Bryaninops tigris Larson, 1985

Suzuki, Toshiyuki, Bogorodsky, Sergey V. & Randall, John E., 2012, Gobiid fishes of the genus Bryaninops from the Red Sea, with description of two new species and two new records, Zootaxa 3170, pp. 1-17 : 14

Bryaninops tigris Larson, 1985

Figure 14

Bryaninops tigris Larson, 1985: 70 , figs. 7–8 (type locality, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef).

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,7 or I,8 (usually I,8); anal-fin rays usually I,8 or I,9; pectoral-fin rays 12–14 (usually 13); anteriormost scales on body usually reaching to above or a little anterior to pectoral-fin base, the longitudinal scale series 32–59 (mean scale count 47); body elongate, the depth at origin of anal fin 11.6–14.5 % SL; head width about equal to head depth; snout length about equal to orbit diameter; gill opening small, reaching ventrally to below or just anterior to lower edge of pectoral-fin base; mouth slightly inferior; a recurved canine tooth (or pair of teeth) at side of lower jaw; lower edge of preopercle slightly scalloped; caudal fin truncate with rounded corners; pelvic fins short, round, and cup-like, the pelvic spines and frenum thickened; dorsal two-fifths of body transparent, crossed by six or seven narrow bars that may be yellow, dusky orange, or red, with a small spot of the same color dorsally between each bar; a white line above vertebral column; lower three-fifths of body dusky to blackish orange. Largest specimen, 24.5 mm.

Distribution. Known from the Society Islands, Hawaiian Islands, Palau ( Myers, 1999), Solomon Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Ryukyu Islands ( Senou et al., 2004), Gulf of Thailand, Indonesia ( Randall, 2005), Chagos Archipelago, Maldive Islands ( Kuiter, 1998), and Oman ( Randall, 1995). Reported here as a first record for the Red Sea from an underwater photograph taken by Sven Kahlbrock off Hurghada, Egypt ( Fig. 14 ).

Remarks. Commensal on species of the antipatharian genus Antipathes from depths of 15– 53 m. Larson (1985) noted that this is one of the most difficult of the genus to find because its color pattern matches its host species so well. Common name, Black Coral Goby. The name black coral is derived from the dark brown to black skeleton of the species of Antipathes . Externally they are orange, reddish brown, yellow, or whitish.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Bryaninops tigris, Hurghada, Egypt. Photo by S. Kahlbrock.