Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium collected an unusual goby using the aquarium’s ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). It was the first record of this goby in Japanese waters. The finding was reported to an academic journal, and it was given the Japanese name kugani umitakehaza. A live specimen is now on display.

≪Kugani umitakehaza≫
Scientific name：Pleurosicya annandalei

This small yellow goby reaches 2 to 3 cm in length, and lives in symbiosis with sea squirts. Its Japanese name includes kugani which means golden in the Okinawan language.

Place of exhibit

Small Life in the Deep Sea in the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Size of Exhibit

One individual
*Exhibit may close depending on the condition of the animals.

Living in symbiosis with a sea squirt 

Although widely distributed across the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, Pleurosicya annandalei inhabits relatively deep waters, and its ecology is mostly unknown. 

ROV surveys conducted by the aquarium from 2019 to 2024 collected a few small gobies from depths around 100 m off Okinawa Main Island. A detailed examination revealed that this species had not been recorded in Japanese waters, and this was reported in the journal Species Diversity.

This is the first time in the world that a specimen of this species has been collected alive. Also, through this survey, it was possible to confirm its color, and its symbiosis with sea squirts.

　We will strive to discover more about the ecology of this species and other sea creatures through live exhibits and surveys.

About the scientific paper

authors：Nozomi Hanahara, Takuo Higashiji, Haruka Sugimoto, Jo Okamoto, Hiromi Morota, and Reika Soeya
　（All members are of the foundation）
title：First Japanese records of two commensal gobies, Lobulogobius omanensis and Pleurosicya annandalei (Teleostei: Gobiidae), collected using remotely operated vehicle
Journal publishing article：Species Diversity
Link：https://doi.org/10.12782/specdiv.30.155