Pseudogobius jeffi, Larson & Hammer, 2021

Larson, Helen K. & Hammer, Michael P., 2021, A revision of the gobiid fish genus Pseudogobius (Teleostei, Gobiidae, Tridentigerinae), with description of seven new species from Australia and South-east Asia, Zootaxa 4961 (1), pp. 1-85 : 39-42

Pseudogobius jeffi n. sp.

Jeff’s snubnose goby

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4A059D58-2E1F-4803-9A33-2371F92413AD

Figs 1 , 14–15 , Tables 2–5, 13

Pseudogobius sp. C ‘spotted’— Hammer et al. 2021: 4 (north-eastern Australia, Round Hill Creek to Cairns, Queensland [diagnosable at nuclear and mitochondrial markers]).

Material Examined. Holotype: QM I.40992 (ex NTM S.18130-001), 26 mm SL male, Auckland Creek , Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, PU 15-17 , P. Unmack and party, 19 May 2015 . Paratypes: QUEENSLAND: NTM S.17902- 001, 1(22.5), Bluewater boat ramp, Avondale Creek , N of Cairns, G. Moores and party, 28 January 2014 ; NTM S.18127-003, A 04787 , 1(24.5), Railway drain, Barron River tributary, Cairns , M. Hammer, 25 July 2015 ; NTM S.18129-001, A 02927 , 1(25.5), Railway drain, Barron River tributary, Cairns, GM 14-15, G. Moore and party, 30 January 2014 ; NTM S.18265-001, 9(15.5–27), Round Hill Creek estuary, near Gladstone , PU 15-20 , P. Unmack and party, 14 April 2015 ; NTM S.18130-001, 33(18–28), Auckland Creek , Gladstone , PU 15-17 , P. Unmack and party, 19 May 2015 ; ROM 105372 , 17 (20–29.5), Saunders Beach, N of Townsville , R. Winterbottom, 4 October 1981 .

Additional material (no data taken). QM I.21854, 28, brackish creek, Holloways Beach, north of Cairns , R. McKay and J. Johnson, 23 November 1985 ; AMS I.22878-021, 1, Whitsunday Islands, D. Rennis , 9 May 1982 ; AMS I.23311-002, 36, Attie Creek tributary, Cardwell, D.F. Hoese and D. Rennis , 26 October 1982 ; AMS I.22706-004, 58, channel near mouth of Daintree River, D.F. Hoese and R. Winterbottom , 27 September 1981 ; AMS I.23319-001, 4, east of Townsville at AIMS, D. Hoese and D. Rennis , 29 October 1982 ; NTM S.17874-002, 10, Haughton River, Giru, PU 14-105 , P. Unmack , 15 September 2014 ; NTM S.18127-002, 2, Railway Drain, Barron River tributary, Cairns, M. Hammer , 25 July 2015 ; NTM S.18273-001, 5, Portsmith drain, Cairns, MH 19-02 , M. Hammer and G. Moore , 24 January 2019 ; QM I.30629, 4, Boyds Creek, Deluge Inlet, Hinchinbrook Island , P. Graham, 25 March 1996 ; WAM P.27779-022, 4, Daintree River, G. R. Allen and R. Steene , 2 September 1982 .

Diagnosis. A moderately sized Pseudogobius with second dorsal rays I,6–7, usually I,7; anal rays I,6–8, usually I,7; pectoral rays 15–17; 16 segmented caudal rays, usually in 9/7 pattern; lateral scales 23–26; TRB 7–9, usually 8; predorsal scales 6–7; opercle with three rows of large cycloid scales; nearly always with single cycloid scale on cheek right behind eye; shoulder girdle with thin bony flange; tongue short; in males, teeth in outer row of upper jaw slightly flattened, tips blunt or rounded, with two small curved symphyseal canines behind anterior tooth rows; females with outer row teeth of upper jaw small, compressed, evenly sized and blunt-tipped; scale margins edged with brown, 3–5 small brown elongate small blotches or spots along mid-side of body with posteriormost blotch at midbase of caudal fin, extending onto fin and coalescing blackish blotch on fin and may form narrow vertical dark bar on fin base; caudal fin translucent dusky grey with scattered brownish spots near base; known from estuarine to fresh waters of north-eastern Queensland, Australia.

Description. Based on 37 specimens, 21–30.5 mm SL. An asterisk indicates counts of the holotype ( Fig. 15D ).

First dorsal VI*; second dorsal I,6–7 (usually I,7*); anal I,6–8 (usually 7*); pectoral rays 15–17 (usually 17*); segmented caudal rays 16*, in 9/7 pattern; branched caudal rays 7/6–8/7, usually 8/7; lateral scale count 23–26 (usually 25*); TRB 7–9 (usually 8*); predorsal scale count 6–7 (usually 7*).

