Gobulus, GINSBURG, 1933

Tornabene, Luke, Van Tassell, James L., Gilmore, Richard G., Robertson, David Ross, Young, Forrest & Baldwin, Carole C., 2016, Molecular phylogeny, analysis of character evolution, and submersible collections enable a new classification of a diverse group of gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Nes subgroup), including nine new species and four new genera, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177 (4), pp. 764-812 : 778

GOBULUS GINSBURG, 1933

TYPE SPECIES: GOBULUS CRESCENTALIS (GILBERT, 1892) (GINSBURG, 1933: 12, BY ORIGINAL DESIGNATION)

Diagnosis

Possesses all taxonomic characters present in most members of Gobiosomatini and Gobiosoma group (first dorsal-fin spines VII, pterygiophore insertion pattern of 3 – 221110, 27 vertebrae – 11 precaudal and 16 caudal, hypurals 1 and 2 fused to some extent with hypurals 3 and 4 and the terminal vertebral element, one epural); pelvic fins partially united with each other by a well-developed membrane along at least one-third of their length, pelvic spines sometimes connected by a weakly developed anterior frenum; anterior pelvic frenum connecting pelvic spines absent or reduced to a thin membrane, not extending to tips of spines; pelvic-fin rays 1 – 5 branched; pelvic-fin rays not extending posteriorly to anus; side of body without scales (modified basicaudal scales absent); two anal-fin pterygiophores inserted before first haemal spine; papillae rows 5i and 5s separate; cephalic lateralis canals and pores absent; second dorsal-fin rays I,9-I,13; anal-fin rays I,7-I,12; body with distinct reverse countershading, with lightly coloured dorsal surface and dark-brown lateral and or ventral surfaces. The four species are known from both the western Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Remarks

The genus Gobulus was the only genus delimited prior to this study that was recovered as monophyletic in our tree. The four species in Gobulus are very similar in overall appearance and general biol- ogy, and were reviewed in detail by Hoese & Reader (2001). The molecular phylogeny shows strong support for a sister relationship between Gobulus and the clade containing the western Atlantic genera Psilotris , Varicus , and Pinnichthys .