Original Articles
Discovery of a living Cypraea tigris (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) from Amakusa, on the East China Sea coast of Kyushu, Japan
Tomoyuki NAKANO
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Summary Cypraea tigris is well known as a common species widely distributed in the tropical Indo-West Pacific region, but it is extremely rare in the temperate waters (Kyushu and northwards) of Japan. Recently the species was found alive from Mogushi-Shirahama Beach, Usibuka-cho, Amakusa-shi, Kumamoto Prefecture, on the East China Sea coast of western Kyushu. This is the sixth occurrence record of the live individual of the species from the temperate Japan. |
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Key words: cowries, distribution, temperate waters, global warming |
A find of an empty shell of the non-indigenous mytilid bivalve Xenostrobus securis (Lamarck, 1819) at Oga City, Akita Prefecture, northern Japan
Keiji IWASAKI and Hiroshi FUKUDA
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Summary The non-indigenous mytilid bivalve Xenostrobus securis (Lamarck, 1819), native to Australasia, has spread its distribution on the coasts of western Japan since 1972. We found an empty shell of the species at Funakoshi Channel, Oga City, Akita Prefecture, northern Japan (39°53'42" N, 139°57'13" E) in August 2007. If this individual would have inhabited the site, this find would be the northernmost distribution record of this species in Japanese waters. We discuss the population status, vector and route of introduction into the site. |
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Key words: non-indigenous mussel, Mytilidae, distribution, Hachirogata, Japan Sea |
Discovery of a new locality of the critically endangered ellobiid snail Pythia cecillei (Philippi, 1847) (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) from Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan
Hiroshi FUKUDA and Yuki TATARA
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Summary A new locality of Pythia cecillei (Philippi, 1847), one of the most critically endangered ellobiid species of Japan, was found from the East China Sea coast of northern Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu. This is the first reliable record of the species from the Prefecture. Although the species was mentioned as the member of molluscan community in reed fields on estuaries of western Kyushu in the previous literature, it has recently been restricted to a few localities at the supratidal zone on the edge of coastal forests partly because of the destruction of estuarine habitats. In contrast the present new population was found in an estuarine reed field as past, and therefore it can be precious as the lost habitat of the species. The unique distribution pattern and conservation significance of the species are also discussed. |
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Key words: Brackish water, estuary, reed field, mangrove, conservation, Kyushu, East China Sea |
New records of non-marine molluscs of the Ishima Islands, Tokushima Prefecture, eastern Shikoku, with special reference to the occurrence of Smeagol sp. (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Smeagolidae)
Yuki TATARA
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Summary Caecum sp. (Caecidae) without the distinct eyes was found from Okataura, Okago, Hachijo Island, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. Any species with degenerated eyes has never been reported in the family. Degeneration of the eyes is known to occur in the darkness at deep sea or cave. The present species is thought to have the rudimentary eyes as adaptation for the habitat in narrow crevices among stones lacking sunlight. |
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Key words: Caecum, Caecidae, Caenogastropoda, micromolluscs, degeneration, Izu Islands |