Body rounded to slightly compressed anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Head wider than deep, but not greatly so, HL 23.8–29.6% SL (mean 26.5%). Head depth at posterior preopercular margin 58.1–69.6% HL (mean 63.9%). Head width at posterior preopercular margin 66.7–81.9% HL (mean 72.1%). Mouth small, subterminal, slightly oblique; jaws reaching to vertical through about mid-eye in adults, with males usually having longer jaws; upper jaw 30.0–48.2% HL (mean 36.9%); lips relatively thin, lower lip broadly fused to chin anteriorly. Eyes lateral, high on head, top usually forming part of dorsal profile, eye width 27.3–34.9% HL (mean 31.5%). Snout rounded and somewhat inflated, 21.7–36.1% HL (mean 26.4%). Interorbital moderate, 15.0–23.5% HL (mean 19.2%). Body depth at anal origin 16.5–22.9% SL (mean 21.0%). Caudal peduncle compressed, length 29.2–35.0% SL (mean 31.7%). Caudal peduncle depth 12.5–15.9% SL (mean 14.0%).

First dorsal fin low, triangular, second spine longest. Appressed first dorsal fin falling short of second dorsal in both sexes, fin length 16.2–20.0% SL (mean 18.3%). Second dorsal spine length 14.3–18.0% SL (mean 15.9%). Third dorsal spine length 14.3–15.6% SL (mean 15.0%). Second dorsal and anal fins short-based, heights moderate, fins rounded posteriorly with first few rays longest, rays falling well short of caudal fin base when appressed. Pectoral fin oval, central rays longest, extending back to vertical just short of anus, 18.9–24.4 % SL (mean 21.6%). Pelvic fins oval, short, not reaching anus, 16.1–21.8% SL (mean 18.4%). Caudal fin broadly rectangular, rounded posteriorly, 25.0–32.6% SL (mean 29.1%).

Anterior nostril in short tube, oriented down over upper lip. Posterior nostril oval, with very low rim, placed at mid-level of eye. Gill opening relatively narrow, extending usually to under opercle. Shoulder girdle smooth or with low bony flange. Tongue short, tip blunt or bluntly rounded. Upper jaw teeth in 2–3 rows, in males, teeth in outer row straight, compressed and blunt-tipped; may be slightly curved and pointed at side of jaw; in females, outer row teeth small, compressed and blunt-tipped; teeth in two inner rows always very small, close-set and sharp. Lower jaw teeth in 2–3 rows (three rows across front only); in males, outer row teeth small, compressed and with blunt or pointed tips, inner row very small, pointed and two curved symphyseal canines behind anterior tooth rows; females with compressed or somewhat flattened evenly sized blunt-tipped teeth in outer row; teeth in inner 2–3 rows same as in upper jaw; no symphyseal curved inner teeth.

Body scales ctenoid to above pectoral fin base, cycloid scales on predorsal, breast and pectoral fin base; scales close behind eyes may have scalloped edges; opercle with 2–3 rows of cycloid scales, nearly always one (rarely two) cycloid scale on cheek right behind eye (cheek scale absent in three specimens); belly scales cycloid on posterior half at least, may be ctenoid scales anteriorly or most of belly with ctenoid scales. Lateral canals, pores and sensory papillae pattern as in Fig. 14 .

Coloration of preserved material. Head and body pale yellowish brown with scale margins narrowly edged with brown with about 5–6 small brown elongate blotches along mid-side of body, posteriormost blotch at hypural crease where it extends onto caudal fin and coalesces with narrow vertical dark bar or pair of dark brown spots (may form a Y) on fin base ( Fig. 15 ). Males with more defined scale margins; head and nape may be darker than in females. Three to five indistinct brown small cross-hatched bars or blotches across dorsum; brown bar under first dorsal fin often darkest, in some specimens extending down side of body to mid-side anteriormost brown blotch (this bar most defined in small specimens). Dark brown elongate blotch or series of irregular dark spots above pectoral fin base and partly extending onto rear corner of opercle; may be series of indistinct brown spots extending from this dark blotch along upper part of body below first dorsal fin. Interorbital and snout plain brownish, may have indistinct short irregular dark lines and blotches, with pale area from eye to lip, covering nostrils; behind pale area a broad dark brown bar from eye to middle of jaw. Cheek and opercle with variable brown mottling and small blotches; cheek with broad wedge-shaped brown bar from lower edge of eye ending behind jaws, and another very short brown bar from behind eye angled obliquely toward rear of preopercle. Chin and lips speckled with loose band of melanophores or to dusky brownish in adult males; chin with fewer melanophores in females; edges of lips dark brown to blackish; darkest in large males. Breast unpigmented or with scattered melanophores; belly unpigmented. Thin blackish to black mid-ventral line running from middle (or insertion) of anal fin to end at first ventral procurrent ray. Peritoneum blackish but for silvery white ventral portion.

