Glossogobius multipapillus, Hoese, Douglass F. & Allen, Gerald R., 2015

Hoese, Douglass F. & Allen, Gerald R., 2015, Descriptions of three new species of Glossogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 3986 (2), pp. 201-216 : 208-210

Glossogobius multipapillus n. sp.

Papillate Goby

Figs. 2 b, 5, 6, Tables 1–6

Glossogobius sp. 4. — Allen, 1991: 184, pl. 15, fig. 11 ( Papua New Guinea).

Holotype. WAM P.27790–009, 56 mm SL male, Kaili Creek, 12 km E of Kokoda (8°55'S, 147°47'E), G. Allen, 12 Sept., 1982. Paratypes AMS I.234328–002, (ex WAM P.27785–003), 16(36–49), Safia Creek, 5 km NE of Safia station, (9°34'S, 148°40'E), G. Allen, 10 Sept., 1982; AMS I.25872–002, 2 (26–39), Safia, Bulmacau cattle station Creek (8° 45'S, 148°20'E), W. Ivantsoff and J. Paska, 16 Sept., 1985; USNM 260556 4(31–49), forest stream about 5 mi W of Popondetta (8°47'S, 148°10'E), T. Roberts, 3 Aug., 1975; WAM P.27785–003, 40(19–52), Safia Creek, 5 km NE of Safia station (9°34'S, 148°40'E), G. Allen, 10 Sept., 1982; WAM P.27790–002, 7(19–48) taken with holotype; WAM P.27791–003 27, (21–54), tributary, 10 km S of Popondetta (8°47'S, 148°13'E), G. Allen, 12 Sept., 1982.

Non– type material. AMS I.46509-001 (ex WAM P.27791–003), 2(41–50), 10 km south of Popondetta (8°47'S, 148°06'E), G. Allen and D. Coates, 12 Sept. 1982; USNM 260528, 1(41), Ejava and Ovi Creeks about 13 km ESE of Kokoda, T. Roberts, 5 Aug., 1975; WAM P.26409–002, 1(30), Auga Creek, about 5 km S of Popondetta (8°48' S, 148°13'E), G. Allen, 4 Oct., 1978; WAM P.26417–002, 2(19–22), Hunete Creek, 33 km from Popondetta (8°51'S, 148°00'S), G. Allen 5 Oct., 1978; WAM P.27789–004 1 (55) Iara Creek at Kokoda (8°53'S, 141°44'E), G. Allen, 12 Sept., 1982.

Diagnosis. Preoperculum with a blunt triangular projection at angle of preoperculum, covered by skin. Mental fraenum bilobed, with short lateral lobes. Mouth small; reaching to below anterior quarter of eye, upper jaw 12.0– 15.5% SL (12–14% SL in specimens less than 50 mm SL, 13–15% in larger specimens); jaws forming an angle of 45° with body axis; upper margin of upper jaw in line with mideye. Cheeks tapering. Interorbital narrow, less than eye length. Predorsal area scaled forward to just behind eyes. Cheek naked. Operculum naked. Pectoral base covered with small cycloid scales. Prepelvic area with moderate sized cycloid scales in about 6 rows covering all but small anterior triangular patch. Belly fully scaled. First dorsal fin spines 4–5 (usually 4) extending beyond other spines when fin depressed. First dorsal fin with basal half black, sometimes with a light area posteriorly. Pelvic fin, length greater than width; reaching to or slightly beyond anus. Second dorsal rays usually I,8; anal rays usually I,7; pectoral rays usually 17–18; longitudinal scale count 25–28; predorsal scale count 12–16; transverse scale count (TRB) 8.5; gill rakers on outer face of first arch 0–1+1+6–8, raker on upper part of arch rarely present; lower gill rakers on outer face of second arch 6–7; branched caudal rays usually 13–14 (13 in specimens less than 20 mm SL, usually 14 in specimens greater than 40 mm SL); vertebrae 11+16=27.

