Koumansetta hoesei Kovačić, Bogorodsky & Alpermann, 2018

Kovačić, Marcelo, Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Mal, Ahmad O. & Alpermann, Tilman J., 2018, Redescription of the genus Koumansetta (Teleostei: Gobiidae), with description of a new species from the Red Sea, Zootaxa 4459 (3), pp. 453-481 : 457-465

Koumansetta hoesei Kovačić, Bogorodsky & Alpermann , sp. nov.

Hoese’s goby

Figs. 2–4 , Table 1

Seychellea hectori (non Smith) — Clark et al. 1968: 22 (Dahlak Archipelago, listed); Goren 1979: 51 (Eilat, Wasset, Nocra; description); Dor 1984: 250 (Red Sea, listed).

Amblygobius hectori (non Smith)— Randall 1983: 163 (Red Sea); Goren & Dor 1994: 62 (Red Sea, listed); Khalaf & Disi 1997: 185 ( Jordan, description); Debelius 1998: 179 ( Egypt and Sudan, photographs); Khalaf 2004: 46 ( Jordan, listed).

Koumansetta hectori (non Smith)—Lieske & Myers 2004: 192 (Abu Galum, photograph); Golani & Bogorodsky 2010: 48 (Red Sea, listed).

Holotype. SMF 35723 [KAU14-796], female, 28.8 + 7.4 mm, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Al Lith , 15 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky.

Paratypes (all from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia). KAUMM 442 [KAU11-224], male, 23.2 + 5.9 mm, Al Lith , 29 March 2011, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S . V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 443 [KAU13-493], female, 38.5 + 10.5 mm, Al Wajh, 16 June 2013, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S . V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 444 [KAU11-516], female, 35.2 + 8.3 mm, Rabigh-Masturah, 7 April 2011, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky ; PMR VP4048 , male, 31.6 + 8.3 mm, Al Lith , 17 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S . V. Bogorodsky ; PMR VP4049 , male, 40.8 + 10.3 mm, Maqna, 13 April 2011, coll. S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35707, female, 25.9 + 6.7 mm, Farasan Archipelago , 26 February 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S . V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35724 [KAU14-797], male, 24.4 + 6.7 mm, Al Lith, 15 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S . V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35867 [KAU12-845], female, 33.7 + 8.0 mm, Al Lith, 5 March 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky.

Non-type material. MNHN 1977-0743 (2: 27.0–32.0 mm SL), Djibouti, Gulf of Tadjoura . All other material from Saudi Arabia: KAUMM 445 (2: 20.8 & 27.5 mm SL), Jeddah, Obhur, 3 July 2013, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 446 [KAU14-846] (1: 34.5 mm SL), Al Lith , 16 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 447 (5: 23.5–29.6 mm SL), Al Lith , 16 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 448 (2: 24.6 & 30.5 mm SL), Al Lith , 19 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 449 (1: 24.9 mm SL), Al Lith , 5 March 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; KAUMM 450 (2: 25.5 & 30.0 mm SL), Al Lith , 7 March 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; PMR VP4050 (4: 24.1–27.5 mm SL), Farasan Archipelago , 28 February 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35868 (1: 32.7 mm SL), Farasan Archipelago , 21 February 2012, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35869 [KAU13-494] (1: 35.1 mm SL), Al Wajh , 16 June 2013, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35870 [KAU13-495] (1: 19.9 mm SL), Al Wajh , 16 June 2013, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35871 [KAU13-580] (1: 36.8 mm SL), Al Wajh , 20 June 2013, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky ; SMF 35872 (13: 18.6–33.0 mm SL), Al Lith , 18 November 2014, coll. T.J. Alpermann & S.V. Bogorodsky.

