Hetereleotris

Douglass F. Hoese & Helen K. Larson, 2005, Description of two new species of Hetereleotris (Gobiidae) from the south Pacific, with a revised key to species and synonymization of the genus Pascua with Hetereleotris., Zootaxa 1096, pp. 1-16 : 13-15

Key to Described Species of Hetereleotris (modified from Hoese 1986)

1 Body densely scaled; longitudinal scale series 23-52 .................................................. 2

- Body naked, or with a few scales on caudal peduncle; longitudinal scale series 11 or fewer ..................................................................................................................................... 11

2 Scales ctenoid, at least from second dorsal-fin origin to caudal peduncle .................... 3

- Scales entirely cycloid ................................................................................................... 7

3 Base of caudal with a dorsal scale and a ventral scale, each with enlarged ctenii; sensory papilla pattern reduced transverse, with no more than one vertical line on cheek; usually with one or two large scales between anterior bases of pelvic fins; Pacific Ocean .......................................................................................................................................4

- Base of caudal fin without modified scales; sensory papilla pattern normal transverse with 4 vertical lines on cheek; prepelvic area naked; western and central Indian Ocean .......................................................................................................................................6

4 First two spines of first dorsal fin prolonged into filaments in males; first dorsal fin of males without one or more large black spots between first and second spines halfway to distal margin of fin; second dorsal-fin rays usually I,9; a vertical brown bar at base of caudal fin (Easter Island)...................................................................... H. caudilinea

- First two spines of dorsal fin prolonged or not in males; first dorsal fin of males with one or more large black spots between first and second dorsal spines halfway to distal margin of fin; second dorsal-fin rays usually I,8; no vertical bar at base of caudal, but often with a slightly curved bar.................................................................................... 5

5 First two dorsal spine of male prolonged or not; a prominent black spot behind eye. (eastern Australia).............................................................................. H. readerae , n.sp.

- First two dorsal spines of male not prolonged; no prominent black spot behind eye (Rapa and Pitcairn islands)...................................................................... H. sticta , n.sp.

6 Second dorsal-fin rays I,9; anal-fin rays I,8; pelvic-fin rays I,5; a lateral canal pore between infraorbital pore and terminal lateral canal pore; belly naked (western Indian Ocean)................................................................................................. H. zanzibariensis

- Second dorsal-fin rays I,10; anal-fin rays I,8; pelvic-fin rays usually I,4, fifth ray sometimes present as a rudiment; no lateral canal pore between infraorbital pore and terminal lateral canal pore; belly scaled (western Indian Ocean).................. H. vinsoni

7 No head pores, head subterete to slightly depressed.....................................................8

- Head pores present, head distinctly depressed............................................................. 9

8 Second dorsal-fin rays I,12-13; anal-fin rays I,11; pectoral-fin rays 15; a black spot dorsally at posterior end of caudal peduncle; body scales small, longitudinal scale count 40-52; body slender, depth at anal-fin origin 14-15% SL (western Indian Ocean) .................................................................................................................. H. bipunctata

- Second dorsal-fin rays I,11; anal-fin rays I,10; pectoral-fin rays 17; no black spot dorsally at end of caudal peduncle; body scales large, longitudinal scale count 28-30; body more robust, depth at anal-fin origin 16-19% SL (western Indian Ocean)........... .................................................................................................................. H. margaretae

9 Second dorsal-fin rays usually I,10, rarely I,11; anal-fin rays usually I,9; an enlarged dark brown bar on upper pectoral base, extending onto pectoral rays (western Indian Ocean to Japan)............................................................................................. H. poecila

- Second dorsal-fin rays I,12-13; rarely I,11; anal-fin rays I,10-11, rarely I,9; upper pectoral base without a bark bar or with a small anterior spot not extending onto pectoral rays ..................................................................................................................................... 10

10 Scales small, longitudinal scale count 35-48, body with one vertical band below first dorsal fin (western to central Indian Ocean) ................................................... H. zonata .

- Scales larger longitudinal scale count 32-33; body with 4-6 brown vertical bands (western Indian Ocean) .................................................................................. H. kenyae

11 Head pores absent ........................................................................................................ 12

- Head pores present ...................................................................................................... 13

12 Body completely naked; second dorsal-fin rays I,12; pelvic-fin rays I,5; no opercular spine (Red Sea) ........................................................................................ H. diademata

- Body with 4-5 rows of ctenoid scales on caudal peduncle; second dorsal-fin rays I,10- 11; pelvic-fin rays I,4 (rarely with rudimentary fifth ray); operculum with 2 spines dorsally(western Indian Ocean) ............................................................................ H. apora

13 An enlarged tentacle over eye; posterior nasal tube elongate; anal-fin rays usually I,11 (western Indian Ocean) ........................................................................... H. tentaculata

- No tentacle over eye; posterior nasal tube elongate or not; anal-fin rays usually I,10 ............................. 14

14 Preopercular pores absent; caudal peduncle with 7-13 rows of scales (western Indian Ocean) ........................................................................................................................ 15

- Preopercle with 2 pores; caudal peduncle naked ....................................................... 16

15 Second dorsal-fin rays usually I,10; anal-fin rays usually I,9; pectoral-fin rays usually 18; caudal peduncle scales ctenoid; fifth segmented pelvic fin ray short; a prominent dark spot on dorsal part of pectoral fin (Mauritius) ................................. H. georgegilli

- Second dorsal-fin rays usually I,11; anal-fin rays usually I,10; pectoral-fin rays usually 15-16; caudal peduncle scales cycloid; fifth segmented pelvic fin ray long; no prominent dark spot on dorsal part of pectoral fin (west Africa and Comores) ....................... ............................................................................................................ H. nebulofasciata

16 Posterior nasal tube elongate, about twice length of anterior nasal tube; second dorsalfin rays usually I,12; pectoral-fin rays usually 17-18; posterior opercular border with dark bar (western Indian Ocean) ............................................................... H. caminata .

- Posterior nasal tube subequal to anterior tube; second dorsal-fin rays usually I,11; pectoral-fin rays usually 15-16; posterior opercular border with light edge (western to central Indian Ocean) ................................................................................... H. vulgaris