RESEARCH ARTICLE

Hazeus paucisquamatus, a new sand-dwelling goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Papua New Guinea

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

Abstract

A new species belonging to the gobiid genus Hazeus is described from the Louisiade Archipelago of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Hazeus paucisquamatus n. sp. is described on the basis of 4 specimens, 21.8-25.1 mm SL. Diagnostic features include thickened, rigid, and pungent first spines of both the first and second dorsal fins and the third dorsal-fin spine longest. It can be further separated from its 8 congeners by head scalation patterns (three scales on the upper rear corner of the preopercle and head scales limited to the upper half of the opercle) and markings on the male, specifically a mid-lateral row of dark-brown spots, a dark anal fin, and a characteristic medial black stripe on the pelvic-fins. The new species is currently known only from the Louisiade Archipelago and the Deboyne Islands east of the Papua New Guinea mainland. The new species occurs on sheltered silty-sand bottoms of fringing reefs and lagoons in 15-20 m depth.

CITATION:

Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. & Brooks, W.M. (2024) Hazeus paucisquamatus, a new sand-dwelling goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Papua New Guinea. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 41, 1-11.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10846448

publication date: 21 March 2024