10695, 177 mm SL. China (18specimens): BMNH 1874.1.16.2 (syntypes of C. swinhonis), 4 specimens, 86–282 mm SL, Chefoo, Shantung
Prov.; SFU 51–1079, 11 specimens, 30–63 mm SL, Tsingdao, Shandong; SFU 51–1098, 137 mm SL, Tsingdao,
Shandong; SFU 56–9316, 299 mm SL, Tsingdao, Shandong; SFU 57–0026, 136 mm SL, Shidao, Shandong.
Acanthopagrus sivicolus (52 specimens). Ryukyu Islands,
Japan: URM-P 8686, 232 mm SL, Naha Fish Market,
Naha, Okinawa I.; URM-P 23523–23525, 23527–23528,
23530–23532, 23534–23535, 23537, 11 specimens,
193–245 mm SL, Yaeyama Is.; URM-P 23538, 171 mm
SL, Haneji, Nago, Okinawa I.; URM-P 30292, 145 mm
SL, nearshore Ohyama, Ginowan, Okinawa I.; URM-P
31148–31149, 2 specimens, 171–188 mm SL, Okinawa
Prefectural Fish Market, Okinawa I.; URM-P 32579, 152
mm SL, Urauchi River, Iriomote I.; URM-P 33858, 141
mm SL, Makiya-ohkawa River, Nago, Okinawa I.; URMP 40971–40975, 40977–40979, 8 specimens, 182–231
mm SL, Awase Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa
I.; URM-P 40981, 130 mm SL, Nakagusuku Hama Fish
Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I.; URM-P 41049,
179 mm SL, Yaeyama Is.; URM-P 41142, 325 mm SL,
Nakagusuku Hama Fish Market, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I.; URM-P 41196, 41198, 41201–41203, 5 specimens, 79–99 mm SL, nearshore Awase, Nakagusuku Bay,
Okinawa I.; URM-P 41227, 41231, 41234, 3 specimens,

55

70–97 mm SL, Makiya-ohkawa River, Haneji, Nago, Okinawa I.; URM-P 41247, 41251, 41262, 41271–41272,
41278, 6 specimens, 37–57 mm SL, nearshore Gabu,
Haneji, Nago, Okinawa I.; URM-P 41291, 41300, 41325,
41337, 41346, 41349, 41356, 7 specimens, 59–101 mm
SL, nearshore Awase, Nakagusuku Bay, Okinawa I.;
URM-P 41365, 89 mm SL, Kijimuna River, Motobu, Okinawa I.; URM-P 41366, 76 mm SL, nearshore Gabu,
Haneji, Nago, Okinawa I.

Acknowledgements
We are most grateful to I. Nakamura and T.
Nakabo (FAKU), Y. Iwatsuki (MUFS), J. Johnson (QM), and H.-L. Wu (SFU) for loan of thespecimens. We are also grateful to T. Hikida,
Dept. of Zool., Graduate School of Science,
Kyoto University, for using his program of ANCOVA, K. Hatooka (OMNH) and Y. Iwatsuki(MUFS) for imformation of type specimens in
BMNH and NMV, G. Duhamel and P. Pruvost(MNHN) for opportunities to examine type specimens in their care, S. Kimura (FRLM) and H.
Konishi (Weekly Sunday Fishing Publ.), for information of specimens, and W. N. Eschmeyer(CAS) for sending literature. We thank the following persons and institutions, and fisheries
cooparations for their assistance and encouragement during this study: H. Ota, H. Sato, M. Toda,
and colleagues of Tropical Biosphere ResearchCenter, University of the Ryukyus; S Zamami, Y.
Uenishi, Y. Shingaki, Y. Haneji, H. Matsunashi,
and M. Uenishi, members of Okinawa Kurumaebi Co. Ltd.; T. Kon, Y. Sakurai, N. Takei, A.
Hayashi, N. Higa, H. Ishimori and Y. Matsumoto,colleagues of URM; Chinen-Umino Fisheries
Cooparation;
Nakagusuku-Hama
Fisheries
Cooparation;
Okinawashi-Awase
Fisheries
Cooparation; Nago Fisheries Cooparation; Okinawa Prefectural Fisheries Cooparation. All the
specimens used in this study were collectedunder the controls of governmental fishery regulations. This study was partially supported by agrant for the 21st Century COE program “TheComprehensive Analyses on Biodiversity in
Coral Reef and Island Ecosystems in Asian andPacific Regions” from the Ministry of Education,

