Coryogalops pseudomonospilus 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 : 522-527

Coryogalops pseudomonospilus Kovačić & Bogorodsky , sp. nov.

( Figures 3 , 4 ; Tables 1, 2)

Holotype. SMF 35231, male, 21.5 + 5.5 mm, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Al Khuraybah, N28°04'11.70", E35°04'48.72", coral patch in lagoon, 7–8 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky, 24 June 2013.

Paratype. KAUMM 260, female, 19.3 + 4.8 mm, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Al Khuraybah, N28°04'11.70", E35°04'48.72", coral patch in lagoon, 7–8 m, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky, 24 June 2013.

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,11; second to sixth spines of first dorsal fin reaching spine of second fin in male, and at least fourth spine of first dorsal fin reaching spine of second fin in female; anal-fin rays I,10; pectoralfin rays 16–17, two upper rays with free tips; pelvic fins I,5, joined to form a disc, moderately emarginate (the shortest branches of fifth ray about 4/5 length of longest branches of fourth ray), with pelvic frenum welldeveloped, frenum height in midline 1/3–2/5 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 with same value, 9; circumpeduncular scale rows 12; head with seven transverse suborbital rows of sensory papillae, five rows in front of row b and two above row b, sixth row interrupted by row b; no tentacle above upper eye margin; anterior nostril tubular, without flap at its tip, posterior nostril slightly raised; head pigmented except for pale band from lower margin of eye to rear part of mouth, including angle of jaw; first dorsal fin with a nearly square dark maroon, suffused with black, blotch larger than pupil on second and third membranes at base of fin, linked with first spine by a dark band across first membrane; preserved specimen also with oblique broad dark band visible above and behind the blotch, covering upper and posterior parts of fin.

Description (all morphometrics values in the text are presented as male holotype first and female paratype in parentheses) (Table 1). Body moderately elongate, depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.7 (4.7) in SL, at anal-fin origin 5.4 (5.1) in SL, and laterally compressed, body width at pectoral-fin origin 5.5 (6.0) in SL, 1.2 (1.3) in depth. Preanalfin length 1.6 (1.7) in SL, predorsal length 2.9 (2.6) in SL; prepelvic distance 3.0 (3.2) in SL. Head length 3.2 (3.3) in SL; dorsal profile of head almost smoothly convex, dorsal part of eye weakly projecting above contour; snout with convex sloping profile, its length 14.3 (14.9) in SL, 4.5 in head length. Eye diameter 10.8 (11.4) in SL, 3.4 (3.4) in head length; no tentacle above upper eye margin; interorbital space very narrow. Mouth oblique, terminal, lips anteriorly ending equally, upper lip width uniform, maxilla reaching to below pupil, upper jaw length 11.9 (12.0) in SL, 3.7 (3.6) in head length. Several rows of small pointed teeth in each jaw. Tongue truncate. Gill opening ending at level of lower base of pectoral fin. Anterior nostril tubular, without lappet on posterior rim; posterior nostril slightly raised. Caudal peduncle depth 8.3 (7.7) in SL, 2.6 (2.3) in head length; caudal peduncle length 4.8 (5.5) in SL, 1.5 (1.7) in head length.

Fins. First dorsal fin VI, second dorsal fin I,11, second to sixth spines of first dorsal fin reaching spine of second fin in male, and at least fourth spine of first dorsal fin reaching spine of second fin in female; anal fin I,10; pectoral-fin rays 16–17 (holotype 16/16, paratype 17/right fin missing), all rays branched, two upper pectoral-fin rays with well-developed free tips, tip of first ray about 1/2 ray length; branched caudal-fin rays 15, segmented rays 17; pelvic fins I,5, disc complete, moderately emarginate (shortest branches of fifth ray compared to longest branches of fourth ray: 80.0% in holotype and 83.3% in paratype), pelvic frenum well-developed, frenum height in midline 1/3–2/5 length of pelvic spine. Origin of first dorsal fin behind vertical at pectoral-fin base, second dorsalfin spine longest in male holotype, 5.8 in SL, 1.8 in head length, second and third equally long in female paratype, 5.2 in SL, 1.6 in head length, remaining spines shorter; spine of second dorsal fin 7.7 (7.7) in SL; first to third dorsal-fin rays longest 6.1 (5.9) in SL; dorsal-fins base 2.2 (2.2) in SL. Origin of anal fin below base of first or second dorsal-fin soft ray; anal-fin spine 12.7 (11.4) in SL; tenth anal-fin soft ray longest, 6.9 (6.7) in SL; anal-fin base 4.6 (4.6) in SL. Caudal fin rounded and short (damaged in male holotype), its length 3.9 (4.0) in SL. Pectoral fins more or less rounded, extending behind vertical to origin of second dorsal fin, tenth to eleventh ray longest, 3.4 (3.9) in SL. Origin of pelvic fins about at vertical to base of pectoral fins, pelvic spine 14.3 (16.1) in SL; pelvic-fins length 4.4 (4.1) in SL, reaching anus in female, almost reaching anus in male.

