Ocosia spinosa Chen, 1981

Mochizuki, Kentaro, Kai, Yoshiaki, Endo, Hiromitsu & Motomura, Hiroyuki, 2021, Revised Diagnosis and First Japanese Records of the Waspfish Ocosia spinosa (Teleostei: Tetrarogidae), Species Diversity 26, pp. 281-287 : 282-287

Ocosia spinosa Chen, 1981

[New English name: Red Waspfish; new standard Japanese name: Aka-hachiokoze] ( Figs 1–5 ; Tables 1, 2)

Ocosia spinosa Chen, 1981: 41 , figs 4 (6), 28 [type locality: off Tung-kang (Dong-gang), Taiwan]; Shao et al. 2008: 246 [off Tung-kang (Dong-gang), Taiwan]; Motomura

2019: 540, unnumbered fig (off Dong-gang, Taiwan).

Material examined. 11 specimens, 31.3–103.5 mm SL. Japan: BSKU 1845 , 72.5 mm SL, Tosa Bay, Mimase Fish Market, Kochi Prefecture, March 1952; BSKU 4291 , 68.6 mm SL, Tosa Bay , Mimase Fish Market , Kochi Prefecture, 21 November 1954; BSKU 44240 , 38.0 mm SL, Tosa Bay , Kochi Prefecture (33°18.60′N, 133°40.77′E), beam trawl, 130–132 m depth, RV Toyohata-maru, 16 November 1987; BSKU 51541 , 72.5 mm SL, Tosa Bay , Mimase Fish Market, Kochi Prefecture, bottom trawl, 13 April 2000; BSKU 77926 , 31.3 mm SL, Tosa Bay , Kochi Prefecture (33°15.08′N, 133°36.16′E – 33°15.54′N, 133°36.92′E), 149– 151 m depth, RV Kotaka-maru, 17 April 2006; FAKU 1861 , 78.1 mm SL, off Owase, Mie Prefecture, 1 May 1936; FAKU 1887 , 53.3 mm SL, off Owase, Mie Prefecture, 27 May 1936, K . Matsubara; FAKU 3041 , 68.8 mm SL, KAUM –I . 133238 (formally FAKU 3042 ), 70.4 mm SL, off Miya , Aichi Prefecture, 7 November 1937, K . Matsubara; NSMT-P 142832 (formerly KSHS 5286 ), 73.8 mm SL, Tosa Bay, Mimase Fish Market , Kochi Prefecture, 16 December 1965, T . Yamakawa.

Taiwan: KAUM –I . 43828, 103.5 mm SL, off Dong-gang , Pingtung, Taiwan, 28 October 2011 .

Revised diagnosis. A species of Ocosia distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XV–XVIII, 7 or 8; anal-fin rays III, 4–6; pectoral-fin rays usually 13 (rarely 12); lateral-line pores on body 12–18; gill rakers 6–15; vertebrae usually 28 (rarely 27); 2nd dorsal-fin spine longest, its length 101.2–136.2% (mean 114.8%) of 3rd dorsal-fin spine length, 154.1–210.9% (181.8%) of 8th dorsal-fin spine length; interspinous dorsalfin membranes at middle of dorsal fin (between 5th and 10th spines) incised for one-fourth to one-third of associat- ed spine height in each; dorsal profile of snout concave ( Figs 1 , 2 ); posterior lacrimal spine directed backward, its length about 2–3 times greater than that of anterior lacrimal spine ( Fig. 3 ); small lateral lacrimal spine usually present (absent in larger specimens; Figs 3 , 4 ); small spine usually present on anterior end of suborbital ridge in smaller specimens (absent in larger specimens; Figs 3 , 4 ); weak stubby papillae covering upper lip and anterior half to one-third of lower lip; trunk uniformly brownish-red when fresh, without distinct markings (but with faint brownish small blotch near base of 6–9th dorsal-fin spine in some individuals) ( Figs 1 , 2 ) [based on Chen (1981), Mandritsa and Usachev (1990), Fricke (2017), Motomura (2019), and this study].

