Pseudochromis linda Randall & Stanaland

Gill, Anthony C. & Zajonz, Uwe, 2011, Pseudochromine and pseudoplesiopine dottyback fishes from the Socotra Archipelago, Indian Ocean, with descriptions of two new species of Pseudochromis Rüppell (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae), Zootaxa 3106, pp. 1-23 : 12

Pseudochromis linda Randall & Stanaland

False Olive Dottyback

Figure 7

Pseudochromis linda Randall & Stanaland, 1989: 107 , figs 1–4 (type locality: Jana Island, Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf); Gill, 2004: 130, figs 48–49, pls 8G–H (description, synonymy, distribution, colour photos).

Gill (2004) recorded this species from the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf and Pakistan. We record it from the Socotra Archipelago on the basis of ten specimens collected in 1999-2000 from Socotra Island and Abd al-Kuri Island, which agree well with Gill’s re-description of the species.

Pseudochromis linda was visually also recorded from twelve additional sites in 1999-2000 including the islands of Semha and Darsa. The species is thus considered to occur throughout the entire Archipelago. It was even more often observed on Abd al-Kuri than on the much larger Socotra Island, coinciding with the observation that alpha-diversity increases in E-W direction and is highest on Abd al-Kuri. The species shows a preference for coral dominated biotopes with a three-dimensional complexity, ranging from monospecific Galaxea astriata on sheltered rock, hard coral communities of mixed Acropora spp. corals, to coral communities of diverse encrusting and massive Agariciidae , Pectininiidae, Mussidae and Poritidae . The species was not seen at the relatively harsh and upwelling impacted south coasts. It occurred in the depth range of 3– 20 m. Recent records of 2009-2011 (H. Pulch, T. Alpermann, U. Zajonz) support these observations. Hence its ecological niche appears to differ from that of P. leucorhynchus in being more dependent on coral dominated biotopes.

Pseudochromis linda is replaced in the Red Sea by the closely related P. olivaceus Rüppell (1835) . Western Indian Ocean records of P. olivaceus from outside the Red Sea are based on misidentified P. li nd a. As noted by Gill (2004), P. l i n d a differs from P. olivaceus in caudal-fin shape (rounded to truncate, rarely weakly emarginated vs. weakly to strongly emarginate) and coloration (dark markings, if present, on sides of body round to vertically elongate vs. with crescent shaped markings); it also differs in having more extensive coverage of cycloid scales on the anterior body (see Gill 2004: fig. 49).

Material examined. SMF 29205, 1: 47.3 mm SL, SMF 29211, 2: 47.4–48.1 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, N coast of Socotra Island, Shanitan near Hadiboh off the cold store, 12°40’09”N 54°02’51”E, biotope code S6.7.1, 7– 9 m, U. Zajonz, M. Khalaf & A. Plaga, 22 March 1999 (ST-095); SMF 29208, 1: 49.8 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, N coast of Abd al-Kuri Island, E of Badh Issa, 12°12’16”N 52°16’30”E, biotope code S6.5.2, 5–7 m, U. Zajonz & A. Plaga, 12 April 1999 (ST-211); SMF 29210, 2: 40.5–53.8 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, Socotra Island, Ditimri, W of Rhiy di-Adho, 12o37'21"N 54o17'17"E, reef slope with rich coral diversity on rock (biotope code S6.9.1), 15–20 m, U. Zajonz & M. Apel, 3 April 1999 (ST-148). Other (not examined in detail): SMF 29209, 2: 52.0–64.0 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, Abd al-Kuri Island, E coast, Ras Anjara Bay, narrow fringing reef, 30 m width, 50–70 m in length, dominated by Acropora intermedia and A. clathrata , very high species richness (biotope code S6.5.2), 3–9 m, U. Zajonz & M. Apel, 8 April 1999 (ST-173/150); SMF 29227; 2: 11.0– 16.2 mm SL, Socotra Archipelago, NE coast of Abd al-Kuri Island, 700 m off Bir Al-Agooz, 12°11’39”N 52°19’18”E, coral dominated biotope, hard coral cover ranged from <10% to>50% depending on the patches (data taken from ST- 251 of 1999; biotope code S6.5.2), 8–11 m, U. Zajonz & F.N. Saeed, 6 April 2000 (ST-718).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Pseudochromis linda, SMF 29210, 53.8 mm SL, Ditimri, Socotra Island, Socotra Archipelago. (Photo by P. Hurst)