Synchiropus novaehiberniensis, Fricke, 2016

Fricke, Ronald, 2016, Synchiropus novaehiberniensis, a new species of dragonet from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean, with a review of subgenus Synchiropus (Neosynchiropus) and description of a new subgenus (Teleostei: Callionymidae), Journal of Natural History 50, pp. 3003-3028 : 3015-3024

Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov.

( Figures 1–5 )

New Ireland dragonet

Holotype. NTUM 11377 , 33.2 mm SL, male, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, Kavieng District, 3.7 km west-northwest of Kavieng , 02°33.56' S, 150°45.67' E to 02° 32.92' S, 150°46.53' E, 84–92 m depth, dredge, R / V Alis, St. DW 4505–2 (PNG 3609), 7 September 2014, 12:59–13:29 h.

Paratype. NTUM 11376 , 33.5 mm SL, female, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, Kavieng District, 3 km northwest of Kavieng , 02°33.13' S, 150°46.41' E to 02°33.84' S, 150° 45.46' E, 74–82 m depth, dredge, R / V Alis, St . DW4504-3 ( PNG 3603), 7 September 2014, 12:08–12:42 h .

Diagnosis

A species of the subgenus Synchiropus (Acommissura) with a small branchial opening; head short (3.2–3.6 in SL); eye large (2.5–2.6 in head length); preopercular spine with a short, upcurved main tip, three curved points on its dorsal margin, ventral margin and base smooth; first dorsal fin higher than second dorsal fin, with four spines but no filaments, first spine longest; second dorsal fin distally slightly convex, with eight branched rays (last divided at base); anal fin with seven unbranched rays (last divided at base); 21–22 pectoral-fin rays; caudal fin elongate, distally rounded, slightly asymmetrical (upper rays shorter than lower rays); thorax, lower opercle and pelvic-fin base with small ocelli; back in male with four dark brown saddles; anal fin dark grey.

Description

D IV + 8 [IV + 8]; A vi,1 [vi,1]; P1 i,19,i (total 21; right pectoral fin damaged) [i,19–20,i (total 21–22)]; P2 I,5 [I,5]; C (ii),i,7,ii,(ii) [(ii),i,7,ii,(ii)]. Proportions are given in Tables 1 and 2.

Body elongate and slightly depressed. Head slightly depressed. Eye large. Interorbital moderate, 2.2 [2.1] in eye diameter. Preopercular spine with a short, upcurved main tip and three [three] curved points on its dorsal margin, no antrorse spine at the base, ventral margin smooth, without additional points; preopercular spine formula ― 3 1 ½― 3 1]. Cephalic lateral-line system with a short suborbital branch, ― ―

a disconnected preopercular branch, and a supraoccipital commissure connecting

lines of opposite sides. Occipital region smooth. Supraorbital tentacle present in the

male, slightly behind centre of orbit [lacking in the female paratype]. Body lateral-line

system with several short branches. Urogenital papilla moderately long in the male,

shorter in the female.

First dorsal fin about 1.6 times as high as second dorsal fin in the male, without

filaments, the first spine longest; lower but similarly shaped in the female. Second dorsal

fin distally slightly convex, rays branched, the last divided at its base. Anal fin beginning

on vertical through second [third] ray of second dorsal fin. Anal fin distally nearly

straight; anal-fin rays unbranched, the last divided at its base, the anterior tip bifurcate.

Pectoral fin reaching to base of second anal-fin membrane when adpressed. Pelvic fin

reaching to base of second anal-fin ray when adpressed. Membrane connecting fifth

pelvic-fin ray with pectoral-fin base ending opposite sixth or seventh pectoral-fin ray

(counted from above). Caudal fin in both sexes slightly elongate, slightly asymmetrical in

the male with the lower rays longer than the upper rays, without filaments, nearly

symmetrical in the female.

