Zebrus pallaoroi Kovačić, Šanda & Vukić, 2021

Kovačić, Marcelo, Renoult, Julien P., Pillon, Roberto, Svensen, Rudolf, Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Engin, Semih & Louisy, Patrick, 2022, Identification of Mediterranean marine gobies (Actinopterygii: Gobiidae) of the continental shelf from photographs of in situ individuals, Zootaxa 5144 (1), pp. 1-103 : 89

Zebrus pallaoroi Kovačić, Šanda & Vukić, 2021 ( Fig. 29 )—Pallaoro’s Goby

Zebrus pallaoroi Kovačić, Šanda & Vukić, 2021: 9 , Figs. 1A , 2A–C , 3 ; type locality: Adriatic Sea , Montenegro, Boka Kotorska, Kostanjica .

Note: This species was described recently and we lack information on its aspect and coloration in life; the present account is thus provisional and may not allow for a fully reliable visual identification and differentiation from Z. zebrus .

Size. Maximum known size 4.1 cm total length.

Morphology. D VI + I,10–11; A I,8–9; P 17. Small goby with a body more slender than in Zebrus zebrus , a large and somewhat flattened head, and a deep caudal peduncle of almost same depth as body. Eyes relatively small, snout slightly longer than eye diameter. Head wide, with large prominent cheeks ( Fig. 29c ): head width at opercle level about 80–90 % of head length (compared to 50–75 % in Z. zebrus ). Anterior nostril a tube with tentacle ( Fig. 29c ); posterior nostril tube only slightly shorter (more than 80 % of the anterior). Dorsal fins of similar height, the first dorsal fin with more or less rounded margin. The uppermost pectoral-fin rays partly free from membrane ( Kovačić et al. 2021; present work). Caudal fin rounded. Body scaled, nape and predorsal area naked. Scales more or less visible on body from reticulate pigmentation along scale edges.

Coloration. In dead or preserved specimens, body with 10−11 pale bars along side ( Figs. 29a and 29b ), first in front of the first dorsal fin, last at the end of the second dorsal fin. Very little is known for sure about this species’ in vivo coloration. Overall live coloration dark to pale brownish or greenish with thin, alternating, pale and dark bars (*). Usually, there are at least 4 pale bars under the first dorsal fin ( Figs. 29a and 29b ), but this pattern may disappear, the sides of body becoming uniformly colored or mottled dark. When present, the crescent band on head (broad pale transverse band across anterior nape extending on the sides reaching pectoral-fin bases) does not extend forward to eyes. First dorsal fin usually with a whitish longitudinal band, topped with a contrasting orangeyellow to pinkish distal half. Second dorsal fin with dark spots seldom coalescing in lines.

(*) The pattern of lateral bars visible on dead or stressed animals do not exactly match the number and location of lateral markings usually displayed underwater (these 2 pattern types may superimpose to various extents).

Similar species. Zebrus zebrus , Millerigobius macrocephalus , Chromogobius zebratus .

Habitat. Shallow infralittoral species, known from 0–1 m depth between gravel and small boulders ( Kovačić et al. 2021, 2022). Also found at 3 m depth (J. Renoult, unpublished data).

Geographic distribution. Mediterranean. Recorded in the southern, central and northern part along the eastern Adriatic Sea, the northern part of the Ionian Sea, and the northern and western parts of the Aegean Sea ( Kovačić et al. 2021, 2022). Also known from Palavas-les-Flots, southern France (J. Renoult, unpublished data).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A) Freshly dead coloration of Trypauchen vagina. Photo by D. Darom, trawled between Hadera and Atlit, Israel. B) Photo of Trypauchen sp. alive, photo by C. Telford, Thailand.

FIGURE 2. Head and predorsal area completely covered with oval to rounded, clearly defined spots. Photos by M. Kovačić, S.V. Bogorodsky, R. Pillon.

FIGURE 3. Live coloration in its natural habitat of Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus. Photo by S.V. Bogorodsky, Lahami Bay, Egypt, Red Sea.

FIGURE 29. Zebrus pallaoroi. A) Freshly dead coloration, transverse coloration pattern with pale vertical bars. B) Live coloration in its natural habitat, pattern reduced to pale dorsal saddles while the rest of body lateral side is more or less uniformly colored or mottled dark. C) anterior nostril with tentacle.A) and B) photos of the same individual. Photos by J. Renoult, Palavasles-Flots, Southern France.