Topic
Luciogobius
About: Luciogobius is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 12 publications have been published within this topic receiving 163 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: This is the first study to document the adaptation to interstitial habitats by a vertebrate and suggest that microhabitat partitioning has been an important mechanism facilitating speciation in these fishes.
Abstract: The seacoasts of the Japanese Arc are fringed by many gravel beaches owing to active tectonic uplift and intense denudation caused by heavy rainfall. These gravel beaches are inhabited by gobies of the genus Luciogobius that burrow into the gravel sediment and live interstitially. Although their habitat and morphology (e. g., reduced fins, elongated, scale-less body, and highly segmented vertebral column) are highly unusual among fishes, little is known on how their morphological evolution has facilitated the colonization of interstitial habitats and promoted extensive diversification. We conducted thorough sampling of Luciogobius and related species throughout Japan, and performed molecular phylogenetic analysis to explore the patterns of morphological evolution associated with gravel beach colonization. An analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene suggested a remarkable diversity of previously unrecognized species. The species-level phylogeny based on six protein-coding nuclear genes clearly indicated that interstitial species cluster into two distinct clades, and that transitions from benthic or demersal habits to interstitial habits are strongly correlated with an increase in vertebral number. Colonization of gravel beach habitats is estimated to have occurred ca. 10 Ma, which coincides with the period of active orogenesis of the Japanese landmass. Different species of interstitial Luciogobius inhabit sediments with different granulometric properties, suggesting that microhabitat partitioning has been an important mechanism facilitating speciation in these fishes. This is the first study to document the adaptation to interstitial habitats by a vertebrate. Body elongation and excessive vertebral segmentation had been the key aspects enhancing body flexibility and fishes' ability to burrow into the gravel sediment. The rich diversity of coastal gravel habitats of the Japanese Arc has likely promoted the adaptive radiation of these unique gravel-dwelling fishes.
69 citations
TL;DR: It is considered that the surf zone at Doigahama functions as a nursery area, particularly as a feeding place for larger juveniles than as a shelter for larvae and smaller juveniles.
Abstract: Fish communities comprising postlarval to early adult stages were studied in the surf zone of a protected sandy beach, with runnels and a low tide terrace, at Doigahama, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. One elasmobranch and 100 teleost species, represented by a total of 17 608 individuals (1·85–785 mm in TL), were collected by fine and coarse meshed beach seines from May 1994 to April 1999. Species richness, abundance and biomass were greater during the evenings as well as in the warmer seasons (May to October). Larval and smaller juvenile ichthyofauna (collected mainly by fine-mesh seine) was relatively poor compared to larger juvenile ichthyofauna (coarse-mesh seine). Tidal effect was observed in the fine-mesh seine samples, whereas no tide-related trends were evident in the coarse-mesh seine samples. Effects of time of the day and tide on the species diversities were not so evident in both seines. Dominant species were classified according to the developmental stages occurring in the surf zone, as follows: Type-I: Postlarval (transformation) stage ( Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis , Sardinops melanostictus , Enneapterygius etheostomus , Tripterygion bapturum , Luciogobius sp.). Type-II: Juvenile stage ( Lateolabrax latus , Trachurus japonicus , Gerres oyena , Acanthopagrus schlegeli , Sparus sarba , Girella punctata , Mugil cephalus cephalus , Paralichthys olivaceus , Tarphops oligolepis , Heteromycteris japonica ). Type-III: Postlarval and juvenile stages ( Spratelloides gracilis , Engraulis japonicus , Gobiidae sp.1). Type-IV: Juvenile and early adult stages ( Sillago japonica , Paraplagusia japonica ). Type V: Postlarval to early adult stages ( Takifugu niphobles ). It is considered that the surf zone at Doigahama functions as a nursery area, particularly as a feeding place for larger juveniles than as a shelter for larvae and smaller juveniles.
66 citations
TL;DR: A new gobioid fish Luciogobius yubai sp.
Abstract: A new gobioid fish Luciogobius yubai sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from Wakayama and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan. This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters; second dorsal-fin I, 9, anal-fin I, 10, pectoral-fin 17 or 18, vertebrate number 16+19=35, the first space between anterior two pterygiophores of second dorsal-fin placed the neural spines of vertebrae 17-18 or 17, four to seven developed dermal flaps under the eye longitudinally, posterior part of eye ridge protruded posteriorly, pectoral-fin with a long uppermost free ray, eye diameter 7.3-10.6 % of head length, pectoral-fin length 14.4-16.9 % of standard length (SL) , second dorsal-fin length 9.7-11.8 % SL, anal-fin ray length 9.1-11.1 % SL, pelvic-fin length 7.3-10.8 % SL, head and body with brownish orange coloration when alive or fresh.
61 citations
TL;DR: The eggs and newly hatched larvae of Luciogobius ryukyuensis were of standard size of the genus and their morphologies closely resemble those of L. guttatus.
Abstract: Egg masses of Luciogobius ryukyuensis were found in spawning grounds around the lowest reach of the adult’s habitat in the tidally influenced area of streams on Okinawa Island. The eggs were attached to the underside of stones and were cared for by a solitary male fish. The number of eggs within an egg mass was 191–1368. The eggs were elliptical, measuring 2.0–2.6 mm in length, and 0.6–0.8 mm in width. Early development of L. ryukyuensis was described from laboratory-reared specimens. Newly hatched larvae, measuring 2.8–3.3 mm in body length, had an open mouth, pigmented eyes, pectoral fin buds, an orange-colored yolk sac, and characteristic melanophores along the dorsal and ventral midlines of the body. The yolk was completely absorbed at days 2–3. Notochord flexion began at day 10 and was completed at day 15. The fish started settling on the bottom of the tank at day 34 (14.1 mm in body length) when the body surface started to be covered by intense pigmentation. The eggs and newly hatched larvae of L. ryukyuensis were of standard size of the genus and their morphologies closely resemble those of L. guttatus.
10 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
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| 2021 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |