Ostorhinchus yamato, a new species of cardinalfish (Perciformes: Apogonidae) from Japan

The new cardinalfish Ostorhinchus yamato sp. nov. is described on the basis of 135 specimens collected from Japan. The new species resembles Ostorhinchus gularis (Fraser and Lachner 1984) and Ostorhinchus atrogaster (Smith and Radcliffe in Radcliffe 1912) in body coloration, lacking distinct stripes on the lateral surface and a distinct blotch on the caudal-fin base, but differs in having 24–28 (modally 26) developed gill rakers, 25–31 (modally 28) total gill rakers (including rudiments), the body depth 21.9–28.4% of SL (mean 24.1%) and upper-jaw length 12.3–15.5% (13.5%). Apogon smithvanizi Allen and Randall 1994 is reconfirmed as a junior synonym of O. gularis. Although the new species is superficially similar to a co-occurring species Rhabdamia gracilis (Bleeker 1856) in overall body appearance, numerous differences exist between the two species.