taxonID	type	description	language	source
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	vernacular_names	[New English name: delicate earthworm goby]	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	description	(DZÊ ṃḛ) (Figs 1 – 2)	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	materials_examined	Materials examined Holotype. NTOUP- 2006 - 06 - 310, 38.2 mm SL, Londong, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC, coll. I-S. Chen, June 12, 2006.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Luciogobius delicatus sp. nov. can be well distinguished from the other congeneric species by the following unique combination of features: (1) second dorsal fin rays: I / 10 asnd anal fin rays I / 12; (2) pectoral fin rays 14 and with one upper, short free soft ray; (3) vertebral count: 22 + 22 = 44; and (4) specific coloration: body and head rather light, creamy yellow. Pectoral fin base with several tiny black spots. Caudal fin pale brown. Second dorsal fin translucent with tiny black dots.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	description	Description Body proportions listed in Table 1. Body very slender, cylindrical anteriorly and somewhat compressed posteriorly. Head flat and depressed. Cheek rather fleshy. Eye very small. A horizontal dermal fold with papillae row on upper part of cheek and below orbit. Snout flat and short. Anterior nasal opening as a protruded, horizontal short tube and posterior nasal opening as a round hole. Interorbital region wide. Mouth very oblique and rather large, maxillary extending beyond rear vertical of orbit in male. lower jaw rather prominent compared to upper jaw. Teeth rather minute, with 4 – 5 rows of tiny conical teeth where outer rows larger in both jaws. Tongue somewhat pointed, but anterior tip bilobed. Gill opening rather restricted, extending merely slightly below lower margin of pectoral base. Anus located in posterior half of body. Vertebral count 22 + 22 = 44. Fins. D 2 I / 10, A I / 12, P 14. V I / 3 + I / 3. D 1 absent. D 2 with middle one third portion of rays longest. A shape similar to D 2. Both first spines in D 2 and A relatively short. A origin in front of D 2 origin. D 2 origin inserted vertically between 3 rd and 4 th branched rays of A. Both rear tip of D 2 and A far from procurrent rays of C when depressed. P rounded and its length much shorter than postorbital length. P with one tiny free soft ray on upper margin near upper basal region. V very small with reduced total rays. C elliptical. V as a very reduced, round sucking disc with complete frenum. Scales. Both body and head entirely naked without any scales. Head lateral-line system Head canals: head lacking any canal and head pores entirely. Sensory papillae: a series of infraorbital sensory papillae, typically representing a longitudinal pattern. Row a long and extending to snout which upward to surrounding eye diameter in interorbital region. Row b rather long starting slightly behind middle vertical of eye, its length about two times eye diameter. Row c mainly below dermal fold and long. A single cp located below rear Row c. Row d shorter than row c. Row f paired only as two papillae. Opercle with three rows ot, os, and oi. Rows oi and ot well separated. Rows z as a single vertical row. Coloration when fresh Body and head rather light, creamy yellow entirely. Pectoral fin base with several tiny black spots. Caudal fin pale brown. Second dorsal fin translucent with tiny black dots. Anal fin translucent and unmarked.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	distribution	Distribution Till present, this species has merely been found in the coastal region of New Taipei City in Taiwan. It is an intertidal species on the island. There is a high possibility that it is a species endemic to Taiwan.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	etymology	Etymology The specific name, delicatus refers to the specific feature of current new species with ‘ delicate’ tiny black spots.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
03A17910FFDCFF86FF4147F8FB9BAFE9.taxon	discussion	Remarks The current species is rather similar to L. chaojinensis rather than any other species in having extremely slender body and pectoral fin with one upper free ray. However, the new species, L. delicatus can be well distinguished from L. chaojinensis by the following features: (1) body color in alive: creamy yellow vs. reddish brown; (2) pectoral fin rays: 14 vs. 12 – 13; (3) vertebral count: 44 vs. 41. The current species is very rare even the type is only one found in northern Taiwan. The further exploration of current new species is very essential.	en	Chang, Chih-Wei, Shen, Kang-Ning, Chen, I-Shiung (2025): A new species of Luciogobius Gill (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from northern Taiwan. Zootaxa 5738 (1): 27-31, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5738.1.6
