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SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 268

Five New Species and a New Genus of Indian Ocean Blenniid Fishes, Tribe Salariini, with a Key to Genera of the Tribe

Victor G. Springer and August E. Spreitzer

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS

City of Washington

1978

ABSTRACT

Springer, Victor G., and August E. Spreitzer. Five New Species and a New Genus of Indian Ocean Blenniid Fishes, Tribe Salariini, with a Key to Genera of the Tribe. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 268, 20 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, 1978.—Dodekablennos fraseri, new genus and species, and Antennablennius anuchalis, new species, are described from Mauritius. Alloblennius parvus and Mimoblennius cas, both new species, are described from Grande Comore Island, and Mimoblennius rusi, new species, is described from Kwazulu, South Africa. The new species are illustrated, as are the other species of Mimoblennius and Alloblennius (two each). Cirrisalarias bunares, previously known only from Ceylon and Grande Comore Island, is recorded from Tutuila, American Samoa. A revised key to the genera of the tribe Salariini is given.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus).

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Springer, Victor Gruschka, 1928–

Five new species and a new genus of Indian Ocean blenniid fishes, tribe Salariini, with a key to genera of the tribe.

(Smithsonian contributions to zoology; no. 268)

Bibliography: p.

1. Blenniidae. 2. Dodekablennos. 3. Fishes—Classification. 4. Fishes—Indian Ocean. I. Spreitzer, August E., joint author. II. Title: Five new species and a new genus…III. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to zoology; no. 268.

QLI.S54 no. 268 [QL638.B6] 591′.08s [597′.58] 77-10932

Contents

Introduction

Key to the Genera of the Tribe Salariini

Alloblennius Smith-Vaniz and Springer

Alloblennius parvus, new species

Antennablennius Fowler

Antennablennius anuchalis, new species

Dodekablennos, new genus

Dodekablennos fraseri, new species

Mimoblennius Smith-Vaniz and Springer

Mimoblennius rusi, new species

Mimoblennius cas, new species

Literature Cited

Requirements for Smithsonian Series Publication

Five New Species and a New Genus of Indian Ocean Blenniid Fishes, Tribe Salariini, with a Key to Genera of the Tribe

Victor G. Springer and August E. Spreitzer

____________

Victor G. Springer and August E. Spreitzer, Division of Fishes. Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 20560.

Introduction

The blenniid fish tribe Salariini was synopsized by Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971). Since that study, one new genus, Cirrisalarias Springer (1976), and eight new species, one Cirrisalarias (Springer, 1976) and seven Ecsenius (Springer, 1972; McKinney and Springer, 1976), have been described in the Salariini. In the present study, we describe a new genus and species, Dodekablennos fraseri, and four new species in the genera Alloblennius, Antennablennius, and Mimoblennius, all salariinins. Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971) gave a key to the genera of Salariini. The key is revised below to accommodate Cirrisalarias and Dodekablennos and to incorporate new information on the other genera. Finally, we take this opportunity to report Cirrisalarias bunares, previously known only from Ceylon and Grande Comore Island, from Tutuila Island, American Samoa (specimens cataloged as USNM 216762).

METHODS.—The methods and terminology we follow are the same as, or slight, obvious modifications of those given in Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971). The institutional abbreviations, now fairly standard in systematic ichthyological publications, can be found in Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971) or Springer and Gomon (1975).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.—We extend our appreciation to the following individuals for the loan or gift of specimens upon which our study is based: G. R. Allen (WAM), A. Ben-Tuvia (HUI), W. N. Eschmeyer and J. E. McCosker (CAS), J. E. Randall (BPBM), R. Winterbottom (formerly at RUSI), and R. Wass, American Samoa. J. F. McKinney (formerly at National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian) brought important specimens to our attention. The collection of specimens from Grande Comore Island was made possible by a grant from the Charline H. Breeden Foundation, J. E. McCosker, principal investigator. A draft of our manuscript was critically reviewed by R. H. Gibbs, Jr., M. F. Gomon, and I. Kornfield National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian). All figures of specimens were drawn by J. R. Schroeder.

Key to the Genera of the Tribe Salariini

Alloblennius Smith-Vaniz and Springer

Alloblennius parvus, new species

FIGURE 1

DESCRIPTION (* indicates character for holotype where variation occurs).—Dorsal fin XII[*] or XIII (XIII in only one of 36 specimens), 18 (4 specimens), 19[*] (23), or 20 (9); total elements 30 (3), 31[*] (24), or 32 (8); terminal ray bound by membrane to caudal peduncle. Anal fin 11,20 (3), 21[*] (24), or 22 (8); terminal ray bound by membrane to caudal peduncle. Caudal fin: segmented rays 13 (8 or 9 branched, once); dorsal procurrent rays 6–8 (7[*]); ventral procurrent rays 5–7 (6[*]); total elements 24–28 (26[*]); ventral hypural plate and hypural 5 autogenous; epurals 2. Pectoral-fin rays 13 or 14[*] (rarely 13 and only unilaterally). Pelvic fin I, 3, spine and innermost segmented ray inapparent except in skeletal preparations. Vertebrae 10 + 28 (11), 29[*] (23), or 30 (2). Posteriormost epipleural rib on vertebra 11[*]-13. Infraorbital bones 4 or 5 (5 unilaterally in one of three specimens examined). Vomer edentate. Rostral cartilage unossified. Median ethmoid present. Frontals separate, not ankylosed. Nasal bones tubular, curving laterally ventrally and surrounding anterior margin of anterior nostril. Lateral extrascapular autogenous. Postcleithra 2, normal.

