Diplogrammus infulatus Smith, 1963

Fricke, Ronald, Bogorodsky, Sergey V. & Mal, Ahmad O., 2014, Review of the genus Diplogrammus (Teleostei: Callionymidae) of the Red Sea, with description of a new species from Saudi Arabia, Journal of Natural History 48 (39 - 40), pp. 2419-2448 : 2429-2439

Diplogrammus infulatus Smith, 1963

Indian Ocean fold dragonet

( Figures 1 , 4 , 5 , 11B ; Table 3)

Diplogrammus (Climacogrammus) infulatus Smith, 1963: 550 , pl. 83, figures E–I (Inhaca/ Mozambique, type locality). Fricke 1981: 689. Fricke 1982: 72. Fricke 1983a: 509 (revision). Fricke 1984: 4. Fricke et al. 1984: 107. Fricke 1986b: 772. Dor 1984: 236 (checklist).

Diplogrammus infulatus: Fricke and Zaiser 1982: 256 . Goren and Dor 1994: 62 (checklist). Fricke 1999: 493. Debelius 2001: 202. Fricke 2002: 47 (checklist). Golani and Bogorodsky 2010: 45 (checklist). Tesfamichael 2012: 232.

Holotype: SAIAB 131 ( Inhaca Island , Mozambique).

Paratypes: MNHN 1963–0187 (1); SAIAB 475–488 (17); USNM 197722 (1).

Red Sea material

BMNH 1935.9 .30.53 (2, Hurghada , Egypt) , 1960.3.15.1522-1525 (4, Mersa-ar- Rakiyai, Sudan); BPBM 17907 (1, Suakin , Sudan) ; HUJ 10459 (12, Dahlak Archipelago , Eritrea) , 10461 (2, Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea), 10813 (2, Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea), 10814 (1, Dahlak Archipelago, Eritrea); USNM 166924 (5, Hurghada , Egypt) ; ZIM 18336 (1, Gulf of Suez , Egypt) .

Diagnosis

Dorsal-fin spines IV, rays 8; anal-fin rays 7; free opercular flap of skin and branches of lateral line present; preopercular spine with a small, upcurved main tip, formula 1 ― 5― 9 1; first dorsal fin with a very long filament in males but not in females, first spine significantly longer than first ray of second dorsal fin in males; caudal fin rounded in both sexes; body below ventrolateral fold of skin dusky in mating male, with numerous ocelli; anal fin dusky in males, bearing numerous ocelli; in males bluish lines on head, often also on body, and blue spots on caudal fin.

Description

First dorsal fin with IV spines, second dorsal fin with 8 soft rays, last ray divided at base; anal-fin rays 7, last ray divided at base; pectoral-fin rays 18–20, upper and lower one or two rays unbranched; pelvic fin with I spine and 5 soft rays; caudal-fin rays 12 or 13. Fin-ray formula: D 1 IV; D 2 vii,1; A vi,1; P 1 i-ii,15–17,i-ii (total 18–20); P 2 I,5; C (i),i,7,ii,(i-ii).

Body elongate and slightly depressed. Body depth 6.3–8.4 in SL. Head slightly depressed, 3.7–4.4 in SL. Eye 2.4–3.3 in head length. Interorbital distance 3.6–6.3 in eye diameter. Occipital region with a smooth bony plate and two very low bony protuberances. Branchial opening pore-like, dorsal in position. Opercle with a free flap of skin. Maxilla projecting laterally in males. Preopercular spine length 3.0– 3.6 in head length; preopercular spine with an upcurved main tip, a smooth nearly straight or slightly convex ventral margin, one (rarely two) antrorse spines at its base, and six to nine (rarely five) upcurved or slightly recurved spinules at its dorsal margin (formula: 1 ― ð 5 ―Þ 6 ― 9 1). Urogenital papilla elongate, relatively large in the male, about 5.0–7.0 in head length; in the female very small or not visible. Lateral line reaching from eye to end of fourth branched caudal-fin ray (counted from above), with many additional dorsal or ventral branches along the sides of the body; the lines of the opposite sides are interconnected by a commissure each across the occipital region and across the dorsal part of the caudal peduncle. Sides of body with a continuous ventrolateral fold of skin below the lateral line. Caudal peduncle length 4.7–5.2 in SL. Caudal peduncle depth 14.1–15.2 in SL.

