Pseudogobiopsis Koumans, 1935

Larson, Helen K., 2009, Review Of The Gobiid Fish Genera Eugnathogobius And Pseudogobiopsis (Gobioidei: Gobiidae: Gobionellinae), With Descriptions Of Three New Species, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57 (1), pp. 127-181 : 154-155

Pseudogobiopsis Koumans, 1935

Pseudogobiopsis Koumans, 1935 ( Gobiopsis oligactis Bleeker, 1875: 113 , Amboina, by original designation).

Diagnosis. – Distinguished by following combination of characters. Second dorsal fin rays I,6–10; anal fin rays I,5–8; first dorsal spine often longest and may be elongate; pectoral rays 14–20; usually 17 segmented caudal rays in 9/7 or 9/8 pattern; predorsal scales variable, 2–13; 22–27 scales in lateral series; TRB 6–9; 12–13 circumpeduncular scales; headpores present in three species ( Fig. 25 ), absent in one, headpores reduced with no nasal pores, and rear part of oculoscapular canal absent in three species, preopercular pores present in two species; sensory papillae in longitudinal pattern; papillae rows a and c consisting of large, widely spaced papillae, as does row p if present (otherwise replaced by headpores), rows b and d always consisting of small close-set papillae, two or three s rows on snout of one papilla each; modally two but up to three s papillae rows on snout; papillae rows p, a and c composed of few large widely spaced papillae, other papillae small and close-set; papilla row c broken under eye, rear portion consisting of one papilla; dorsal surface of head without fine villi; gill opening extending past pectoral base to under opercle; bony or fleshy flange present on pectoral girdle, forming fleshy knobs in some species; jaws terminal, jaws enlarged in males, reaching posteriorly to behind eye; anterior nostril tubular, placed at or just behind preorbital edge; genital papilla flattened and usually elongate in males, rounded and bulbous in females.

Pterygiophore formula 3-12210; 25-27 vertebrae, strongly modally 10+16; two epurals; two or three (usually two) anal fin pterygiophores present before first caudal haemal spine; anterior end of preopercular bone blunt, rounded or pointed; ridge and/or posteriorly facing groove present along rear edge of preopercle; neural spines of first few vertebrae slender, pointed; metapterygoid short, relatively short and broadened dorsally, may have short dorsal process, may contact or slightly overlap quadrate or widely separated from quadrate; palatine and pterygoid not particularly slender, usually nearly equal in length, palatine falling short of quadrate; fifth ceratobranchial stout, triangular, with distinct triangular to blunt high flange on back; two to 10 ossified gill-rakers; scapula usually unossified but tip above foramen may be partly ossified.

Remarks. – There are four valid species of Pseudogobiopsis recognised here, one of which is described as new below. Several species of this genus have been described a number of times (e.g. males as one species, females as another). Several museum lots of specimens exist which may represent an additional one or more species, but this cannot be confirmed until more specimens are obtained.

Figures

Fig. 25. Pseudogobiopsis oligactis, papillae pattern. 36 mm SL male, CMK 5385, Ranong, Thailand. Scale bar = 1 mm.