• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2021

On March 13, 2018 two postflexion larval specimens (18.28 mm and 16.80 mm in standard length) belonging to the family Cryptacanthodidae, suborder Zoarcoidei were collected from Sokcho and Gangneung in Gangwon Province. The family Cryptacanthodidae comprises 4 species worldwide: 3 in the North Pacific Ocean and 1 in the western North Atlantic Ocean. As a result of analyzing 620 bp of the mtDNA COI region, the two postflexion larvae collected in this study were identified as Cryptacanthodes bergi by 99.5% agreement with C. bergi adult registered in NCBI. Postflexion larvae of C. bergi are compressed with large eyes and radial pectoral fins and the anus located in front of the center of the body. Melanophores were intensively distributed along the dorsal midline, except for caudal peduncle, and sporadically distributed on the back of the anus. In addition, there were limited star-like melanophores on the back of the gut. This species showed 0.058 genetic distance when compared mtDNA COI region of C. aleutensis, and it was well distinguished in the distribution pattern of black vesicles of the head, count and measurement traits. Considering the morphological and ecological characteristics of this species, we suggest a new Korean name, " Gwisin-jang-gaeng-i ".