Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831

Koeda, Keita & Bessho-Uehara, Manabu, 2024, A review of the genus Pempheris (Teleostei, Pempheridae) found in Japan and Taiwan, ZooKeys 1220, pp. 123-163 : 123-163

Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831

Figs 15 , 16 , Suppl. material 2 Standard Japanese name: Kibire-hatampo

Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831: 305 (type locality: Vanikoro Island, Santa Cruz Islands); Shao and Chen 1991: 163, unnumbered fig.; Shao et al. 1992: 177, unnumbered fig.; Shen 1993: 391, pl. 114, fig. 2; Koeda et al. 2010 b: 78, fig. 1; Koeda et al. 2012 a: 71; Koeda et al. 2013 a: 237; Koeda et al. 2013 b: 127; Chiang et al. 2014: 183, unnumbered fig.; Koeda et al. 2014: 327; Koeda and Motomura 2015: 139; Koeda et al. 2015: 275; Koeda et al. 2016 b: 50, fig. 226; Koeda 2017 a: 5; Koeda 2018 b: 299, unnumbered fig.; Koeda 2019: 929, unnumbered figs; Koeda et al. 2022: 11; Nakamura et al. 2022: 1, fig. 1.

Pempheris sp.: Shao et al. 2013 (in part): 161, unnumbered fig. (middle fig.); Shao et al. 2008: 254; Hatooka and Yagishita 2013 (in part): 984.

Diagnosis.

Counts of holotype and non-types are given in Table 2 of Koeda et al. (2010 b). Dorsal-fin rays VI, 9; anal-fin rays III, 38–43; pectoral-fin rays 17–19; pored lateral-line scales 56–65; scale rows above lateral line 5 ½ – 6 ½, usually 5 ½; scale rows below lateral line 12–15; predorsal scales 30–35; circumpeduncular scales 16–18; gill rakers 8 + 19–21 = 27–29; head length 29.1–31.7 %; body depth 42.4–46.3 %; eye diameter 37.5–42.9 %; upper jaw length 48.9–55.3 %; maximum 156 mm SL; snout rounded; scales weakly ctenoid, deciduous, thin, semicircular in shape, far wider than long ( Koeda et al. 2013 a: see fig. 2 a); body silverish to copperish in fresh specimen collected in day time, but silver in night time; tip of dorsal fin distinctly blackish; usually distinct blackish band on outer edge of anal fin; pectoral fin bright yellow (disappear in fixed specimens) with lacking blackish blotch on its base; posterior margin of caudal fin blackish; narrow band of villiform teeth in jaws; abdomen cross-sectional outline V-shaped.

Distribution.

Widely distributed in the western Pacific Ocean except for small islands and atolls in central Pacific. In Japanese waters, this species is known from Iriomote-jima and Yonaguni-jima islands in the southern Ryukyu Archipelago. In Taiwanese waters, this species is known from Yeh Liu and Wang-li in New Taipei City, and Hengchung and Kenting in Pingtung County (Fig. 15 ). Specimens were collected from 0–2 m depth in Japan but are known from deeper (ca 20 m) in other areas. KK observed a small school of this species at Kuchinoerabu-jima Island (24 Aug. 2016).

Remarks.

This species was described by Cuvier (1831), and the name P. vanicolensis has been used for several species, particularly from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. However, this species has only been collected from the Pacific Ocean and not from the Indian Ocean as shown in the present study. Jordan and Hubbs (1925) reported that the “ P. japonica ” documented by Snyder (1912) from Okinawa Island was a misidentification of P. vanicolensis . The early period of modern-day ichthyology in Japan probably followed Jordan and Hubbs (1952), and P. vanicolensis was recognized as “ Minami-hatampo ” in the species lists of Japanese waters (e. g., Okada 1938; Matsubara 1955). However, P. vanicolensis is very rare in Japan, and re-examination of Snyder’s specimen ( SU 22002) revealed that it was a misidentification of P. schwenkii , which is the most common species around Okinawa Island.

Figures

Figure 15. Distribution of Pempheris ufuagari (triangles) and P. vanicolensis (diamonds) based on the collection localities of the specimens.

Figure 16. Pempheris vanicolensis A fresh specimen (KAUM – I. 65386, 132.7 mm SL, Hengchung, Pingtung, Taiwan) and underwater photograph (Palau).