Description. Counts and measurements shown in Tables 1, 2. Diagnostic characters given above not repeated. Body somewhat elongated, laterally compressed, progressively more compressed posteriorly; covered with smooth skin, without scales. Caudal peduncle short. Lateral line complete, continuous, extending from behind supracleithral spine to caudal-fin base; end of tube associated with each lateral-line pore (except last 2 or 3 pores).

Head profile of snout elevated sharply, with a concavity in front of eye. Anterodorsal bony rim on orbit smooth. Two pairs of nasal openings, subequal in diameter. Interorbital region somewhat narrow; interorbital ridges weakly de- veloped, extending near origin of dorsal fin, ending with a blunt tip. Supraocular, parietal, and nuchal ridges in a row on upper rear margin of orbit. Pterotic and posttemporal ridges in a row behind mid-orbit, followed by a small supracleithral spine. Two lacrimal spines, anterior spine short, directed posteroventrally, its tip not reaching posterior margin of maxilla. Suborbital ridge connected posteriorly to base of uppermost preopercular spine. Three preopercular spines; uppermost longest, sharp and almost exposed from skin; 2nd and 3rd blunt, 2nd slightly exposed from skin, 3rd embedded in skin. Two opercular spines embedded in skin. Cleithral bone flattened, embedded in skin. Small spine on lateral surface of lacrimal (absent in relatively large specimens). Mouth small, terminal, slightly oblique; posterior margin of maxilla reaching to (or just short of) vertical through middle of pupil. Fine conical teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines.

First dorsal-fin spine shortest; 5th to last spines of similar length. Second dorsal-fin soft ray longest; three-fourths of last dorsal-fin soft ray posteriorly connected to dorsal edge of caudal peduncle by membrane, but not extending onto upper margin of caudal fin. Origin of anal fin level with vertical through 13–15th dorsal-fin spine base; 1st anal-fin spine shortest; 3rd anal-fin spine longest, but shorter than 1st anal-fin soft ray; membranes of anal-fin spinous portion somewhat notched; posterior margin of last anal-fin soft ray not connected to ventral margin of caudal peduncle; posterior margin of soft-rayed portion rounded. Last soft rays of dorsal and anal fins branched near origins of rays. Origin of pectoral fin level with vertical through 5th or 6th dorsal-fin spine base; fin length slightly shorter than head length; posterior margin of fin rounded. Origin of pelvic fin level with vertical through lower end of pectoral-fin base; 2nd soft ray longest, posterior tip of depressed fin reaching to level of 10th–12th dorsal-fin spine base; more than one-fourth of last soft ray joined to abdomen via membrane.

Coloration of fresh specimen (based on Fig. 1 ). Head and body uniformly brownish-red, deepening on head and dorsal body, abdomen more reddish. Faint dark brownish small blotch near base of 7th dorsal-fin spine. Five reddish-brown radial bars surrounding orbit: 1st bar extending behind snout; 2nd extending below orbit; 3rd extending forward pectoral-fin base; 4th extending forward origin of lateral line; 5th extending toward origin of dorsal fin. Dorsal fin pale brownish-red with pale yellow blotches; anal fin deep red; pectoral fin translucent red, base brownish-red, posterior margin dark brown; pelvic fin deep red; caudal fin brownish-red, posterior margin deep red.

Coloration of preserved specimens (based on Fig. 2 ). Head and body uniformly pale, yellowish-brown. Faint brownish small blotch near base of 6–9th dorsal-fin spine in some specimens (BSKU 1845, 4291, 51541; FAKU 1861, 1887, 3041). Radial bars surrounding orbit brown. All fins white. Anal, pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins brown in small specimens.

