RESEARCH ARTICLE

A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean

Richard Winterbottom

Abstract

A new species of Trimma is described from Tabuaeran and Kirimati Atolls, Kiribati (formerly known as Fanning Island and Christmas Island in the Line Islands, respectively). Trimma longispinum is characterized by a scaled predorsal midline, the fifth pelvic-fin ray with one dichotomous branch point, 6-9 branched pectoral-fin rays, the bony interorbital 30-42% pupil width with the posterolateral trench not reaching papilla p 6, no opercular scales, and 8 or 9 anal-fin rays. It has 6 papillae in cheek row c, an elongate second spine of the first dorsal fin (to the middle of the second dorsal fin or farther posteriorly when abducted), and a color pattern with red to yellow saddles adjacent to the dorsum and on the anal fin and across the caudal peduncle. The species is also present off Sand Island, Palmyra Atoll about 370 km to the north-west of Kiribati, as well as possibly at the Marshall Islands (Eniwetok Atoll), and Guam (Mariana Islands).

CITATION:

Winterbottom, R. (2023) A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 40, 29-36.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7933655

publication date: 15 May 2023