First spine of first dorsal fin elongate and filamentous in the male, without a filament in the female. Length of first spine in the male 3.5–4.1 in SL, in the female about 6.0–7.0 in SL. Predorsal(1) length 3.2–3.6 in SL. Margin of second dorsal fin straight or slightly concave; rays unbranched except for the last which is divided at its base; last ray longest, elongate in the male. Predorsal(2) length 2.0– 2.3 in SL. First anal-fin ray on a vertical through second ray of second dorsal fin. Anal-fin rays unbranched, the last divided at its base; last ray longest but not elongate. Preanal-fin length 1.8–2.1 in SL. Pelvic fins reaching back to base of first anal-fin membrane or second anal-fin ray. Pelvic-fin length 3.1–3.3 in SL. Prepelvic-fin length 3.6–4.0 in SL. Membrane connecting fifth ray of pelvic fin with pectoral-fin base attached to base of fifth to seventh pectoral-fin ray. Pectoral fins reaching to above mid-base of first analfin membrane. Caudal fin slightly convex; caudal-fin length in the male 2.9–3.8 in SL, in the female 3.5–4.0 in SL.

Colour in life

Male ( Figure 5A, B ): body above lateral line golden brown, with silvery mottlings and dark-edged greyish spots (some of these double). From lateral fold to lateral line light blue spots in rows along flank. Ventrolateral fold of skin alternatingly marked with groups of two white spots and one dark brown streak. Cheek yellowish, olive spots and blue lines on cheeks, opercles, and snout. Dorsal fins pale to golden green, the soft fin orange in front, with dark edged blue lines and spots. Anal fin dark with blue streaks. Pectoral fins pink with red-brown spots. Pelvic fins green gold with green blotches and lines, especially basally, apex pink. Caudal fin pale golden brown, with many dark edged light blue spots and four vertical olive bars fading above; also with blue streaks and a submarginal blue line. Females ( Figure 5C ): generally similar but colour less vivid, mainly sandy brown.

Colour of preserved material

Similar to live colour pattern described above, but the brilliant colours fade to brownish and yellowish. The blue streaks on the cheeks may survive the first few years in preservative.

Distribution and habitat

Red Sea ( Egypt; Sudan; Eritrea) ( Figure 1 ); Kenya; Mozambique; Madagascar; Aldabra; Seychelles; Mauritius; Rodrigues. The species is found in shallow waters, on coral gravel bottom near coral reefs, including tidal pools.

Remarks

This is the most widespread of the Red Sea species, widely reaching into the western Indian Ocean. In the Red Sea still unknown from the Gulf of Aqaba, it is apparently restricted to the southern tip of the Sinai, the western shores of the central Red Sea, and the southern Red Sea.

Diplogrammus paucispinis Fricke and Bogorodsky , new species Saudi Arabian dragonet

( Figures 1 , 6 , 7A, B , 11C ; Tables 2, 3)

Holotype: SMF 34912 (male, 27.0 mm SL), Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk Province, south of Al Wajh, 25°35′52.86″ N 36°41′01.80″ E, sand bottom close to fringing reef, 4 m depth, St. 7, S. V. Bogorodsky and T. Alpermann, 12 June 2013.