Papillae. Line 1 (before nasal pore) composed on 3–4 rows of papillae. Line 2 (between nasal pores) composed of 3 rows of papillae, not connecting to line 2 on opposite side of head. Line 5 (suborbital) composed of 2–3 rows of papillae. Line 6 (suborbital branch) composed of 1–3 pairs of papillae in very short line. Lines 7, 9, 10 (LL cheek rows) composed on 2, 3 and 3 rows of papillae respectively, papillae in 3 lines lining up vertically to produce vertical rows, similar to VT lines (multiple longitudinal pattern of Hoese, 1983). Lines 8 and 11 (LT row) ending before posterior preopercular margin. Line 12 (Outer POP–mandibular) composed of single row of papillae, without gap behind lips. Line 13 (Inner POP–mandibular) composed of 2–3 rows of papillae. Line 20 (opercular VT) composed of single row of papillae dorsally, becoming double ventrally. Line 21 (Upper opercular OT) composed of single row of papillae, curved, extending along posterior margin of operculum and joining line 22. Line 22 (Lower opercular OT) composed of single row of papillae, without any branches. Several vertical papillae rows on belly. A single curved line anteriorly on most body scales (often obscure dorsally and posteriorly.

Description. Based on 114 specimens 26–56 mm SL. First dorsal spines 6(30*); gill rakers on outer face of first arch 0+1+6(13), 0+1+7(12), 0+1+8(3*), 1+1+6(1), 1+1+7(1), 1+1+8(1); segmented caudal rays 17(27*); branched caudal rays 7/6(12), 7/7 (16), 8/7(3*); vertebrae 11+16(11*).. Counts of other meristic characters given in Tables 1–6.

Head depressed, length 31.5–35.2% SL, width 17.5–20.2% SL, depth 16.0–18.4% SL. Snout short, rounded in dorsal view; slightly convex to straight in side view; 8.4–11.3% SL. Eye about 1.0– 1.2 in snout, 8.8–10.8% SL (9– 11% SL in specimens less than 50 mm SL, 8–10% SL in larger specimens. Small bump below anterior nostril absent, area covered with papillae. Anterior nostril at end of short tube, just above upper lip. Posterior nostril with raised rim, midway between lips and eye and 2 nostril diameters from anterior nostril. Preoperculum short, distance from end of eye to upper posterior preopercular margin less than eye length. Postorbital short, subequal to distance from tip of snout to mideye. Gill opening reaching to below or just behind posterior preoperculum margin. Teeth in upper jaw: outer row of teeth conical, slightly enlarged and wide-set, 2 inner rows of smaller depressible, inwardly directed teeth, innermost row teeth larger than those in middle row. Teeth in lower jaw: teeth in outer row conical, slightly enlarged and wide-set anteriorly, 2 inner rows of smaller depressible teeth, teeth in innermost row slightly larger than teeth in middle row. Tongue tip bilobed. Gill rakers on outer face of first arch short and broad; less than one–third filament length. Rakers on inner face of first arch and other arches short and denticulate. Body covered mostly with large ctenoid scales, cycloid on predorsal region (some predorsal scales ctenoid in specimens less than 30 mm SL), midbelly, pectoral base and prepelvic area. First dorsal fin low, with rounded margin. Second dorsal fin slightly higher than first dorsal fin. Anal fin height slightly less than second dorsal height. Pectoral fin with rounded margin, reaching to above a point just before anal origin. Pelvic disc, thin, oval, reaching to anus; fifth ray with 11 terminal tips in holotype.

Head pores. nasal pore above and slightly behind posterior nostril; anterior interorbital pore present posterior interorbital pore present; postorbital pore behind eye present; infraorbital pore below postorbital present; lateral canal pore above preoperculum midway between eye and posterior preopercular margin present; lateral canal pore above posterior preopercular margin absent; terminal lateral canal pore above anterior operculum present; short tube above operculum, with pore at each end absent; 3 preopercular pores, upper in line with lower margin of eyes; widely separated from lower 2.

