Zoological Studies

Vol. 63, 2024

(update: 2024.7.9)

Integrative Taxonomy Reveals Freshwater Shrimp Diversity (Decapoda: Atyidae: Neocaridina) from Kyushu and Southern Honshu of Japan, with a Discussion on Introduced Species

Hsi-Te Shih1,*, Yixiong Cai2,§, Nobuaki Niwa3,†, Hidenori Yoshigou4, and Yasuhiko Nakahara5
doi:10.6620/ZS.2024.63-18

1Department of Life Science and Research Center for Global Change Biology, National Chung Hsing University, 250, Kuo Kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan. *Correspondence: E-mail: htshih@dragon.nchu.edu.tw (Shih)
2National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569, Republic of Singapore. E-mail: CAI_YIXIONG@nparks.gov.sg (Cai)
3Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
4Chugai Technos Co. LTD, 9-12, Yokogawa-shin-machi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City 733-0013, Japan. E-mail: h.yoshigo@chugai-tec.co.jp (Yoshigou)
5SEIBU Environmental Research Co., LTD, Mikawachishin-machi, Sasebo-City, Nagasaki, 859-3153, Japan. E-mail: caridina@nifty.com (Nakahara)

Deceased.
§HTS and YC contributed equally to this paper.
(Received 3 April 2023 / Accepted 14 March 2024 / Published 9 July 2024)
Communicated by Benny K.K. Chan

Correct identification of species is crucial for invasion ecology and management, particularly in aquatic systems. In this study, specimens of the freshwater shrimp genus Neocaridina from Kyushu and southern Honshu of Japan were identified by using an integrative approach that combined DNA barcoding of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and morphological examination. Among the eight species detected, two are native, viz. N. denticulata and N. ikiensis. Four are regarded as non-indigenous, viz. N. davidi, N. koreana, N. palmata, N. aff. palmata , which are believed to have been introduced from other East Asian countries either by the aquarium trade or as live fish bait. The remaining two species arelikely cryptic native species, which have either been mistaken for known species, e.g., N. aff. denticulata, or species that have not been discovered before, e.g., N. aff. fukiensis. While the four alien species have spread widely in central Honshu, northern Kyushu and Tsushima Island, their impacts on the native species and the overall ecology remain mostly unexplored. Problems associated with using DNA barcoding for species identification are highlighted for further research.

Key words: Japan, DNA barcoding, Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), Morphology, Integrative taxonomy, Neocaridina denticulata, N. davidi, N. ikiensis, N. koreana, N. palmata

Citation: Shih HT, Cai Y, Niwa N, Yoshigou H, Nakahara Y. 2024. Integrative taxonomy reveals freshwater shrimp diversity (Decapoda: Atyidae: Neocaridina) from Kyushu and southern Honshu of Japan, with a discussion on introduced species. Zool Stud 63:18. doi:10.6620/ZS.2024.63-18.