Paratypes: KAUMM 13 (1 female, 22.3 mm SL), same data as the holotype ; SMF 34913 (1 female, 23.1 mm SL), same data as the holotype ; KAUMM 14 (1 male, 39.4 mm SL), Saudi Arabia, Jizan Province, Farasan Islands, south-east of Farasan Island , 16°35′ 56.34″ N 42°20′ 4.56″ E, sand bottom along fringing reef of coral island, 4–6 m depth, St. 6, S . V. Bogorodsky and T. Alpermann , 19 February 2012 ; KAUMM 15 (1 female, 40.3 mm SL), Saudi Arabia, Makkah (Mecca) Province, entrance of lagoon north-west of Al-Lith , 20°15.922′ N, 39°59.496′ E, sand bottom on beach, 0.5 m depth, St. 49, A. Broesing, 4 March 2012 ; SMF 34949 (1 male, 39.1 mm SL), Saudi Arabia, Jizan Province, Farasan Islands, central lagoon of Farasan Island , 16°43.083′ N, 42°03.934′ E, lagoon with many patches of coral and silty sand bottom, 6–8 m depth, St. 10, S . V. Bogorodsky and T. Alpermann , 20 February 2012 .

Diagnosis

Dorsal-fin spines IV, rays 8; anal-fin rays 7; free opercular flap of skin and branches of lateral line present; preopercular spine with an upcurved main tip, formula 1 ― 3―4 1; first dorsal fin with a filament in males but not in females; first spine significantly longer than second and third spines, and first ray of the second dorsal fin in males; caudal fin elongate and pointed in both sexes; body below ventrolateral fold of skin white or yellowish; anal fin translucent with broadly black margin in males; no bluish lines on head and/or body in males except for short oblique blue bar at corner of mouth.

Description

First dorsal fin with IV spines, second dorsal fin with 8 soft rays, last ray divided at base; anal-fin rays 7, last ray divided at base; pectoral-fin rays 18 or 19, upper and lower one or two rays unbranched; pelvic fin with I spine and 5 soft rays; caudal-fin rays 14. Fin-ray formula: D 1 IV; D 2 vii,1; A vi,1; P 1 ii,14–15,i-ii (total 18–19); P 2 I,5; C (ii),i,7,ii,(ii). Counts and proportions of the type material are compared in Table 2.

Body elongate and slightly depressed. Body depth 8.8 (7.5–8.8) in SL. Head slightly depressed, 3.9 (3.4–3.9) in SL. Eye 3.1 (2.5–3.2) in head length. Interorbital distance 7.5 (3.2–9.6) in eye diameter. Occipital region with a transparent, smooth bony plate. Branchial opening pore-like, dorsal in position. Opercle with a free flap of skin. Maxilla laterally projecting in males. Preopercular spine length 2.6 (3.5–4.6) in head length; preopercular spine with an upcurved main tip, a smooth nearly straight or slightly convex ventral margin, one antrorse spine at its base, and three to four upcurved or slightly recurved spinules at its dorsal margin (formula: 1 ― 3―4 1). Urogenital papilla elongate, relatively large in the male, 8.7–17.2 in head length; in the female not visible. Lateral line reaching from eye to end of fourth branched caudal-fin ray (counted from above), with several additional dorsal or ventral branches along the sides of the body; the lines of the opposite sides are interconnected by a commissure across the occipital region. Sides of body with a continuous ventrolateral fold of skin below the lateral line. Caudal peduncle length 5.2 (4.4– 5.9) in SL. Caudal peduncle depth 19.3 (14.0–17.8) in SL.

First spine of first dorsal fin elongate in the male, broadly connected by membrane with the second spine, but without a filament in the female. Length of first spine in the male 4.8 (3.4–3.9) in SL, in the female 5.4–7.2 in SL. Predorsal(1) length 3.2 (3.1–3.4) in SL. Margin of second dorsal fin straight; rays unbranched except for the last which is divided at its base; last ray longest, elongate in the male. Predorsal(2) length 2.1 (2.1–2.2) in SL. Base of first anal-fin ray on a vertical through second ray of second dorsal fin. Anal-fin rays unbranched, the last divided at its base; last ray longest but not elongate. Preanal-fin length 1.9 (1.9–2.0) in SL. Pelvic fins not reaching base of first anal-fin ray. Pelvic-fin length 4.5 (3.2–3.7) in SL. Prepelvic-fin length 4.1 (3.4–4.1) in SL. Membrane connecting fifth ray of pelvic fin with pectoral-fin base attached to base of sixth to eighth pectoral-fin ray. Pectoral fins reaching to above base of first anal-fin membrane. Caudal fin elongate and pointed in both sexes; caudal-fin length in the male 3.2 (3.2–3.5) in SL, in the female 3.5–3.7 in SL.