Coloration in alcohol. Head and body light brown. Head with scattered irregularly shaped brown spots; small dark brown spot behind eye above posterior end of preoperculum, much smaller than pupil diameter; slightly larger brown spot at dorsoposterior attachment of operculum; stripe from anteroventral margin of eye to anterior end of lips; lips with dark brown mottling, posterior tip of lips white. Body scales edged in dark brown (except ventrally on belly); some small spots and mottling dorsally; body with about six thin brown stripes; midline with large rectangular spots; first below first dorsal fin covering 5 scales longitudinally; second spot below second dorsal origin covering 2–3 scales, smaller spot covering 1–2 scales below middle of second dorsal fin; an elongate spot covering 2–3 spots below insertion of second dorsal fin; last spot on end of caudal peduncle covering two scale rows and connected to a thin vertical bar on caudal fin base. Pectoral base with a brown spot dorsally, rest of fin dusky to light brown. First dorsal fin with dark brown stripe covering basal half of fin; distal half whitish; second dorsal fin with small black spots forming 3 rows, distal third of fin whitish, distal tip brown; anal fin uniformly brown; caudal fin with 4–6 wavy brown bands, except ventrally; pelvic fin dark brown; mental fraenum with dark brown tips, rest of ventral surface of head with scattered melanophores.

Coloration when freshly collected ( Fig. 6 ): Head, body, and pectoral-fin base yellowish tan with dark brown to nearly blackish markings as described above for preserved specimens; first dorsal fin with blackish stripe covering basal part of fin; distal half pale yellow to whitish with reddish apical tip; second dorsal fin with small black spots forming 3 rows on basal half, margin of fin broadly dusky reddish with white submarginal stripe; anal fin dusky brown to blackish, paler basally; caudal fin slightly yellowish to dusky grey brown with 4–6 wavy brown bands on central portion; pelvic fin dark grey.

Distribution. The species is restricted to the northeastern side of the Owen Stanley Range in Northern Province of Papua New Guinea, approximately between 8°00' and 9° 40' S latitude. It normally occurs in moderately-flowing, clear rainforest creeks and shallow rivers on sand or gravel bottoms. The type locality is situated in foothill terrain at an elevation of 425 m, but the species also ranges to much lower altitudes closer to the coast, or about 50 m above sea level.

Similarity to other species: The unique papillae pattern, coloration, fin–ray counts and flat preopercular projection easily separate this species from other species of Glossogobius . Only Glossogobius circumspectus and some species from the Malili Lakes in Sulawesi have vertical rows of papillae on the cheek, but those species have an indistinct mental fraenum. Glossogobius multipapillus has the lobed mental fraenum, characteristic of most inland species in New Guinea. Immediate relatives are unknown.

Remarks: Specimens from Safia average significantly fewer pectoral rays than do specimens from Kokoda and Popondetta ( Table 3).

The broad rounded urogenital papilla of females is distinctive from the pointed papilla of males at around 30 mm SL and larger. Of the known specimens approximately equal number of males and females were found (male to female ration of 1.2), with the largest male 56 mm SL and the largest female 54 mm SL. Nothing is known of the biology or reproduction in the species.

Etymology. An arbitrary combination of letters referring to the multiple papillae rows on the cheek and treated as a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Sensory papillae of three species of Glossogobius: a. Glossogobius macrocephalus, based on holotype WAMP. 26972 – 003 and paratype WAMP. 26972 – 003; b. Glossogobius multipapillus, composite based on holotype and several Paratypes; c. Glossogobius sentaniensis, based largely on holotype, WAMP. 27852 – 004.

FIGURE 6. Photo of freshly collected specimen of Glossogobius multipapillus, from Popondetta, photo G. Allen.