56

M. Kume and T. Yoshino

Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan(Monbukagakusho).
Literature Cited
Akazaki, M. 1962. Studies on the Spariform fishes: anatomy, phylogeny, ecology and taxonomy. Misaki Marine
Biological Institute, Kyoto Univ., Special Report, (1):i–iv1–368. (In Japanese with English summry.)
Akazaki, M. 1984. Family Sparidae. Pages 176–178, pl.
167 in H. Masuda, K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno andT. Yoshino, eds. The Fishes of the Japanese Archipelago (English text and plates). Tokai Uniersity Press,
Tokyo.
Akazaki, M. 1997. Sparidae. Pages 352–353 in O. Okamura, K. Amaoka, eds. Sea fishes of Japan. Yama-Kei
Publishers, Tokyo. (In Japanese.)Au, K. C. 1978. A field key to the Hong Kong seabreamsof the genus Mylio Lacepède, family Sparidae. Journalof Natural History, 12: 627–631.
Basilewsky, S. 1855. Ichthyographia Chinae borealis.
Nouveaux Mémoires de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 10: 215–263, pls. 1–9.
Bauchot, M. L. and J. Daget. 1972. Catalogue critique destypes de poissons du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Sér. 3, (24): 33–100.
Bauchot, M. L. and P. H. Skelton. 1986. Sparidae. Pages
331–332 in J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, D. F. E. Thys van den
Audenarde, eds. Check-list of the Freshwater Fishes ofAfrica. ISNB, Bruxelles, vol. 2.
Bleeker, P. 1854. Faunae ichthyologicae Japonicae.
Species novae. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië, 6: 395–426.
Bloch, M. E. and J. G. Schneider. 1801. M. E. Blochii,
Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus cx illustratum. Post
obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absoluit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini, Berlin,lx584 pp., 110 pls.
Castelnau, F. L. 1861. Mémoire sur les poissons del’Afrique australe. Paris. Mémoire sur les poisons del’Afrique Australe, Paris, France, 78 pp.
Castelnau, F. L. 1873. Contribution to the ichthyology ofAustralia. Proceedings of the Zoological Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, 2: 37–158.
Cuvier, G. and A. Valenciennes. 1830. Histoire Naturelledes Poissons, vol. 6. F. G. Levrault, Paris, xxiv559
pp., pls. 141–169.
Day, F. 1875. The fishes of India; Being a Natural Historyof the Fishes Known to Inhabit the Seas and Fresh Waters of India, Burma and Ceylon. Part 1. Bernard Quaritch, London, pp. 1–168, 40 pls.
Dor, M. 1984. CLOFRES. Checklist of the Fishes of the

Red Sea. Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities,
Jerusalem, xxii437 pp.
Eschmeyer, W. N., ed. 1998. Catalog of Fishes. California
Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, vols. 1–3,
2905 pp.
Evermann, B. W. and T. H. Shaw. 1927. Fishes from Eastern China, with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Ser. 4,
16(4): 97–122.
Forsskål, P. 1775. Descriptiones Animalium Avium, Amphibiorum, Piscium, Insectorum, Vermium; quae in
Itinere Orientali observavit. Post mortem auctoris edidit
Carsten Niebuhr. Mölleri, Copenhagen, 20xxxiv
164 pp.
Fricke, R. 1999. Fishes of the Mascarene Islands(Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez). An Annotated
Checklist with Description of New Species. Koeltz,
Köenigstein, viii759 pp.
Gilchrist, J. D. F. and W.W. Tompson. 1908. Descriptionsof fishes from the coast of Natal. Annals of the South
African Museum, 6 (part 2): 145–206
Gunther, A. 1859. Catalogue of the AcanthopterygianFishes in the Collection of British Museum. vol. 1.
British Museum, London, xxxi524 pp.
Günther, A. 1874. Third notice of a collection of fishes
made by Mr. Swinhoe in China. Annals and Magazine
of Natural History, (4), 13: 155.
Hamilton, F. 1822. An Account of the Fishes Found in theRiver Ganges and its branches. Edinburgh & London,
Fishes Ganges: i–vii1–405, pls. 1–39.
Hayashi, M. 2000. Sparidae Pages 856–859, 1567 in T.
Nakabo, ed. Fishes of Japan with pictorial keys to thespecies, 2nd edition. Tokai University Press, Toyo. (InJapanese.)
Hora, S. L. and K. S. Misra. 1943. On a small collectionof fish from Iraq. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 9(1): 1–15.
Houttuyn, M. 1782. Beschrijving van eenige Japanese
visschen, en andere zee-schepzelen. Verhandelingen
Hollandsche Maatschappij der Haarlm, 20 (part 2):
311–350.
Hubbs, C. L. and K. F. Lagler. 1964. Fishes of the Great
Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press, Ann
Arbor, xv213 pp., 44 pls.
Iwatsuki, Y. and K. Carpenter. 2006. Acanthopagrus taiwanensis, a new sparid fish (Perciformes), with comparisons to Acanthopagrus berda (Forsskål, 1775) andother nominal species of Acanthopagrus. Zootaxa,
1202: 1–19.
Iwatsuki, Y., S. Kimura and T. Yoshino. 2006. A new
species: Acanthopagrus akazakii (Perciformes: Sparidae) from New Caledonia and a similar species, A.
berda (Forsskål, 1775) with comments on known nominal species. Ichthyological Research, 53(4): 406–414.

