Work

Intraspecific diversity of fan-tailed brook lamprey (Lethenteron satoi) with its ecological and distributional notes

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Lethenteron satoi is a species of brook lamprey recently described from a single river in the Ishikari River system, Hokkaido, Japan. To date, the species had been known only from the six specimens used in the original description, and its basic biological information remained extremely limited. Herein, we examined genetic and morphological variation in L. satoi based on 38 individuals collected from four rivers. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that genetic diversity is highest in the lowland areas of the Ishikari River system and that populations are genetically differentiated from one another. Morphological analyses showed that a population from the upper reaches exhibits partially distinct characters and allow us to update the known ranges of metric traits for the species. We also provide new information on the distribution, ecology, and sexual dimorphisms of L. satoi . These findings provide a foundation for future conservation of this recently described species.

Source: Ichthyological Research

DOI: 10.1007/s10228-026-01090-x

Authors: Shuya Kato, Hironori Mieda, Chiharu Furusawa, Tomohiro Suematsu, Yoshiyasu Machida, Itsuro Koizumi

Institutions: Hokkaido University, Fisheries Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture

Language: English

Topic: Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Subfield: Aquatic Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,390

Funders: University of Tokyo, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science