Papillogobius melanobranchus ( Fowler, 1934 )

Kovačić, Marcelo, Renoult, Julien P., Pillon, Roberto, Svensen, Rudolf, Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Engin, Semih & Louisy, Patrick, 2022, Identification of Mediterranean marine gobies (Actinopterygii: Gobiidae) of the continental shelf from photographs of in situ individuals, Zootaxa 5144 (1), pp. 1-103 : 72

Papillogobius melanobranchus ( Fowler, 1934) ( Fig. 61 )—Blackthroat Goby

Rhinogobius melanobranchus Fowler, 1934: 82 ; type locality: Indonesia, Bali .

Size. Reaches 5.5 cm total length.

Morphology. D VI + I,8–9 (usually 8); A I,8; P 15–16. Body depth 4.7–5.3 in standard length. Head slightly laterally compressed, with relatively short snout. The second and third spines of first dorsal fin longest but not elongate. Caudal peduncle deep, but lower than body depth. Pelvic fins joined to form a disc, reaching to or extending slightly beyond anus. Caudal fin rounded, shorter than head. No scales on head and predorsal area. Body covered with scales ( Kovačić & Golani 2007b), but scales poorly visible on freshly dead specimen photographs, visibility on live specimens unknown ( Fig. 61 ).

Fresh dead coloration. Whitish or pale greenish gray, the upper 2/3 of body with small brown spots of variable size, mainly on scale edges; body with a midlateral row of 6 larger and darker markings, mainly as double spots ( Fig. 61 ), the first beneath pectoral fin, the last at base of caudal fin.A large indistinct orangish brown blotch on base of opercle. In males, ventral third of body with vertical orange lines, some linked to the midlateral blackish spots. In males, outer margin of first dorsal fin deep purple, with an irregular pale yellow submarginal band; caudal fin with a dark spot on upper edge ( Fig. 61 ) ( Kovačić & Bogorodsky 2013).

Similar species. Pomatoschistus adriaticus , P. marmoratus , P. microps .

Habitat. Inhabits silty sand and sparse seagrass, at depths of 0.3–5 m ( Kovačić & Bogorodsky 2013).

Geographic distribution. Reported from the northern Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf south to Mozambique, east to Singapore, northern Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In the Mediterranean Sea one specimen was collected from the Bardawil Lagoon, Egypt ( Kovačić & Golani 2007b) .

Remarks: Often classified in the genus Favonigobius Whitley, 1930 ; however, tentatively placed in Papillogobius for the unique pattern of lateral line system papillae; see Kovačić & Bogorodsky (2013).

Figures

FIGURE 61. Freshly dead coloration of Papillogobius melanobranchus. Photo by S.V. Bogorodsky, Gulf of Suez, Egypt, Red Sea.