TABLE 1.—Comparison of certain meristic characters of the species of Alloblennius

Dentary a closed capsule with replacement teeth entering functional series through foramina in bone; canines absent; total dentary incisoriform teeth sexually dimorphic: 25–26 in males, 26–28 in females (t = 3.49, df = 18, .005 > p >.002). Total premaxillary teeth sexually dimorphic: 30–35 in males, 33–35 in females (t = 3.79, df = 18, .002 > p > .001). Number of teeth in either jaw not correlated with standard length in size range of available specimens.

Lateral line tubular, continuous, pores simple, terminating below vertical from base of 2nd to 4th (usually 3rd) dorsal-fin spine. Median supratemporal commissural pores 2 (1) or 3[*] (35).

Fleshy median occipital crest absent in both sexes. Nuchal cirri absent. Short, simple cirrus above eye, on anterior and posterior rims of anterior nostril, and on anterior rim of posterior nostril. Epithelium of area between dorsal part of upper lip and anterior interorbital region papillose in large males, normal in females and small males.

Pigmentation (preserved): Head and body pale with few scattered melanophores, mostly concentrated dorsolaterally on anterior half of body. Melanophores scattered variably on head; many on upper lip, snout, and interorbital area. Gill membrane black posterior to level of lower jaw in males; membrane much paler in females, pigment sometimes restricted to posterior border. No dark spots on orbital conjunctiva dorsoanteriorly. Prepelvic area black from isthmus halfway to level of pectoral-fin base in males, paler in females. Pelvic fins immaculate. Pectoral fins with melanophores along some rays; patches of melanophores distally in membranes between lower rays. Dorsal fin with black spot distally between first and second spines; many diffuse circles of melanophores centered on spines and rays in remainder of fin. Caudal fin with vertical rows of small, dark circles of pigment arranged in oblique bands; lower posterior margin dusky. Anal fin with submarginal dusky band; band uniform in males, with alternate rays unpigmented in females; tips of spines and rays unpigmented.

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Latin parvus, meaning little, and referring to the small size of the species.

COMPARISONS.—The three species of Alloblennius are quite similar, and we are unwilling to suggest interrelationships among them. The following characters will distinguish the species:

1. Ventral hypural plate autogenous in parvus and jugularis, fused to urostylar complex in pictus.

2. Nape cirri absent in parvus and pictus, usually present in jugularis.

3. Anterior rim of posterior nostril bears a slender cirrus in parvus, a broad flap in jugularis, and is undistinguished in pictus.

4. Anterior nostril with simple cirrus on posterior rim in jugularis and pictus, on both anterior and posterior rims in parvus.

5. Innermost (third) segmented pelvic-fin ray obvious in adults and some juveniles of jugularis, not obvious (except in skeletal preparations) in any specimens of parvus and pictus.

6. Total lower jaw teeth in males 25–26 (N = 10) in parvus, 30–34 (N = 5) in jugularis, and 33–36 (N = 11) in pictus.

7. Dark spot usually present at 9 and 10 o'clock positions on conjunctiva of each eye (not to be confused with spots that may be present around margin of iris) in jugularis (Figure 2), absent in parvus and pictus.

8. The extent and intensity of the dark pigment on the ventral side of the head and belly of presumably mature males is distinctive, although difficult to describe because of intraspecific variability. In parvus (Figure 1), the chin is pale and sharply delimited from the remainder of the ventral side of the head and prepelvic area, which are darkly pigmented. In jugularis (Figure 2), the ventral surface of the head is darkly pigmented except for a pair of inconspicuous, pale spots on the chin and a pair of conspicuous, large, pale spots, devoid of melanophores, midway between the tip of the chin and the margin of the gill membrane; the prepelvic area and venter have uniformly dark pigment. In pictus (Figure 3), the ventral surface of the head, prepelvic area, and belly may all be more or less uniformly pigmented, or there may be a pair of large, pale spots, similar in size and position to the pair of large, conspicuous spots under the head in jugularis (there is a peppering of fine melanophores overlying the spots in pictus).

FIGURE 1.—Alloblennius parvus, USNM 216310, paratype, male, 22.9 mm SL, Grande Comore Island.

FIGURE 2.–Alloblennius jugularis, HUI E62/417g, male, 33.4 mm SL, Cundabilu, Dahlak Archipelago, southern Red Sea.

FIGURE 3.–Alloblennius pictus, USNM 203766, male, 31.3 mm SL, Strait of Jubal, Red Sea.

In addition, the species differ in certain meristic characters, particularly number of caudal vertebrae (Table 1, data for jugularis and pictus based on specimens cited in Smith-Vaniz and Springer, 1971; see discussion and geographic variation for pictus data in same reference). The meristic characters of jugularis and parvus show no statistically significant sexual dimorphism, and those of jugularis show no significant geographically associated variation.