Colour immediately after collection ( Figures 2 and 3 )

Male: Head anteriorly orange, posteriorly rose, body rose; throat and lower opercle with golden ocelli surrounded by orange. Lower one-third of eye orange, middle third silver, upper third rose. Back with a series of four black saddles, the first behind the occiput, the second below first dorsal fin, the third below the second membrane of second dorsal fin, the fourth below the posterior two membranes of second dorsal fin; lower sides of body with a series of five large white blotches, and a number of white spots surrounding the anal-fin base. First dorsal fin pale, with a series of short vertical dark streaks in the lower third, and the distal third dark grey, leaving the margin white. Second dorsal fin pale, with two series of brown spots on the rays, distal membranes with four vertical grey streaks. Anal fin dark grey. Caudal fin pale white, with two rose vertical bands, upper distal margin and lowermost membrane blackish, central distal parts orange. Pelvic fin pale, distally blackish. Pectoral fin translucent.

Female: Similar to male, but the dark saddles on the back are missing.

Colour in preservative

Similar to fresh colouration, except that the orange and rose colours fade to pale white, and that a grey blotch is visible on the base of the preopercular spine.

Female: Similar to male colouration, except that head and body are pale, lacking the dorsal saddles (grey spot on preopercular spine base present); first dorsal fin with only two vertical dark streaks in lower third, second dorsal and pelvic fins plain white.

Sexual dimorphism

The male has a higher first dorsal fin than the female, a more asymmetrical caudal fin, and a different colouration (the most trenchant difference is the presence of black dorsal saddles which are missing in the female).

Distribution

The species is only known from the type locality, off Kavieng , Kavieng District, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea ( Figures 6 , 7 ) . It was collected at depths of 74– 92 m.

Etymology

The name of the new species refers to the type locality, New Ireland, where it is apparently endemic.

Comparisons

The new species is a member of the subgenus Synchiropus (Acommissura) as defined above. It differs from the other species in the subgenera Synchiropus (Acommissura) and Synchiropus (Neosynchiropus) by its three curved points on the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine (one or two in the other species), in the presence of a supraorbital tentacle in the male (tentacle absent in Synchiropus bartelsi , S. circularis , S. marmoratus , S. morrisoni , S. moyeri , S. ocellatus , S. sechellensis , S. stellatus and S. tudorjonesi ), the absence of an antrorse point at the base of the preopercular spine (antrorse point present in S. ijimai and S. sechellensis ), the presence of ocelli on the thorax and lower opercle (no ocelli in S. circularis , S. moyeri and S. sechellensis ), the absence of ocelli or ocellate streaks in the male’ s first dorsal fin (ocelli and/or ocellate streaks present in male S. bartelsi , S. circularis , S. morrisoni , S. ocellatus , S. stellatus and S. tudorjonesi ), and the anal-fin rays unbranched except for the last, which is divided at its base (anal-fin rays branched in S. bartelsi , S. circularis , S. marmoratus , S. moyeri , S. ocellatus and S. stellatus ).

A key to callionymid fish species of New Guinea is presented below to distinguish Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov. from potentially co-occurring species.

Key to species of the family Callionymidae of New Guinea

1. Opercle with a free flap of skin................................................................................................... 2

– Opercle without a free flap of skin .......................................................................................... 3

2. Body with lateral fold of skin below LL; lower lip without fleshy papillae; A rays unbranched .................................................................................................... Diplogrammus goramensis

– Body without lateral fold of skin below LL; dorsal margin of lower lip with a row of erect fleshy papillae; A rays branched .............................................. Eleutherochir opercularis

3. Sides of body with a number of small dermal cirri; few but relatively large teeth in the jaws .................................................................................................................... Anaora tentaculata

– Sides of body without small dermal cirri; many small villiform teeth in bands in the jaws ........................................................................................................................................................ 4

4. Snout shorter than eye diameter; soft D rays branched (in specimens longer than three cm); gill opening sublateral; no antrorse spine present at preopercular spine base ...... ................................................................................................................................................ ( Synchiropus ) 5

– Snout equal to, or longer than, eye diameter; soft D rays unbranched; gill opening dorsal; antrorse spine at base of preopercular spine .................................... ( Callionymus ) 15