Colour in life ( Figure 7A, B )

Head and dorsal half of body cream, with irregular olive spots and darker brown blotches bearing tiny black spots. Lower sides of body white; ventrolateral fold of skin with alternating brown blotches and white spots, extending above the fold as vertically elongate white double spots. Sides of head with yellow streaks and indistinct blue markings, oblique blue bar within a brownish yellow mark at corner of mouth. Eye cream, anterior and posterior margins dark brown spotted with white, dorsally with yellow streaks, ventrally with blue spots. First dorsal fin in male cream, with irregular rows of yellow mottlings, distally brownish yellow; in female first membrane cream, second to fourth membranes dark grey. Second dorsal fin in male cream, with a basal row of dark brown blotches and three to five distal rows of brown and yellow streaks, and tiny dark brown spots on the membranes between the streaks; with a light blue and yellow submarginal line anteriorly, gradually becoming a marginal line posteriorly; pale in female. Anal fin in male basally translucent, outer one-third black; in female translucent, with a narrow distal black streak on each membrane. Caudal fin cream, with brown and white spots basally, and yellow spots and blotches distally. Pectoral fins translucent, with white streaks along the rays. Pelvic fins mostly cream with darker, round spots, mainly in the middle of the fins, and two irregular blackish spots posteriorly at fin margin.

Colour of preserved material

Similar to live colour pattern described above, but the brilliant colours fade to brownish and yellowish. The blue streaks on the cheeks may survive the first few years in preservative. The female coloration is overall less intensive.

Etymology

The name of the new species refers to a low number of spinules on the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine, compared with other species of the genus Diplogrammus (except the pygmy species Diplogrammus pygmaeus ).

Comparison

Some characters of the species of Diplogrammus are compared in Table 3. Diplogrammus paucispinis n. sp. differs from species of the subgenus Diplogrammus ( D. goramensis , D. xenicus ) from the western Pacific by its lateral line which is bearing numerous dorsal and ventral branches, by its usually fewer spinules on the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine (3 or 4 in D. paucispinis , versus usually 5–9 in D. goramensis and D. xenicus ), by the anal-fin coloration of the male with the anal fin only dark in its outer one-third (plain dark or black in D. goramensis and D. xenicus ), and the caudal fin elongate and pointed (rounded in D. goramensis and D. xenicus ). It is distinguished from Diplogrammus gruveli from the northern Gulf of Suez and Suez Canal by the presence of a free opercular flap of skin (flap lacking in D. gruveli ), by the second spine of the first dorsal fin of the male, which is shorter than the first ray of the second dorsal fin (much longer in D. gruveli ), by lacking ocelli on the cheeks, pelvic fins and caudal fin of males (ocelli present in D. gruveli ), the 18–19 pectoral-fin rays (16–17 in D. gruveli ), and the caudal fin elongate and pointed (truncate, with short filaments in D. gruveli ). The new species differs from Diplogrammus infulatus from the western shores of the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean in having the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine with 3 or 4 spinules (6–9, rarely 5 spinules in D. infulatus ), the anal fin pale in the male, with the outer one-third black (plain dusky, with numerous small ocelli in D. infulatus ), cheeks, sides of body and pelvic fins of the male without blue ocelli and lines (with numerous blue lines and ocelli in male D. infulatus ), and the caudal fin elongate and pointed (rounded in D. infulatus ). It is distinguished from Diplogrammus randalli from the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba by the upcurved main tip of the preopercular spine (main tip nearly straight in D. randalli ), by the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine constantly with 3 or 4 spinules (usually 5–7, rarely 3 or 4 spinules in D. randalli ), by the first spine of the first dorsal fin in the male filamentous, significantly longer than first ray of second dorsal fin (barely filamentous, not much longer than first ray of second dorsal fin in D. randalli ), the first membrane of first dorsal fin pale in female, second to third membranes dusky (first membrane of first dorsal fin striped in female, second to fourth membranes also striped in D. randalli ), by the absence of a black spot on the upper margin of the pectoral-fin base (black spot present in D. randalli ), and the caudal fin elongate and pointed (rounded in D. randalli ). It is similar to Diplogrammus pygmaeus ( Figure 8 ) from the north-western Indian Ocean as it shares 3–4 spinules on the dorsal edge of the preopercular spine, but differs in having the first spine of the first dorsal fin in the male much longer than the second and third spines (spines subequal in length, or second spine longest in D. pygmaeus ), the anal fin pale in the female, with a narrow distal black streak on each membrane (plain black in female D. pygmaeus ), suborbital region at most with a few faint blotches (with a broad, dark suborbital streak in D. pygmaeus ), the central part of the caudal fin with two or three vertical rows of dark spots, lower one-third pale (upper two-thirds pale, lower one-third with 3 or 4 broad, oblique, dark streaks in D. pygmaeus ), the third membrane of the first dorsal fin dusky, but without a black blotch (with a conspicuous black blotch in D. pygmaeus ), and the caudal fin elongate and pointed (rounded in D. pygmaeus ).