Squamation. Scales progressively larger posteriorly on body; scales ctenoid except cycloid anterior close to belly. Head naked, no predorsal scales and no scales on side of nape anterior to a line from origin of third spine of first dorsal fin to behind upper end of pectoral-fin base; no scales on prepectoral area, prepelvic area, central belly part and fins. Longitudinal scale series 33-35; transverse scale rows to base of first dorsal fin and to base of second dorsal fin same value, 9; circumpeduncular scales 12.

Cephalic sensory system ( Fig. 4 ). Head with separate anterior and posterior oculoscapular canals, and preopercular canals, with pores σ, λ, κ, ω, α, β, ρ, ρ1, ρ2, and γ, δ, ε respectively. Rows of head sensory papillae on left side of holotype and paratype, respectively: (1) preorbital: snout with four median preorbital series, row r (4 and 3) above and medially to posterior nostril, horizontal row s1 (3 and 2) below pore σ, horizontal row s2 (3 and 2) medially to anterior nostril and vertical s3 (3 and 2) above upper lip. Lateral series c in four parts: superior (c2) as two rows between anterior nostril and eye (2 + 2 and 3 + 2); middle (c1) (4 and 3) from anterior nostril downward and posteriorly to upper lip; inferior rows, upper horizontal c2 (4 and 3) and lower horizontal c1 (2 and 2) starting anteriorly at upper lip. (2) suborbital: seven transverse suborbital rows (1–7) of sensory papillae, five rows in front of row 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, extended to the level of row d (1: 6 and 6, 2: 5 and 4, 3: 5 and 4, 4: 5 and 4, 5: 3 and 3, 6s: 4 and 4, 6i: 7 and 7, 7: 3 and 3). Longitudinal row b short (5 and 5) extending forwards to row 5. Longitudinal row d (16 and 16) continuous, supralabial and horizontal part joined. (3) preoperculomandibular: external row e (24 + 18 and 22 + 12) and internal row i (9 + 8 and 9 + 9) uniserial and divided into anterior and posterior sections; row f longitudinal (5 and 5). (4) oculoscapular: anterior longitudinal row x1 (7 and 5) above pore ρ, not extending forwards to pore β but ending above z, posterior longitudinal row x2 (3 and 3) above ρ2; row z (5 and 4) with lower end above pore γ, row q as single papilla behind pore ρ, vertical row trp (2 and 2) behind x1 starting ventrally in front of ρ1, row y (2 and 3) vertical behind pore ρ2. Axillary vertical rows as1 (5 and 4), as2 (4 and 4), as3 (4 and 4), row la1 as single papilla above as2, row la2 as two papillae above as3. (5) opercular: transverse row ot (18 and 16); superior longitudinal row os (7 and 6); and interior longitudinal row oi (4 and 4). (6) anterior dorsal: anterior transverse row n (5 and 4) behind pore ω, transverse row o (3 and 3) distant from fellow in dorsal midline; longitudinal row g (3 and 3) not reaching row o, longitudinal row m (3 and 3) below and behind row g, longitudinal row h (3 + 3 and 3 + 3) divided.

Color. In life only male ( Fig. 3 A): body yellowish white, densely mottled with brown. Six dark spots at lateral midline, two below first dorsal fin, three below second dorsal fin, and one in centre of caudal peduncle, pale interspace between spots covered with scattered melanophores; another dark spot at end of caudal peduncle is part of caudal fin-base mark. Internal black stripe visible along vertebral column. Six yellowish pale saddles along back, first and third saddles at origin of first and second dorsal fins, respectively, second and fourth at middle of each fin, fifth anteriorly on caudal peduncle, and last at end of caudal peduncle. Head densely mottled with dark brown, brown, and few, narrow, small whitish patches; an irregular whitish bar containing few tiny dark brown spots extending ventrally from eye across cheek and posterior part of lips, in front of this bar a triangular brown band across lips; two dark brown spots visible on lower opercle; pupil dark green with yellow outer ring, iris with five alternating brown and grey bands; first dorsal fin semitransparent with scattered melanophores on basal twothirds, and a nearly square, dark maroon blotch, suffused with black, and larger than pupil on second and third membranes at base of fin, linked to first spine by a dark band across first membrane (area below band on first membrane hyaline), and an oblique whitish band containing few melanophores above blotch; outer part of interspinous membranes of first dorsal fin whitish; second dorsal fin translucent with dark brown pigment extending basally onto several rays from dorsal midline and with 3 or 4 spots along each ray, scattered melanophores on basal half of fin; caudal fin transparent, with scattered melanophores, and with a dark brown ‘X’- shaped mark on base of rays, anterior branches of mark longer and reaching procurrent rays on upper and lower edge of fin; anal fin transparent, with many melanophores basally; pectoral fins transparent with scattered melanophores and two dark brown spots, each on upper and lower base of pectoral-fin rays, more or less contiguous with pigmentation of pectoral-fin base; pelvic fins transparent with scattered melanophores.