5. Colour in life bright red with black pectoral-fin base; first dorsal fin in male without ocelli, but with four oblique ocellated bands reaching from first to third membranes; first dorsal fin in female mainly black .............................................. Synchiropus tudorjonesi

– Colour in life not bright red with black pectoral-fin base; first dorsal fin in males not as described above, if ocellated bands are present they would not reach the first membrane; first dorsal fin in female not mainly black .................................................... 6

6. Preopercular spine with one or two dorsal points additional to main tip............... 7

– Preopercular spine with three to five dorsal points additional to main tip ......... 12

7. Preopercular spine with one dorsal point additional to main tip .............................. 8

– Preopercular spine with two dorsal points additional to main tip ................................... ............................................................................................................................... Synchiropus bartelsi

8. Sides of body with a series of large ocelli ................................ Synchiropus circularis

– Sides of body without ocelli ........................................................................................................ 9

9. Lateral line with two ventral branches below the occipital region; in males first dorsal fin with ocelli on second and third membranes ............ Synchiropus stellatus

– Lateral line without ventral branches below the occipital region; in males first dorsal fin with ocelli on first and second membranes .................................................. 10

10. Anal-fin rays unbranched, the last divided at its base; first spine of first dorsal fin in male much longer then fourth spine .................................................. Synchiropus orstom

– Anal-fin rays branched (occasionally except for the first), the last divided at its base; first spine of first dorsal fin in male not much longer then fourth spine ............. 11

11. Body colour overall red in life; first dorsal fin in male usually with two (rarely three) ocelli; caudal fin with irregular blotches in three or four vertical bands ....................... ................................................................................................................................ Synchiropus moyeri

– Body colour overall brown in life; first dorsal fin in male usually with four (rarely three to six) ocelli; caudal fin blotches in two vertical bands Synchiropus ocellatus

12. Distal margin of second dorsal fin straight or concave; rays of second dorsal fin unbranched (except last which is divided at base) .................... Synchiropus claudiae

– Distal margin of second dorsal fin convex; rays of second dorsal fin branched (last divided at base) .............................................................................................................................. 13

13. Pectoral-fin rays 21; first spine of first dorsal fin in male without a filament .............. ........................................................................................ Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov.

– Pectoral-fin rays 28–35; first spine of first dorsal fin in male with a long filament 14

14. Caudal peduncle depth less than 5.6 in SL; interorbital more than 1.8 in eye; brown, with blue lines and spots .......................................................................... Synchiropus splendidus

– Caudal peduncle depth more than 5.7 in SL; interorbital less than 1.5 in eye; olive green (preserved: light blue), with large ocellate dark olive blotches ............................ ......................................................................................................................... Synchiropus picturatus

15. Lower margin of preopercular spines with antrorse serrae ...... Callionymus alisae

– Lower margin of preopercular spines without antrorse serrae .................................. 16

16. Upper margin of preopercular spine with small antrorse serrae .............................. 17

– Upper margin of preopercular spine with large curved points ................................. 26

17. Second dorsal fin with seven or eight rays (the last divided at base)..................... 18

– Second dorsal fin with nine rays (the last divided at base) ........................................ 20

18. Second dorsal fin with seven rays (the last divided at base); anal fin with six rays (the last divided at base) .................................................................. Callionymus brevianalis

– Second dorsal fin eight nine rays (the last divided at base); anal fin with seven rays (the last divided at base) ............................................................................................................ 19

19. Caudal fin in male nearly not asymmetrical, length of upper rays similar to lower rays; first dorsal fin in male plain dark grey ........................ Callionymus madangensis

– Caudal fin in male strongly asymmetrical, upper rays much shorter than lower rays; first dorsal fin in male light, with a few indistinct dark spots ............................................ .................................................................................................................... Callionymus pleurostictus

20. Anal fin with nine rays (the last divided at its base) ...................................................... 21

– Anal fin with eight rays (the last divided at its base) .................................................... 22

