A new species of Didogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Adriatic Sea

Didogobius schlieweni sp. nov. is described from a single specimen collected among pebbles in shallow water at Unije island, near Cres, in the northern Adriatic Sea. The holotype has vivid dark and pale patterning, and is assigned to Didogobius on the basis of head neuromast patterns and meristic features. Diagnostic values of the latter are D2 I/12, A I/11, P 17, and LL 55–56. A key to species of the Chromogobius and Didogobius complex is provided.     

Four new freshwater gobies of the genus Rhinogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Vietnam

Four new freshwater gobies of the genus Rhinogobius Gill, were collected from the river running into the Gulf of Tonkin in northern Vietnam. They are Rhinogobius boa new species, Rhinogobius variolatus new species, Rhinogobius virgigena new species and Rhinogobius sulcatus new species. These four new species can be distinguished from other congeneric species by a combination of characters such as the meristic features, shape of body, shape of first dorsal fin and coloration pattern.     

Metazoan parasite fauna of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1811 (Perciformes: Gobiidae) collected from the Black Sea coast at Sinop,Turkey

Round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) were collected from a small stream connected to the Black Sea coast of Sinop, Turkey and examined for metazoan parasites. A total of 122 gobies was investigated throughout a 1‐year period. Long‐term investigations can be useful for finding rare parasites and for determining the diversity and seasonality of parasites. Parasite species recovered were a Digenea gen. sp., Pygidiopsis genata, Ascocotyle sp., Gyrodactylus proterorhini, Dichelyne minutus, Hysterothylacium aduncum, Spiroxys sp., Neoechinohynchus rutilii, and Ergasilus sieboldi. Overall infection prevalence (%) and mean intensity values were 97.5% and 78.2±23.1 parasites per infected fish, respectively. Infection prevalence and mean intensity values for each parasite species in relation to season, fish size, and sex were also determined and discussed.     

New species of Corcyrogobius,Thorogobius and Wheelerigobius from West Africa (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

Three new West African species of gobiid fishes are described from the Gulf of Guinea in the tropical eastern Atlantic. These are Corcyrogobius lubbocki sp. nov., Thorogobius rofeni sp. nov. and Wheelerigobius wirtzi sp. nov. Generic features are discussed. T. rofeni, known from only the holotype, was trawled on the upper continental slope, an unusually deep occurrence for a gobiid species.     

The affinities of European sand gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

The European ‘sand-goby’ genera, comprising the Atlantic-Mediterranean Pomatoschistus and Gobiusculus, Ponto-Caspian Knipowitschia and West Balkanian Economidichthys, are diagnosed, with special reference to patterns of infraorbital neuromast organs (sensory papillae). A survey of selected meristic features indicates synapomorphies in increased number of abdominal and caudal vertebrae, and additional interneural spaces between first and second dorsal fin pterygiophores. Absence of a crest-like postmaxillary process on the premaxilla was found to be another derived feature after a survey of this bone throughout the Gobioidei. Affinity with other Atlantic-Mediterranean genera (Deltentosteus, Buenia, Lebetus and, probably, Speleogobius) is established from both morphological and isozyme criteria. Using head lateral-line and meristic characters, as well as occurrence of the premaxilla crest, a search for a sister group has led to the Indo-Pacific Nesogobius, a genus endemic to southern Australian seas, and probable wider relationship to North-western Pacific endemic gobiids.     

A new species of Macrobrachium from the south-west coast of India (Decapoda: Palaemonidae)

Macrobranchium veliense sp. nov. is described from Veli lake and Kuttiyadi river, on the south-west coast of India. This species is closely related to M. nipponense and M. equidens but is separated from them by the lanceolate shape of the rostrum, number of teeth of both dorsal and ventral margins, the almost smooth nature of the carapace, the slender telson and the ratios of the fingers to the merus, carpus, propodus and palm of pereipods 1 and 2. The carpus of the second pereiopod is equal to or longer than the chela and is a diagnostic character of the new species.     

A revision of Vanneaugobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae), with description of a new species

The small eastern Atlantic-Mediterranean gobiid genus Vanneaugobius Brownell, 1978 (type-species: V. dollfusi Brownell, 1978) is redefined to include new skeletal and head lateral-line criteria. Provisionally, V. dollfusi is retained as distinct from V. pruvoti (Fage, 1907), the latter being now recorded from the Canary Islands, and a new species, V. canariensis, is described from the Canaries and Guinea. Originally associated with the Indo-Pacific Valenciennea and Asterropteryx, Vanneaugobius is actually synapomorphic with two other small eastern Atlantic genera, Wheelerigobius Miller, 1981, and Odondebuenia De Buen, 1930, in virtual separation of the pelvic fins and a trend for modification of upper and lower scales at the caudal fin origin. Vanneaugobius occupies an intermediate position between the two former genera in head lateral-line specialization. The genus-group shares a modal vertebral number of 28 with the north-eastern Atlantic-Mediterranean Gobius-Thorogobius complex.     

Affinities,origin and adaptive features of the Australian Desert Goby Chlamydogobius eremius (Zietz, 1896) (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

The Desert Goby Chlamydogobius eremius (Zietz, 1896) is a gobiid teleost fish endemic to the Central Australian Basin, occurring mostly in artesian springs. Generic features for Chlamydogobius Whitley are supplied with emphasis on the modified head lateral-line system and on osteology. Comparisons with other Indo-Pacific genera suggest closest affinity with Mugilogobius Smitt, within a monophyletic grouping which also includes Weberogobius Koumans, Redigobius Herre, Pseudogobius Aurich, Brachygobius Bleeker, Hemigobius Bleeker, and Pandaka Herre. The origin of Ch. eremius is considered in the light of the Tertiary and Quaternary climatic history of the Central Australian Basin. The adaptiveness of certain morphological and life-history features found in Ch. eremius, such as elongate gut, black peritoneum, short pelvic disc, and large egg-size, is also discussed in relation to present habitat.     

