Aulopareia cyanomos ( Bleeker, 1849 )

Larson, Helen K. & Jaafar, Zeehan, 2022, A review of the gobiid fish genus Aulopareia (Gobiidae: Gobiinae) with description of a new species from Kuwait and discussion of the status of Gobius cyanomos Bleeker, Zootaxa 5155 (4), pp. 493-516 : 495-500

Aulopareia cyanomos ( Bleeker, 1849)

( Figs 1–6 ; Tables 1–4 )

Gobius cyanomos Bleeker, 1849: 25 (Freto Madurae prope Surabaya et Kammal [Java]).

Gobius cyanoclavis Cantor, 1849: 1167 ( Malaysia: Sea of Pinang).

Gobius cyanosmus (lapsus)—Day 1876: 287, pl. LXI, fig. 5 (Madras).

Acentrogobius spilopterus Smith, 1932: 259 , pl. 23 (middle figure) (Tachin River mouth, central Thailand).

Gobius cyanosmos (lapsus)—Day 1876: 287–88 (Madras); Fowler 1939: 53 (Krabi, Peninsular Siam).

Ctenogobius andhraensis Herre, 1944: 47 (beach at Vishakhaptnam, India).

Aulopareia cyanomos — Satapoomin and Poovachiranon 1997: 16 (Andaman Sea, Thailand); Larson in Randall & Lim 2000: 635 (South China Sea); Larson & Murdy 2001: 3595 (western central Pacific); Manilo & Bogorodsky 2003: S118 (tropical North Indian West Pacific); Larson & Wright 2003: 130; Rainboth et al. 2012: 102, Fig. 2103 ( Vietnam, My Tho, mouth of Tien Gang); Tran et al. 2013: 136 (Indo-West Pacific); Kottelat 2013: 399 (Madura Strait near Surabaya and Kammal); Psomadakis et al. 2020: 546 ( Myanmar); Nagao Natural Environment Foundation 2021: 437 (Mekong Basin in Vietnam).

Acentrogobius cyanomos — Fowler 1960: 144–145 (Swatow, China; Madras, Tuticorin, India; Malay Peninsula; Siam; East Indies); Bleeker 1983: Plate 435, fig. 4 (no locality); Ataur Rahman 1989: 309 ( Bangladesh); Talwar & Jhingran 1991: 924 ( India); Kottelat et al. 1993: 141 (Sumatra, Java, Madura, India, Malaya, Thailand,? China); Rema Devi 1993: 166 (Ennore estuary and vicinity); Shibukawa in Kimura et al. 2009: 259 (Indo-West Pacific); Huang et al. 2013: 108 (Matang mangrove, Malaysia); Allen 2015: 7 (Indo-Australian Archipelago); Allen 2017: 108 (East Indian region).

Aulopareia spilopterus — Larson & Murdy 2001: 3595 (western central Pacific).

Aulopareia spiloptera — Kottelat 2013: 400 ( Tha Chin, 13°30’N 100°17’E).

Material Examined. INDIA: RMNH 4524 , possible syntypes of Gobius cyanomos , 9(50–90), Freto Madurae prope Surabaya et Kammal [Madura Strait, Java] . CAS 39850, 58 mm SL male, holotype of Ctenogobius andhraensis, Vizgapatam , coll. A. Herre, 20 December 1940 ; NTM S.15650-001, 2(67-74), Hooghly River , West Bengal, coll. H. Bleher, 1988 . THAILAND: KUMF 1832 , holotype of Acentrogobius spilopterus , 81.5 mm SL male, and paratype 86.5 mm SL male (in same jar), Tachin River mouth, central Siam , coll. Nai Pongse Phintuyothin, 22 November 1931 ; KUMF 1834 , 2 (85–90), Mehkong estuary, Aun-rung , coll. N. Prayura, 30 November 1936 . USNM 119544 , 1 (69.5) off Tachin River, Gulf of Siam, Thailand ; USNM 119533 , 1 (74.2), Tale Sap, Inner Lake, Thailand ; PMBC 9937 , 1 (97), Paklog, Bang roong, mangrove, coll. U. Satapoomin, 30 June 1993 . BRUNEI: NTM S.14813-007, 5(32–65), mangrove stream entering Brunei Bay, Tanjung Bakaka, Pulau Berambang , coll. H.K. Larson and party, 30 August 1997 .

Material seen but no data taken. INDIA: CAS 39851, 25 (28–54), paratypes of Ctenogobius andhraensis, Vizgapatam , coll. A. Herre, 20 December 1940 .

Diagnosis. Second dorsal rays usually I,10; anal rays always I,9; pectoral rays 17–19; lateral scales 22–29; TRB usually 7–8; predorsal scales 10–17; anterior interorbital pore present and three preopercular pores present; cheek and opercle naked; predorsal with cycloid scales extending anteriorly to about halfway between rear of eye and preopercular margin; mental frenum low, narrow; gill opening extending to under opercle; preserved specimens pale brown to brownish with small dark brown to blackish blotch above rear corner of opercle; 5–6 rows of rounded pale spots along body may be visible; blackish fins.

