First Northern Hemisphere records of the Samoan anchovy, Stolephorus apiensis (Actinopterygii: Clupeiformes: Engraulidae)

Abstract

Two Japanese specimens of the Samoan anchovy, Stolephorus apiensis (Jordan et Seale, 1906), previously known only from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Samoa, were confirmed during a revisionary taxonomic study of the genus. Although S. apiensis has been redescribed recently, details of its distributional range and habitat have remained unclear. The presently reported study sought to clarify some aspects of both. Two specimens of S. apiensis were examined, counts and proportional measurements following Hata and Motomura (2017). All measurements were made with digital calipers to the nearest 0.01 mm. Institutional codes follow Sabaj (2019). Two specimens, collected from Japanese river estuaries, represent the first Northern Hemisphere records of S. apiensis, extending the northern limit of the species’ distribution by approx. 4300 km. Stolephorus apiensis is considered to be widely distributed in the western Pacific from southern Japan to Samoa, most likely as a sometime inhabitant of estuarine waters. The new standard Japanese name “Nampu-ainokoiwashi” is proposed for the species.

Keywords

• Stolephorus commersonnii
• Stolephorus insignus
• Sh