RESEARCH ARTICLE

A new species of Priolepis (Pisces: Gobiidae) from Papua New Guinea

Gerald R. Allen, Mark V. Erdmann & William M. Brooks

Abstract

A new species of goby, Priolepis billbrooksi n. sp., is described from mud-bottom habitat in 30 m depth at Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, on the basis of 5 specimens, 13.3-22.7 mm SL. It belongs to a group of Priolepis that share a well-developed pattern of transverse cheek papillae, but differs from other members of the group by a combination of diagnostic features that include dorsal-fin elements VI + I, 9-10 (usually 9), a second dorsal-fin spine forming an elongate filament extending to between the base of the fourth and the last segmented dorsal-fin ray when adpressed, anal-fin rays I, 8-9 (usually 9), pectoral-fin rays 18, a relatively broad interorbital (75-91% pupil diameter), 10-12 papillae in the posterior transverse interorbital row, the upper portion of the opercle with about 10-12 scales arranged in 3 or 4 transverse rows, no pelvic frenum, and the color when fresh generally yellow with numerous pepper-like melanophores.

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