Review of the Japanese records of an endangered grouper, Epinephelus tukula, with comments on its population status (Teleostei, Serranidae)

The Potato Grouper, Epinephelus tukula, is relatively rare worldwide. Records from the northernmost part of its range (Japan) have been few, resulting in a “Critically Endangered” listing on the Red List for Japan. The Japanese records were revised by examining literature, new spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Atsunobu Murase, Ryohei Miki, Masaaki Wada, Masahide Itou, Hiroyuki Motomura, Hiroshi Senou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2018-07-01
Series:ZooKeys
Online Access:https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=24374
Description
Summary:The Potato Grouper, Epinephelus tukula, is relatively rare worldwide. Records from the northernmost part of its range (Japan) have been few, resulting in a “Critically Endangered” listing on the Red List for Japan. The Japanese records were revised by examining literature, new specimens, photographs, and the internet, and a continuous distribution pattern from the tropical Ryukyu Islands (including adult individuals) to temperate regions affected by the Kuroshio Current were delineated; this suggests the species inhabits tropical Japan and can spread to temperate regions via the warm current. The species possibly reproduces in Japanese waters but further reproductive ecology research is required.
ISSN:1313-2989
1313-2970