Based on available specimens, A. parvus attains a much smaller maximum size (25.7 mm; N = 37) than either A. jugularis (48.8 mm; N = 50) or A. pictus (32.6 mm; erroneously given as 35.4 mm by Smith-Vaniz and Springer, 1971; N = 104).

There is a possibility that Antennablennius anuchalis, described elsewhere in this paper, would be assigned to Alloblennius if more information on that species were available. It is also possible that A. anuchalis is intermediate between Alloblennius and Antennablennius and, thus, eliminates the significance of the supposed differences between the two genera. In that case, Alloblennius would be a junior synonym of Antennablennius; hence, for reasons of stability, we have chosen to describe anuchalis as a species of Antennablennius.

Antennablennius anuchalis differs from all species of Alloblennius in lacking orbital cirri. The only known specimen of A. anuchalis has five infraorbital bones on each side. All of the specimens of Alloblennius examined for infraorbital bones (3 parvus, 2 pictus, 2 jugularis) have four bones on each side, except one specimen of A. parvus, which has four on one side and five on the other.

For further comparison, the following eight characters of A. anuchalis are given in the same order as they appear above for species of Alloblennius: (1) the ventral hypural plate is autogenous; (2) nape cirri are absent; (3) the anterior rim of the posterior nostril is undistinguished; (4) a simple cirrus is present only on the posterior rim of the anterior nostril; (5) the innermost pelvic-fin ray is obvious; (6) total lower jaw teeth in the only male number 29; (7) there are no dark spots on the conjunctiva of the eye; (8) the ventral side of the head is mostly unpigmented, with faint indications of two or three slender, chevronlike markings; there is a faint patch of melanophores in the prepelvic area; the belly is immaculate.

REMARKS.—Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971) believed that Alloblennius was a genus endemic to the Red Sea. Its presence in the Comores Islands, some distance south of the Red Sea, indicates that the genus is widely distributed, at least in the western Indian Ocean.

HOLOTYPE.—CAS 33590, male, 25.1 mm SL; Grande Comore Island, N'Gouni Reef, ca. 0.5 km north of Iconi; in surge channel at far end of small cove; coarse coral sand bottom; depth to 5 m; 1 Mar 1975; J. E. McCosker, S. Mead, D. Powell, J. Breeden; field number, JEM 75-29.

PARATYPES (all Grande Comore Island).—CAS 36966 (10, 17.1–23.5 mm SL), ANSP 137862 (7, 18.9–25.7), BPBM 20467 (4, 15.3–20.8), RUSI 913 (5, 16.1–20.7), and USNM 216309 (6, 18.7–26.2, including three cleared and stained), all taken with the holotype. BMNH 1977.1.10.13–15 (3, 19.7–20.6), lava-flow tidal flats ca. 1 km north of Hotel Coelacanthe; depth, to 5 m; surge channels, tidepools, and over edge of dropoff; 15 Feb 1975; J. E. McCosker, M. D. Lagios, L. Gunther; field number, JEM 75-11 (formerly CAS 33601). USNM 216310 (1, 22.9), lava-flow tidal flats ca. 1 km N of Hotel Coelacanthe; depth to 2 m; S. and J. E. McCosker, M. D. Lagios, J. Breeden, L. Gunther; 9 Feb 1975; field number, JEM 75-4 (formerly CAS 33606).

Antennablennius Fowler

Antennablennius anuchalis, new species

FIGURE 4

DESCRIPTION (based on one male, 28.8 mm SL).—Dorsal fin XII, 20; terminal ray bound by membrane to caudal peduncle. Caudal fin: segmented rays 13, two dorsalmost and three ventralmost rays simple, remaining rays branched once; dorsal procurrent rays 8; ventral procurrent rays 7; ventral hypural plate and hypural 5 autogenous; epurals 2. Pectoral-fin rays 14-14. Pelvic fins 1,3; spine inapparent, innermost (third) segmented ray apparent. Vertebrae 10 + 29. Posteriormost epipleural rib on vertebra 14; posteriormost pleural rib on vertebra 10. Infraorbital bones 5-5. Total dentary incisoriform teeth 29; posterior canines probably absent (exceptionally small if present). Total premaxillary teeth 31.

Lateral line tubular, continuous, pores simple, terminating below vertical from base of sixth dorsal-fin spine. Median supratemporal commissural pores 9. Anteriormost (first) preopercular pore position with simple pore.

No fleshy median occipital crest on head. No nuchal or supraorbital cirri. Short, simple cirrus on posterior rim of anterior nostril; no cirri on posterior nostrils.

Many osteological characters were not examined for fear of damaging the only specimen.

Pigmentation (preserved): Head dotted with tiny melanophores, darker below and posterior to eye; lower half of cheek and opercle unpigmented; ventral surface unpigmented except for faint indications of one or two dusky chevronlike markings; slender dusky stripe extending across opercle ventrally onto branchiostegal membranes. Body pale with midlateral row of eight sparse patches of melanophores, suggesting bands; about five patches of melanophores dorsally along body contour. Slender, dusky bar on fleshy pectoral-fin base. Prepelvic area and bases of pelvic fins with sparsely distributed melanophores. Dorsal fin: spinous portion with three dusky, irregular bands and narrow, dusky distal margin that intensifies as black spot between first and second spines; segmented-ray portion with dusky spots, mainly overlying rays, aligned in stripelike rows. Anal fin with broad, dusky marginal band, ray tips unpigmented. Pectoral fin with small, faint patch of melanophores at base; posterior and ventral areas covered with sparsely distributed melanophores, remainder of fin unmarked. Caudal fin with three or four irregular, dusky bands.

