• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.189-194
• /
• 2022

Unidentified postflexion larva (18.57 mm in standard length, SL), belonging to the family Synodontidae was collected from Jeju Island, Korea, in November 2019. Molecular analysis revealed that the unidentified larva was identical to Synodus kaianus adults in mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I region (Kimura-2-parameter distance, d= 0.006), and was different from the close species S. macrops (d=0.220). The postflexion larva of S. kaianus has the following morphological features: regularly distributed seven peritoneal pigment spots along the alimentary canal; and, intensively distributed stellate melanophores at the middle of the base of caudal fin and behind the last anal fin ray. The postflexion larva of S. kaianus differed from that of S. macrops in snout length and size of peritoneal pigment spots. This is the first record of S. kaianus in Korea, and we suggest the Korean name "Ka-i-ya-kkoch-dong-myeol" for S. kaianus, according to Lee et al. (1999).