In alcohol ( Figs. 3 B, C): Head and body paler than in live specimen, light yellowish-brown, with brown color pattern. Melanophores on body more concentrated at scale edges. Six brown marks along lateral midline, less distinctive in male: two below first dorsal fin, three below second dorsal fin and one on caudal peduncle. Another dark spot at end of caudal peduncle is part of caudal fin base mark. Six pale yellowish saddles along back, first and third saddles below origin of first and second dorsal fins, respectively, second and fourth below middle of each fin, fifth anteriorly at caudal peduncle and last at end of caudal peduncle. Head covered with melanophores, pigment more intensive and darker in male. Differences in density of melanophores present on predorsal, cheek and opercle but without discernible pattern, except for pale bar from lower edge of eye over anterior cheek to rear part of mouth, including the angle of jaw and continuing over lips. Iris uniformly dark, without visible stripes present in live specimen. Underside of head uniformly pigmented with densely distributed melanophores in male and widely scattered in female. No gular spots, except for two brown spots present on lower opercle, less distinct in female. Chest pigmented only in male, whitish in female. Dark brown ‘┐’-shaped blotch somewhat larger than pupil size basally on first three membranes of first dorsal fin; oblique broad dark band visible above and behind blotch, covering upper and posterior parts of fin. Second dorsal fin dark, with scattered melanophores. Caudal fin transparent, with widely scattered melanophores and dark brown ‘X’-shaped mark at base of rays, anterior branches of mark longer and reaching procurrent rays on upper and lower edge of fin. Anal fin densely pigmented with melanophores. Pectoral fins transparent with scattered melanophores, two marks present on upper and lower base of pectoral fin rays, darker in male, still recognizable in female, more or less contiguous with pigmentation of pectoral-fin base. Pelvic fins transparent, moderately pigmented with scattered melanophores only in male, unpigmented in female.

Etymology. The species is named Coryogalops pseudomonospilus , because of its close resemblance to C. monospilus , particularly because of its similarity in coloration, including the superficial similarity of the black mark anteriorly on the first dorsal fin.

Distribution and habitat. At present known from Al Khuraybah, northern Saudi Arabia, Red Sea. Holotype and paratype of C. pseudomonospilus were collected at the base of a small isolated coral patch at depth of 7–8 m in a large shallow-water lagoon. The lagoon is characterized by mixture of isolated coral reefs and broad flats covered with coral patches and sand. The gobies were collected at the island where reef flat ends by fringing reef with depth at base about 2–3 m, followed by the moderate sandy slope with scattered small coral patches down to 12– 15 m.

Remarks. Coryogalops pseudomonospilus sp. nov. differs from each of the nine known species of Coryogalops and the new described C. guttatus sp. nov. in several characters: absence of a supraorbital tentacle; the shape of the pelvic-fin disc; ray counts of the second dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins; scale counts of longitudinal and transverse rows; number and position of suborbital rows of the cephalic sensory systems; length and shape of nostrils (see Diagnosis for details, Tables 1 and 2 for comparisons).

Coryogalops pseudomonospilus sp. nov. resembles C. monospilus ( Fig. 5 C; known only from the holotype from the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait) in body shape and coloration, but differs in having fewer pectoral-fin rays and fewer free tips, 16–17 vs. 19, and 2 vs. 3, respectively; fewer longitudinal scale series and transverse scale rows, 33–35 vs. 38 or 39, and 9 vs. 16, respectively (see Discussion for the explanation of the problem with the counts of the holotype of C. monospilus ); no scales on side of nape anterior to a line from origin of third spine of first dorsal fin to behind upper end of pectoral-fin base vs. small scales on side of nape ending above upper end of gill opening with a narrow single row of embedded scales reaching anteriorly nearly vertical above posterior margin of preopercle in C. monospilus ; first dorsal fin with a nearly square dark maroon blotch on second and third membranes at base of fin, linked with first spine by a short dark band across first membrane vs. first dorsal fin with a black spot covers first two membranes, weakly extended downwards as brown oblique band at third membrane to base of fin; pectoral fins with two dark brown spots, each on upper and lower base of pectoral-fin rays vs. only one black blotch visible on upper base of pectoral-fin rays in C. monospilus . Some morphometric values differ between the closest of two values of C. pseudomonospilus and single value of C. monospilus by 1/10 or more (Table 1), however, to confirm the range of morphometric differences between two species larger samples of both sexes from both species are needed: C. monospilus has larger eyes, shorter base of both dorsal fins, longer pelvic fin, longer dorsal-fin and pelvic-fin spines, and shorter upper jaw (Table 1).