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Greek prefix a- (now commonly used in combination with words derived from both Latin and Greek), meaning “without,” and the Latin nucha, meaning “nape,” in reference to the absence of nape cirri, exceptional for an Antennablennius species. The specific name is here used as a noun in apposition.

COMPARISONS.—Our assignment of anuchalis to Antennablennius is provisional. The only available specimen of anuchalis lacks both orbital and nape cirri, a condition known otherwise in the Salariini only in Ecsenius, Dodekablennos, and exceptionally in some females of Antennablennius bifilum. Antennablennius anuchalis differs from all Ecsenius species in having several branched caudal-fin rays (only simple rays in Ecsenius), no anterior canine teeth (both anterior and posterior canine teeth present in Ecsenius), and five infraorbital bones (four in Ecsenius). It differs from Dodekablennos in having 13 pectoral-fin rays (versus 12), the terminal anal-fin ray attached to the caudal peduncle by membrane (versus free from the caudal peduncle), fewer teeth (see description of Dodekablennos), more middorsal supratemporal commissural pores (9 versus 1), and in lacking a fleshy, bladelike occipital crest (present in males of Dodekablennos).

FIGURE 4.—Antennablennius anuchalis, RUSI 2136, holotype, male, 28.8 mm SL, Mauritius.

Aside from lacking nuchal cirri, A. anuchalis differs from all the other species of Antennablennius we have examined in having many more middorsal supratemporal commissural pores (1–4 pores in the other species).

Excluding anuchalis, there are 10 nominal species of Antennablennius, which genus has not been critically revised. We have examined the types of all but three of the nominal species: (1) A. variopunctatus (Jatzow and Lenz), for which the types are lost, but which was illustrated as having notably long nasal cirri (very short in anuchalis) and described as having 14 dorsal-fin spines (an unusually high number for any Antennablennius species, all of which usually have 12; the original description of A. variopunctatus may have been in error); (2) A. velifer Smith, a probable junior synonym of A. variopunctatus (we have examined specimens identifiable as A. velifer and they also have long nasal cirri, but only 12 or 13 dorsal-fin spines); and (3) A. sexfasciatus (von Bonde), which Smith (1949) synonymized with A. bifilum (Günther). Antennablennius anuchalis differs from A. bifilum, including its junior synonym, A. persicus (Günther), in having a less robust head: head depth in A. anuchalis is about 16 percent SL, whereas head depth is 20–21 percent SL in similar-sized specimens of A. bifilum.

Among the remaining nominal species of Antennablennius, anuchalis also differs from A. hypenetes (Klunzinger) and A. simonyi (Steindachner), and its junior synonym, A. girad Fraser-Brunner, in lacking a fleshy bladelike crest on top of the head. It also differs from A. australis Fraser-Brunner in having the nasal cirrus length much less than half the orbital diameter (versus more than half) and in having the head less deep (more than 20 percent SL in australis). It differs from A. adenensis Fraser-Brunner in lacking a filamentous first dorsal-fin spine, possibly an anomalous condition in the holotype of A. adenensis.

There is a possibility that A. anuchalis should be assigned to Alloblennius instead of Antennablennius. For discussion of this matter and the possibility that Alloblennius should be synonymized under Antennablennius see the discussion in the comparisons section under Alloblennius parvus.

HOLOTYPE.—RUSI 2136, male, 28.8 mm SL, Mauritius, 1.0 mi (0.6 km) E of Beauchamp on road near Jacotet Bay, 0.3 mi (0.18 km) E of Ste. Marie Bridge; water 76°F (24.4°C), slight current, no turbidity, clear; salinity, oceanic; major habitat, tide pool with deep vertical wall of rock, some sessile brown algae, bottom composed of volcanic and calcareous sand and rocks; depth, surface to 5 ft (1.5 m); originally fixed in 10% formalin and Ionol; 17 Mar 1971; T. H. Fraser; field number, THF-SA-29.