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,15–16; anal-fin rays I,15; pectoral-fin rays 15; longitudinal scale series 50– 54; scales in transverse series 14–17; predorsal scales 19–23; cheek and opercle naked; scales cover the basal 1/4– 1/6 of the caudal fin, becoming rapidly smaller and cycloid; prepectoral area with about 3–6 vertical series of fine cycloid scales covering the entire base of the pectoral fin; prepelvic area with cycloid scales, 9–11 in the midventral row; interorbital 90–100% of eye diameter; width of body at anal-fin origin 10.8–12.4% of SL; caudal peduncle depth 64.6–73.7% of its length; head depth 55.2–60.5% of head length; length of 11th second dorsal-fin ray 9.9– 11.5% of SL; length of 8th anal-fin ray 10.2–13.5% of SL; longitudinal yellow stripes present only on upper half of body; mid-dorsal stripe and the pair of dorsolateral stripes diverging before eyes and then converging halfway between eye and first dorsal fin, additional yellow stripe between mid-dorsal and dorsolateral stripes extending from side of nape continuing along dorsal-fin bases and almost reaching, with interruptions, to ocellus on back; head brown above and whitish below yellowish white demarcation stripe, starting anteriorly at angle of jaw and going back to middle of pectoral-fin base; another yellowish white stripe beginning from the posterior part of upper jaw across upper cheek, opercle, and upper pectoral-fin base becoming a demarcation stripe behind pectoral fin, dividing the brown upper part of body from the grey lower part, and disappearing below middle of second dorsal fin; ocellus in first dorsal fin dark red or red-brown with black center and edged with black; weak orange-red streak is visible above ocellus.

Description (morphometric values in the text are presented first for the holotype followed by ranges for paratypes; meristic values, if variable, the same). Body moderately elongate, compressed laterally, the depth at pelvic-fin origin 4.8 (4.5–5.0) in SL, width at pelvic-fin origin 6.7 (6.7–7.5) in SL, depth at anal-fin origin 4.8 (4.5– 5.2) in SL, width at anal-fin origin 9.0 (8.1–9.3) in SL. Head length 3.3 (3.3–3.5) in SL, head slightly laterally compressed (head width 1.9 (1.7–2.0) in head length, head depth 1.8 (1.7–1.8) in head length). Predorsal profile gently convex. Snout with moderately sloping profile, overhanging mouth and somewhat pointed from dorsal view, longer than eye diameter: snout length 0.7 (0.7–0.8) in eye diameter, 2.8 (2.8–3.0) in head length, 9.3 (9.3–10.7) in SL. Anterior nostril tubular, short, lacking process from rim, halfway between anteriormost margin of snout and anterior margin of eye. Posterior nostril slit- like, with a low, raised ridge, closer to anterior nostril than to anterior margin of eye. Eyes lateral, with the upper edge at a level of dorsal profile of head, eye diameter 4.0 (3.6–4.4) in head length, 13.1 (12.2–15.4) in SL. Interorbital wide, equal or narrower than eye diameter (width 1.1 (1.0–1.1) in eye diameter, 14.4 (12.9–15.4) in SL). Mouth subterminal, moderately small, oblique. Rear margin of upper jaw ending posteriorly slightly before or at vertical through anterior margin of eye, upper-jaw length 3.3 (3.1–3.3) in head length, 11.1 (10.4–11.7) in SL. Each side of upper jaw with an outer row of 3–5 frontal, backwards and inwards curved, caniniform teeth of similar size, and inner row of 7–12 smaller slender sharp teeth laterally. In one large specimen (KAUMM 443), short intermediate row of five small teeth is visible laterally on each side. Each side at front of lower jaw with an outer row of 3–4 caniniform teeth of similar size but less curved than those in upper jaw, ending laterally with single large curved canine and the inner row of 10–15 smaller slender sharp teeth laterally. Tongue reduced, adnate, truncate in front. Chin lacking barbels. Branchiostegals broadly fused with isthmus, the gill openings lateral, ending forward at pectoral-fin base, little if at all wider than pectoral-fin base. Gill rakers poorly developed, gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch slender and soft, 6–7 in number, the upper limb of first gill arch with 2 slender, weak and soft gill rakers anteriorly, followed by 4–5 short, also soft, broad structures ( Fig. 1 ). No spines on preopercle. No dermal crest anterior to first dorsal fin. Caudal-peduncle depth 8.0 (7.7–8.4) in SL, caudal-peduncle length 5.8 (5.4–6.1) in SL, caudal-peduncle depth in its length 1.4 (1.4–1.5).

