Buenia jeffreysii ( Günther, 1867 )

Kovačić, Marcelo, Ordines, Francesc & Schliewen, Ulrich K., 2018, A new species of Buenia (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the western Mediterranean slope bottoms, the redescription of Buenia jeffreysi and the first Balearic record of Buenia affinis, Zootaxa 4392 (2), pp. 267-288 : 275-282

Buenia jeffreysii ( Günther, 1867)

Gobius jeffreysii Günther 1867

Syntypes. BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5 (3): male, 34.2 mm SL, caudal fin damaged; male, 42.4 mm SL, caudal fin damaged; female, 37.7 mm SL, caudal fin damaged ( Fig 6a ). All material from Scotland, Off the Hebrides, North Atlantic, depth 145–165 m, coll. J.G. Jeffreys.

Non-type material. PMR VP3769 , two males, 42.6+ 8.9 mm and 40.3 + 8.5 mm ( Fig 6b ); ZSM 45583, female, 50.0 + 9.9 mm. All material from Norway, Lysefjorden, N 58.9490, E 6.1449, sand with few cobbles, depth 30–35 m, 16th October 2015, coll. R. Svensen & U. Schliewen.

Diagnosis. (1) anterior oculoscapular canal normally closed with pores σ, λ, Κ,α, ρ; (2) posterior oculoscapular canal present; (3) suborbital row c of 7-8 papillae; (4) LL 28–30; (5) P 17–18; (6) D 1 II, the longest spine of D1, with elongate filament, backwards reaching to D2 beginning in males when folded down, in females not reaching D 2 I; (7) V anterior membrane 2/5 of spinous ray in midline depth (the anterior membrane damaged on syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5); (8) head length 28.5–31% of SL; (9) eye 28.7–30.6% of head length; (10) first dorsal fin base 9.6–10.4% of SL; (11) pelvic to anus 22,1–24.1% of SL; (12) second dorsal fin base 17.8–21.5% of SL; (13) snout to origin of first dorsal fin 34.0–37.4% of SL; (14) cheek depth 17.4–20.7% of head length.

......continued on the next page Description. General morphology ( Fig. 6 ). Body proportions are given in Table II. Body moderately elongate, laterally compressed towards caudal fin. Head 28.5–31.0 of SL, moderately depressed, its greatest width being 58.5–69.4% of its length, with a nearly horizontal predorsal profile. Snout moderately extent but shorter than eye, 78.9–94.7% in eye length, dorsal profile of snout moderately sloping. Eyes dorsolateral, close to each other, slightly extending above dorsal profile in some specimens, 29.2–30.6 in the length of the head. Anterior nostril short, tubular, erect, without process from rim; posterior nostril pore-like, near orbit, with erected rim. Mouth oblique, lower jaw projecting beyond the upper, posterior angle of jaws below anterior half of pupil. Rows of teeth in lower jaw with one row of large outer teeth, one to two intermediate rows of smaller teeth and inner row with teeth nearly as long as the outer ones. Rows of teeth in upper jaw with one row of large outer teeth, one intermediate row of smaller teeth and inner row with teeth nearly as long as the outer ones. Teeth in outer and inner rows pointed and moderately curved towards the buccal cavity in both jaws. Tongue reduced to short flap free from the floor of the mouth (not checked on syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 to avoid damage of type material). Branchiostegal membrane attached to entire lateral margin of isthmus from immediately anterior to near pectoral fin base.