Description. Based on 32 specimens, 40.2–97.0 mm SL.

First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin I,10–11, usually I,10; anal fin always I,9, pectoral fin rays 17–19, usually 18; segmented caudal fin rays 16–17, nearly always 17, in 9/8 pattern; 7/6, 7/7 (mode) or 8/7 branched caudal rays; lateral scales 22–29, usually 26–27; TRB 6–12, usually 7–8; TRF 6–11; predorsal scales 10–17; circumpeduncular scales 12 (in seven).

Body compressed posteriorly, more rounded anteriorly. Head somewhat compressed, deeper than wide, HL 22.9–30.5% (mean 27.2%) of SL; head depth 41.9–78.0% (mean 61.6%) of HL; head width 43.2–75.5% (mean 57.8%) of HL; head profile rounded; cheeks fleshy in large males. Mouth terminal, oblique, forming 35° angle with body axis; lower lip and chin tip anteriormost; jaws reaching below anterior part of eye; upper jaw length 31.3–52.4% (mean 39.0%) of HL. Lips smooth; lower lip fused to underside of head on either side of low mental frenum. Eye rounded, dorsolateral, width 15.5–24.5% (mean 20.9%) of HL. Snout rounded, 10.8–32.9% (mean 16.3%) of HL; posterior nostril oval, placed anterior to lower edge of eye; anterior nostril in low tube, above upper lip. Interorbital moderate, flat, 2.8–16.7% (mean 8.2%) of HL. Body depth at anus 12.2–21.5% (mean 17.1%) of SL. Caudal peduncle compressed, length 22.3–24.2% (mean 23.3%) of SL; peduncle depth 7.8–13.9% (mean 10.7%) of SL. Gill opening extending forward under opercle, never reaching posterior preopercular edge.

First dorsal fin triangular, low and pointed in females; with first three spines greatly elongate and filamentous in males, third spine usually longest; longest spine 13.9–59.1% (mean 44.1%) of SL. Second dorsal fin moderate in height, pointed posteriorly.Anal fin low, pointed posteriorly. In females, second dorsal and anal fin rays falling short of caudal-fin base when depressed; these rays may reach caudal fin in males. Pectoral fin oval, central rays longest, 18.0–26.4% (mean 22.5%) of SL; all rays branched, posterior tip of fin falling just short of anus. Pelvic fins oval, nearly equal in length to pectoral fin, 14.8–25.6% (mean 21.4%) in SL. Caudal fin rounded posteriorly, 23.2–33.4% (mean 27.6%) of SL.

Teeth in upper jaw in about four rows across front, narrowing at side of jaw, outermost row of teeth largest, curved and pointed; teeth of innermost row teeth small, sharp and evenly sized; innermost row larger than those in other inner rows. Teeth in lower jaw in about five rows across front and two or three rows at side of jaw; outermost row of teeth in lower jaw more upright than outer row of teeth in upper jaw; outer row in lower jaw with 1–3 large backward-curved canines at mid-point of jaw.

Predorsal with cycloid scales extending anteriorly to about halfway between rear of eye and preopercular margin; cheek and opercle naked; pectoral-fin base with cycloid scales; prepelvic area and belly with cycloid scales; body scales ctenoid anteriorly to behind pectoral fin.

Sensory canals and pores: Nasal pore at level of each posterior nostril, single anterior interorbital pore, single posterior interorbital pore, no postorbital pore, short slit-like pore behind eye usually set at angle, two additional pores in oculoscapular canal over preopercle and pores in separate posterior portion of over opercle; three preopercular pores present. Sensory papillae in longitudinal pattern ( Fig. 1 ).

Freshly dead colour: From photos by Eusuf Hasan ( Fig. 2–3 ). Head and body pale greenish grey, paling ventrally, head slightly darker than body, and 3–4 elongate diffuse greyish blotches widely spaced along mid-side of body; about 6–8 rows of iridescent blue-green spots along side (larger and more conspicuous in males), spots beginning over opercle and partly extend onto lower part of caudal fin. Larger, black-edged triangular blue-green spot above rear corner of opercle. Similar blue-green spots scattered on predorsal and opercle and several on rear of cheek in large males. First dorsal fin translucent to whitish, with diffuse blackish blotch at rear of fin in males; may be several rows of whitish spots near base. Second dorsal fin translucent whitish to bluish and narrow dusky to blackish margin; adult male with fin bright blue to bluish grey with red submarginal band and several rows of elongate whitish spots. Anal fin whitish (female) to blue-black (male). Caudal fin translucent pale greyish with rows of small elongate whitish spots (continuation of blue-green spots on body), a small diffuse black spot at upper base and two indistinct blackish streaks or blotches, one on either side of centre of fin and narrow red dorsal margin. Pelvic fins whitish (female) to dusky blue or blackish (male). Pectoral fins in male transparent with grey rays and blackish blotch on lower third of fin or with rows of small black spots; fins translucent in female. A photograph of a juvenile specimen in Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (2021) lacks the small blue spots on the scales but the blue blotch above pectoral fin base and small black spot on upper caudal fin base are visible. Note that the illustration in Bleeker’s unfinished Atlas ( Bleeker 1983: Fig. 4 ) is based on fresh colour and clearly shows the bright blue spot at the rear corner of the opercle and the spotting on body and fins.

