First finding of the Okhotsk Atka mackerel Pleurogrammus azonus (Scorpaeniformes: Hexagrammidae) in Tauy bay (northern Sea of Okhotsk): Description of the specimen and the justification of its species definition

The first finding of an adult specimen (TL = 385 mm) of the Okhotsk atka mackerel Pleurogrammus azonus (Scorpaeniformes: Hexagrammidae) is reported for the northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk (mouth of western Tauy Bay). This is the northernmost finding of this species in the Sea of Okhotsk. The detailed description of the external morphology of the specimen is given. The mtDNA COI gene fragment is compared to GenBank data, and the molecular genetic analysis justifies the species definition significantly.