Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Hotoke Loach, Lefua echigonia, a Japanese Endangered Loach

Abstract

In Japan, conservation and regeneration projects have been actively conducted for largesized birds such as the Japanese crested ibis, Nipponia Nippon, the oriental white stork, Cico‐ nia boyciana and the intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia (Photo 1) that inhabit rural areas [1, 2]. Many people are highly interested in these projects and a lot of information about growth and breeding for large-sized birds is broadcasted through television, radio and internet me‐ dia. In such a situation, a conspicuous topic has been found in recent months, that is, 2 indi‐ viduals of the Japanese crested ibis displayed beriberi symptom along with human being, because of overeating great favorite food that is the Dojo loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. Their beriberi symptom appeared to be caused by eating the Dojo loach raw. The 2 individu‐ als were diagnosed as follows; this beriberi symptom occurred as vitamin B1 in the individ‐ ual bodies was destroyed by tiaminase enzyme contained in the Dojo loach. At present the two individuals may have completely recovered from the beriberi symptom through vita‐ min B1 supplementation by injection.