A new species of sardine, Sardinella electra (Teleostei: Clupeiformes: Clupeidae), from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan Author Hata, Harutaka Author Motomura, Hiroyuki text Zootaxa 2019 2019-03-08 4565 2 274 280 journal article 28399 10.11646/zootaxa.4565.2.11 3c8948ac-ca2e-436d-9f5c-8e0f1d3f1a19 1175-5326 2589786 BF5BAB9C-ED80-478B-BE4E-7BB86148AED1 Sardinella electra n. sp. [New English name: Island Sardinella ; new standard Japanese name: Shimakaze-iwashi] ( Figs. 1–2 ; Table 1 ) Holotype . URM-P 32904 , 91.8 mm SL, Ishigaki Fishing Port , Ishigaki Island , Yaeyama Islands , Japan , 6 Nov. 1994 , line-fishing. Paratypes . 17 specimens , 82.4–110.5 mm SL. KAUM–I . 114809, 93.4 mm SL, KAUM–I . 114810, 90.4 mm SL, KAUM–I . 114811, 102.2 mm , SL, URM-P 32905 , 86.6 mm SL, URM-P 32 906, 91.6 mm SL, URM-P 32907 , 96.6 mm SL, URM-P 32908 , 109.9 mm SL, URM-P 3 2909, 85.4 mm SL, URM-P 32910 , 90.9 mm SL, URM-P 32911 , 103.0 mm SL, URM-P 32912 , 93.2 mm SL, URM-P 32913 , 92.5 mm SL, URM-P 32914 , 91.5 mm SL, URM-P 32915 , 99.5 mm SL, URM-P 32 916, 82.4 mm SL, URM-P 32917 , 90.9 mm SL, URM-P 32918 , 99.2 mm SL, collected with the holotype . Diagnosis. A species of Sardinella with the following combination of characters: caudal fin with distinct black tips; lateral body scales with centrally continuous or overlapping vertical striae and few perforations, without pores posteriorly; black spot on dorsal-fin origin; gill rakers 38–46 (modally 41) in upper series on 1st gill arch, 67–76 (70, 72, 73) in lower series, 105–121 (114) in total; gill rakers 36–43 (38) in upper series on 2nd gill arch, 69–78 (70) in lower series, 107–120 (107, 111) in total; gill rakers 32–39 (36) in upper series on 3rd gill arch, 53–66 (57, 59) in lower series, 88–104 (93) in total; gill rakers 26–31 (28) in upper series on 4th gill arch, 39–52 (45, 46) in lower, 65–82 (72, 75) in total; gill rakers 25–31 (26) on posterior face of third gill arch. FIGURE 1. Holotype of Sardinella electra n. sp. URM-P 32904, 91.8 mm SL, Ishigaki Island, southern Ryukyu Islands, Japan. FIGURE 2. Photographs of stained scales removed from the lateral body of Sardinella electra n. sp. (left: URM-P 32913, 92.5 mm SL, Ishigaki Island, southern Ryukyu Islands, Japan) and S. hualiensis (right: AZISP 75098, 166.6 mm SL, Yi-Lan, Taiwan). Note differences between species in the pattern of striae and number of pores on the posterior margins. TABLE 1. Counts and measurements of specimens of Sardinella electra n. sp. and S. hualiensis .
