Coryogalops guttatus Kovačić & Bogorodsky, 2014

Kovačić, Marcelo, Bogorodsky, Sergey V. & Mal, Ahmad O., 2014, Two new species of Coryogalops (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea, Zootaxa 3881 (6), pp. 513-531 : 518-522

Coryogalops guttatus Kovačić & Bogorodsky , sp. nov.

( Figures 1 , 2 ; Tables 1, 2)

Holotype. SMF 35230, male, 23.9 + 6.4 mm, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Farasan Archipelago, Farasan Island, N16°43.083', E42°03.934', coral patch in lagoon, 1.5 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky, 28 February 2012.

Paratype. KAUMM 261, female, 22.6 + 5.8 mm, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Farasan Archipelago, Farasan Island, N16°43.083', E42°03.934', coral patch in lagoon, 1 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky & T. Alpermann, 21 March 2012.

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,12; anal-fin rays I,10–11; pectoral-fin rays 17, three upper rays with welldeveloped free tips, those of the first ray longer than 3/4 of entire ray length; pelvic fins I,5, joined to form a disc, weakly emarginate (shortest branches of fifth ray 9/10 or more length of longest branches of fourth ray), with pelvic frenum reduced, frenum height in midline less than 1/5 length of pelvic spine; longitudinal scale series 33–35; transverse scale rows to base of first dorsal fin and to base of second dorsal fin 9–10; circumpeduncular scale rows 10–11; head with seven transverse suborbital rows of sensory papillae, five rows in front of row b and two rows above row b, sixth row interrupted by row b; no tentacle above upper eye margin; anterior nostril tubular, with triangular lappet extending from posterior rim, posterior nostril slightly raised; many scales of lower half of body covered with dark orange spot; two distinct dark spots behind edge of preopercle, and similar pair of spots at pectoral-fin base.

Description (all morphometrics values in the text are given as male holotype first and female paratype in parentheses) (Table 1). Body moderately elongate, depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.5 (4.6) in SL, at anal-fin origin 5.3 (5.3) in SL, laterally compressed, body width at pectoral-fin origin 5.3 (5.1) in SL, 1.2 (1.1) in depth. Preanal-fin length 1.6 (1.6) in SL, predorsal length 2.6 (2.7) in SL; prepelvic distance 2.9 (2.9) in SL. Head length 3.0 (3.3) in SL; dorsal profile of head smoothly convex, but for dorsal part of eye projecting above contour. Snout with sloping profile, its length 13.3 (14.1) in SL, 4.4 (4.3) in head length. Eye diameter 9.2 (9.0) in SL, 3.1 (2.8) in head length; no tentacle above upper eye margin. Interorbital space very narrow. Mouth oblique, terminal, lips anteriorly ending equally, maxilla reaching to below pupil, upper jaw length 10.0 (9.3) in SL, 3.3 in head length. Several rows of small pointed teeth in each jaw, teeth of outer row the largest. Tongue truncate. Gill opening ending at level of lower base of pectoral fins. Anterior nostril tubular, with triangular lappet extending from posterior rim, elongate and nearly digitate in paratype. Posterior nostril with low, raised ridge. Caudal peduncle depth 7.5 (8.1) in SL, 2.5 in head length; caudal peduncle length 5.7 (5.3) in SL, 1.9 (1.6) in head length.