Fins: Two separate dorsal fins, VI + I,15 (15: 5, 16: 4); anal-fin rays I,15; pectoral-fin rays 15; branched caudal-fin rays 13, segmented 16–17 (16: 5, 17: 4); pelvic-fin rays I/5 + 5/I. The first dorsal-fin base 8.5 (7.9–9.9) in SL; the second dorsal-fin base 3.8 (3.4–3.8) in SL; anal-fin base 4.2 (3.7–4.2) in SL. First two dorsal-fin spines elongate (in holotype the second spine was broken) but not filamentous, remaining spines progressively shorter, the sixth reaches the origin of the second dorsal fin. The first spine of the first dorsal fin 4.1 (3.2–4.1) in SL; second spine broken in holotype (3.5–4.5) in SL, third spine 6.9 (5.5–6.9) in SL; fourth spine 9.3 (7.3–9.3) in SL; fifth spine 9.3 (8.2–9.6) in SL; sixth spine 12.0 (10.0–13.2) in SL. Dorsal fins connected by a low membrane. The first dorsal-fin origin clearly behind a vertical at pectoral-fin base. The second dorsal-fin origin above anus. Soft rays of the second dorsal fin progressively shorter to the twelfth ray, or third to twelfth rays subequal in length, with last three rays abruptly longer, and forming a lobe. In some specimens, the second soft ray is longer than the first ray in the second dorsal fin. Origin of anal fin below the second dorsal-fin soft ray. Second anal-fin ray longer than first ray, then rays progressively shorter to twelfth ray, the four last rays elongate with the last ray longer than the second soft ray. Both soft anal and dorsal fins when depressed reaching only to the first caudal-fin rays. Pectoral fin broadly rounded; extending posteriorly to below origin of the second dorsal fin, and only in one male reaching also a vertical through origin of anal fin, the length 3.5 (3.5–3.8) in SL; uppermost and lowermost pectoral-fin rays not branched; upper rays within membrane. Pelvic fins united, pointed, with fifth soft ray longer than other rays; 4.0 (3.3–4.0) in SL; not reaching anus in females, reaching anus in males or even anal fin in some of them; pelvic frenum absent. Pectoral and pelvic fins longer than postorbital part of head. Caudal fin rounded, shorter than head, 1.2 (1.1–1.2) in head length, 3.9 (3.6–4.2) in SL.

Scales: body covered with small ctenoid scales, cycloid at axil of pectoral fin, nape, entire belly, and in the area between first dorsal fin and pectoral fin; longitudinal scale series 50–54 (holotype 52, paratypes 50: 4, 51: 4, 52: 1, 54: 2; one side of 6 specimens too damaged for count due to tissue sampling for DNA) with 3–5 more scales on caudal-fin origin, transverse scale series 14–17 (holotype 15, paratypes 14: 7, 15: 2, 16: 3, 17: 2; side of 3 specimens too damaged for count due to tissue sampling for DNA), circumpeduncular scales 17–20 (holotype 19, paratypes 17: 2, 19: 5, 20: 1). Scales cover a basal 1/4–1/6 of caudal fin, becoming rapidly smaller and cycloid. Other fins unscaled. Predorsal area scaled, scales not reaching to the vertical through the posterior edge of eye, ending at the level of pore G, interorbital area naked, predorsal scales in median row 19–23 (holotype 19, paratypes 19: 2, 20: 3, 21: 1, 22: 2, 23: 3). Cheek and opercle naked. Prepectoral area with about 3–6 vertical series of fine cycloid scales covering the entire base of pectoral fin (holotype 4, paratypes 3: 2, 4: 3, 5: 2, 6: 1). Prepelvic area scaled with cycloid scales, 9–11 in the midventral row (holotype 10, paratypes 9: 2, 10: 5, 11: 1).