Sardinella electra n. sp. Sardinella hualiensis
Holotype Paratypes Neotype Non-types
Ishigaki Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan Hualien, Taiwan Taiwan
URM-P 32904 n = 17 NTUM 7567 n = 31
Standard length (SL; mm) 91.8 82.4–109.9 156.7 88.6–171.2
Counts Modes Modes
Dorsal-fin rays (unbranched) 4 4 4 4 3–5 4
Dorsal-fin rays (branched) 15 14–16 15 broken 13–15 15
Anal-fin rays (unbranched) 3 3 3 3 3 3
Anal-fin rays (branched) 18 16–19 17 18 15–19 17
Pectoral-fin rays (unbranched) 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pectoral-fin rays (branched) 14 14–16 14 15 12–16 15
Pelvic-fin rays (unbranched) 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pelvic-fin rays (branched) 7 7 7 7 7 7
Caudal-fin rays (upper + lower) 10 + 9 10 + 9 10 + 9 10 + 9 10 + 9 10 + 9
Gill rakers on 1st gill arch (upper) 41 38–46 41 36 30–41 38
Gill rakers on 1st gill arch (lower) 72 67–76 70, 73 67 55–67 65, 66
Gill rakers on 1st gill arch (total) 113 105–121 114 103 87–107 99, 106
Gill rakers on 2nd gill arch (upper) 39 36–43 38 36 23–37 31, 33
Gill rakers on 2nd gill arch (lower) 78 69–78 70 63 54–70 63
Gill rakers on 2nd gill arch (total) 117 107–120 109, 111 99 83–105 92, 98
Gill rakers on 3rd gill arch (upper) 36 32–39 36 31 25–35 31
Gill rakers on 3rd gill arch (lower) 59 53–66 57 48 40–56 48
Gill rakers on 3rd gill arch (total) 95 88–104 93 79 67–90 80
Gill rakers on 4h gill arch (upper) 28 26–31 28 22 20–29 25
Gill rakers on 4th gill arch (lower) 45 39–5255 46 37 32–42 33, 35
Gill rakers on 4th gill arch (total) 73 65–82 72 59 53–69 59, 60
Gill rakers on posterior face of 3rd gill arch 27 25–31 26 26 13–27 22
Prepelvic scutes 18 17–19 18 18 17–19 18
Postpelvic scutes 13 12–13 13 13 12–14 13
Total scutes 31 30–32 31 31 29–32 31
Branchiostegal rays 6 6 6 6 6 6
Lateral-scale series 40 40–43 40 41 39–42 40
Pseudobranchial filaments 19 18–21 19 20 18–23 19
Measurements (%SL) Means Means
Head Length 26.0 24.9–27.4 25.9 24.6 23.7–26.8 25.0
Body depth 34.2 32.5–36.3 34.4 33.3 30.5–35.7 33.8
Pre-dorsal-fin length 43.9 40.9–44.2 42.6 44.0 40.1–46.1 43.5
Snout tip to pectoral-fin insertion 26.1 25.7–27.6 26.5 24.4 23.5–27.5 25.4
Snout tip to pelvic-fin insertion 53.3 53.0–55.6 53.8 52.0 50.6–55.8 52.7
Pre-anal-fin length 79.6 77.6–81.7 80.1 78.1 76.7–83.4 79.8
Dorsal-fin base length 15.5 15.0–16.5 15.8 broken 13.7–16.7 15.6
......continued on the next page TABLE 1 . (Continued)
Sardinella electra n. sp. Sardinella hualiensis
Holotype Paratypes Neotype Non-types
Ishigaki Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan Hualien, Taiwan Taiwan
URM-P 32904 n = 17 NTUM 7567 n = 31
Anal-fin base length 15.3 14.7–17.4 15.8 17.0 12.7–17.4 15.2
Caudal-peduncle length 9.0 7.0–9.7 8.5 9.9 7.3–11.1 8.9
Caudal-peduncle depth 10.6 10.4–11.4 11.0 9.8 9.6–11.2 10.2
Orbit diameter 10.1 9.2–10.9 10.0 8.7 7.3–9.2 8.3
Eye diameter 7.9 7.2–8.6 7.9 5.9 5.6–8.1 6.7
Snout length 6.3 5.6–6.6 6.1 5.9 5.1–6.2 5.8
D–P1 33.0 31.6–33.9 32.9 32.9 31.8–35.5 33.4
D–P2 33.5 31.7–35.9 33.7 33.2 30.4–35.1 33.3
D–A 45.6 42.3–47.5 45.7 44.8 43.4–47.9 45.5
P1–P2 27.7 27.3–30.0 28.4 28.1 26.2–31.0 28.4
P2–A 30.0 27.5–32.0 30.3 29.3 27.0–33.8 30.6
Pectoral-fin length 19.3 19.2–20.7 19.9 17.5 17.8–20.5 19.2
Pelvic-fin length broken 10.8–12.5 12.0 broken 10.5–12.0 11.3
Interorbital width 4.7 4.0–4.9 4.5 4.6 3.7–5.1 4.6