Dodekablennos, new genus

DIAGNOSIS (* indicates character for holotype of Dodekablennos fraseri, where variation is noted).—Dentary an open capsule with replacement teeth entering functional series through excavated area in jaw bone. Posterior dentary canine present. Premaxillary and dentary incisoriform teeth movable, 55–63[*] in upper jaw, 44–47[*] in lower jaw (based on four specimens, 26.5–38.5 mm SL). Vomer toothed. Dorsal fin XII, 19[*] or 20. Anal fin II, 21 (terminal pterygiophore supporting a single ray). Segmented caudal-fin rays 13, two to six branched at tips. Pectoral-fin rays 12. Pelvic fin I, 3 (spine inapparent, innermost ray apparent). Vertebrae 10 + 27[*] or 28. Posteriormost pleural rib on vertebra 11; posteriormost epipleural rib on vertebra 13[*] or 14. Terminal dorsal-fin ray bound by membrane to caudal peduncle; terminal anal-fin ray free of peduncle. Lateral line extending posteriorly to below vertical from base of dorsal-fin spine VIII–X[*], consisting of long, continuous tube followed by few, short, isolated, bipored tubes. No scalelike flaps covering lateral-line pores. Preoperculomandibular pores without associated cirri. Single median supratemporal commissural pore. Single pore at anteriormost preopercular pore position. Upper lip without free dorsal margin anteriorly. No fleshy disk or appendage behind lower lip. Gill membranes forming free fold across isthmus (gill opening not restricted to side of head). Fleshy median crest on top of head of males, absent on female. Nuchal and supraorbital cirri absent. Simple cirrus present on posterior rim of anterior nostril; posterior nostril without cirri. No cirri on interorbital region. Postcleithra consisting of two elongate bones, dorsal end of ventral element overlapping ventral end of dorsal element. Lateral extrascapular not fused with pterotic. Median ethmoid present, ossified. Infraorbital bones 5. Rostral cartilage unossified. Frontals not ankylosed. Ventral hypural plate not fused to urostylar complex; hypural 5 autogenous; one or two epurals (if one, apparently result of fusion of two epurals). Nasal bones tubular, not modified for support of anterior nostril.

ETYMOLOGY.—From the Greek dodeka, meaning “twelve,” and blennos, meaning “blenny,” and referring to the characteristic dorsal-fin spine and pectoral-fin ray counts of 12; gender, masculine.

RELATIONSHIPS AND COMPARISONS.—Among the Salariini, only Dodekablennos and a few species (perhaps only one) of Istiblennius typically have so few as 12 pectoral-fin rays (the other species of Istiblennius usually have 14 rays; a count of 12 rays occurs only as an unusual individual variation in some species of the other salariinin genera). Dodekablennos is readily distinguished from all Istiblennius species in lacking nape and orbital cirri, and in having: many fewer than 65 teeth in each jaw (versus more than 150), vomerine teeth, only 12 dorsal-fin spines (versus usually 13), and only 2–6 branched caudal-fin rays (versus usually 9).

Dodekablennos is a specialized genus, and we do not believe it is closely related to Istiblennius or its allies (genera in groups 2, 5, 7, and 13 of Smith-Vaniz and Springer, 1971, fig. 51), all of which have nape cirri (primitive for the Salariini) and a large number of teeth in each jaw (specialized). Indeed, we have difficulty in allying it closely to any other salariinin genus, and it can be distinguished from each just as readily as it can be distinguished from Istiblennius.

The absence of both nape and orbital cirri in Dodekablennos (a specialized condition) occurs normally otherwise only in Ecsenius and, perhaps, the new species of Antennablennius (A. anuchalis) we describe above based on only one specimen. Aside from number of pectoral-fin rays, Dodekablennos differs from Ecsenius and Antennablennius and its relatives (genera in groups 15, 16, 20, and 21 of Smith-Vaniz and Springer, 1971, fig. 51, and Cirrisalarias Springer, 1976) in not having the terminal anal-fin ray bound by membrane to the caudal peduncle (an unspecialized condition) and in having 2–6 branched caudal-fin rays (0 in Ecsenius, typically 0 or 9 in the other genera of Salariini, except Praealticus, which has 0–9, usually 4–8). Males of Dodekablennos have a fleshy, bladelike crest on top of the head, which is lacking in both sexes of Ecsenius.

The following combination of characters will distinguish Dodekablennos from all other genera of Salariini: dorsal-fin spines 12, pectoral-fin rays 12; nape and orbital cirri absent; terminal anal-fin ray free (not bound by membrane to caudal peduncle); branched caudal-fin rays 2–6; fleshy, bladelike crest present on head of males; vomerine teeth present; less than 65 teeth in either jaw.

TYPE-SPECIES.—Dodekablennos fraseri, new species.

Dodekablennos fraseri, new species

FIGURE 5

DESCRIPTION (characters in generic diagnosis not repeated).—Color pattern of preserved specimens (based on three males, 29.8–38.5 mm SL, female, 26.5 mm SL). Head dusky, paler ventrally, with faintly dusky chevron (smaller specimens) or X-shaped marking (largest specimen); dusky bar extending ventrally from midventral margin of orbit across lip, separated posteriorly by paler area from diffuse dusky bar extending ventrally from just posterior to eye across corner of mouth to ventral surface of head (contributing to formation of dusky chevron); upper lip pale with dusky spots; crest of male with dusky spots. Dark dusky bar on prepectoral area. Side of body with seven or eight dark dusky bands separated by pale interspaces; anteriormost band diffuse dorsally on body; all bands extending onto dorsal fin; posterior bands tending to fork dorsally in males, both dorsally and ventrally in females; in largest specimen posteriormost band is expanded and extends ventroposteriorly well out onto caudal fin joining dusky stripe along ventral margin of fin. Dorsal-fin spines and rays variably dusky; males with intense black spots distally on each of first three interradial membranes; female without black spots. Anal fin dusky, becoming darker submarginally; tips of spines and rays unpigmented.

ETYMOLOGY.—Named for Thomas H. Fraser, who collected all the specimens, recognized their distinctiveness, but allowed us to describe them.

