Orr et at: Systematics of North Pacific sand lances of the genus Ammodytes and description of a new species 
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Figure 6 
Fresh specimens of Ammodytes of the North Pacific region: (A) A. hexapterus , Arctic sand lance, UW 151476, 
120.0 mm in standard length (SL), Norton Sound, Alaska (photograph by J. W. Orr); (B) A. personatus, Pacific 
sand lance, neotype, UW 152354, 124.0 mm SL, female, Washington, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Miller Peninsula, 
25 April 2013, A. Kagley (photograph by J. W. Orr); (C) A. japonicus, western sand lance, FAKU 130765, 104.8 
mm SL, Sea of Japan, Kyoto Prefecture, off Maizuru (photograph by Y. Kai); and < D ) Ammodytes heian new spe- 
cies, peaceful sand lance, paratype, FAKU 131795, 165.9 mm SL, Fukushima Prefecture (photograph by Y. Kai). 
Diagnosis 
A species of Ammodytes distinguished from A. japoni- 
cus by having significantly more total vertebrae (65-73 
vs. 59-66) and precaudal vertebrae (41-49 vs. 36-43), 
more dorsal-fin rays (56-66 vs. 50-60), and fewer pig- 
mented pectoral-fin rays (3-7 vs. 4-11). It is further 
distinguished from the new species by its narrower body 
(depth at dorsal-fin origin 24-53% HL vs. 33-57% HL; 
depth at anal-fin origin 33-52% HL vs. 27-55% HL), 
larger orbit (12-18% HL vs. 11-15% HL), fewer pored 
lateral-line scales (114-170 vs. 142-185) and dermal pli- 
cae (139-193 vs. 156-198), more total vertebrae (65-73 
vs. 63-67) and precaudal vertebrae (41-49 vs. 39-43), 
and fewer pigmented pectoral-fin rays (3-7 vs. 4-10). It 
is distinguished from A. hexapterus and all other species 
of the North Pacific region by a unique COI haplotype 
(GenBank Accession KJ137281; Appdx. 2). 
Description 
Body elongate, slender, depth at dorsal-fin origin 
27.2-53.5% HL (45.2% HL), depth at anal-fin origin 
25.8-52.2% HL (42.1% HL), depth at caudal peduncle 
10.0-15.0% HL (13.9% HL). Head long, 18.8-25.4% SL 
(20.3% SL). Snout long, 23.1-29.9% HL (27.8% HL). 