Distribution. Currently known only from Japan (Aichi, Mie, and Kochi prefectures) and Taiwan ( Chen 1981; Shao et al. 2008; Motomura 2019; Shao 2021; this study) ( Fig. 5 ).

Remarks. The specimens examined here all had the following characters of the genus Ocosia , defined by Poss (1999) and Chungthanawong and Motomura (2021): 7 or 8 dorsal-fin soft rays; I, 5 pelvic-fin rays; body not covered with scales; lateral line well separated from dorsal-fin base; no small papillae on body; palatine teeth present; tentacles absent on eyes; origin of dorsal fin anterior to posterior margin of orbit; tip of opercle not reaching to dorsalfin base; body notably compressed. Although Poss (1999) and Chungthanawong and Motomura (2021) included XIV–XVII dorsal-fin spines as a diagnostic character of the genus, one specimen (NSMT-P 142832, 73.8 mm SL) had XVIII dorsal-fin spines.

Characters of the examined specimens also agreed with those of the holotype given in the original description of Ocosia spinosa by Chen (1981): 2nd dorsal-fin spine longest, slightly longer than 3rd dorsal-fin spine; 2 lacrimal spines, anterior spine shorter than posterior spine; interorbital ridges extending to near origin of dorsal fin, each ending with a blunt tip; a small supracleithral spine below first lateral-line pore; fine teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. The fresh coloration of a Japanese specimen ( Fig. 1 ) also agreed closely with that given by Chen (1981: fig. 28). However, meristics of the Japanese and Taiwanese specimens examined here had extended ranges for the following characters, compared with those given by Chen (1981), Mandritsa and Usachev (1990), and Motomura (2019): XV–XVIII, 7 or 8 dorsal-fin rays in this study (XVI–XVII, 8 in the latter); 4 or 5 analfin soft rays (5 or 6); 12 or 13 pectoral-fin rays (13); 12–18 lateral-line pores on body (17) [this large extension mirrors similar variations recorded for O. fasciata (12–18 lateral-line pores in 16 specimens) and O. apia Poss and Eschmeyer, 1975 (16–21 lateral line pores in 20 specimens) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975)]; 8–15 gill rakers (10) [a similarly wide variation recorded for O. apia (12–21 gill rakers in 20 specimens) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975)]; 19 or 20 caudal-fin rays (20); 27 or 28 vertebrae (28).

Selected comparative characters are summarized in Table 2. Ocosia spinosa can be distinguished from its congeners by having the 2nd dorsal-fin spine slightly longer than the 3rd dorsal-fin spine (vs. 2nd spine longer than 3rd spine in O. apia and O. possi Mandritsa and Usachev, 1990 ; 2nd spine equal in length to 3rd spine in O. vespa , O. fasciata , O. ramaraoi Poss and Eschmeyer, 1975 , and O. zaspilota Poss and Eschmeyer, 1975 ; 2nd spine shorter than 3rd spine in O. sphex Fricke, 2017 ) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Mandritsa and Usachev 1990; Fricke 2017; Table 2). In addition, O. spinosa differs from O. vespa in having the interspinous dorsalfin membranes incised for one-fourth to one-third of spine height in each (vs. membranes not incised in O. vespa ), weak stubby papillae covering the upper lip and anterior half to one-third of the lower lip (vs. distinct stubby papillae), and the posterior lacrimal spine directed backward (vs. downward) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Fricke 2017); from O. fasciata in having the interspinous dorsal-fin membranes incised for one-fourth to one-third of each spine height (vs. membranes incised for half of each spine height in O. fasciata ), and the dorsal profile of the snout concave (vs. straight) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Fricke 2017); from O. ramaraoi in lacking distinct markings on the body (vs. blotches, spots, and vague bands on the body in O. ramaraoi ) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Mandritsa and Usachev 1990; Fricke 2017); from O. zaspilota in having the 2nd and 3rd dorsalfin spines slightly longer than other dorsal-fin spines (vs. 2nd and 3rd dorsal-fin spines remarkably longer than other dorsal-fin spines in O. zaspilota ) and a faint brownish small blotch near the base of the middle portion of the dorsal fin in some individuals (vs. several irregular dark brown spots on the body) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Fricke 2017); from O. sphex in having 4–6 anal-fin soft rays (vs. 7 in O. sphex ), 12–18 lateral-line pores (vs. 26–27), and the posterior lacrimal spine directed backward (vs. downward) ( Fricke 2017); from O. possi in having XV–XVIII dorsal-fin spines (vs. XV spines in O. possi ), usually 13 pectoral-fin rays (vs. usually 12), and no distinct blotches on the body (vs. 4 distinct large blotches on the upper body) ( Mandritsa and Usachev 1990; Fricke 2017); and from O. apia in having usually 13 pectoral-fin rays (vs. usually 12 in O. apia ), 8–15 gill rakers (vs. 12–21), and usually 28 vertebrae (vs. usually 29) ( Poss and Eschmeyer 1975; Fricke 2017).

