Section outline

    • · Three species of Ammodytes spp. are observed around the Japanese archipelago.






      1.  Ammodytes japonicus 
            Inhabits the Seto Inland Sea, Ise Bay, Wakasa Bay, Mutsu Bay, Sanriku Coast, and around Hokkaido
      2.  Ammodytes heian
            Inhabits Mutsu Bay, Sanriku Coast, and around Hokkaido
      3.  Ammodytes  hexapterus
            Inhabits around Ishikari Bay and Wakkanai around Hokkaido (does not inhabit Mutsu Bay)


      Before 2015, 1 and 2 were classified as Ammodytes personatus, but DNA analysis results showed that two species were mixed. They can only be distinguished by DNA analysis.
      The distinction between Ammodytes hexapterus and 1-2 can be roughly made by the spawning season and the number of soft dorsal fins, but in practice, distinguishing by its external appearance is almost impossible. DNA analysis is ideal for this species as well.
      Since 2015, A. personatus has inhabited the Pacific Coast of California from the Bering Sea and no longer inhabits the waters around Japan (Orr et al., 2015).
      There is also a confusingly-named Japanese fish, the "Shiwa-ikanago". However, the scientific name of this species is Hypoptychus dybowskii and it is a member of the sub-order Gasterosteoidei.