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| Gobiodon cobenjaminsis Gobiodon bicalvolineatus Hildebrandt, Froehlich, Brodnicke, Klanten, Møller & Wong, 2024 photographed by G. Barrall and P. Munday in Munday et al. (1999). |
Abstract
The gobiid genus Gobiodon contains small, cryptic coral dwelling fishes that are particularly diverse but difficult to identify. Herein we name and provide formal descriptions for two new species of Gobiodon, G. bicalvolineatus and G. cobenjaminsis, previously known as Gobiodon sp. B and Gobiodon sp. C respectively. Additionally, we provide new information on the South Pacific Ocean population of the recently described G. spadix, and a revised description of the genus Gobiodon. Both G. bicalvolineatus and G. cobenjaminsis are small, highly specialised and cryptic members of the genus found in limited geographic ranges in Papua New Guinea (PNG). On the basis of colouration, G. bicalvolineatus is diagnosed in having a light blue-green base colouration with red vertical bars on the face, red spots and lighter diagonal bars on the dorsal surface of the head, and thin unbroken horizontal lines along the length of the body. It has only been recorded inhabiting Acropora caroliniana in the Bootless Bay area of PNG. Gobiodon cobenjaminsis is light orange-brown in colour with pale vertical bars on the face, black edges on all fins except pectoral fins, and a black spot on the upper opercular margin. It has been recorded inhabiting Acropora elseyi in the Kimbe Bay area of PNG. We also provide morphological confirmation that the individuals previously referred to as Gobiodon sp. D observed in PNG and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are conspecific with the recently described G. spadix, along with additional measurements, characters, and habitat ecology. The latter includes their host preference for Acropora divaricata in the GBR and slight variation in morphometrics. The study utilises an interdisciplinary approach combining morphological characters, meristic and morphometric measurements, molecular genetics, and multivariate-statistical analysis of morphometric data to provide these descriptions and aid in the identification of these species.
Key words. taxonomy, Gobiodon, coral goby, Gobiodon bicalvolineatus, Gobiodon cobenjaminsis, Gobiodon spadix
Infraclass Teleostei
Order Gobiiformes
Family Gobiidae
Genus Gobiodon Bleeker, 1856
Etymology. The commonly accepted source for Gobiodon comes from the Latin ‘gobius’ meaning gudgeon and the Greek ‘odous’ meaning teeth.
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| Gobiodon cobenjaminsis. live colouration photographed by G. Barrall in Munday et al. (1999). Gobiodon bicalvolineatus, holotype, AMS I.51465-001. live specimen colouration photographed by P. Munday in Munday et al. (1999). |
Gobiodon bicalvolineatus, new species
English name: Speckle-Lined Coral Goby
Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI, I,10; anal-fin rays I,9–10; head and majority of body naked with some squamation on caudal peduncle; body slightly laterally compressed (body depth at pelvic-fin origin 40.6–45.3% SL), typically dorsal ventrally symmetrical, head rounded; mouth small with pronounced recurved lips; groove between isthmus and interopercle present; caudal peduncle relatively deep (15.5–18.6% SL); caudal fin long (22.1–29.3% of SL). Post symphysial teeth absent, triangular dentary with various sizes of jaw dentition. Elongate cheek papillae length exceeding width. Adults with blue-green base colouration and red markings on the face and body. Facial markings as vertical bars on cheek, small spots on dorsal surface of head and unbroken horizontal lines along the length of the body beginning post pectoral fin (Fig. 2).
Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin for ‘two,’ ‘bald’ and ‘lined’, representing the two pale patches at the back of the head imitating baldness and the prominent lined pattern on the body.
Gobiodon cobenjaminsis, new species
English name: Russet Coral Goby
Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI, I,10; anal-fin rays I,10; head and body naked; obvious groove between the isthmus and interopercle; body compressed and deep (depth at pelvic fin origin 39.4–45.0% of SL); head rounded in adults; dorsal fins fused with membrane. Caudal peduncle relatively deep (15.5–18.7% of SL); caudal fin long (22.2–29.3% of SL). Post symphysial teeth absent, dentary elongate and recurved; teeth of two to three various sizes in several rows. Cheek papillae elongate. Adult orange-brown in colour with black margins on all fins except pectoral fins. Black spot on the upper opercular margin (Fig. 5). Fins lighter in colour than body, with lighter oblique patch on cheek and 3–4 lighter bands on facial area.
Etymology. The name was chosen with the Latin “co” for ‘with’ or ‘together’ and the “benjaminsis”, with the “-sis” component derived from the Greek for a process or action, to honour the actions of the Benjamin family under the request of the specimen collector Phil Munday, especially Max Benjamin. This is due to their contribution in research, field station set-up, and marine conservation in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, that resulted in the observation and collection of this species.
Gobiodon spadix Sato & Motomura, 2024
English Name: Akane Coral Goby
Japanese Name: Akane koban-haze
Courtney A. Hildebrandt, Catheline Y. M. Froehlich, Ole B. Brodnicke, O. Selma Klanten, Peter R. Møller and Marian Y. L. Wong. 2024. Two New Species of Gobiodon (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Indo-Pacific, with Notes on South Pacific and Indian Ocean populations of Gobiodon spadix. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 72: 488–510
