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A fish believed to be extinct for 70 years has been found in a lake in Yamanashi Prefecture by an eccentric TV personality who calls himself "Mr. Fish."
The "kunimasu" salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka kawamurae) was thought to have fallen victim to Japan's hydro-electric power development program in 1940.
It was only found in Lake Tazawako in Akita Prefecture and, when acidic water was drawn into the lake to drive the hydro-electric turbines, the kunimasu disappeared. It has been listed as extinct by the Environment Ministry.
The freshwater fish, which grows to about 30 centimeters, seems, however, to have found a hideaway in Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture, far to the south of its previous stronghold.
A group of Kyoto University researchers led by fisheries science professor Tetsuji Nakabo found that what local fishermen have been calling "kuromasu," or black salmon, was in fact kunimasu.
The group caught nine kuromasu between March and April. DNA analysis found that they were different from "himemasu," a landlocked form of sockeye salmon abundant in Lake Saiko.
Records show that 100,000 kunimasu eggs were sent from Tazawako to Saiko in 1935 to stock the Yamanashi lake. Nakabo believes Saiko's kuromasu are descendants of kunimasu released at that time.
"Saiko's water temperature is comparatively low, good for kunimasu's survival," Nakabo said.
The discovery is thanks to TV personality and illustrator Sakana-kun (Mr. Fish), known for his trademark fish-shaped hat.
A self-taught fish expert, he now serves as a visiting associate professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
In March, Sakana-kun showed Nakabo, a long-time collaborator and adviser, chilled fish identified by Saiko fishermen as himemasu. The fish had been sent to him to help him draw illustrations of kunimasu for Nakabo.
Only formaldehyde-preserved specimens of kunimasu were available to him, and he felt that recently caught specimens of other landlocked salmon would help his work.
When the fish arrived, however, he began to suspect he might actually be looking at kunimasu from beyond the grave.
Nakabo was flabbergasted. One was carrying eggs, a sure sign that it was not a himemasu because that fish lays its eggs in autumn. He shouted: "These are kunimasu!"
Summary
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さかなくんによって、山梨県の湖で70年間絶滅したと思われていた魚が発見された。
国鱒は、1940年の日本の水力発電の発展の犠牲になったと思われていた。
国鱒は水力発電によって湖に酸性の水が流れ込んだとき、秋田県の田沢湖にだけ生息していたがその数は減少し、絶滅したとされた。
京都大学の研究者グループは、地元の漁師によって発見された魚を「黒鱒」あるいは黒鮭と呼んでいたが、実際は国鱒であった。
そのグループは、3月から4月の間に9匹の黒鱒を捕まえた。DNA分析でその中の西湖で捕られた中に「姫鱒」が発見された。
1935年に国鱒の10万個の卵が西湖に放流された。
その発見は魚の帽子で知られているさかなくんによるものだ。彼は、東京大学の海洋科学技術の準教授として勤めている。
3月に、さかなくんは西湖の漁師によって姫鱒だとされていた稚魚をもとに、国鱒の絵を描こうとした。その魚を入手したとき、彼はその魚を国鱒ではないかと思い始めた。
その魚は卵を持っていた。姫鱒は秋に卵を産むので、その魚が姫鱒ではなく国鱒であるというサインだった。
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eccentric/一風変わった
hydro-electric/水力発電
self-taught/独学の
associate professor/準教授
flabbergasted/びっくり仰天する
Comment
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さかなくんの大手柄に驚きました(¨)
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201012150305.html
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