Cephalic sensory pores system and papillae ( Fig. 3 ): Anterior oculoscapular canal with pores B’, C (single), D (single), E, F, G, and H’; posterior oculoscapular canal with K’ and L’; preopercular canal with M’, N, and O’. Rows of head sensory papillae were counted in all specimens, but some rows were visible only in part of specimens despite staining and the lowest count in ranges could be underestimated due to miscount of non-visible papillae. Preorbital: upper row r longitudinal and long (9–16); upper row s1 (3–8) transverse at posterior nostril, middle row s2 (3–8) transverse at anterior nostril, lower row s3 (3) above upper lip and not visible in all specimens. Lateral series c in four parts: superior c2 2–9 papillae below posterior nostril; middle superior c1 1–4 papillae below anterior nostril; middle inferior row c2 (3–5) and inferior row c1 (4–5) above upper lip. Suborbital rows: row a absent. Row b (6–8) longitudinal, beginning anteriorly below posterior part of eye i.e. between pupil and posterior edge of eye. Row c as 10–12 transversal rows below eye, 8–10 in front of row b, 1–3 papillae above level of row b, 0–1 below (1: 4–7, 2: 2–7, 3: 1–6, 4: 2–5, 5: 1–5, 6: 2–4, 7: 1–7, 8: 3–5, 9: 1–10, 10: 1–9, 11: 0–4, 12: 0–5). Row d continuous (17–20) or divided in supralabial and posterior part (3 + 11 to 5 + 12), ending posteriorly below pupil. Preoperculo-mandibular rows: external row e (8 + 11 to 23 + 23); and internal row i (10 + 13 to 16 + 15) divided into anterior and posterior sections; mental row f longitudinal (4–6), not visible in some material. Oculoscapular rows: anterior longitudinal row x1 (8 + 5 to 12 + 8) divided into part above pores F to H’ and part behind above H’; posterior longitudinal row x2 (5–9) above pores K’ to L’; row z (4–10) transverse behind pore M’; row tra (8–22) transverse, dividing row x1 above H’; row trp (7–19) transverse, dividing rows x1 and x2; row q transverse row (3–8) behind pore H’ and below posterior part of row x1; transverse row y (4–8) behind pore L’; transverse axillary rows as1 (5–17), as2 (5–16), as3 (6–18) visible in some specimens; axillary rows la1 (2–5) and la2 (2–5) visible in some specimens. Opercular rows: transverse row ot (15–24); superior longitudinal row os (3–10); and inferior longitudinal row oi (7–12). Anterior dorsal rows: anterior transverse row n (10–23) long and curved, from the level of center of eye to dorsal midline; transverse row o (6–9); longitudinal row g (6–15) anteriorly reaching near row o; longitudinal row m (4–5) below and behind row g; longitudinal row h (5 + 3 to 8 + 4) divided; rows o, g, m, h visible only in some specimens.

Color in life ( Fig. 4 ). Upper two-thirds of head brown, with reddish hue anteriorly, above demarcation stripe. Demarcation stripe whitish or yellowish, black along upper edge, extending from angle of mouth to the middle of pectoral-fin base. Head whitish below the stripe. Another yellowish white stripe, black along lower edge, beginning from the posterior part of upper jaw across upper cheek, opercle, and upper pectoral-fin base becoming a demarcation stripe behind pectoral-fin and disappearing below middle of the second dorsal fin. Upper half of body greenish brown to dark brown above this stripe; lower half of body below this demarcation stripe grey to dark grey, shading to silvery whitish ventrally, sometimes with bluish hue on abdomen. A large black ocellus, rimmed by a semicircular white mark below, on back below middle of the second dorsal fin, the spot extending into fin where rimmed above in yellow; the black spot on back appears an open eye, sometimes with dark red anteriorly and posteriorly; another black spot larger than pupil dorsally at posterior end of caudal peduncle, rimmed below in pale yellow. Head with mid-dorsal stripe extending from the tip of snout diverging and then converging on interorbital area and nearly reaching origin of the first dorsal fin. Three narrow longitudinal, black-edged, yellow dorsolateral stripes on each side of head and body between mid-dorsal and demarcation stripes. First stripe, beginning from side of nape above posterior margin of preopercle, running posteriorly along dorsal fin bases and ending close to ocellus at the second dorsal fin. The second stripe on left and right body sides connected in an U-shape at the front of snout and splitting into two stripes at top of snout, one through upper part of the eye and another across interorbital area, stripes converging at vertical through posterior margin of opercle and continuing backwards to black ocellus, and behind it continuing, more or less visible, along the top of caudal peduncle, where it ends at another black spot. The third stripe extending from the upper lip through the lower part of eye and the upper part of the opercle, running above lateral midline to caudal peduncle where it is usually broken into a short segment at middle of caudal-fin base. First dorsal fin with a reddish brown band, rimmed above in yellow, along base; a black-edged dark red or red-brown, with black center and broadly rimmed with yellow, ocellus over first three spines and adjacent third membrane at midlevel of fin; an indistinct narrow reddish brown stripe on membranes between fourth and sixth spines; and an orange-red streak in outer half of first membrane above ocellus. The second dorsal fin with a reddish brown band rimmed above in yellow, circumflexing the black ocellus, along base; narrow white margin and an indistinct reddish brown submarginal band, more obvious on posterior half; an indistinct narrow reddish brown stripe in the middle of anterior half of fin; and yellow rear edge. Anal fin with transparent membranes anteriorly becoming pale grey posteriorly, with narrow pale bluish white margin on posterior half and rear edge. Caudal fin with curved white bar at base, rest of fin with transparent membranes. Pectoral and pelvic fins with translucent membranes.

