Photo images, 3D models and CT scanned data of loaches (Botiidae, Cobitidae and Nemacheilidae) of Japan

Loach is one of the major cypriniform fishes in freshwater habitats of Japan, being recognized 23 described species/subspecies and 12 undescribed/undecides clades (Nakajima and Uchiyama 2017) (http://ffish.asia/loachesOfJapan). As well as molecular genetic research (Kitagawa et al. 2001a, Kitagawa et al. 2001b, Kitagawa et al. 2003a, Kitagawa et al. 2003b, Kitagawa et al. 2005, Suzawa 2006, Morishima et al. 2008, Saitoh et al. 2010, Kano et al. 2011, Miyazaki et al. 2011, Shimizu et al. 2011, Kano et al. 2012, Nakajima 2012, Nakajima 2016, Nakajima and Suzawa 2016, Nakajima and Uchiyama 2017), morphological examinations are needed for further development of loach study. Digital archiving of fish specimens is one of the progressive challenges in ichthyology for open science (Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History and National Museum of Nature and Science 1998, Berquist et al. 2012, Kano et al. 2013, Kano et al. 2016). This paper aimed to online publish photo images, 3D models and CT scanned data of all the known taxa/clades of loaches inhabiting in Japan (http://ffish.asia/loachesOfJapan3D) for the advances of loach study and ichthyology, and furthermore as a challenge of open science for public interests of biology.