Fins. First dorsal fin with VI spines, second dorsal fin I,12; anal fin I,10–11 (holotype I,11, paratype I,10); pectoral-fin rays 17, all rays branched, upper rays with well-developed free tips, that of first ray longer than 3/4 of entire ray length; branched caudal-fin rays 15, segmented 17; pelvic fins I,5, joined to form a disc, weakly emarginate (shortest branches of fifth ray compared to longest branches of fourth ray: 90.6 and 94.0 %, respectively), with reduced pelvic frenum (height of frenum in midline less that 1/5 length of pelvic spine). Origin of first dorsal fin behind vertical at pectoral-fin base, second dorsal-fin spine longest in male holotype, 4.3 in SL, 1.5 in head length, first and second equally long in female paratype, 6.6 in SL, 2.0 in head length, remaining spines progressively shorter; spine of second dorsal fin 6.3 (6.8) in SL; eighth dorsal-fin ray longest, its length 5.3 (5.5) in SL. Origin of anal fin below base of second dorsal-fin soft ray; first anal-fin spine 10.9 (10.8) in SL; tenth anal-fin soft ray longest, its length 5.3 (6.3) in SL. Dorsal-fins base 2.0 (2.1) in SL; anal-fin base 4.1 (4.5) in SL. Caudal fin rounded and short, its length 3.7 (3.9) in SL. Pectoral fins more or less rounded, ninth or tenth ray longest, 4.0 (3.8) in SL. Origin of pelvic fins about at vertical to base of pectoral fins, pelvic spine 14.9 (16.1) in SL; pelvic fins short, length 4.5 (4.5) in SL, not reaching anus.

Squamation. Scales progressively larger posteriorly on body; scales ctenoid except cycloid on belly and posterior prepelvic area. Head naked; no predorsal scales and no scales on side of nape anterior to a line from origin of first dorsal fin to above upper end of pectoral-fin base; no scales on prepectoral area, prepelvic area scaled posteriorly only; no scales on fins except for basal row on caudal fin. Longitudinal scale series 33–35 (holotype 34/ 35, paratype 33/damaged area on the right side prevented count); transverse scale rows to base of first dorsal fin and to base of second dorsal fin with same range: 9–10 (holotype 9/10 to first dorsal fin, 9/9 to second dorsal fin, paratype 10/10 to first dorsal fin, 10 on left side only (damaged area on right); circumpeduncular scales 10-11 (holotype 11, paratype 10).

Cephalic sensory system ( Fig. 2 ). Head with separate anterior and posterior oculoscapular canals with pores σ, λ, κ, ω, α, β, ρ and ρ1, ρ2, respectively, and preopercular canal having pores γ, δ, ε. Rows of head sensory papillae were counted on the left side of holotype and paratype and presented respectively: (1) preorbital: snout with four median preorbital series, row r (3 and 3) at level of posterior nostril, horizontal row s1 (2 and 3) below pore σ, horizontal row s2 (2 and 3) below s1 and vertical s3 (3 and 3) more medially above upper lip. Lateral series c in four parts: superior (c2) as two rows between anterior and posterior nostril (3 + 2 and 3 + 3); middle (c1) (2 and 4) starting at anterior nostril; inferior rows, upper horizontal c2 (4 and 5) and lower horizontal c1 (3 and 3) starting anteriorly at upper lip. (2) suborbital: seven transverse suborbital rows (1-7) of sensory papillae, five rows in front of b and two above row b, sixth row interrupted by row b; rows 2 and 3 begin distant from orbit, rows 4 and 5 short, inferior section of row 6 well developed, extending below level of row d (1: 6 and 6, 2: 4 and 4, 3: 5 and 5, 4: 5 and 4, 5: 5 and 4, 6s: 5 and 4, 6i: 11 and 9, 7: 3 and 3). Longitudinal row b (10 and 8) extending forwards to row 5. Longitudinal row d (10 + 14 and 6 + 16) continuous, supralabial and horizontal part joined. (3) preoperculomandibular: external row e (23 + 17 and 24 + 18) and internal row i (9 + 9 and 9 + 10) uniserial and divided into anterior and posterior sections; row f longitudinal (4 and 5). (4) oculoscapular: anterior longitudinal row x1 (8 and 8) above pore ρ, not extending forward to pore β but ending above row z, posterior longitudinal row x2 (4 and 4) above pore ρ2; row z (6 and 6) with lower end above pore γ, vertical row q (3 and 2) behind pore ρ, vertical row trp (4 and 4) behind x1 starting ventrally in front of pore ρ1, row y (3 and 2) vertical behind pore ρ2. Axillary vertical rows as1 (5 and 4), as2 (5 and 4), as3 (4 and 4) well developed, row la1 (3 and 2) above between as1 and as2, row la2 (3 and 3) above as3. (5) opercular: transverse row ot (16 and 18); superior longitudinal row os (8 and 6); and interior longitudinal row oi (6 and 6). (6) anterior dorsal: anterior transverse row n (5 and 5) behind pore ω, transverse row o (5 and 5) distant from fellow in dorsal midline; longitudinal row g (5 and 4) not reaching row o, longitudinal row m (5 and 4) below and behind row g, longitudinal row h (6 + 4 and 4 + 4) divided.

