When a red colored sea bream is caught off the coast of Okinawa Main Island, fisherman will be able to idenitify it as a (renco) yellowfin sea bream, (Yonabaru majiku) Taiwan tai, or a red sea breams from an aquaculture net. However, from now, it may be necessary to consider a fourth possible species. In February 2020, a different sea bream was caught off the coast of Yomitan Village on Okinawa Main Island. A research team, including staff from the Churashima Foundation, determined it was a rare Japanese blue-spotted seabream (Amamiichthys matsubarai), previously only found near Amami Oshima Island. The Japanese blue-spotted seabream is very similar to the red sea bream, but has a long filamentous anterior dorsal fin. The individual caught near Yomitan was large, around 60 cm in length. It was carrying eggs so it was a female preparing to spawn. We aim to learn more about the ecology of the Japanese blue-spotted seabream through further studies.

February 2020, a Japanese blue-spotted seabream (Amamiichthys matsubarai)
was caught off the coast of Yomitan Village on Okinawa Main Island.

Authors

Fukuchi I, Miyamoto K, Tanaka F, Tachihara K　(Bold letters: Staff members of Okinawa Churashima Foundation).

Title

Record of a Japanese blue-spotted seabream (Amamiichthys matsubarai) off the coast of Okinawa Main Island and observation of its reproductive organs.

Journal

Ichyhy

Link

https://www.museum.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/ichthy/INHFJ_2021_010_007.pdf