Color when fresh ( Fig. 2A & B ). Similar to color of alive gobies but ground color more reddish, posterior end of caudal peduncle red-brown, reddish brown stripes in dorsal fins more obvious, and melanophores visible on caudal and anal fins, the rest of these fins transparent.

Color preserved ( Fig. 2C & D ). Upper two-thirds of head brown, head whitish ventrally; upper half of body brown; lower half of body below demarcation stripe buff (light brownish yellow). A large black spot (ocellus) spread on back and on fin at middle of the second dorsal fin rimmed by a semicircular buff mark below and less conspicuous pale edge above on fin; another black spot larger than pupil dorsally at posterior end of caudal peduncle, pale rimmed below. Head with mid-dorsal whitish to buff stripe from the tip of snout diverging and then converging on interorbital area nearly reaching origin of the first dorsal fin. The three dorsolateral stripes and the demarcation line characteristic for alive fish also present in preserved material, only whitish to buff and dark edged. First dorsal fin with a brown band along base; a black-edged ocellus with black center, rimmed whitish, over first three spines and adjacent third membrane at midlevel of fin. The second dorsal fin with a dark band passing along base, extending above and circumflexing whitish rimmed black ocellus; pigmented submarginal band more obvious on posterior half. Anal fin also dark pigmented. Caudal fin poorly pigmented. Pectoral fins not pigmented. Pelvic fin with small scattered melanophores, less dense in females.

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor of Douglass F. Hoese, in recognition of his important contributions to the systematics of gobioid fishes.

Distribution and habitat. Based on phylogenetic analysis, examined specimens and numerous photographs it is revealed that K. hoesei sp. nov. is restricted to the Red Sea and the inner Gulf of Aden (Gulf of Tadjoura). A coral-reef species usually seen hovering a short distance above the substratum at depths of 3–26 m in lagoons and seaward reefs, usually solitary, but sometimes seen in a small group, each individual in a moderate distance from others. Winterbottom & Emery (1986) found filamentous algae, harpacticoid copepods, amphipods, ostracods, and nematodes in the gut of one specimen of Koumansetta hectori , and we expect a similar benthic, omnivorous diet in K. hoesei sp. nov.