21. First spine of first dorsal fin in male detached from second spine, with a long filament; ventral margin of preopercular spine convex .............................................. ........................................................................................................ Callionymus fi lamentosus

– First spine of first dorsal fin in male connected with second spine, not filamentous; ventral margin of preopercular spine concave .............................. Callionymus belcheri

22. Caudal fin in male extremely elongate, at least nearly as long as standard length ........................................................................................................................................... 23

– Caudal fin in male relatively short, at most half of standard length ............................... .................................................................................................................................. Callionymus colini

23. First to third dorsal spines in male with filaments .................. Callionymus neptunius

– At most one filament in first dorsal fin may be ............................................................... 24 24. First dorsal spine in male with filament ....................................................................................... ..................................................................... Callionymus sp. 1 (to be described by R. Fricke)

– Dorsal fin without filaments in both sexes .......................................................................... 25

25. Dorsal margin of preopercular spine with seven to ten antrorse serrae; third membrane of first dorsal fin with large black blotch .................... Callionymus a fi lum

– Dorsal margin of preopercular spine with five to six antrorse serrae; third membrane of first dorsal fin without black blotch .................................................... Callionymus zythros

26. Anal fin with seven rays .............................................................................................................. 27

– Anal fin with eight to ten rays ................................................................................................. 28

27. First dorsal fin in male low, first spine at most with a short filament ............................ ................................................................................................................................ Callionymus russelli

– First dorsal fin in male very high, first spine with a long filament ................................... .......................................................................................................................... Callionymus enneactis

28. Preopercular spine dorsally with a small antrorse barb followed by two large, curved points; median two caudal-fin rays unbranched ........................................ Callionymus petersi

– Preopercular spine dorsally without an antrorse barb but with several large curved points; median caudal-fin rays branched ............................................................................. 29

29. At least first and second spines of first dorsal fin in male with long filaments. 30

– First dorsal fin without filaments ...................................................... Callionymus macdonaldi

30. Only first and second spines of first dorsal fin filamentous in male ................................ ................................................................................................................................ Callionymus keeleyi

– First dorsal fin high in male, all four spines filamentous Callionymus octostigmatus

Figures

Figure 1. Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov., NTUM 11377, holotype, male, 33.2 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3.7 km west-northwest of Kavieng (preserved specimen). (A) Lateral view, left side (scale indicates 5 mm). (B) Left preopercular spine (scale indicates 1 mm). NTUM 11376, paratype, female, 33.5 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3 km northwest of Kavieng (preserved specimen). (C) Lateral view, left side (scale indicates 5 mm). (D) Left preopercular spine (scale indicates 1 mm).

Figure 2. Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov., NTUM 11377, holotype, male, 33.2 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3.7 km west-northwest of Kavieng (fresh specimen). Lateral view (Photograph: Jhen-Nien Chen).

Figure 3. Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov., NTUM 11377, holotype, male, 33.2 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3.7 km west-northwest of Kavieng (fresh specimen). Dorsal view (Photograph: Jhen-Nien Chen).

Figure 4. Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov., NTUM 11376, paratype, female, 33.5 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3 km northwest of Kavieng (preserved specimen). Lateral view (Photograph: Jhen-Nien Chen).

Figure 5. Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov., NTUM 11376, paratype, female, 33.5 mm SL, Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province, 3 km northwest of Kavieng (preserved specimen). Dorsal view (Photograph: Jhen-Nien Chen).

Figure 6. Distribution of Synchiropus novaebhibernensis sp. nov., in the eastern Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean. Holotype, NTUM 11377 (circle); paratype, NTUM 11376 (triangle).

Figure 7. Distribution of the subgenus Synchiropus (Acommissura) subgen. nov. in the Indo-West Pacific. 1 Synchiropus ijimai. 2 Synchiropus morrisoni. 3 Synchiropus novaehiberniensis sp. nov. 4 Synchiropus sechellensis. 5 Synchiropus tudorjonesi.