The postcranial skeleton of Proterorhinus marmoratus with remarks on the relationships of the genus Proterorhinus (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

The postcranial osteology of the Ponto-Caspian tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus is described and its relevance to the systematic position of Proterorhinus is discussed. Proterorhinus marmoratus differs significantly from the gobioids of the Ponto-Caspian and Atlantic-Mediterranean in the anterior displacement of the origin of the first dorsal fin. The first dorsal-fin pterygiophore of the tubenose goby inserts in the second interneural space between the neural spines of the second and third vertebrae. The first pterygiophore of the other gobioids inserts in the third interneural space between the neural spines of the third and fourth vertebrae. The increased number of precaudal and caudal vertebrae and the dorsal pterygiophore formula starting with 2-12 in Proterorhinus marmoratus are derived character states. This 2-12 starting sequence and a single interneural space anterior to the first dorsal-fin pterygiophore are unique for gobioids and autapomorphies of Proterorhinus. It is proposed that Proterorhinus be placed in the subfamily Gobiinae.     

Gobiid fishes from the Cape Verde Islands,including two new species of Gobius (Teleostei: Gobioidei)

Ten species of gobiid fishes (Teleostei: Gobioidei) now listed from the Cape Verde islands fall into several zoogeographical categories, including tropical West African Bathygobius casamancus, Mauligobius nigri, Porogobius schlegelii (unconfirmed) and Vanneaugobius canariensis, tropical amphiatlantic B. soporator and Gnatholepis thompsoni, and Canarian Didogobius kochi. Two new species of the eastern Atlantic, predominantly temperate genus Gobius are described: G. ateriformis sp. nov. and G. tetrophthalmus sp. nov., known so far only from the Cape Verdes, but reported occurrence of the congeneric Atlantic-Mediterranean G. paganellus has not been confirmed. The pattern of free neuromast organs (sensory papillae) of the head lateral-line system in Mauligobius nigri and the habitat of this species are described for the first time and its distribution further discussed. Diversity of gobies and other inshore fishes at the Cape Verdes is briefly indicated.     

A new species of Zeuxo (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) from the French Atlantic coast

A new species of tanaidacean of the genus Zeuxo is described from 105 specimens dredged from the shallow inshore benthic marine fauna from Arcachon, western France. This is the only species of Zeuxo in the Lusitanian area. Its combination of a 7-articled uropod (6-articled endopod with elongate articles in the adult) with a conspicuous lacinia mobilis on the right mandible is unique for the genus. The spination and setation of the carpus of pereopod 2 is reduced in comparison with the most similar known species of Zeuxo. It is distinct from potentially sympatric species of the family Tanaidae in having five free pleonites without a dorsal fringe of setae.     

A new genus and species of bythitid fish (Teleostei: Ophidiiformes) from New Zealand

Brosmodorsalis persicinus n. gen., n. sp. is described from specimens collected from shallow coastal rocky reefs of northern New Zealand. Brosmodorsalis is placed in the bythitid fish subfamily Brosmophycinae because it has the caudal fin separate from the dorsal and anal fins. The genus differs from all others within the subfamily by the origin of the dorsal fin being well in advance of the posterior margin of the operculum and the anterior dorsal fin rays being free of membrane.     

A new species of Ahaetulla Link, 1807 (Serpentes: Colubridae: Ahaetullinae) from India

A new species of vine snake of the genus Ahaetulla is described from peninsular India. The new taxon is a medium-sized arboreal snake, readily distinguished from all other congeners by morphological and genetic differences. The new species appears to be widely distributed in Eastern Ghats and Central India with the western-most distribution extending into eastern Rajasthan. However, it is relatively rare, with only three specimens being acquired over the past nine years.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B610BF55-3CEF-4160-9A2C-25A069A82223

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AD84ABAE-F4F5-452C-8EFD-969D191E738B     

Sillago suezensis,a new whiting from the northern Red Sea,and status of Sillago erythraea Cuvier (Teleostei: Sillaginidae)

The status of Sillago erythraea Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1829 is re-examined. A lectotype designation by McKay in 1985 fixes it as a junior synonym of Sillago sihama (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775), which is restricted to the southern Red Sea. Northern Red Sea populations previously assigned to S. sihama or S. erythraea, are here described as Sillago suezensis sp. nov. Sillago suezensis is also distributed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea due to Lessepsian immigration through the Suez Canal. The new species is characterized within the Sillago sihama group, which has the swimbladder divided posteriorly into two tapering extensions projecting below the vertebral column extending into the tail musculature, by the absence of scales on the preopercle and on most of the opercle, a total number of 34 vertebrae, the swimbladder with lateral extensions each spreading a blind tubule anterolaterally, and a low position of the nostril.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B289CDF4-AE82-44D3-9AE1-4A2B514AD348     

Littoral caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Mexican Central Pacific coast,with the description of four new species

The caprellids of shallow-water localities from the Mexican Central Pacific coast are investigated. The Mexican Pacific coast is poorly known, unlike more northern sites such as the California coast where c. 40 species have been reported. Hence, this is the first study dealing with the caprellidean fauna of this area. Seven species in three genera were found (four of which are new to science): Aciconula acanthosoma Chess, 1989; Caprella equilibra Say, 1818; Caprella mendax Mayer, 1903; Caprella pitu sp. nov.; Liropus isabelensis sp. nov.; Paracaprella carballoi sp. nov.; and Paracaprella isabelae sp. nov. All the species are fully illustrated.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B04D3837-E7E1-4DA5-A8ED-28CA7BF1E1AF