Preserved colour: Head and body similar to live colour, but head and body yellowish to pale brownish (depending on preservation) and blue-green colours absent or replaced by pale greyish.

Distribution and Habitat. Known to occur in mangrove areas and creeks, as well as estuaries, from India to Brunei.

Remarks. Jaafar (2008), in a key to the Acentrogobius -like genera, placed this species in Yongeichthys , due to it having a single row of sensory papillae on the chin (unlike the patch of papillae on each side of the chin in Acentrogobius ) and a wide gill opening extending to under the opercle. Aulopareia was not considered in this study. There are a few problematic specimens in collections and more work remains to be done on A. cyanomos as it is possible that more than one species is concealed here. We are placing A. cyanomos in the genus Aulopareia pending Jaafar’s review of the group.

The specimens of Gobius cyanomos Bleeker, 1849 in RMNH 4524 include probable syntypes (up to 108 mm TL), and the jar contains 19 specimens labelled as being from Java, Banka, Singapore? (E Indies), and Java Sea (information from Naturalis BioPortal). Bleeker’s description is based on males and females, with no holotype apparently assigned. Also, the type of Gobius phaiomelas Bleeker, 1849 , is possibly in this lot (and may be the largest specimen). Bleeker used the largest specimen, a 90 mm SL male to illustrate Gobius cyanomos . We intended to designate a lectotype but given Bleeker’s propensity for combining specimens into a lot, the several localities listed and the possible confusion with Gobius phaiomelas , we decline this until further work is carried out.

Gobius cyanoclavis Cantor, 1849 , had been considered a synonym of A. cyanomos by Kottelat (2013). Cantor describes a fish resembling a male A. cyanomos in that he states that first dorsal spines are filamentous, with the third spine longest and that each scale has an “azure” central spot. The syntypes at BMNH are two half-skins ( Fig. 6 ), one of which shows the blue spots. Jaafar examined these specimens and observed that they both had elongate first dorsal fin spines, with the smaller specimen having extremely elongate spines reaching to the middle of the second dorsal fin. We agree that the fish are Aulopareia cyanomos . Cantor’s description was published in October 1849 and Bleeker’s description of G. cyanomos apparently in August 1849, therefore Bleeker’s remains the valid name.

Note that the following records are probably not of Aulopareia , but one or more species of Acentrogobius and work remains to be done to identify these fishes:

Gobius cyanomos —Bleeker 1859–60 ( Singapore), Bleeker 1861 ( Singapore), Karoli 1882 (Serangoon, Singapore).

Acentrogobius cyanomos —Fowler 1938 (Serangoon, Singapore), Koumans (in Weber and Beaufort) 1953 ( Singapore, Siam, Penang), Gomez 1980 ( Singapore), Wright 1988 (Sulaibhikat Bay, Kuwait), Rema Devi 1993 (Ennore estuary and vicinity), Larson et al. 2008 ( Singapore), Eagderi et al. 2019: 57 (Persian Gulf).

Aulopareia cyanomos — Zajonz et al. 2002 (potentially in intertidal habitats, Arabian Peninsula).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Sensory pores and papilla in Aulopareia cyanomos, showing the two interorbital pores, NTM S.15650-001, 67 mm SL female; note that papilla rows e and i under the jaws were inadvertently omitted.

FIGURE 2. Aulopareia cyanomos, freshly collected male, 97 mm SL, Kolapara fish landing, Bangladesh. Photograph by Eusuf Hasan.

FIGURE 3. Aulopareia cyanomos, freshly collected female, 97 mm SL, Kolapara fish landing, Bangladesh. Photograph by Eusuf Hasan.

FIGURE 4. Aulopareia cyanomos, illustration of Gobius cyanomos Bleeker from Bleeker (1983: Plate 435, fig. 4).

FIGURE 5. Largest syntype (specimen figured by Bleeker) of Gobius cyanomos Bleeker, 1849, 90 mm SL male, RMNH 4524. Photograph by Doug Hoese.

FIGURE 6. Gobius cyanoclavis syntypes, BMNH 1860.3.19.561, 88.5-98.0 mm SL. Photograph by Zeehan Jaafar.