First direct evidence of spawning by Japanese sardine Sardinops melanosticta (Temminck and Schlegel) in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Abstract In 2022 the presence of the Japanese sardine, Sardinops melanosticta (Temminck and Schlegel), was detected in the eastern Pacific Ocean, far outside its known western North Pacific range. The species was collected along with the Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax (Jenyns), which is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Here, we report the first direct evidence for spawning by S. melanosticta in the eastern Pacific Ocean.