Coryogalops pseudomonospilus sp. nov. is most similar to C. ocheticus ( Fig. 5 A, Table 2 ), from which it differs in the following morphological and coloration characters: in males second to sixth spines of first dorsal fin reach spine of second fin, in females at least fourth spine reaches spine of second dorsal fin in C. pseudomonospilus vs. in males the appressed fourth spine of first dorsal fin may reach second dorsal fin, in females all spines do not reach second dorsal fin in C. ocheticus ; pelvic fins moderately emarginate (the shortest branches of fifth ray about 4/5 length of the longest branches of fourth ray), with pelvic frenum height in midline 1/3–2/5 length of pelvic spine in C. pseudomonospilus vs. pelvic disc elliptical with rounded posterior edge, pelvic frenum height in midline about 1/2 length of pelvic spine in C. ocheticus ; longitudinal scale series 33–35 in C. pseudomonospilus vs.

longitudinal scale series 26–31 in C. ocheticus ; anterior nostril tubular, without process from posterior rim, posterior nostril slightly raised in C. pseudomonospilus vs. anterior nostril short, tubular with oblique orifice bearing lappet or tentacle attaining length of tube, posterior nostril pore-like in C. ocheticus ; head laterally pigmented except for pale band from lower margin of eye to rear part of mouth, including the angle of jaw in C. pseudomonospilus vs. head finely pigmented, with dark suborbital bar at angle of jaw and oblique posterior band from eye margin, with closely mottled cheek and opercle in C. ocheticus ; chest pigmented only in male in C. pseudomonospilus vs. chest and branchiostegal membrane with melanophores in both sexes in C. ocheticus ; two marks present in the upper and lower base of pectoral-fin rays, more distinctive in male in C. pseudomonospilus vs. oblique dark bar across proximal part of upper five pectoral-rays in C. ocheticus ; pelvic fin moderately pigmented only in male, unpigmented in female in C. pseudomonospilus vs. pelvic disc and anterior membrane dark in both sexes in C. ocheticus ; first dorsal fin with dark brown spot anteriorly in basal part in C. pseudomonospilus vs. first dorsal fin with indistinct oblique dark band (no spots present) in C. ocheticus . During our study, the holotype and three paratypes of Cabillus anchialinae ( Fig. 5 B) were re-examined in comparison with our material examined and the redescription of C. ocheticus given in Miller (1978), and confirmed that it is conspecific with C. ocheticus based on identical morphology. Another species of the genus sympatric in the Red Sea with both of the new species is C. anomolus but it can be easily distinguished by its having separate pelvic fins and different coloration ( Figs. 6 A & B, Table 2 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Coryogalops pseudomonospilus sp. nov. A: SMF 35231, holotype, male, 21.5 + 5.5 mm, Al Khuraybah, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, live specimen; B: the same, preserved specimen. C: KAUMM 260, paratype, female, 19.3 + 4.8 mm, Al Khuraybah, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, preserved specimen. Photos by S. V. Bogorodsky (A), M. Kovačić (B and C).

FIGURE 4. Cephalic sensory systems of Coryogalops pseudomonospilus sp. nov., KAUMM 260, paratype. Terminology in text. Drawing by M. Kovačić.

FIGURE 5. Coryogalops ocheticus. A: PMR VP 2476, male, 54.2 + 13.4 mm, off Suez, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea; B: SMF 13229, holotype of Cabillus anchialinae, male, 33.4 mm SL, Sinai coast near Ras Muhammad, Egypt, Red Sea; C: Coryogalops monospilus, BPBM 33235, holotype, 40.8 mm SL, Kuwait, Arabian Gulf. Photos by S. V. Bogorodsky (A & B), J. E. Randall (C).

FIGURE 6. Coryogalops anomolus. A: PMR VP 3052, male, 24.3 + 6.2 mm, Sharm el Moya, southern Sinai, Red Sea; B: uncatalogued, Brayka Bay, Marsa Alam, Red Sea. Photos by S. V. Bogorodsky.