Kumba japonica (Matsubara, 1943) Lionurus japonicus Matsubara, 1943:149, fig. 9 (holotype, FAKU 1951; Kumano-Nada, Japan [not seen in 2007]; 1 paratype, FAKU 1938 [not seen in 2007]). Nezumia japonicus: Okamura, 1970:88–91, pl. XIX, text-fig. 39 (5 spec., 135–157 mm TL; s. Japan). Ventrifossa japonica: Okamura in Okamura et al., 1982:147, 349 (10 spec.; s. Japan and Kyushu-Palau Ridge, 550–710 m).— Okamura in Masuda et al., 1984:94, pl. 81–F (compiled).— Nakabo, 2002:421 (compiled). Kumba japonica: Iwamoto and Sazonov, 1994:231.— Chiou et al., 2004b:45, fig.14 (2 spec.; sw. Taiwan).— Shao et al., 2008: table 2 (3 spec.; Taiwan [NET, SWT], 100–600 m). MATERIAL EXAMINED (10 spec.).— NET: ASIZP 66371 (1, 93 TL), Nan-fang-ao; ASZIP 66941 (1, 140 TL), CD 210, 445+ 1185 m; ASIZP 70681 (1, 163 TL), Da-xi. SWT: ASIZP 61240 (1, 162 TL), Dong-gang; ASIZP 61241 (1, 156 TL), Dong-gang. Other materials: Japan: NSMT- P 58943 (1, 15.8 HL, 115 TL), 65441 (1, 17.4 HL, 113 TL), 65731 (1, 15.2 HL, 110 TL), 65733 (1, 16.0 HL, 99+ TL), 91535 (1, 16.4 HL, 111 TL). DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.— 1D II 8–11; P i16–i22; V 9–12; inner GR-I 12–14 total; pyl. caeca 40–52. Snout 21–30% HL; preoral 16–22%; internasal width 17–21%; orbit 36–43%; interorbital 22–28%; upper jaw 37–40%; barbel 18–27%; outer gill slit 17–24%; pre-A 142–155%; isthmus to A 78–96%; body depth 63–89%; height 1D 83–88%; 1D-2D interspace 63–86%; length outer V ray 89–171%. Snout bluntly pointed, relatively high, much shorter than orbit diameter; suborbital ridge prominent; upper jaw extends to below posterior ½ to ¼ of orbit; barbel about twothirds of orbit. Underside of head entirely naked; naked areas dorsally on snout extend only to transverse line crossing lateral snout angles; pores on mandible large and prominent. V origin under posterior margin of operculum; P origin slightly in advance of 1D origin; A origin behind 1D. Anus located about midway between A origin and inner V bases; ADW rather large, at or slightly ahead of line connecting inner V bases. Spinules on scales short, conical, aligned in 5–8 parallel crestlike rows. Spinous second ray of 1D sparsely serrated. Three small black blotches above mid-length of A. Species small, probably not attaining more than 170 mm TL. DISTRIBUTION.— Southern Japan, Kyushu-Palau Ridge, and Taiwan, 550–710 m (Taiwan records from 100 to 600 m). REMARKS.— The generic placement of this enigmatic species has been problemmatic; its previous allocation to three different genera reflects this. One of the current authors (HCH) visited the FAKU collections in Maizuru in 2007 but was unable to locate the type specimens of this species. The three small black blotches (faint in some specimens) above the A fin are unique and highly characteristic of this species.

Published as part of Iwamoto, Tomio, Nakayama, Naohide, Shao, Kwang-Tsao & Table, Hsuan-Ching Ho, 2015, Synopsis of the Grenadier Fishes (Gadiformes; Teleostei) of Taiwan, pp. 31-126 in Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (3) on page 80, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11512126