Journal of the
Ocean Science Foundation

An open-access free online peer-reviewed Marine Biology Journal, since 2008.

published by the Ocean Science Foundation

 
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click on covers for COVER PAGE images
 

 

RESEARCH ARTICLE

A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the deep reefs of Vanuatu, western Pacific Ocean

Richard Winterbottom & Richard L. Pyle

Abstract

A new species of pygmygoby, Trimma citrum, is described from a single male specimen from deep reefs (116 m, 380 feet) on the west coast of Tutuba Island, which is located at the southeast tip of Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu in the western Pacific Ocean. The new species is characterized by a scaled predorsal midline, the fifth pelvic-fin ray with one dichotomous branch point, unbranched pectoral-fin rays, the bony interorbital 41% pupil width, more than a single posterodorsal row of cheek scales, and 6 papillae in cheek row c. The fresh color pattern is diagnostic, with a plain lemon-yellow body, a white saddle on the dorsal caudal peduncle, and an indistinct collection of melanophores on the posterior caudal peduncle.

 
 
 

CITATION:

Winterbottom, R. & Pyle, R.L. (2022) A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the deep reefs of Vanuatu, western Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 39, 2-8.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6456585

publication date: 27 April 2022