New goby species discovered in deep sea around Okinawa identified by the Okinawa Churashima Foundation and OIST called Yuuna Goby due to characteristic yellow color
The yuuna goby discovered in the deep sea off the coast of Onna Village (image provided by the Okinawa Churashima Foundation)
January 9, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
Motobu and Onna – On January 8th, it was announced that the Okinawa Churashima Foundation and Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) had determined that the goby specimen discovered by the foundation in the deep sea around Onna Village is the first of this goby species recorded in Japan.
Due to its yellow color, the goby species was named yuuna goby (Japanese: yuuna-haze) after the beach hibiscus, which is called yuuna in Japanese.
The yuuna goby specimen was found in August, 2017. The foundation was conducting a survey of the deep sea off the cost of Seragaki, Onna Village using a remotely operated vehicle.
The goby specimen was found in an empty carrier snail shell collected during this survey of the ocean floor at a depth of 214 meters.
The goby is 2.5 centimeters from end to end and the entire body is yellow. It only has scales at the base of its tail fin.
These characteristics distinguish it from other goby species in Japan.
The specimen died 3 months after it was found so it was analyzed. This is the seventh reported finding of this species globally, and among the seven, was discovered in the deepest water.
The results of a DNA analysis show that the yuuna goby is a close relative of the half-barred goby that lives in rock and coral reefs.
A spokesperson for the foundation says, “We want to show how fascinating marine life is by continuing to discover rare creatures through surveys conducted with remotely operated vehicles.”
(English translation by T&CT and Ellen Huntley)
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