Callogobius dori Goren 1980

Delventhal, Naomi R., Mooi, Randall D., Bogorodsky, Sergey V. & Mal, Ahmad O., 2016, A review of the Callogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4179 (2), pp. 225-243 : 236-238

Callogobius dori Goren 1980

( Figure 5 )

Callogobius dori Goren 1980: 210 (Suakin, Sudan, Red Sea; holotype BMNH 1978.9.8.7). Callogobius dori —Dor 1984: 241; Goren et al. 1991: 299; Golani & Bogorodsky 2010: 46.

Diagnosis. Callogobius dori is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: interorbital pores B’, D, E, F, G and H’ present; preopercular canal absent; temporal canal absent; dorsal fin VI + I,9; anal fin I,7; scales in lateral series 24–26; body tan to dark brown with narrow, dark longitudinal stripes; a large diffuse black spot dorsally in caudal fin.

Brief description. Moderately stout-bodied with elongate, broadly rounded, caudal fin> 40% SL in length.

Scales large, deciduous, cycloid anteriorly, ctenoid from first spine of second dorsal fin to caudal-fin base, scales in lateral series 24–26. Dorsal-fin rays usually VI + I,9, anal-fin rays usually I,7, pectoral-fin rays 17–18, pelvic fins fully united with moderate frenum. Anterior nostril longer than posterior nostril. Head pores present with interorbital canal normally containing pores B’, D, E, F, G and H’, preopercular and temporal canals absent. Preopercular papillae row (Row 20) continuous with transverse opercular row (Row 21), more than 10 transverse mandibular papillae rows (Row 16) on each side.

Head, body and fins tan to brown. About seven or eight narrow, dark, longitudinal stripes usually visible on body. First dorsal and pectoral fins dark. Our specimens very faded, unable to discern whether or not vertical bars or head markings present. Dark spot as large as eye on upper part of caudal fin often present, depending on the condition of the specimen. Coloration in preservation similar.

Distribution and habitat. Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Callogobius dori specimens have been collected from the base of coral patches on silty sand of a closed lagoon, depth 5–7 m, although one collection reached 21– 27 m.

Remarks. In the Red Sea, C. dori is most likely to be confused with C. amikami and C. pilosimentum . Callogobius dori shares a similar body shape and usually dark coloration with C. pilosimentum ; it differs from the latter in lacking preopercular and temporal canals (vs. present), dorsal-fin spines not prolonged (vs. dorsal-fin spines prolonged, the second spine occasionally as a short filament), caudal fin> 40% SL in length (vs. <40% SL), and more than 10 transverse mandibular papillae rows on each side (vs. 4). Callogobius dori shares a similar body shape and proportions with C. amikami ; it differs from the latter in having second dorsal- and anal-fin ray counts of I,9 and I,7 respectively (vs. I,10 and I,8 respectively in holotype of C. amikami ) and in color pattern (cf. Figs. 3 , 5 ).

McKinney (1980) in an unpublished Master’s thesis refers to this species as Callogobius new species B. One lot of C. dori examined by McKinney ( USNM 220030 , Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba , Bay at El Himeira, 4 specimens) was labeled as “ C. aquilus ”; this name was never published. Callogobius dori has been considered a Red Sea endemic, but we have located three specimens from the Seychelles ( USNM 385746 , Amirante Islands , St. Joseph Atoll, south of Ressource Island, 0–4 m, 7 March 1964), considerably expanding the known range of this species and suggesting it might be found elsewhere in the Western Indian Ocean .

Representative Red Sea material (24 specimens, 15.8–35.5 mm SL). Egypt: HUJ 11092, male, 28.1 mm SL ; ROM 43205, 1 male and 1 female, 17.0– 20.5 mm SL; USNM 220030, 2 males, 2 females, and 1 specimen cleared and stained, 15.8–24.0 mm SL; USNM 220095, female?, 19.2 mm SL; USNM 220098, male, 28.7 mm SL; USNM 220929, 1 male and 2 females, 18.4–21.5 mm SL; Eritrea : USNM 220099 , female, 24.0 mm SL; Saudi Arabia, Farasan Island : KAUMM 378 (KAU12-318), female, 23.9 mm SL, base of fringing reef of small island, 7 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky & T.J. Alpermann, 22 February 2012; SMF 35761 (KAU12-219), male, 24.6 mm SL, isolated coral patch of lagoon, 3–5 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky & T.J. Alpermann, 20 February 2012; SMF 35762, male, 23.8 mm SL ( Fig. 5 ), collected with SMF 35761; Sudan : BMNH 1978.9.8.7, holotype, male, 33.5 mm SL; BMNH 1978.9.8.8-11, paratypes, 3 males and 1 female, 27.5–35.5 mm SL; BPBM 20387, male, 26.8 mm SL.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Callogobius amikami Goren, Miroz & Baranes: A. Preserved specimen, TAU P- 10321, holotype, sex uncertain, 26.2 mm SL, Eilat, Israel; B. Aquarium specimen in 1993, Coral World, Eilat, about 40 mm TL, collected by A. Miroz. C. Callogobius cf. amikami, live coloration, SMF 35770, juvenile, 7.2 mm SL, Al Wajh bank, Saudi Arabia. Photos by NRD (A), J. E. Randall (B) used with permission, SVB (C).

FIGURE 5. Callogobius dori Goren, live coloration, SMF 35762, male, 23.8 mm SL, Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia. Photo by SVB.