taxonID	type	description	language	source
3F2D1E38FFCEFFA5A2E8C7BAFB581372.taxon	vernacular_names	New Japanese name: Asagiri-haze zoku	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCEFFA5A2E8C7BAFB581372.taxon	type_taxon	Type species Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCEFFA5A2E8C7BAFB581372.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Lepusigobius gen. nov. can be distinguished from other gobiid genera by the following unique combination of characters: trunk moderately elongated; upper lip deeply clefted medially; anterior nostril openings tubular, without fleshy flaps; body totally scaleless; pelvic fins fused, forming an elongated cup, connecting frenum completely developed with scalloped posterior margin, median connecting membrane well-developed; cephalic sensory organs in reduced pattern (Fig. 1); sensory canal system reduced, anterior oculoscapular canal incomplete, interorbital pore λ singular, pore ω behind eye and terminal pore ρ absent, posterior oculoscapular canal and preopercle canal pores absent; sensory neuromast papillae patterns reduced, in transverse type pattern; a series of short papillae rows (rows 1 – 6) radiating from orbit, rows 2 – 4 and 6 comprised by single papillae, row 5 interrupted (divided into 5 s and 5 i); row b interrupted, not reaching vertical point of posterior margin of orbit anteriorly; row d short, not reaching upper lip anteriorly and does not reach beyond preopercle posteriorly; rows e and i interrupted; row ot interrupted, upper tip not reaching the horizontal point of lower margin of orbit. Dorsal pterygiophore formula 3 - 12210; vertebrae 10 (precaudal) + 16 (caudal) = 26 (Fig. 2).	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCEFFA5A2E8C7BAFB581372.taxon	etymology	Etymology The new generic name Lepusigobius is derived from Lepus (Leporidae rodent, commonly known as hares or wild rabbits) and Gobius (a gobiid genus), in reference to the distinct clefted upper lip of its species, the gender is masculine.	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCEFFA5A2E8C7BAFB581372.taxon	description	Comparisons Lepusigobius gen. nov. is readily assignable to the subfamily Gobiinae (sensu Pezold 1993) by having singular interorbital pore λ, anterior oculoscapular canals fused at the interorbital region and vertebral count 10 + 16 = 26, and its unique dorsal pterygiophore formula (3 - 12210) (Birdsong et al. 1988; Pezold 1993). Although Lepusigobius resembles the New World genus Gobiosoma Girard, 1858 in the complete absence of scales and general external morphology, it differs in having six (vs. seven) first dorsal fin spines, 10 + 16 = 26 (vs. 11 + 16 = 27) vertebrae, and in lacking posterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals (vs. present). Lepusigobius was previously confused with Schismatogobius de Beaufort, 1912 and Cryptocentroides Popta, 1922 (see species remarks for Lepusigobius pallidus). The total lack of any scales can be observed in both Lepusigobius and Schismatogobius, however the former can be distinguished from the latter by having singular pore λ (vs. pore λ absent) and higher counts of D 2 (11 – 12 vs. 9) and anal fin rays (12 vs. 9). Lepusigobius shares little homology with Cryptocentroides except the two genera both has restricted gill opening. The clefted upper lip of Lepusigobius is unique among all Indo-Pacific gobiine genera (Figs. 3 – 4). Its reduced, transversely arranged cephalic sensory papillae pattern resembles that of Stonogobiops Polunin & Lubbock, 1977. Both genera lack posterior oculoscapular canals, but Lepusigobius differs in having paired sets of two papillae in neuromast row f (vs. paired rows of several papillae) and a completely naked body (vs. covered with cycloid scales). Lepusigobius also shares with the western Pacific genus Parkraemeria Whitley, 1951 the presence of connection membrane between the dorsal fins and a reduced neuromast system, yet they differ markedly in detail. In Lepusigobius, the dorsal connection is basal, and evident only in males, whereas in Parkraemeria it is extensive, the second dorsal spine is absent, and the fins are confluent. Their neuromast patterns also differ, being transverse in Lepusigobius and longitudinal in Parkraemeria. The slightly elongate body and relatively large eyes of Lepusigobius resemble those of several Indo-Pacific goby genera, including Amblyeleotris Bleeker, 1874, Vanderhorstia Smith, 1949, Tomiyamichthys Smith, 1956, Flabelligobius Smith, 1956, and Ctenogobiops Smith, 1959, and only Amblyeleotris shares a transverse neuromast pattern with Lepusigobius, but the two genera differ in several features: posterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals absent (vs. well developed); neuromast row f composed