Chen (1981) and Fricke (2017) distinguished O. spinosa from all other congeners, except for O. apia , the former having a small spine on the lateral surface of the lacrimal (= lateral lacrimal spine in this study) plus a small spine at the anterior end of the suborbital ridge. Although smaller specimens of O. spinosa (BSKU 77926, 31.3 mm SL; FAKU 1887, 53.3 mm SL; BSKU 1845, 72.5 mm SL) had both of these spines ( Fig. 3A ), larger specimens (BSKU 4291, 68.6 mm SL; FAKU 3041, 68.8 mm SL; NSMT-P 142832, 73.8 mm SL; KAUM–I. 43828, 103.5 mm SL) lacked them ( Fig. 3C ). The remaining specimens (BSKU 44240, 38.0 mm SL; BSKU 51541, 72.5 mm SL; FAKU 1861, 78.1 mm SL; KAUM–I. 133238, 70.4 mm SL) had the small lateral lacrimal spine, but lacked the spine on the suborbital ridge ( Fig. 3B ), such variations representing changes with growth ( Fig. 4 ).

Since O. spinosa has been recorded only from Taiwan as mentioned above, the present Japanese specimens represent the first records from Japan, Aichi specimens being the northernmost and easternmost records for the species. There being no current English or Japanese names for O. spinosa , the new English and Japanese names “Red Waspfish” and “Aka-hachiokoze”, respectively, are proposed here, on the basis of BSKU 51541. “Aka” means “Red” in Japanese, in reference to the uniformly red body color of the species, and “hachiokoze” is the common Japanese name for Ocosia .

Figures

Fig. 1. Fresh specimen of Ocosia spinosa from Kochi Prefecture, Japan (BSKU 51541, 72.5mm SL).

Fig. 2. Various sizes of preserved specimens of Ocosia spinosa. A, BSKU 51541, 72.5mm SL, Kochi Prefecture, Japan; B, BSKU 77926, 31.3mm SL, Kochi Prefecture, Japan; C, FAKU 1887, 53.3mm SL, Mie Prefecture, Japan; D, KAUM–I.43828,103.5mm SL,Dong-gang, Taiwan.

Fig. 3. Heads of preserved specimens of Ocosia spinosa. A, FAKU 1887, 53.3mm SL; B, BSKU 44240, 38.0mm SL; C, KAUM–I. 43828, 103.5mm SL. Red and yellow arrows indicate lateral lacrimal spine and a small spine at anterior end of suborbital ridge, respectively.Bars:3mm.

Fig. 4. Relationship of presence and absence of lateral lacrimal spine (LLS) and spine at anterior end of suborbital ridge (SSR) to standard length (mm). 0, LLS and SSR absent; 1, LLS present, but SSR absent; 2, LLS and SSR present.

Fig. 5. Distributional records of Ocosia spinosa, based on previous studies (circles) and present study (stars). Open symbol indicates type locality.