RESEARCH ARTICLE
Psammogobius pisinnus,
a new species of reef goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from
Papua New Guinea and Australia
Gerald R. Allen
Abstract
A new miniature species of
gobiid fish, Psammogobius pisinnus n. sp.,
is described from West New Britain Province, Papua
New Guinea on the basis of 10 specimens, 10.8-17.9
mm SL. Diagnostic features include dorsal-fin rays
VI + I,9 (rarely I,10), the third dorsal-fin spine
sometimes with a short, filamentous extension; anal-fin
rays I,9 (rarely I,8); pectoral-fin rays 16-19
(usually 17); the pelvic fins reaching the anal-fin
origin; the pelvic frenum weakly developed; longitudinal
scales 25-28; the tongue distinctly bilobed,
and a live color pattern that is generally light gray
to whitish with three broad brown saddles on the dorsal
half of the body. The new species differs from the
three previously described species of Psammogobius
(P. biocellatus, P. knysnaensis, and P.
viet) on the basis of its tiny adult size (less
than 20 mm SL vs. about 70-80 mm SL), fully marine
habitat (vs. brackish estuaries and tidal streams),
possession of cheek and opercular scales (scaleless
in other species, except P. biocellatus with
scales on the upper portion of the opercle), only
5-7 predorsal scales (vs. 10-16), and color
pattern. The new species is also reported from the
northern Great Barrier Reef of Australia on the basis
of a single specimen.
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CITATION:
Allen, G.R. (2017) Psammogobius
pisinnus, a new species of reef goby (Teleostei:
Gobiidae) from Papua New Guinea and Australia. Journal
of the Ocean Science Foundation, 26, 80-85.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.581484
publication date: 15 May
2017
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