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Abstract
The Potato Grouper, Epinephelus tukula, is relatively rare worldwide. Records from the northernmost part of its range (Japan) have been few, resulting in a “Critically Endangered” listing on the Red List for Japan. The Japanese records were revised by examining literature, new specimens, photographs, and the internet, and a continuous distribution pattern from the tropical Ryukyu Islands (including adult individuals) to temperate regions affected by the Kuroshio Current were delineated; this suggests the species inhabits tropical Japan and can spread to temperate regions via the warm current. The species possibly reproduces in Japanese waters but further reproductive ecology research is required.
Highlights
Fishes of the subfamily Epinephelinae (Perciformes, Serranidae), known as groupers, are distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical waters of the world; they are carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates and fishes, occupy important positions in reef ecosystems, and are an important fishery group with high commercial value (Craig et al 2011)
Japanese waters represent the northernmost distribution of many grouper species (Randall and Heemstra 1991; Craig et al 2011; Senou 2013) and, considering their high economic value and population status in the region, seven species of Epinephelinae have been ranked as threatened in the Japanese Red List for marine organisms (Ministry of the Environment 2017)
The IUCN Red List ranked the species as Least Concern (LC) despite the list summarizing that the species is uncommon and vulnerable to capture, and concluding that the species should be reevaluated with more information on its biology and with respect to the impacts of fisheries (Fennessy et al 2008)
Summary
Fishes of the subfamily Epinephelinae (Perciformes, Serranidae), known as groupers, are distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical waters of the world; they are carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates and fishes, occupy important positions in reef ecosystems, and are an important fishery group with high commercial value (Craig et al 2011). Japanese waters represent the northernmost distribution of many grouper species (Randall and Heemstra 1991; Craig et al 2011; Senou 2013) and, considering their high economic value and population status in the region, seven species of Epinephelinae have been ranked as threatened in the Japanese Red List for marine organisms (Ministry of the Environment 2017). Recent ichthyofaunal surveys by the authors along the coasts of south-east Kyushu in southern Japan, where historically few fish faunal studies have been conducted, found new specimens and photographs of E. tukula These new records are detailed along with a review of the distribution records and size information of E. tukula in Japan in order to re-evaluate the population status at the northern extent of its range
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