Remarks. Hitherto, Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. has been misidentified as K. hectori . However, the new species clearly differs from the latter in details of coloration and morphology: mid-dorsal stripe and the pair of dorsolateral stripes diverging before eyes and then converging halfway distance between eye and first dorsal fin in K. hoesei sp. nov. versus mid-dorsal stripe and both dorsolateral stripes single, not diverging in K. hectori . Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. has an additional yellow stripe between mid-dorsal and two dorsolateral stripes extending from side of nape, continuing along dorsal-fin bases and disappearing before ocellus on back; in contrast, K. hectori lacks such stripe. Lower head with two yellowish white stripes, lower stripe beginning from the upper jaw and ending at the middle of pectoral-fin base, another stripe beginning from the lower edge of eye running across opercle and upper pectoral-fin axil and continuing as demarcation stripe on body disappearing below middle of the second dorsal fin in K. hoesei sp. nov. whereas only single demarcation stripe starts anteriorly at angle of jaws going back over lower cheek, lower opercle and lower pectoral-fin base backwards to caudal peduncle and caudal-fin base in K. hectori . Color of ocellus in first dorsal fin also differs, the ocellus is dark red or red-brown with black center and edged with black in K. hoesei sp. nov., but ocellus is a black round spot in K. hectori . In K. hoesei sp. nov. a weak orange-red streak is visible above ocellus versus up to three well defined red marks above ocellus, one above the other, in K. hectori . Membranes of at least anterior half of anal fin semitranslucent in K. hoesei sp. nov. versus most anal-fin membranes grey to dark grey in K. hectori . Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. can be distinguished from K. hectori also by morphological characters: pectoral-fin rays 15 versus pectoral-fin rays 16–17; interorbital equal to eye diameter or to 1/10 smaller than eye diameter versus interorbital 2/3 to 9/10 of eye diameter; scales in transverse series 14–17 versus scales in transverse series 17–18; width at anal-fin origin 10.8–12.4% of SL versus 9.9–10.7%; caudal-peduncle depth 64.6–73.7% of its length versus 75.4– 88.9%; head depth 55.2–60.5% of head length versus 47.3–54.4%; length of 11th second dorsal-fin ray 9.9–11.5% of SL versus 11.8–14.2%; length of 8th anal-fin ray 10.2–13.5% of SL versus 13.7–14.9%. In addition to nonoverlapping morphometrics, some morphometric characters (anal-fin base, caudal peduncle length, pectoral-fin length, second dorsal-fin base, snout to origin of anus, total dorsal bases) are rarely overlapping between two species and can also be used as distinguishing character for most specimens ( Table 1).

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Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. can easily be distinguished from another congener K. rainfordi by coloration; most distinctive characters are: stripes on head and body yellow versus stripes orange to reddish in K. rainfordi ; longitudinal stripes present only on upper half of body versus longitudinal stripes present also on ventral side of body in K. rainfordi ; dorsolateral stripes anteriorly diverging and converging again versus dorsolateral stripes not converging and diverging again in K. rainfordi ; color of head reddish-brown to brown versus color of head light green in K. rainfordi ; no white spots on back just below both dorsal fins versus several white spots on back just below both dorsal fins in K. rainfordi ; first dorsal fin with distinct black ocellus versus no black ocellus on the first dorsal fin in K. rainfordi ; black ocellus on back and on the second dorsal fin at its middle versus black spot on the outer half of the second dorsal fin in K. rainfordi . Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. can be distinguished from K. rainfordi also by morphological characters: pectoral-fin rays 15 versus pectoral-fin rays 16–18 in K. rainfordi ; longitudinal scale series 50–54 versus longitudinal scale series 55–61 in K. rainfordi ; scales in transverse series 14–17 versus transverse series 17–19 in K. rainfordi ; predorsal scales 19–23 versus predorsal scales 24–26 in K. rainfordi .

The distribution of Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. is sympatric with four species of Amblygobius (e.g., A. albimaculatus (Rüppell 1830) , A. esakiae Herre 1939 , A. nocturnus (Herre 1945) , and A. sewardii ). It is easily distinguished from all these species in its general appearance and in morphological characters as provided in the present study. Allen & Erdmann (2012) included the Red Sea in the range of distribution of Amblygobius sphynx , however, material from the southern Red Sea (USNM 339029) was re-examined herein and the specimen was identified as A. albimaculatus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gill rakers and structures of Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov.: A) gill rakers on lower limb, B) gill rakers on upper limb, C) gill structures on upper limb. Non-type material, SMF 35872, 32.4 + 8.3 mm, Al Lith, Saudi Arabia.

FIGURE 2. Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. A: SMF 35723 [KAU14-796], holotype, female, 28.8 + 7.4 mm, freshly collected, Al Lith, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea; B: SMF 35724 [KAU14-797], paratype, male, 24.4 + 6.7 mm, freshly collected, Al Lith, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea; C: SMF 35723 [KAU14-796], holotype, preserved. D: SMF 35723, paratype, preserved. Photos by S.V. Bogorodsky (A & B) and M. Kovačić (C & D).

FIGURE 3. Cephalic sensory pores system and papillae of Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov. Paratype, PMR VP4048, male, 31.6 + 8.3 mm, Al Lith. Terminology in text. Drawing by M. Kovačić.

FIGURE 4. Koumansetta hoesei sp. nov., underwater photographs. A: Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia; B: Lahami Bay, southern Egypt; C: Farasan Archipelago, Saudi Arabia. Photos by S.V. Bogorodsky.