Barbulifer enigmaticus, Joyeux, Jean-Christophe, Van, James L. & Macieira, Raphael Mariano, 2009

Joyeux, Jean-Christophe, Van, James L. & Macieira, Raphael Mariano, 2009, Barbulifer enigmaticus, a new seven-spined goby (Pisces: Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the southwestern Atlantic, Zootaxa 2022, pp. 58-68 : 59-64

Barbulifer enigmaticus sp. nov.

Figs. 1–3 .

Synonymy. Gobiosoma nudum [not Meek & Hildebrand, 1928].— Menezes & Figueiredo, 1985: 69, fig. 105 [misidentification; material from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo, Brazil].— Carvalho-Filho, 1999: 210 [listed].— Moura et al., 2003: 99 [listed]).— Froese & Pauly, 2007: webpage, illustration [listed, ink drawing from Menezes & Figueiredo, 1985].

Holotype. ESPÍRITO SANTO, BRAZIL: CI-UFES 0 239 (1 specimen, TL 24.4 mm, SL 20.1 mm, male; tidepool, Praia dos Castelhanos, Anchieta, 20º 50' 02.0" S, 40º 37' 16.0" W, collectors R.M. Macieira, J.-C. Joyeux, C.R. Pimentel & P.J. Sant'Ana, March 2007).

Paratypes. ESPÍRITO SANTO, BRAZIL: UF 170389, formerly CI-UFES 0 101 (1 specimen, TL 15.9 mm, SL 13.8 mm, unsexed; tidepool, Praia dos Castelhanos, Anchieta, collectors R.M. Macieira & E.R.S. Almeida, 21 August 2005, cleared and stained); CI-UFES 0 238 (1 specimen, TL 21.4 mm, SL 17.2 mm, male; captured with holotype); MZUFBA 0 3903, formerly CI-UFES 0 240 (1 specimen, TL 20.0 mm, SL 16.9 mm, male; captured with holotype); CI-UFES 0 241 (1 specimen, TL 23.0 mm, SL 19.1 mm, female; captured with holotype); MZUFBA 0 3904, formerly CI-UFES 0 267 (3 specimens, TL 14.2–15.5 mm, SL 11.8–12.5 mm, all of indeterminate sex; tidepool, Praia dos Castelhanos, Anchieta, collectors J.-C. Joyeux, R.M. Macieira, J.L. Gasparini & C.R. Pimentel, 24 August 2006); ZUEC 6322, extracted from CI-UFES 0 268 (3 specimens, TL 20.0– 21.8 mm, SL 16.1–17.2 mm, 1 male and 2 females; tidepool, Praia dos Castelhanos, Anchieta, collectors J.-C. Joyeux, R.M. Macieira, J.L. Gasparini & P.J. Sant'Ana, 0 4 November 2006); UFPB 6409, extracted from CI-UFES 0 268 (2 specimens, TL 21.1–21.6 mm, SL 17.0– 17.6 mm, 1 male and 1 female; same data as ZUEC 6322); UF 170390, extracted from CI-UFES 0 268 (1 specimen, cleared and stained, TL 21.3 mm, SL 17.1 mm SL, male; same data as ZUEC 6322); CI-UFES 0 269 (4 specimens, TL 13.0–14.0 mm, SL 10.7–14.1 mm, 1 male and 3 individuals of indeterminate sex; same data as ZUEC 6322); AMNH 241114, extracted from CI-UFES 0 269 (1 specimen, cleared and stained, TL 18.6 mm, SL 15.3 mm, female; same data as ZUEC 6322); UF 170391, extracted from CI-UFES 0 269 (1 specimen, TL 17.4 mm, SL 14.3 mm, male; same data as ZUEC 6322).

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL: MZUSP 65972 (2 specimens, TL 24.9–26.0, SL 20.0– 21.5 mm, 2 males; Manguinhos, collector Expedition of the Department of Biology; 0 6 August 1963).

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL: MZUSP 65971 (4 specimens, TL 21.1–28.7 mm, SL 17.0– 23.5 mm, 2 males and 2 females; tidepools at the mouth of Rio Acaraú, Praia do Itaguá, Ubatuba, SP, collector J.L. Figueiredo; July 1970).

Diagnosis. No scale anywhere on body; no basicaudal scales. Cephalic head pores B'FH' + M'O' in small individuals, B'FH' + M'NO' in adults. No median barbel on snout. A single short barbel on each side of head between the eye and upper jaw, directly below anterior nostril. A single median pair of short barbels on chin. D 1 VII, D2 13(12-13), A 11(10-11), P 19(18-20). Length to 24 mm SL (29 mm TL).