of paired sets of two papillae (vs. paired single papillae); gill opening extending from the upper pectoral-fin base to the vertical of row os (vs. to pore α); body completely naked (vs. covered with ctenoid and cycloid scales); dorsal fins basally connected (vs. well separated); and pelvic fins with complete frenum and median connecting membrane (vs. frenum absent, membrane present only basally). Comparative data were solely based upon the type species of each species; the data source and other details were summarized in Tables 2 – 3. Smith (1955) ever described a new gobiid genus and species Croilia mossambica with an also slender body profile and highly connected dorsal fins. The species was found in estuarine areas and was only recorded from South Africa (Smith 1955; Smith 1959; Hoese 1986; Larson 2022). Based solely on its original description, Lepusigobius is similar to Croilia in general appearance but different from the latter in having a minute gill opening (vs. rather wide gill-opening, extending anteriorly to about the vertical of preopecle) and connections in dorsal fins (low connection between dorsal fins vs. both dorsal fins highly connected) although no any type information of head lateral-line system for Croilia has ever been reported. Included species Lepusigobius comprises a single species, L. pallida. The species is re-described below.	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCDFFABA2E8C1FAFCA01532.taxon	vernacular_names	New Japanese name: Asagiri-haze	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCDFFABA2E8C1FAFCA01532.taxon	description	(Figs. 1 – 7; Tables 1 – 3)	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCDFFABA2E8C1FAFCA01532.taxon	materials_examined	Material Examined Type material Paratypes: CAS-SU 16962, 3 specimens, 15.8 – 17.2 mm SL, Si Tankay, Sibutu I. group, Tawi-Tawi Prov., Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, 27 Aug. 1931, coll. A. W. Herre. Non-type material OMNH-P 34713, male, 1 (16.9 mm SL), Ukaji Beach, Okinawa-jima Island, Okinawa Group of Ryukyu Islands, Japan, 26 ° 25 ′ 09 ″ N, 127 ° 44 ′ 45 ″ E, 2 Aug. 2008; coll. K. Abe. OMNH-P 34714, female, 1 (17.5 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34713. OMNH-P 34743, 3 (12.2 – 15.5 mm SL), same locality as OMNH-P 34713, 29 Aug. 2008; coll. T. Suzuki, M. Suzuki & K. Abe. OMNH-P 34750, male, 1 (16.7 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34751, male, 1 (15.0 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34752, female, 1 (17.6 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34753, female, 1 (16.1 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34754, female, 1 (15.7 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34755, female, 1 (16.0 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. OMNH-P 34772, male, 1 (16.1 mm SL), collected with OMNH-P 34743. Diagnosis See generic diagnosis. Descriptions In the following description, the counts of the three three paratypes are asterisked; frequency of each count is given in parentheses following the relevant count. Meristic counts and morphometric measurements are provided in Table 1. Body elongated, subcylindrical anteriorly and slightly compressed posteriorly. Head relatively large with a slightly bulbous lateral profile. Snout minute and short; eyes large, positioned dorso-laterally; interorbital space narrow. Mouth slightly oblique, reaching beneath the midpoint of the eye, without notable sexual differences in maxillary length; lower jaw slightly projecting beyond upper jaw; lips smooth; upper lip bearing a distinct median notch (Figs. 3 – 4). Fins. D 1. VI (15) *; D 2. I, 11 (11) *, 12 (4) *; A. I, 12 (15) *; P 1. 15 (15) *; P 2. I, 5 (15) *. Dorsal fins connected only at the fin base, with the connecting membrane more developed in males. The 4 th D 1 spine longest and filamentous in mature males. Base length of D 2 equal to that of the anal fin. P 1 moderately large, not reaching the vertical point of anus. P 2 fused, with a fully developed and thin connecting membrane; frenum delicate with a scalloped margin (Fig. 5). Caudal fin oval, its length is approximately equal to head length (Table 3).	