Distribution of the invasive sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus in Okayama Prefecture, western Japan

• Published in: Izunuma-Uchinuma Wetland Researches Vol. 18; pp. 115 - 125
• Main Authors: Moriuchi, Kaito, Nakata, Kazuyoshi, Sumida, Takanari, Kanamitsu, Junpei, Mukai, Takahiko, Taniguchi, Rintaro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation 01.07.2024; 公益財団法人 宮城県伊豆沼・内沼環境保全財団
• Subjects: distribution; freshwater fish; invasive species; mtDNA; Okayama; sharpbelly; カワイワシ; 分布; 外来種; 岡山県; 淡水魚
• ISSN: 1881-9559; 2424-2101
• DOI: 10.20745/izu.18.0_115

The sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus, an invasive species from continental eastern Asia, has successfully established non-indigenous populations in many countries outside its native range. In Japan, the first record of H. leucisculus collected from the Hyakken River in the Asahi River system, Okayama Prefecture was reported in 2017. In this study, we newly collected H. leucisculus from four river systems (the Yoshii River, Sasagase River, Kurashiki River, and Kamo River systems) in Okayama Prefecture. Partial nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene of the 10 individuals from the four river systems were consistent with the two haplotypes from the firstly reported population of Okayama Prefecture. Our results indicate that the distribution of H. leucisculus has already expanded to major river systems in the Okayama Plain.