Description. Osteology from the three cleared and stained specimens (UF 170389, UF 170390, AMNH 241114) as follows: vertebrae 11 + 16 = 27 (3 specimens); pterygiophore formula 3- 221110 (2) or 3–212110 (1); anal pterygiophores anterior to first haemal spine 2 (3); lower procurrent 7 (2), 8 (1); upper procurrent 7 (1), 8 (2); lower segmented rays of caudal 8 (3); upper segmented rays 8 (1), 9 (2); total segmented rays 16 (1), 17 (2); epurals number 2 (3); hypurals 1/2 only slightly fused to hypurals 3/4 (3); basihyal spatulate (3); preopercle with bridge to symplectic, not connecting (3); no bridge on symplectic (3); no crest on frontal (3); upper jaw teeth with 3 (1), 3–4 (2) rows anteriorly, reduced to a single row posteriorly; all teeth conical, about equal in size; no canines; lower jaw teeth with 3 (1), 3–4 (2) rows anteriorly, reduced to 1 row posteriorly, all teeth conical; no canines; the metapterygoid process is narrow, elongate and only slightly overlapping quadrate, i.e. just touches the rear edge of the cartilaginous edge of the quadrate (3); no maxillary process (3); branchiostegals 5 (3); third parapophyses is not (2) or very slightly expanded (1).

The body is totally naked. The upper lip is free, rostral frenum not present. The anterior nostril is elongate, posterior nostril a short tube. A single barbel on each side of head, below anterior nostril and in front of eye, directly above upper lip; short (less than pupil diameter) and flattened. A single median pair of mental (mandibular) barbels, short (less than pupil diameter), rigid, more or less conical, often with bases slightly enlarged and tips rounded or pointed. The mental barbels are generally erect ( Fig. 1 , 2 and 3 ), but sometimes directed backwards and pressed under the lower jaw. The distance between the bases of the barbels is about equal to the barbel length or less. No other barbels present on body, no median barbel on tip of snout. The tongue is free, its tip bilobed. The first gill slit is completely open (without membrane to inner gill cover). The gill opening is restricted to the base of the pectoral fin.

The cephalic lateral line system consists of three pores: B' in front of the posterior nostril, F (posterior ocular pore) at posterior margin of orbit and H’ at the posterior end of the canal, on a vertical above the anterior margin of pre-opercle; no interorbital pore; no posterior ocularscapular pores. Two preopercular pores on anterior margin of preopercle in small individuals; a third preopercular pore opens in individuals above 12 to 14 mm TL (that approximately corresponds to the size at which sex becomes recognizable through the shape of the urogenital papilla); number of preopercle pores may differ between left and right sides (i.e. one specimen from MZUFBA 0 3904 has 3 pores on right side and 2 on left side). Therefore, the general formula is B'FH' + M'O' (4), B'FH' + M'NO' (13) or combination thereof (1). The supraorbital canals are fused between the eyes with only a single canal present. The cephalic sensory papillae (free neuromasts) are arranged in a transverse pattern with vertical rows 2, 3 and 5i extending below the level of row d; three vertical rows anterior of row b. Mandibular papillae patterns difficult to enumerate, due to small size of specimens.

The spines of the first dorsal fin not elongate; distance between spines 5/6 and 6/7 larger than between spines 1–5. The rays of the second dorsal and anal fins are bifurcated, the last of each fin divided at its base. All pectoral rays branched in adults, upper rays in juveniles not branched. The pelvic fin rays are bifurcated, the fifth ray generally longest. The pelvic fins are united with a well developed frenum. Pelvic fin reaching the anus in small (juvenile) individuals extending three-fourth the distance in adults.

Counts (those of holotype indicated by an asterisk): total elements first dorsal 7 (24)*; total elements second dorsal 12 (1), 13 (23)*; total elements anal 10 (2), 11 (15)*; pectoral fin rays 18 (6), 19 (31)*, 20 (8); segmented caudal rays 16 (6)*, 17 (16); pelvic fin 1 spine + 5 bifurcated rays (26)*.