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCDFFABA2E8C1FAFCA01532.taxon	description	Squamation. Body completely naked. Head lateral-line system Canals. See generic diagnosis (Fig. 1). Sensory papillae. See generic diagnosis (Fig. 1). Axial Skeleton. See generic diagnosis (Fig. 2). Colorations while fresh. (Fig. 6). Body overall translucent grey, densely speckled with numerous dark-brown dots, with many whitish diffuse cloud-like markings, and bearing 4 – 5 triangular, saddle-like caramel patches along the dorsum; belly and thoracic region whitish, sparsely marked with mottled brown spots. Mid-lateral surface with 4 – 5 brown blotches, each with a darker central spot. Intramuscular pigmentation light caramel. Head mottled with light brown and ochre spots and covered with numerous white specks; ventral surface white; inner branchiostegal membrane black. Iris orange, with the lower quarter dark brown. A short dark-brown streak extends from the lower margin of the eye to the maxilla, crossing both lips. D 1 white, male with a dark-brown smear along the basal half of the 1 st spine extending to the 4 th spine; 4 th to 6 th dorsal fin rays edged with dark brown to orange, rarely with an oval blotch present at posterior 1 / 3. D 2 white, bearing 2 – 3 curved brown lines on the anterior two-thirds, posterior quarter with a diffuse brownish smear. Anal fin grading from greyish white at the base to brown distally, with 3 dark-brown bands on the 4 th, 7 th, and 10 th rays. P 1 transparent, the fin base with several brown specks and a small black spot on the upper one-fifth. P 2 overall greyish white. Caudal fin whitish with a weakly specked, almost transparent central area. Colouration in preservatives (Fig. 7). Body ivory with numerous brown spots dorsally. Mid-lateral with 4 – 5 brown spots. Head weakly scattered with brown specks with a thin, short brown streak below eye. All fins transparent, both dorsal fins and anal fin with mottled brown spots. Anal fin base with 3 – 4 basal blotches. P 1 base with a small brown spot. Sexual dimorphism (Fig. 7). Urogenital papillae short, pointy in male, stout and blunt in female. The slightly bulbous lateral profile of head is more significant in female individuals. No significant elongation of dorsal fin spine or blotching patterns in female, while in males the 4 th D 1 fin spine bears filamentous elongation and some individuals possess an oval spot posteriorly at D 1. P 2 much more elongated in male, exceeding anus. For the pigmentations, the D 1 blotch is only seen in some male individuals (1 out of 5), for females the D 1 is only pigmented with 1 – 2 longitudinal smear, and the dark brown branchiostegal membrane pigmentation is only seen in male. Distribution and habitat Lepusigobius pallidus had previously been known only from the type locality at Sitankai, Sulu Province, Philippines, where the holotype and three paratypes were collected. Recently, twelve additional specimens were obtained from Okinawa-jima Island, Okinawa Group of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. In Okinawa-jima, Lepusigobius pallidus inhabits small embayments receiving slight freshwater inflow, and is found on sandy bottoms of shallow tidal channels and shallow tide pools on tidal flats during low tide.	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
3F2D1E38FFCDFFABA2E8C1FAFCA01532.taxon	discussion	Remarks The morphology of the Japanese specimens agrees well with the paratypes examined. Koumans (1940) had examined the type material of Gobiosoma pallida and stated the following: “ Dr. Herre does not give a note about the scales of this species. It is scaled with about 24 very deciduous cycloid scales, one row of scales on each myomere. ”. However, in our microscopic examination of the three paratypes and also based on the photos of the holotype (CAS-SU 28609) provided by the CAS Ichthyology Primary Types Imagebase, they lacked any body scales indeed. After Herre’s description (1934) of Gobiosoma pallida, subsequent authors had held different opinions upon the species’ generic placements, leading into a long confusion of its generic identity. Gobiosoma pallida had been erroneously placed under Schismatogobius de Beaufort, 1912 by Herre’s decision (Herre 1953) and later ever suggested as a junior synonym of Cryptocentroides insignis (Seale, 1910) commented by Kottelat (2013), and due to not only the abraded situation of infraorbital papillae pattern but also completely bleaching out of whole type series, it is very difficult to check the real generic status only on type material till first author firstly provided the very good condition of fresh specimen collection to re-verify them in detial again. Unresolved issues stemming from erroneous taxonomic decisions made in the absence of fresh or newly available material have subsequently accumulated into the present uncertainty upon the taxonomic identity of G. pallida.	en	Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Li, Hsien-En, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): Lepusigobius, a new generic name proposed for Gobiosoma pallida Herre, 1934 (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from west Pacific with re-description of the species. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 13-26, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.5