Fins. D 1 VI (VI: 6); D 2 I /9–10 (9: 3, 10: 3); A I/9 (9: 5) (A too damaged for count in male 42.4 mm SL syntype of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5); C 13 branched rays, 15 segmented rays (C rays too damaged on syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5 material for these counts); P 17–18 (17: 3, 18:5, one pectoral fin left on non-type material and male 34.2 mm SL syntype of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5, V I/5 + 5/I (I/5 + 5/I: 6). Fin-bases and lengths in proportion to standard body length are given in Table II. D 1 II the longest, D 1 II with elongate filament in males, backwards reaching to D 2 I when folded down, in females not reaching D 2 I. Fin membrane of D 1 VI not connected with base of D 2 I. D2 commences at vertical of urogenital papilla, with last ray over or slightly behind vertical of last A ray. A commences below second to third segmented ray of D2 (second in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 material). C rounded (C in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5 too damaged to check the shape). P uppermost rays within membrane (P in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 too damaged to check), P rays all branched except in some specimens lowermost ray unbranched (not visible in syntype male 34.2 SL of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5, due to damaged P), ending back before D 2 I (P tips in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 too damaged to check). V complete and rounded, reaching behind anus in males, not in females. V anterior membrane about 2/5 of spinous ray in midline depth (could not be measured in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 due to material state).

Squamation. Body covered with ctenoid scales. Predorsal area, including nape and along D1 base to D 1 IV– VI, opercle and cheek naked. Breast scaled with cycloid scales (scale type not confirmed on syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 since only the scale pouches were left on breast), scales along ventral midline 3–4 (3 in syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5). Scales in lateral series 28–30 (left and right side: 28:2, 29:1, 30:4), in transverse series 7 (on syntypes counts confirmed only on female 37.7 mm SL syntype of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5, left and right side, and both sides in other two syntypes damages of lateral surfaces that prevent longitudinal and transversal counts).

......continued on the next page Specimen BMNH BMNH BMNH PMR PMR ZSM

1867.8.24.3-5 1867.8.24.3-5 1867.8.24.3-5 VP3769 VP3769 45583 Lateral line system ( Fig. 7 ). Head with anterior oculoscapular canal with pores σ, λ, Κ, α, ρ. Posterior oculoscapular canal with pores ρ 1 and ρ 2 or as open furrow. Preopercular canals with pores γ, δ, ε. In syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5 canal roof membrane damaged and canal space was filled with send particles. Rows and number of sensory papillae as follows (from comparative material and single stained female 37.7 mm SL syntype of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5,): (1) preorbital: snout with three rows in median preorbital series, superior row r close to pore σ (2 larger papillae), inferior row s with two sections, s 1 (1) close to nostrils, s 3 (1) above upper lip. Lateral series c in three parts: superior c 2 (1–2) between anterior and posterior nostrils, middle c 1 (1-2 larger papillae) behind and below anterior nostril and inferior c 1,2 (1-2 larger papillae) above upper lip. (2) suborbital: rows a and c, including cp, without transverse proliferation; a longitudinal (2-3 larger papillae) below rear part of eye; c (7-8 larger papillae) longitudinal below frontal and middle part of eye starting anteriorly with two papillae above below each other at vertical of front border of eye, posteriorly ending with or without remote papilla near row b beginning. Two cp larger papillae below a row, lower cp’ anterior to upper cp. Longitudinal row b short (3– 5), anteriorly beginning below rear border of eye. Longitudinal row d distantly separated in supralabial (8-10) and horizontal part back on cheek (2–4). (3) preoperculo-mandibular: external row e and internal row i divided into anterior (e: 15–19, i: 10–14), and posterior sections (e: 13–19, i: 10–14); row f (1–2). (4) oculoscapular: anterior longitudinal row x 1 divided in anterior section (4–6) vertical to pore γ and posterior section (1) above between pore ρ and posterior oculoscapular canal, posterior longitudinal row x 2 (1–3) above row y; row z (3–4) behind pore γ, rows q (1) and u (1) larger papillae behind pore ρ, row y single papilla above posterior edge of opercle. Axillary rows as 1 (3–4), as 2 (2–3), as 3 (2–4), la 1 (1–2) and la 2 (1–2) present. (5) opercular: transverse row ot (18–20); superior longitudinal row os (8-12) (in syntype BMNH 1867.8.24.3–5, female 37.7 mm SL surface damaged on opercles and row os not visible); inferior longitudinal row oi (4–6). (6) anterior dorsal: rows n and o as single papillae, longitudinal row g (3–5), row m (1–2) present (in female 37.7 mm SL syntype of lot BMNH 1867.8.24.3– 5, dorsal area in poor state, rows g and m not visible) and row h continuous (6-11).