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from Mauritius.

HOLOTYPE.—RUSI 858 (out of former 2272 and 74–311), male, 37.1 mm SL; E side of Jacotet Bay, 1.7 mi (ca. 2.8 km) W of Riambel (area called “Point of Rocks”), Mauritius; tide pool connected to ocean at all but lowest tides of year; no coral reef protecting shore from open ocean waves; volcanic rock and coarse volcanic sand; clear, no turbidity; current slight; salinity, oceanic; rich growth of mostly attached brown algae, mainly a sargassum community; original preservative, 10% formalin; depth of capture, 0–2 ft (0–0.6 m); 26 Mar 1971; T. H. Fraser; field number, THF-SA-43.

PARATYPES.—RUSI 860 (out of former 2272 and 74–311), male, 38.5 mm SL (now cleared and stained); RUSI 859 (formerly RUSI 2273 and 74–311), female, 26.5 mm SL; USNM 216423 (out of former RUSI 2272 and 74–311), male, 29.8 mm SL; all collected with the holotype.

FIGURE 5.—Dodekablennos fraseri, paratypes, Mauritius: USNM 216423, male, 29.8 mm SL. entire lateral view and underside of head; RUSI 859, female, 26.2 mm SL, lateral view of head.

Mimoblennius Smith-Vaniz and Springer

We describe two new species of Mimoblennius below, bringing the total to four in the genus. All four species are allopatric and quite similar, and we are not confident that nomenclatural distinctions are warranted. The two previously described species have relatively broad distributions (Figure 6) and within each species there are marked population differences (Tables 2 and 3). The two new species are each known from a single locality. The fact that the various populations within each of the widespread species are morphologically linked to the exclusion of any other species, inclined us toward our taxonomic actions. Rather than present a key to the species, we refer the reader to Tables 2–4 and Figure 7 for purposes of identification. The same tables and figure serve as the main bases for comparisons of the new species.

The new material of Mimoblennius, including specimens of the previously described species, expands the ranges for certain characters of Mimoblennius as given by Smith-Vaniz and Springer (1971). The pertinent characters are as follows:

Dorsal fin XII–XIV (rarely XII or XIV), 15–19 (rarely 15); vertebrae 10 + 25–29 = 35–39; total premaxillary teeth 30–38, total dentary incisoriform teeth 24–32; supraorbital cirri simple to multifid.

MATERIAL EXAMINED (of the described species, not available to Smith-Vaniz and Springer, 1971).—Mimoblennius atrocinctus (Figure 10). CEYLON: Trincomalee, USNM 214225 (6 specimens, 19.3–29.6 mm SL.), 216528 (10, 22.5–35.2), 216530 (15.9), 216533 (28.1), 216677 (2, 25.4–27.0), 216678 (30.9), 216702 (18.3), 216707 (24.9), and 216708 (25.1); Batticaloa, USNM 216529 (9, 18.1–38.7); Hikkaduwa, USNM 216532 (23.8), 216676 (12, 15.6–30.7). TAIWAN: USNM 216531 (39.1). WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Dampier Archipelago, Kendrew Island, WAM P24612 (2, 36.6–46.7), P24644 (35.0), and P25111-035 (5, 17.8–37.4); Lady Nora Island, WAM P25117-028 (25.3).

Mimoblennius cirrosus (Figure 11). ISRAEL: Elat, Gulf of Aqaba, BPBM 17877 (29.1) and 18320 (2, 31.1–31.6). SUDAN: Port Sudan, Red Sea, BPBM 19713 (28.2).

Masuda, et al. (1975) reported collecting Mimoblennius atrocinctus at Chichi-Jima, Bonin Islands; the Ryukyu Islands; and Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Based on their illustration and description of the species, we accept these records and have included them as open triangles on the map in Figure 6, which illustrates the known distribution of Mimoblennius.

FIGURE 6.—Distribution of the species of Mimoblennius. (Open triangles = acceptable literature records of M. atrocinctus—see text; heavy line = approximate position of Andesite Line.)

FIGURE 7.—Eye diameter versus standard length in the species of Mimoblennius.

Mimoblennius appears to be a continentally restricted genus that does not occur on the Pacific tectonic plate. The western margin of this plate generally conforms to the Andesite Line of Born (1932), which forms the eastern distribution limits of many fish taxa (Springer, 1971; Springer ms).

TABLE 2.—Frequency distributions for certain meristic characters of the species of Mimoblennius

Mimoblennius rusi, new species

FIGURE 8

DESCRIPTION (based on three males; [*] denotes character of holotype where variation occurs).—Dorsal fin XII[*]–XIII, 17–18[*]; total elements 30[*] or 31. Anal fin II, 20. Caudal fin: segmented rays 12[*] or 13 (9 branched); dorsal procurrent rays 7 or 8[*]; ventral procurrent rays 7; total elements 27; ventral hypural plate and hypural 5 autogenous; epurals 2. Pectoral-fin rays 14. Pelvic fin I, 3, spine and innermost ray inapparent except in skeletal preparations. Vertebrae 10 + 27. Total premaxillary teeth 35, 36, or 38[*]. Total dentary incisoriform teeth 30 or 32[*]; minute posterior canine present on each dentary. Continuous tubular portion of lateral line short, followed posteriorly by several unconnected, bipored tubes; posteriormost tube lying below vertical from base of 8th[*] or 10th dorsal-fin spine. Median supratemporal commissural pores 3.