First dorsal fin dusky brownish with diffuse blackish area at rear of fin; dark brownish pigment may cover most of fin or form a broad, generally central, band; fin margin usually brownish. Second dorsal fin transparent with diffuse brownish band across centre and dusky margin; fin more heavily pigmented in males. Anal fin transparent with few brownish speckles along fin rays. Caudal fin translucent to dusky brownish, paling to transparent posteriorly; may have few diffuse dark brown spots near base that may form partial rows. Pectoral fin with transparent membranes, rays speckled with brown. Pelvic fins translucent.

Coloration of fresh material. Head and body translucent pale yellowish to translucent pale greyish, with brown cross-hatching along scale margins most prominent on upper half of body and about five X-shaped, rounded to elongate small brown blotches along mid-side of body (blotches may be paired) ( Fig. 15 ). Posteriormost blotch on body ending at hypural crease and may coalesce with two dark brown spots on caudal fin and/or vertical blackish bar at base of fin. Four internal blackish brown blotches or short bars along mid-ventral line starting at mid-base of anal fin; fourth bar (posteriormost) may be slightly more widely separated from others. Snout pale brownish, with two short brown bars, one before and after nostril area, which is pale. Cheek translucent with diffuse broad brown bar from below eye usually ending mid-cheek or behind rictus; second broad brown bar from behind eye diagonally back toward upper part of preopercular margin. Opercle dusky brown above with blue-white or green-gold iridescent speckling on lower half. Iris reddish golden to brown. Lips pale, narrowly edged with brown. Abdomen silvery white; peritoneum dense black dorsally.

First dorsal fin translucent with broad diffuse brown band across most of fin. Second dorsal fin translucent; may have fine dusky greyish or light brown speckling. Anal fin transparent or with fine dusky grey speckling. Caudal fin translucent to faintly greyish, with vertical blackish bar at base of fin or two brown spots that may partly or fully coalesce with mid-base brown blotch; fin with few diffuse dark brown spots near base that may form partial rows. Pectoral fins transparent or with fine brownish speckles along fin rays. Pelvic fins white or translucent dusky grey.

Comparisons. This species can be confused with P. hoesei and P. aquilionius and is most similar to the latter. It differs from these taxa in having a scale (rarely two) on the upper cheek behind the eye (compared to cheek always naked). It lacks the blue areas in the dorsal fins and over caudal fin procurrent rays observable in P. aquilonius when alive. Caudal fin patterns are also useful: P. jeffi lacks the intense spotting forming bands in the caudal fin of P. hoesei , instead having scattered spots, both in contrast to the plain caudal fin of P. aquilionius (which is also unique in having a single broad band marking at the base of the caudal compared to two distinct dots).

Distribution. Endemic to Australia, north-east coast of Queensland (Round Hill, south-east of Gladstone to Daintree region, including near-shore islands).

Ecology. Shallow-water estuarine, found in mangrove creeks and muddy tide-pools, at depths of 0– 1 m. Also found in marginal habitats such as by boat ramps and overgrown drains. Co-occurs with P. aquilonius , P. eos (minor overlap) and P. melanosticta ; allopatric with respect to other Australasian endemics including P. cinctus and P. hoesei .

Etymology: This species is named for HKL’s husband Jeff, who has inadvertently learned much about gobioid fishes over 50-something years, so it is high time that he had a Queensland goby named for him.

Figures

FIGURE 1A. Distribution maps of species in the genus Pseudogobius, based upon material examined and inspected (circles) with the type localities indicated (squares).

FIGURE 14. Pseudogobius jeffi n. sp., sensory papillae and pores, 25.5 mm SL female, Round Hill Creek, Gladstone, Queensland, NTM S.18265-001. Drawing by HKL.

FIGURE 15. Pseudogobius jeffi n. sp., north-easternAustralia, (A) captive male, Chinaman Creek tributary, Cairns; (B) captive female, Chinaman Creek tributary, Cairns; (C) fresh male (upper) and female, NTM S.18273-001, Chinaman Creek tributary, Cairns; (D) preserved holotype, 26 mm SL male, QM I.40992, Auckland Creek, Gladstone. Photos by MPH.