Colour of preserved specimens in alcohol ( Fig. 6 ). Syntypes BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5: Body and head grey brown, no colouration pattern could be recognized, but individual melanophores visible, with different density depending on the area. Upper part of body more intensively pigmented anteriorly, pigmentation decreasing posteriorly and from lateral midline down to ventral side pigmentation more or less completely missing. On head cheek is the most intensively pigmented, melanophores also dorsally behind eyes and from eye to upper lip. Underside of head and prepelvic area unpigmented. Eyes grey dark. Prepectoral area, caudal fin base and anal fin base with visible melanophores. Fins transparent.

Non-type material: Body and head yellowish white, with dark brown markings. No distinct sexual dimorphism is evident except for the more intensive pigmentation of V in males. Upper part of body more intensively dark brown pigmented, pigmentation decreasing below lateral midline and is almost lost on ventral side. Melanophores on upper part of body scattered irregularly, more grouped on some scales or around their edges. Five intensive dark brown marks are distributed along lateral midline: one below anterior part of D1, two at the beginning and end of D2, one at caudal peduncle and the fifth one is mark on the end of caudal peduncle at caudal fin origin. Underside, including breast and belly, yellowish white. Head also yellowish white, with dark brown pigmentation, slightly more intensively pigmented on cheek below mideye, also dorsally behind eyes and from eye to upper lip. Underside of head and prepelvic area whitish. Eyes dark. D1 with two oblique rows of spots, D2 with three to four oblique rows of spots. C and A densely pigmented with tiny melanophores. A also with darker band along tip. P transparent, with oval mark on the beginning of upper rays. V pigmented as C and A in males, tiny melanophores much more rare on female V.

Ecological and geographical distribution. Our recently collected material of B. jeffreysii from Norway was collected on sandy bottom with few cobbles at depth 30- 35 m. Habitat preferences for this species are poorly documented. However, the species apparently occurs on various bottom types: sandy bottom with cobbles (present research), gravel, shell debris and corallines ( Le Danois 1910, Miller 1963), sand ( Byrkjedal et al. 2016), various mixed bottom like sandy muddy or mixed sediment including shell, rubble with a mud or silt component ( Louisy 2015), but it was not reported from the pure mud. The depth range in Miller (1986) for this species is 5– 330 m.

B. jeffreysii was described from off the Hebrids (Scotland). It is cold temperate Atlantic species ranging from northernmost locations at the Lofoten islands north of the Arctic Circle, 67°30’ N ( Byrkjedal et al. 2016) to southernmost locations from the Celtic Sea ( Miller, 1986) and Brittany (estuaries of rivers Morlaix and Penzé), 48°40’ N ( Le Danois 1910). The single recorded water temperature at collecting depth was 7.4° C ( Byrkjedal et al. 2016).

Remarks. The original description of B. jeffreysii in Günther (1867) is a short description based on a three specimens reporting rough estimates of their total length, counts of dorsal and anal fins and scales in lateral series, and a few qualitative shape descriptions, a few morphometric ratios and three sentences on colouration. Hence, it is not sufficiently differentiated with regard to presently known congeneric species and even with regard to other European gobies. Therefore, considering recent development in Buenia taxonomy ( Kovačić et al. 2017, present work), a redescription of B. jeffreysii had become necessary.

Figures

FIGURE 6. B. jeffreysii, preserved specimens: a) BMNH 1867.8.24.3-5, syntype, female, 37.7 mm SL, caudal fin damaged, Scotland, off the Hebrides b) PMR VP3769, male, 40.3 + 8.5 mm, Norway, Lysefjorden. Photo by M. Kovačić.

FIGURE 7. B. jeffreysii, head LL sensory papillae and canal pores: PMR VP3769, male, 40.3 + 8.5 mm, Norway, Lysefjorden. Drawing by M. Kovačić.