Distribution and habitat

Red Sea ( Saudi Arabia) ( Figure 1 ); known from Al Wajh and Al Lith regions and Farasan Islands. The species has been collected in shallow waters, at depths of 0.5– 8 m, on coral gravel or silty sand bottom near coral reefs.

Remarks

This new species is apparently replacing Diplogrammus infulatus on the eastern shores of the central Red Sea; D. infulatus has hitherto only been recorded from the western shores, and from the southern tip of the Sinai.

The similar species Diplogrammus pygmaeus was originally described from two specimens from the Gulf of Oman, and was characterized by the first to third dorsalfin spines subequal in length. Randall et al. (1994) reported three additional specimens from Jana Island ( Saudi Arabia, Gulf), and wrote that two males have long filamentous first dorsal spine. Material from the Gulf, including a specimen from Abu Dhabi, was examined by the first author who confirmed that the second dorsalfin spine is longest in these specimens, not the first.

Figures

Figure 1. Map of collecting localities of Diplogrammus in the Red Sea. (Stars) D. gruveli; (squares) D. infulatus; (triangles) D. paucispinis; (circles) D. randalli.

Figure 4. Diplogrammus infulatus, HUJ 10459, Eritrea, Dahlak Archipelago, Nocra (from Fricke 1983a: figure 152). Male, 53.3 mm SL: (A) lateral view; (B) left preopercular spine. Female, 39.2 mm SL: (C) lateral view; (D) left preopercular spine.

Figure 5. Diplogrammus infulatus. (A) Male, Egypt, Gulf of Aqaba, Ras Gamila, 1 m depth, S. V. Bogorodsky; (B) male, southern Egypt, Shams Alam, 1 m depth, S. V. Bogorodsky; (C) female, Sudan, J. E. Randall.

Figure 6. Diplogrammus paucispinis, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk Province, south of Al Wajh. SMF 34912, male, holotype, 27.0 mm SL: (A) lateral view; (B) left preopercular spine. KAUMM 13, female, paratype, 22.3 mm SL: (C) lateral view.

Figure 7. Diplogrammus paucispinis, male, holotype, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk Province, south of Al Wajh S. V. Bogorodsky, 12 June 2013: (A) SMF 34912, holotype, male, south of Al Wajh, Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia, S. V. Bogorodsky, lateral view; (B) SMF 34949, male, 39.1 mm SL, Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia, S. Traenkner, dorsal view.

Figure 8. Diplogrammus pygmaeus, BPBM 30931, male, 22 mm SL, Gulf, Jana Island, J. E. Randall.

Figure 11. Male first dorsal fin in species of Diplogrammus. (A) D. gruveli; (B) D. infulatus; (C) D. paucispinis; (D) D. randalli; (E) D. pygmaeus; (F) D. goramensis; (G) D. xenicus.