Yongeichthys nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775), Kottelat, 2013

Roy, Sanmitra, Mohanty, Swarup Ranjan, Mohapatra, Anil & Mishra, S. S., 2019, First record of two Gobioid fishes, Myersina filifer (Valenciennes, 1837) and Yongeichthys nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775), from Odisha Coast, India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 119 (3), pp. 295-298 : 296-297

2. Yongeichthys nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775)

(Shadow goby) ( Figure 2 )

1775. Gobius nebulosus Forskål, Descript. animal. (Forsskål): 24, x (type locality: Red Sea , Saudi Arabia Djidda [Jeddah]) .

2013. Yongeichthys nebulosus : Kottelat, Raffles Bull. Zool., Suppl.: 432.

Materials examined: EBRC /ZSI F 10220, 03 ex., 35-53 mm SL., Gopalpur Fish Landing Center (19°15’47.56”N, 84°54’59.26”E), Ganjam district, Odisha, Anil Mohapatra and party; 26th June , 2018 .

Description: D VI + I, 10; A I, 9; P 18; V 8. Body depth 6.2 times and head length (HL) 3.4 times in standard length (SL); eye diameter 3.5 times and snout length 5.7 times in HL; inter-orbital space 4.3 times in eye diameter. Maxillary length 2.5 times in HL; pre-dorsal length 2.8 times while pre-ventral length 3.2 times in SL. Pectoral fin length 5 times, pelvic fin 4.4 times and caudal fin length 3.3 times in SL. Caudal peduncle depth 1.7 times in peduncle length. A small sized fish with moderately elongate and compressed body; mouth large, oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting; upper jaw with curved teeth, outer row caniniform. Dorsal fin spines filamentous except last spine; pelvic fins united; scales cycloid; head, midline on nape and pectoral fin base without scales; caudal fin oblong, longer than head length. Sensory pores on cheek in transverse pattern; two pores on preopercle. Gill membrane fused together and to isthmus; lower gill rakers 12. Body colour white with five ventrally

Description: D VI + I, 9; A I, 9; P 18; V 7. Body depth 4.5-

4.8, Head Length (HL) 3.3-3.5 times in Standard Length (SL); snout shorter than eye, eye diameter 2.2-2.6 and snout length 3.2-3.6 in HL; inter-orbital space 3.0-5.0 in eye diameter; pre-dorsal length 2.8-3.2, pre-anal length 1.5-1.7 in SL. Pectoral fin length 3.4-4.3, pelvic fin 3.7-3.9, caudal fin length 3.5-4.1 in SL; caudal peduncle depth 1.3-1.7 in peduncular length. A small fish with stout body, cylindrical anteriorly and compressed posteriorly; head slightly compressed with large eyes, eyes well above midline of head; snout rounded; cheek and operculam entirely naked; maxilla short, extending to below anterior border of eye; teeth on upper jaw in several rows; tongue emarginated; gill opening almost restricted to pectoral fin base. Dorsal spines thin, flexible; second and third dorsal spines longest; basal membrane of pectoral fin well developed; caudal fin rounded, slightly shorter than head.Head with longitudinal rows of papillae; longitudinal scale series 30-31; lateral transverse scales 11; head scaleless; nape before dorsal fin naked; body scales ctenoid except cycloid on breast. Body colour pale yellowish grey with three large dark brown blotches on sides extending below lateral line; faint brown markings on head and body; fins yellowish in colour with dark margins and dark brown spots.

Distribution: Usually this species is found in sandy bottoms of coral reefs of Indo-West Pacific region; widely distributed from East Africa, through Indonesia to Micronesia, north to China and the Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia.

Figures

Figure 2. Yongeichthys nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775) 35-53 mm SL, EBRC/ZSI F 10220.