Fleshy median crest on top of head absent. Simple cirrus over each eye. Nape cirrus a simple flap. Nasal cirri 2–4, present only on posterior rim of anterior nostril.

Pigmentation: Head and body pale. Midside of body with series of up to seven large, squarish, dusky blotches separated by pale interspaces; each blotch may consist of fusion of two less distinct bars (large, saddle-like blotch on illustrated specimen in Figure 8 is present only on one side, and is apparently atypical); small, dusky spots scattered variously over pale areas; large, faintly dusky blotches may border pale interspaces ventrally. Venter variable, immaculate in two paratypes, finely dotted in holotype. Ventral prepectoral area with dusky spot, which may be loosely associated with dusky area between ventral pectoral-fin base and pelvic fins. Pre- and interpelvic area dusky to immaculate.

TABLE 3.–Frequency distributions for certain ineristic characters of the species of Mimoblennius

TABLE 4.–Comparison of the diagnostic characters of the species of Mimoblennius

FIGURE 8.—Mimoblennius rusi, USNM 216554, paratype, male, 40.3 mm SL, Kwazulu, South Africa.

FIGURE 9.—Mimoblennius cas, USNM 216307, paratype, male, 32.3 mm SL., Grande Comore Island.

FIGURE 11 (below).—Mimoblennius cirrosus, USNM 204491, holotype, male, 35.2 mm SL, Harat Island, Ethiopia.

Side of head with dusky blotch near orbital margin posteriorly in two specimens, blotch absent in third; snout region dusky anteriorly; ventral surface of head with two or three almost parallel, dark, transverse bars (chevrons), anteriormost bar just posterior to level of rictus, squarish or slender, may be absent or connected to second bar by paler dusky pigment; second bar may be connected to posteriormost by paler dusky pigment; posteriormost bar on or near posterior margin of gill membrane ventrally, bar may be incomplete across isthmus.

Dorsal fin: spinous portion with black spot at midlevel of membrane between first two spines, remainder of portion immaculate basally with dusky mottling distally; segmented-ray portion with irregular dusky mottling basally, followed dorsally by immaculate stripe, and narrow, finely dusky distal stripe. Anal fin dusky, darker distally, with tips of most rays immaculate (smallest specimen with basal half of fin immaculate). Caudal fin with melanophores outlining rays; narrow band of sparse melanophores distally; dusky spots on middle to lower rays. Pectoral-fin rays outlined with melanophores, uppermost portion of fin immaculate, becoming dusky ventrally. Pelvic-fin immaculate or dusky basally.

ETYMOLOGY.—The specific epithet, rusi, is an arbitrary combination of letters, here treated as a noun in apposition. RUSI is also the acronym for the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Rhodes University.

COMPARISONS (Table 4).—Mimoblennius rusi is most similar to M. cas, which is also its geographically closest congener. Both species agree in typically having simple supraorbital cirri, whereas the other two Mimoblennius species typically have two or more supraorbital cirri. Mimoblennius rusi also probably agrees with M. cas in having a relatively smaller eye (Figure 7) than does either of the other two species, but more specimens of M. rusi are needed to confirm this character. Mimoblennius rusi differs from M. cas in having a dark spot in the membrane between the first two dorsal-fin spines (lacking in M. cas), in having more dentary incisoriform teeth (the smallest specimen of M. rusi, 30 mm SL, has more teeth than any of the specimens of M. cas examined for this character, including specimens over 30 mm SL), and M. rusi attains a larger size than M. cas. Except for lacking the dark dorsal-fin spot, we have seen specimens of M. cas that have color patterns essentially the same as found in M. rusi.

HOLOTYPE.—RUSI 800, male, 30.0 mm SL; South Africa (Indian Ocean coast), Kwazulu, reef 6.5 km N of Island Rock, in 2 m deep gully with sand bottom, open to sea (about 3.9 km N of Soowana Bay), 27°13′21″S, 032°47′48″E; 28 July 1976; R. Winterbottom, et al; field number RW76-22; out of former RUSI 76–21.

PARATYPES.—RUSI 801 (26.1 mm SL), male, and USNM 216554 (40.3 mm SL), male, both taken with holotype (both out of former RUSI 76–21).

Mimoblennius cas, new species

FIGURE 9

DESCRIPTION (* denotes characters of holotype where variation occurs).—Dorsal fin XII–XIV (usually XIII[*]), 16–18 (17[*]); total elements 29–31 (30[*]). Anal fin II, 19–21 (20[*]). Caudal fin: segmented rays 13 (9 branched, once); dorsal procurrent rays 6–9[*]; ventral procurrent rays 6–8 (7[*]); total elements 26–29[*]; ventral hypural plate and hypural 5 autogenous; epurals 2. Pectoral-fin rays 13–15 (14[*]; rarely 13 or 15). Pelvic fin I, 3, spine and innermost ray inapparent except in skeletal preparations. Vertebrae 10 + 27[*]–29. Total premaxillary teeth 34–37 (holotype not counted). Total dentary incisoriform teeth 26–29; minute posterior canine usually present on each dentary. Continuous tubular portion of lateral line short, followed by several unconnected, bipored tubes, posteriormost tube lying below vertical from base of 7th–12th (10th[*]) dorsal-fin spine. Median supratemporal commissural pores 3.

