Summary review on the fauna and the distributional ecology of pelagic Chaetognatha in the marginal seas of the North Pacific, especially around Japan

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  • 北太平洋の縁辺海および日本近海における浮遊性毛顎動物相と分布生態に関するレビュー（総論）
  • 北太平洋の縁辺海および日本近海における浮遊性毛顎動物相と分布生態に関するレビュー
  • キタタイヘイヨウ ノ エンペンカイ オヨビ ニホン キンカイ ニ オケル フユウセイモウ ガク ドウブツソウ ト ブンプ セイタイ ニ カンスル レビュー

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Abstract

<p>The eight included reviews were proposed to stimulate future work on chaetognaths and are based on presentations made during the workshop held by the Japan Chaetognatha Group at Mie University on Nov. 4, 2011. They are composed of seven reviews and a summary review on the fauna and the distributional ecology in the marginal seas of the north-west Pacific （the Bering Sea, the Okhotsk Sea, the Japan Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea） and the surrounding eastern and southern domains of Japan. The major results are summarized as follows: 1) 43 species belonging to 15 genera with 2 forms are listed as the presently-known pelagic chaetognath fauna. 2) Species richness is extremely poor in both the Bering and the Okhotsk Seas, but rich in the eastern and southern domains of Japan, in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. There are clear differences in species numbers and species composition between these areas. 3) Meso- and bathypelagic species are lower in number than epipelagic species (12 genera 32 species), and epipelagic species richness is highest in both the East China Sea and the South China Sea. 4) Some characteristics of chaetognath distribution are: (1) In the Japan Sea, meso- and bathypelagic species are absent, so only Parasagitta elegans occurs extensively to layers deeper than 1000 m. (2) In the southern seas of Japan, the subarctic P. elegans and Pseudosagitta scrippsae occur in the mesopelagic layer in the inner core of the Kuroshio warm current, accompanied by the Intermediate Oyashio Water. (3) In summer and autumn, Flaccisagitta enflata invades inner bays throughout the coastal waters south of Japan and also, it advances northwards in the Japan Sea, reaching the Bohai Sea through the Yellow Sea in the East China Sea. 5) In the subtropical waters surrounding Japan, F. enflata, Mesosagitta minima, Serratosagitta pacifica and Zonosagitta nagae predominate, mostly during their different spawning seasons around Japan. Otherwise, in the subarctic waters of the northern Japan Sea, the Oyashio region, the Okhotsk Sea and Bering Seas, Parasagitta elegans dominates, being followed by Eukrohnia hamata and Parasagitta scrippsae. 6) Sagami and Suruga Bays, abundant in the number of both meso- and bathypelagic species, are looked upon as special spots from the viewpoint of the biogeography of chaetognath distribution. 7) Eight opinions are expressed for future studies on Chaetognatha．</p>

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