On Saturday, June 9, a board meeting was held at the Hokkaido University Tokyo Office, where careful deliberation was conducted regarding the following 10 papers recommended by the Zoological Science Editorial Board. As a result, it was decided to confer the Zoological Science Award of the Zoological Society of Japan for fiscal year 2012 upon these 10 papers. Furthermore, the Fujii Prize will be simultaneously awarded to these 10 papers. This year, a cash prize of 30,000 yen per paper will also be presented.

Zoological Society of Japan

2012 Zoological Science Award
(In order of appearance)

Zool. Sci. 28: 148-157
Masanori Okanishi and Toshihiko Fujita
A Taxonomic Review of the Genus Astrocharis Koehler (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Asteroschematidae), with a Description of a New Species
A taxonomic revision focusing on Astrocharis, a compact group of euryalind brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) known as basket stars, based on comparative observations of new Japanese specimens obtained from numerous research cruises and historical collections including numerous type specimens housed at the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, the Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. A magnificent photograph of a new species—the first to be described in this genus in 100 years—graced the cover of Volume 28, Number 2. A tour de force emphasizing the importance of museum specimens to the world.

Zool. Sci. 28: 180-188
Ryusuke Sudo, Hiroaki Suetake, Yuzuru Suzuki, Tomoko Utoh, Satoru Tanaka, Jun Aoyama and Katsumi Tsukamoto
Dynamics of Reproductive Hormones During Downstream Migration in Females of the Japanese Eel, Anguilla japonica
This is a unique study combining two different approaches—otolith-based ecological analysis and hormonal physiological analysis—to clarify the physiological basis of the migratory behavior of eels in the wild. Since such interdisciplinary research is expected to continue in the future, I consider it worthy of the paper award.

Zool. Sci. 28: 195-198
Michio Imahuku and Takashi Haramura
Activity Rhythm of Drosophila Kept in Complete Darkness for 1300 generations
A paper demonstrating that fruit flies continuously bred in the dark for 1,300 generations (55 years) exhibit a circadian rhythm similar to normal flies when given light stimuli. This research finding will likely provide extremely valuable insights for considering the process by which organisms adapt to dark environments such as caves.

Zool. Sci. 28: 206-214
Azusa Kage and others.
Gravity-Dependent Changes in Bioconvection of Tetrahymena and Chlamydomonas During Parabolic Flight: Increases in Wave Number Induced by Pre- and Post-Parabola Hypergravity
This paper uses protists (Tetrahymena, Chlamydomonas) in aircraft parabolic flight experiments to reveal the crucial role of gravity in bioconvection patterns. It is significant in that it thoroughly examines experimental factors such as density and suspension depth, capturing an aspect of the poorly understood phenomenon of bioconvection.

Zool. Sci. 28: 225-234
Ryutaro Goto, Yoichi Hamamura and Makoto Kato
Morphological and Ecological Adaptation of Basterotia Bivalves (Galeommatoidea: Sportellidae) to Symbiotic Association with Burrowing Echiuran Worms
A paper discussing the morphological and ecological adaptations of Basterotia gouldi, a bivalve commensal in the burrows of the echiuran Ikedosoma gogoshimense, and a new congeneric species, Basterotia carinata, commensal in the burrows of Ochetosoma erythrogrammon, both found in the intertidal zones of the Seto Inland Sea and Amami-Oshima Island. The zoological perspective focusing on how these commensals have adapted to the special habitat of echiuran burrows, which has received little attention until now, makes this work truly worthy of the ZS Award.

Zool. Sci. 28: 313-317
Daisuke Shibata and others.
Life Cycle of the Multiarmed Sea Star Coscinasterias acutispina (Stimpson,1862) in Laboratory Culture: Sexual and Asexual Reproductive Pathways
Knowledge regarding sexual reproduction and life history in fissiparous seastars, which reproduce asexually, is extremely scarce. This paper reports the first successful observation of egg and sperm release in fissiparous seastars, and further details the growth process—including asexual reproduction from juveniles to adults—through laboratory experiments and field surveys. It is an outstanding research paper that clearly demonstrates the realities of both asexual and sexual reproduction modes.

Zool. Sci. 28: 348-354
Wataru Toki and Katsumi Togashi
Exaggerated Asymmetric Head Morphology of Female Doubledaya bucculenta (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Languriinae) and Ovipositional Preference for Bamboo Internodes
We reported that the Japanese click-beetle-mimic *Nihonhoboshiromoketsumodoki* (Cneoglossa arrogans), which has the habit of biting holes in bamboo internodes to lay eggs, exhibits a notable female-specific asymmetry in the mandible and gena through morphometric analysis; that large female adults select thicker bamboo for boring and oviposition; that small female adults select thinner bamboo but frequently fail in boring and oviposition; and that the thickness of the oviposited bamboo has a positive correlation with the body size of the emerging adults. This is an interesting study that elucidates the significance of morphological asymmetry by making full use of morphometrics, functional morphology, and fitness measurement.

Zool. Sci. 28: 430-437
Akihiko Yoshida and Jun Emoto
Variation in the Arrangement of Sensory Bristles along Butterfly Wing Margins
A paper focusing on the sensory hairs present on butterfly wings. Examining as many as 62 butterfly species, it discusses their functional importance based on the positions and morphologies of the sensory hairs. This is a unique paper suggesting that the species diversity observed in the arrangement of sensory hairs may be related to species-specific wing control.

Zool. Sci. 28: 545-549
Kouki Ikeya and Manabu Kume
Seasonal Feeding Rhythm Associated with Fasting Period of Pangasianodon gigas: Long-Term Monitoring in an Aquarium
The annual feeding behavior pattern of the Mekong giant catfish—an endangered species with mostly unknown ecology—obtained through six years of observation at an aquarium is breathtaking, suggesting the vast potential for aquariums to contribute to zoology through long-term, steady descriptive research, and is therefore worthy of a paper award.

Zool. Sci. 28: 875-881
Minoru Moriyama and Hideharu Numata
A Cicada that Ensures Its Fitness during Climate Warming by Synchronizing Its Hatching Time with the Rainy Season
Using a physiological-ecological approach, it was clarified that the primary factor behind the recent increase in population density of the cicada *Cryptotympana facialis* in western Japan, particularly in urban areas around Osaka, is that global warming has caused the egg hatching period to coincide with the rainy season. While there are many phenomenological descriptions regarding the relationship between warming and changes in the distribution ranges of various organisms, there are few examples that concretely demonstrate the primary factors driving distribution shifts associated with warming. This makes it not only an important piece of research, but also a socially impactful research achievement that answers a simple question many Japanese people have wondered about: why are *Cryptotympana facialis* cicadas increasing lately?