An applicable scientific name for the species named as "Azuki-umihebi"

A single ophichthid specimen collected off Hokota, Ibaraki, Japan in 2022 which was identified as Ophichthus longicorpus Vo and Ho, 2021 is re-examined by molecular and morphological methods. The COI sequence of the paratype of Ophichthus multidentis Hibino et al., 2024 agrees completely with that of the Japanese specimen, and there are no remarkable differences in their morphology, although slight differences in the proportional length of the tail, the position of the dorsal-fin origin and the number of the preopercular pores are recognized. Consequently, the standard Japanese name “Azuki-umihebi”, formerly proposed for O. longicorpus, should be used for O. multidentis. Based on the present study, the combinational diagnosis of O. multidentis is slightly modified as follows: head length 8.0–8.8% TL; tail length 56.8–59.2% TL; dorsal-fin origin behind pectoral-fin tip by 3–4 times the pectoral-fin length; posteriorly of opening of anterior-nostril tube slightly extended; no protrusions along upper lip; SO 1 + 3 ; POM 5 or 6 + 2 (rarely 3 one side); teeth on maxilla in 4 irregular rows or 5 rows anteriorly and 3 irregular rows to 4 rows posteriorly, teeth on vomer in up to 4 rows, teeth on dentary in 4 rows anteriorly, 3 rows posteriorly; body uniformly dark, median fins creamy white except for dark basal pigmentation restricted to ending; 22–30 predorsal and 63–65 preanal lateral-line pores; total vertebrae 162–164, MVF 25-64-163.