New Sparid Fish from East Asia
Jean, C. T. and S. C. Lee. 1992. New record of sparid fish,
Acanthopagrus australis from Taiwan. Bulletin of theInstitute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, 31: 221–223.
Jean, C. T., C. F. Hui, S. C. Lee and C. T. Chen. 1995.
Variation in mitchondial DNA and phylogenetic relationships of fishes of the subfamily Sparinae (Perciformes: Sparidae) in the coastal waters of Taiwan. Zoological Studies, 34: 270–280.
Kottelat, M. 1986. A review of the nominal species offishes described by G. Tirant. Nouvelles Archives duMuséum d’histire naturelle de Lyon, 24: 5–24.
Kume, M., T. Yoshino and M. Nishida. (submitted) Genetic divergence of the yellow-fin seabream, Acanthopagrus australis (Perciformes: Sparidae), between Australian and Okinawan populations.
Lacepède, B. G. E. 1801. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons,vol. 3. Plassan, Paris, i–lxvi1–558 pp., pls. 1–34.
Lacepède, B. G. E. 1802. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons,vol. 4. Plassan, Paris, xliv728 pp., pls. 1–16.
Lee, S. C. 1993. Sparidae. Pages 363–366, pl. 104 in S. C.
Shen, ed. Fishes of Taiwan (in Chinese). Department of
Zoology, University of Taiwan Press, Taipei.
Masuda, H., C. Araga and T. Yoshino. 1975. Coastal
Fishes of Southern Japan. Tokai University Press,
Tokyo, 379 pp.
Miskiewicz, A. G. 1986. The season and length at entry
into a temperate Australian estuary of the larvae of
Acanthopagrus australis, Rhabdosargus sarba andChrysophrys auratus (Teleostei: Sparidae). Pages 740–
747 in T. Uyeno, R. Arai, T. Taniuchi, K. Matsuura,eds. Indo-Pacific Fish Biology. Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Indo-Pacific Fishes,
Ichthyological Society of Japan, Tokyo.
Munro, I. S. R. 1948. Sparidentex hasta (Valenciennes), a
new name for Chrysophrys cuvieri Day. Copeia,1948(4): 275–280.
Munro, I. S. R. 1949. Revision of Australian silver

57

breams Mylio and Rhabdosargus. Memoirs of the
Queensland Museum, 12: 182–223, pls. 16–23.
Peters, W. 1852. Diagnosen von neuen Flussifischen aus
Mossambique. Monatsberichte der Akademie Wisseenshaften zu Berlin, 1852: 275–276, 681–685.
Pollock, B. R., H. Weng and R. M. Morton. 1983. The
seasonal occurrence of postlarval stage of yellowfin
bream, Acanthopagrus australis (Günther), and somefactors affecting their movement into an estuary. Journal of Fish Biology, 22: 409–415.
Randall, J. E. 1983. Red Sea Reef Fishes. IMMEL Publishing, London, 192 pp.
Richardson, J. 1846. Report on the ichthyology of theSeas of China and Japan. Report of the British Association for Advancement of Science, 1845: 187–320.
Smith, J. L. B. and M. M. Smith. 1986. Family No. 183:
Sparidae. Pages 580–595 in M. M. Smith and P. C.
Heemstra, eds. Smiths’ Sea Fishes. J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown.
Tirant, G. 1883. Mémoire sur les poissons de la rivière deHué. Bulletin de la Société des Études Indochinoises,
1883: 80–101.
Watanabe, T. 1985. [Research on commercially importantfishes in Kin and Nakagusuku Bays, I: the fishery of“chinshira” (Acanthopagrus australis)] Reports of Okinawa Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station, 1983:
28–39. (in Japanese.)
Whitehead, P. J. P. 1969. The Reeves collection of Chinese
fish drawings. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural
History), Historical Series, 3: 193–233, pls. 1–29.
Whitley, G. P. 1935. Studies in ichthyology, no. 9. Recordsof the Australian Museum, 19(4): 215–258.
Manuscript received 6 February 2006; revised 31 January
2008; accepted 15 February 2008.
Associate editor: S. Kimura