First northwestern Pacific Ocean record of Festucalex gibbsi (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) from Okino-shima island, Kochi Prefecture, Japan

A single specimen (49.7 mm standard length) of Gibbs’ Pipefish, Festucalex gibbsi Dawson, 1977, collected from Okino-shima island, Kochi Prefecture, Japan, was identified from the following combination of characters: superior and inferior trunk ridges continuous with their respective tail ridges; lateral trunk ridge straight, ending at 2nd tail ring; 18 trunk rings; 51 total rings; 12 pectoral-fin rays; pectoral-fin base with prominent superior and inferior ridges; head length 12.6 % of standard length; snout length 41.1 % of head length; ridges of last 1–2 tail rings not modified. The species has previously been recorded from In-donesia (Papua Province) at the equator, Papua New Guinea, and Australia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Thus, the present specimen represents the first record of the species from Japan and the first from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The new standard Japanese name, “Gibusu-amakusa-yoji,” is proposed for the species.