Aulopareia Smith, 1945

Larson, Helen K. & Jaafar, Zeehan, 2022, A review of the gobiid fish genus Aulopareia (Gobiidae: Gobiinae) with description of a new species from Kuwait and discussion of the status of Gobius cyanomos Bleeker, Zootaxa 5155 (4), pp. 493-516 : 494-495

Aulopareia Smith, 1945

Aulopareia Smith, 1945: 534 (type species Aulopareia janetae by original designation and monotypy).— Birdsong et al. 1988: 192; Larson & Murdy 2001: 3589; Larson & Wright 2003: 127; Thacker 2011: 130; Zare et al. 2012: 1193; Kottelat 2013: 400.

Diagnosis. Gobiid genus with unique long slit-like to oval horizontal pore behind eye extending posteriorly over preopercle and supported by the elongate and distally expanded sphenotic bone (not recorded for A. cyanomos ), no anterior interorbital pore in all but one species; 2–3 preopercular pores present; cheek naked or scaled; opercle scaled on dorsal half at least or naked; predorsal with cycloid scales up to close behind eyes; no scales on branchiostegal membranes; scales on side of body ctenoid; mental frenum flat or bilobed; sensory papillae in longitudinal pattern; gill opening restricted to pectoral fin base or to under opercle; stout canine tooth, larger than other teeth, at side of lower jaw; may be conspicuous and point backward; first dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin I,10–11; anal fin I,7–10; pectoral fin 17–21; lateral scales 22–32; transverse scales backward 6–14. Vertebrae 10+16=26 (in A. cyanomos , koumansi and A. unicolor ); dorsal pterygiophore pattern 3-22110; one epural present; two pre-anal pterygiophores. Usually found over soft, muddy substrate.

Key to species of Aulopareia

1 Three preopercular pores present; cheek and opercle with or without scales....................................... 2

- Two preopercular pores present; cheek and opercle covered with scales; dark brown to blackish patch containing small whitish spots on side above pectoral fin base; black spot on upper caudal fin base usually visible........................................................................................... A. koumansi ( Herre, 1937) ( Thailand, Malaysia).

2. A distinct black spot (yellow and white on either side of spot in live specimens) on upper middle part of caudal fin; small grey to black blotch close to and just above pectoral fin base; cheek and opercle covered with scales...................................................................................... A. ocellatus ( Day, 1873) ( Iran, Pakistan, India)

- No distinct black spot on upper middle part of caudal fin, though dark spot may be present at upper base of fin; cheek naked (rarely partly scaled); opercle partly scaled or naked......................................................... 3

3. Cheek and opercle naked; slit-like pore behind eye may be slightly oblique; about 6–8 rows of iridescent blue-green spots along side, spots beginning over opercle and extend partly onto caudal fin; caudal fin with small dark spot on upper base (may be indistinct); rounded blue to blackish blotch behind rear corner of opercle.... A. cyanomos ( Bleeker, 1849) ( India to Brunei)

- Cheek naked; opercle partly scaled or naked; colour pattern not as above......................................... 4

4. Elongate oval dark brown to blackish blotch from above opercle reaching over pectoral fin base; several whitish round spots around dark shoulder blotch and one on upper pectoral fin base; cheek and opercle naked;.. A. vadosa new species ( Kuwait)

- Head and body plain grey to blackish when alive, no dark blotch above pectoral fin base; rows of small dark spots usually present along lower side of body; caudal fin may have small dark spot on upper base in some specimens; cheek naked; opercle scaled on upper half............................................ A. unicolor (Valenciennes, 1837) ( India to China)