Measurements of holotype in mm and expressed as percent of standard length (SL ± error), head length (HL ± error) or pupil diameter (PD; see Methods for error): body depth at first dorsal 4.4 mm, 22 ± 2 %SL; body depth at anal 3.6 mm, 18 ± 1 %SL; least depth of caudal peduncle 2.5 mm, 12 ± 2 %SL; caudal peduncle length 4.1 mm, 21 ± 1 %SL; base of first dorsal 3.8 mm, 19 ± 1 %SL; base of second dorsal 5.0 mm, 25 ± 2 %SL; base of anal 3.4 mm, 17 ± 1 %SL; pectoral length 4.1 mm, 21 ± 1 %SL; pelvic length 3.6 mm, 18 ± 1 %SL; caudal length 4.7 mm, 24 ± 1 %SL; first dorsal spine length 1.9 mm, 9 ± 1 %SL; head length 6.0 mm, 30 ± 1 %SL; snout length (to posterior edge of eye) 2.7 mm, 45 ± 2 %HL; snout length (to anterior rim of eye) 1.1 mm, 19 ± 1 %HL; eye diameter 1.4 mm, 23 ± 2 %HL; post-orbital distance 3.3 mm, 56 ± 2 %HL; interorbital width 1.5 mm, 25 ± 1 %HL; head width 5 mm, 84 ± 4 %HL; head depth 4.3 mm, 72 ± 3 %HL; upper jaw length 2.2 mm, 37 ± 2 %HL; pupil diameter 0.6 mm, 10 ± 1 %HL; face barbel length 0.3 mm, 50 %PD; chin barbel length 0.5 mm, 76 %PD.

Males with a triangular, wide, flattened urogenital papilla. Females with a large papilla, slightly tapering (i.e. almost straight from base to top), not flattened, widely open at its top. The rim of the opening crenate and with numerous melanophores. Individuals of indeterminate sex, probably juveniles, with urogenital papilla similar to that of males but shorter, less flattened and rounder at top.

Coloration in fresh and preserved specimens. The body, in life, is generally reddish orange on a beige background. The upper body is reddish due to the presence of numerous erythropores, and the lower part of the body is blackish due to the presence of melanophores. The belly is yellowish beige with scattered melanophores. The chromatophores on the head and body consist of either small spots or circles (depending upon the dilatation of chromatophores) and the pattern is rather constant for individual specimens. Head pattern frequently consists of a band of chromatophores between the antero-ventral edge of eye and middle of upper lip, another band from infero-posterior edge of eye to corner of mouth, and a third from posterior edge of eye running horizontally above pre-opercle. The body varies from almost uniformly spotted to a pattern of vertical bars and spots. There are generally eight double vertical bars with pale central areas of scattered chromatophores; the first located just behind the eyes, second on the nape, third and fourth under the first dorsal fin, fifth to seventh under second dorsal fin, and the last on caudal peduncle. The bars are better defined on the upper surface of the body; on the lower surface, they tend to be more diffuse, enlarged and merged with adjacent bars. There are two oblique, forward-pointing bars on the first dorsal fin continuous with the two double bars on body. The second dorsal fin has three double, forward pointing bars, continuous with the body bars below. Anterior bars of the first and second dorsals are the darkest. Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins sometimes clear, most often pigmented. Pectoral and pelvic fins possess scattered dark melanophores; the posterior half fin is clear in females. Anal fin with three horizontal stripes in adult (apparently breeding) males, lightly pigmented at base, heavily pigmented on middle and clear at edge; anal fin clear in females. Caudal fin with reddish-orange striations, following segmented fin rays, on a clear background. Base of caudal fin and upper half of pectoral fin-base generally heavily pigmented.

Life colors rapidly fade to reddish brown on a beige background in freshly dead or preserved specimens. Color in alcohol is similar to that of living and freshly dead specimens except that the reddish and brown colors fade to brown and dark beige; background darkens to beige or light brown. Most of the paler color patterns of fins fades or disappears.

Derivation of name. The species name, enigmaticus , refers to the species identity remaining unresolved for many years. Proposed common names are goateed goby in English and amborê barbichudo in Portuguese in reference to the "beard" being essentially reduced to the median pair of barbels on the chin (i.e. a goatee, uma barbicha).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Cephalic sensory papillae and lateral line canal pore pattern in Barbulifer enigmaticus. Composite based on UF 170389 (a specimen that has only two preoperclar pores) and MZUSP 65971 (for the anterior part of d-line of free neuromasts). Pores M´and O´(on pre-opercule edge) are not directly visible from this angle. Pore B´is behind and slightly below the posterior nostril. Drawing by J. - C. Joyeux.

FIGURE 3. MZUFBA 0 3904, a juvenile Barbulifer enigmaticus of indeterminate sex, 14.2 mm TL, 11.8 mm SL. Drawing by J. - C. Joyeux.

FIGURE 1. a. CI-UFES 0 239, Holotype of Barbulifer enigmaticus, an adult male photographed shortly after fixation in formalin 10 % and preservation in ethyl alcohol 70 %. 24.4 mm TL, 20.1 mm SL. Photograph by R. M. Macieira. b. ZUEC 6322, paratype of Barbulifer enigmaticus, a male photographed shortly after capture and fixation in formalin 10 %. 21.0 mm TL, 16.7 mm SL. Photograph by J. L. Gasparini.