Fleshy median crest on top of head absent. Simple cirrus (rarely two) over each eye. Nape cirrus a simple flap. Cirri on posterior rim of anterior nostril 1[*]–3, on anterior rim 0–3 (usually 1[*]), on anterior rim of posterior nostril 0[*]-multifid (much reduced in size), on posterior rim 0.

Pigmentation: Head and body generally pale. Sides varying from almost immaculate to bearing midlateral series of up to six large, irregular, dark spots separated by paler interspaces; numerous tiny, circular spots scattered dorsally over paler areas; midlateral series of large spots may be linked, forming stripelike marking; up to six dusky saddle-like marks present along dorsal body contour; large, faintly dusky blotches may extend dorsally from anal-fin base into pale interspaces between midlateral series of dark spots.

Dorsal fin: spinous portion with dusky basal stripe separated by immaculate area from narrower, dusky distal margin, which often occurs only posteriorly; segmented-ray portion with two or three linear series of dusky spots, often consisting of circles of melanophores centered on rays. Anal fin uniformly dusky with tips of elements immaculate; small specimens with fin unpigmented basally. Caudal fin variable, often with up to five irregular bands composed of circles of dusky melanophores centered on rays; distal margin with broad, dusky band. Pectoral fin variably dusky in males, pigment restricted to rays and to membrane distally between ventral rays in females. Pelvic fin dusky basally in males, immaculate in females.

ETYMOLOGY.—The specific epithet, cas, is an arbitrary combination of letters, here treated as a noun in apposition. CAS is also the acronym for the California Academy of Sciences.

COMPARISONS (Table 4).—See “Comparisons” under Mimoblennius rusi.

HOLOTYPE.—CAS 33603, male, 28.5 mm SL; Grande Comore Island, lava flow tidal flats ca. 1 km N of Hotel Coelacanthe; depth, to 5 m; surge channels, tidepools, and over edge of dropoff; 15 Feb 1975; J. E. McCosker, M. D. Lagios, L. Gunther; field number, JEM 75–11.

PARATYPES.—All Grande Comore Island. CAS 36965 (28, 14.9–25.3 mm SL) and USNM 216308 (10, 18.7–25.9, including 5 cleared and stained), taken with holotype. CAS 33430 (29, 16.2–32.4), and (all out of CAS 33430) ANSP 137863 (20, 15.2–29.7), BPBM 20466 (20, 16.4–26.5), and RUSI 914 (20, 21.4–30.5), N'Gouni Reef, ca. 0.5 km N of Iconi; surge channel at far end of small cove; rock and coarse coral sand bottom; depth, to 5 m; 1 Mar 1975; J. E. McCosker, S. Mead, D. Powell, J. Breeden; field number, JEM 75–29. BMNH 1977.1.10.4–12 (9, 18.2–31.4), lava flow tidal flats ca. 1 km N of Hotel Coelacanthe; depth, to 2 m; 9 Feb 1975; J. E. and S. McCosker, M. D. Lagios, J. Breeden, L. Gunther; field number, JEM 75-4 (formerly CAS 33248). USNM 216307 (4, 20.2–32.3), lava flow tidal flats ca. 1 km N of Hotel Coelacanthe; depth, to 2 m; 8 Feb 1975; J. E. and S. McCosker, M. D. Lagios, J. Breeden; field number, JEM 75-2 (formerly CAS 33041).

Literature Cited

Born, A.

1932.   Der geologische Aufbau der Erde. Handbuch der Geophysic, 2(2):v + 565–867.

Masuda, H., C. Araga, and T. Yoshino

1975.   Coastal Fishes of Southern Japan. 379 pages. Tokai University Press.

McKinney, J. F., and V. G. Springer

1976.   Four New Species of the Fish Genus Ecsenius with Notes on Other Species of the Genus (Blenniidae: Salariini). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 236:1–27.

Roux, C.

1976.   On the Dating of the First Edition of Cuvier's Règne Animal. Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History, 8(1):31.

Smith, J. L. B.

1949.   The Sea Fishes of Southern Africa. xviii + 550 pages. Central News Agency, Ltd., South Africa.

Smith-Vaniz, W. F., and V. G. Springer

1971.   Synopsis of the Tribe Salariini, with Description of Five New Genera and Three New Species (Pisces: Blenniidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 73:1–72.

Springer, V. G.

1971.   Revision of the Fish Genus Ecsenius (Blenniidae, Blenniinae, Salariini). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 72:1–74.

1972.   Additions to Revisions of the Blenniid Fish Genera Ecsenius and Entomacrodus, with Descriptions of Three New Species of Ecsenius. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 134:1–13.

1976.   Cirrisalarias bunares, New Genus and Species of Blenniid Fish from the Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 89(13): 199–203.

Springer, V. G., and M. F. Gomon

1975.   Revision of the Blenniid Fish Genus Omobranchus with Descriptions of Three New Species and Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchiini. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 177:1–135.

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