New Taxa and Occurrences of Mesophotic and Deep-sea Goniasteridae (Valvatida, Asteroidea) from Okinawa and adjacent regions.

Thirteen new records of Goniasteridae showing mesophotic occurrence are presented, including a new species of Pseudoceramaster doto n. sp. from southern Japan and a new genus and species, Churaumiastra hoshi nov.

Exploring the trends of adaptation and evolution of sclerites with regards to habitat depth in sea pens.

Octocorals possess sclerites, small elements comprised of calcium carbonate (CaCO) that are important diagnostic characters in octocoral taxonomy. Among octocorals, sea pens comprise a unique order (Pennatulacea) that live in a wide range of depths. Habitat depth is considered to be important in the diversification of octocoral species, but a lack of information on sea pens has limited studies on their adaptation and evolution across depth.

Redescription of for the First Time after a Century and Description of sp. nov. (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria).

Two species of sea anemones were found in Japanese waters. Carlgren, 1918, the only described species of this genus, is rediscovered from off the Goto Islands a century after the original description. was once synonymized with Carlgren, 1918; however, we show that, based on morphological (including examination of type specimens) and molecular (using nuclear 18S rDNA) evidence, these species are completely different.

First record of Larsonella pumilus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Japan, with phylogenetic placement of the genus Larsonella.

During a survey of deep-sea fauna, using a Remotely Operated Vehicle, a single specimen (21.6 mm in standard length) of Larsonella pumilus (Larson Hoese, 1980) was collected at a depth of 214 m off the coast of Okinawa Island, Japan. It represents the first record of this species from Japan.

Direct Growth Measurements of Two Deep-sea Scalpellid Barnacles, and .

Little is known about the growth rates of invertebrates living in ordinary deep-sea habitats such as continental slopes. Thus, the growth rates of two species of the deep-sea scalpellid barnacles, and , were studied in two aquaria (at Nara and Okinawa Churaumi, Japan). In addition, growth of an individual after 1 year of deployment was measured in the field.

New records of the squat lobster genus Munida Leach, 1820 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Munididae) from deep-water off Okinawa Islands, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, with description of a new species.

Two species of the squat lobster genus Munida Leach, 1820, M. pollioculus n. sp.