Postorbital length 12.2 11.7–13.0 12.2 12.9 11.4–13.9 12.6
Upper-jaw length 10.9 10.1–11.6 11.0 10.0 9.5–11.5 10.5
Mandible length 12 11.1–12.4 11.7 10.6 10.4–12.3 11.2
1st unbranched dorsal-fin ray length 2.5 0.8–2.8 1.7 1.1 0.7–2.8 1.5
2nd unbranched dorsal-fin ray length 7.0 2.4–7.0 4.7 4.2 1.7–7.7 4.4
3rd unbranched dorsal-fin ray length 12.4 5.5–12.4 9.4 7.8 5.2–13.1 9.4
1st unbranched anal-fin ray length 0.6 0.5–1.6 0.9 1.1 0.4–2.2 0.9
2nd unbranched anal-fin ray length 1.9 1.3–2.9 2.0 broken 1.4–3.6 2.4
3rd unbranched anal-fin ray length broken 6.1 6.1 broken 3.7–6.1 5.2
1st pectoral-fin ray length 18.5 18.3–19.9 19.1 17.1 16.6–19.9 18.6
1st pelvic-fin ray length broken 10.8–12.5 11.8 broken 10.5–12.0 11.2
Description. Counts and measurements, expressed as percentages of SL, are given in Table 1 . Data for the holotype are presented first, followed by paratype data in parentheses. Body oblong, compressed, deepest at dorsalfin origin. Dorsal profile of body elevated from snout tip to dorsal-fin origin, thereafter decreasing to uppermost point of caudal-fin base. Ventral profile of body ventrally decurved from lower-jaw tip to pelvic-fin insertion, thereafter increasing to ventralmost point of caudal-fin base. Abdomen from isthmus to anus with 31 (30 to 32) scutes. Predorsal scutes absent. Anteriormost point of pectoral-fin insertion anterior to posteriormost point of opercle. Upper, posterior and ventral margins of pectoral fin nearly linear. Posterior tip of pectoral fin pointed. Pectoral-fin axillary scale present. Dorsal-fin origin equal with vertical at posterior tip of pectoral fin (slightly short of or beyond this vertical in paratypes ). Dorsal contour of dorsal fin elevated from dorsal-fin origin to posterior tip of 4th (or 5th) dorsal-fin ray, thereafter declining to posteriormost point of last dorsal-fin ray. Posteriormost dorsalfin ray not filamentous. Anteriormost point of pelvic-fin insertion located at vertical through origin of 9th (8th– 10th) dorsal-fin ray. Posterior tip of depressed pelvic fin reaching beyond vertical at posterior end of dorsal-fin base, not reaching to anus. Pelvic-fin axillary scale present. Anal-fin origin posterior to vertical at posteriormost point of dorsal-fin base. Two posteriormost anal-fin rays enlarged. Caudal fin forked. Posterior tip of both lobes of caudal fin pointed. Anus on ventral midline, slightly anterior to anal-fin origin, posterior to midpoint of body. Scales cycloid, thin, except for robust ventral scutes. Scales on lateral surface of body with several centrally continuous or overlapping vertical striae, and with few perforations posteriorly ( Fig. 2 ). Bases of dorsal and anal fins with low scaly sheaths. Predorsal scales paired. No scales on head and fins, except for a broad triangular sheath of scales on caudal fin. Mouth terminal, small, posterior tip of maxilla reaching vertical through anterior margin of iris. Second supramaxilla symmetrical. Premaxilla and hypomaxilla without teeth. Ventral margin of maxilla toothed. Lower jaw with several conical teeth anteriorly. Posterior ramus of lower jaw elevated. Orbit elliptical, eye and iris round. Eyes covered with adipose eyelid posteriorly. Interorbital space flat. Nostrils close to each other, anterior to orbit. No lateral line. Gill rakers long, slender, with small asperities on anterior