Color. Holotype (male) immediately after death ( Fig. 1 A): body without recognizable pattern, light brown, shading to whitish ventrally, most scales with tiny dark brown dots. Many scales at body midline and four longitudinal series below, with large dark orange spot which nearly covers the scale; some scales below midline and most scales above midline covered with brown spot forming about 9 ill-defined, irregular bars, extending basally onto dorsal fins at sixth dorsal-fin spine and at second dorsal fin. Base of caudal fin with small brown spot at midline, and an indistinct small brown blotch dorsally. Head brown, mottled with small whitish and dark brown spots; cheek and operculum peppered with dark brown. Underside of head with longitudinally arranged series of dark gular spots, ending with two well-defined spots on lower opercle just behind rear margin of preopercle; a third, less obvious, dark brown spot anteriorly on opercle above these two spots. Iris dark brown, pupil black with yellow outer ring. Dorsal fins yellowish, densely dotted with brown basally, second dorsal fin finely mottled with yellowish brown. Leading edge of first spine of each dorsal fin whitish with series of a small dark brown spots. Caudal fin similar in color to the second dorsal fin. Anal fin more uniformly yellowish, with melanophores basally.

Pectoral fins transparent with few scattered melanophores and two obvious spots, one above other, at pectoral-fin base; two indistinct marks, one above other, present in prepectoral area. Pelvic fins transparent with scattered melanophores.

In alcohol ( Figs. 1 B & 1C): body without recognizable pattern, several ill-defined vertical dark brown stripes on upper part of the body, broader in female paratype. Body dusky brown, without xanthophores visible in freshly collected specimens. Dark brown spot still visible at middle of base of caudal fin. Head dark brown, mottled more intensively on cheeks. Underside of head with longitudinally arranged series of dark gular spots, two large spots present on lower opercle, more intense in female paratype, male holotype with third less defined spot in upper part of opercle. First and second dorsal fins brown, mostly uniformly in male holotype, with brown small spots visible only on first dorsal spines of both fins. Female paratype with brown spots scattered over fins. Caudal fin similar to dorsal fins, more or less uniform in male holotype, mottled in female paratype. Anal fin with dark brown pigment. Pectoral fins uniformly pigmented except for dark maroon marks present on upper and lower base of fin. Two pectoral-fin base marks intense dark brown; prepectoral marks close to them more or less disappeared in preserved specimens. Pelvic fins pigmented in male and female, with dark brown transverse stripe on pelvic frenum.

Etymology. The species is named guttatus from Latin plural gutta, in reference to the distinctive orange spot on many longitudinal row scales on lower part of body of alive or freshly dead specimens.

Distribution and habitat. At present known only from Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea. Holotype and paratype were collected from in shallow water of large inner lagoon; the holotype was collected from the base of isolated small coral patch from a depth of 1.5 m and the paratype from 1 m.

Remarks. Coryogalops guttatus differs from all nine known species of the genus (and the new C. pseudomonospilus sp. nov.) by a combination of following characters: absence of supraorbital tentacle; pelvic-fin shape; meristics of the second dorsal, anal and pectoral fins; longitudinal and transverse scale counts and count of circumpeduncular scales; number and position of suborbital rows of cephalic sensory systems; length and shape of nostrils; and coloration (see Diagnosis and Tables 1 and 2 for comparison).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Coryogalops guttatus sp. nov. A: SMF 35230, holotype, male, 23.9 + 6.4 mm, Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, freshly collected specimen; B: the same, preserved specimen. C: KAUMM 261, paratype, female, 22.6 + 5.8 mm, Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, preserved specimen. Photos by S. V. Bogorodsky (A), M. Kovačić (B and C).

FIGURE 2. Cephalic sensory systems of Coryogalops guttatus sp. nov., SMF 35230, holotype. Terminology in text. Drawing by M. Kovačić.