surface. Pseudobranchial filaments present. Gill opening with two fleshy outgrowths on posterior margin and a large papilla on ventral margin. Posterior margins of preopercle and opercle smooth. Color of preserved specimens . Body dark brown dorsally, elsewhere yellowish- silver. Black spot on dorsal-fin origin and on distal tips of caudal fin lobes. Melanophores scattered on upper part of dorsal fin and first pectoral-fin ray. Distribution. Currently known only from Ishigaki Island, Yaeyama Islands, southern Ryukyu Islands, Japan . The species inhabits coastal shallow waters. FIGURE 3. Relationships of total gill-raker numbers (TGR)on (A) first gill arch (1GA), (B) second gill arch (2GA), (C) third gill arch (3GA), and (D) fourth gill arch (4GA) relative to standard length in Sardinella electra n. sp. [closed circles (closed star = holotype)] and S. hualiensis [open triangles (open star = neotype)]. Etymology. The specific name electra is derived from the Greek for Elektron, meaning “splendor”, in reference to the brilliant silver body. Remarks. The new species is assigned to the genus Sardinella , defined by Whitehead (1985) and Munroe et al. (1999) (see “Introduction”), being similar to three other species of Sardinella that are characterized by having black caudal-fin tips (see Whitehead 1985 ; Sterns et al. 2016). Of the latter three species, Sardinella atricauda (Günther 1868) and Sardinella melanura (Cuvier 1829) can be readily distinguished from the new species by their centrally discontinuous longitudinal striae on the lateral body scales (continuous or overlapping in S. electra ) and absence of a black spot on the dorsal-fin origin (black spot present). However, the third species, S. hualiensis (Chu & Tsai 1958) , shares with S. electra a black- tipped caudal fin, black spot on the dorsal-fin origin and similar configuration of the striae on the lateral body scales. However, S. electra is distinguished from S. hualiensis by the number of gill-rakers on the first to fourth gill arches ( Table 1 ; Fig. 3 ), and in having relatively few perforations and no pores posteriorly on the lateral body scales (vs. numerous perforations and pores in S. hualiensis ; Fig. 2 ). Comparative material examined. Sardinella hualiensis ( 32 specimens , 88.6–171.1 mm SL): ASIZP 59477 , 2 specimens , 149.4–157.9 mm SL, Hualien , Taiwan ; ASIZP 66242 , 107.5 mm SL , ASIZP 66278, 112.6 m SL, Nan- Fon-Ao, Yi-Lan , Taiwan , trawl; ASIZP 66576 , 96.0 mm SL , ASIZP 66578 , 88.6 mm SL, Nan-Fon-Ao, Yi-Lan , Taiwan ; ASIZP 66660 , 92.7 mm SL, Daxi , Yi-Lan , Taiwan ; ASIZP 70298 , 117.7 mm SL, Hualien , Taiwan , gill net; ASIZP75098 , 8 specimens , 152.2–170.4 mm SL, Nan-Fon-Ao, Yi-Lan , Taiwan ; BPBM 23190 , 140.3 mm SL, Hualien , Taiwan ; NMMBP 10116 , 129.5 mm SL, Nan-Fon-Ao, Yi-Lan , Taiwan ; NMMBP 10515 , 155.9 mm SL, How-wan , Pingtung , Taiwan ; NMMBP 23138 , 132.8 mm SL, Ke-tsu-liao, Kaosiung , Taiwan ; NSMT-P 55731 , 2 specimens , 123.3–127.4 mm SL, Taitung , Taiwan ; NTUM 7567 , neotype of Harengula hualiensis , 156.7 mm SL, Hualien , Taiwan , gill net; NTUM 7568 , 3 specimens , 153.3–157.2 mm SL , NTUM 7569 , 2 specimens , 149.2– 155.6 mm SL, Hualien , Taiwan , gill net; NTUM 14610 , 3 specimens , 93.3– 149.1 mm SL, Nanfangao , Yilan County , Taiwan ; USNM 403456 , 171.0 mm SL, Yelin , Yelin County , Taiwan .