Bryaninops ridens Smith, 1959

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 : 13-14

Bryaninops ridens Smith, 1959

Figure 13

Bryaninops ridens Smith, 1959: 216 , fig. 34 (type locality, Pinda, Mozambique).

Lobulogobius bentuviai Goren, 1984: 78 , fig. 4 (type locality, southern Sinai Peninsula).

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,8 (rarely I,7); anal-fin rays I,8; pectoral-fin rays usually 13 or 14; body naked anterior to rear base of first dorsal fin, the longitudinal scale count 31–37 (mean scale count 33); body depth at origin of anal fin 13.3–17.5% SL; body progressively compressed posteriorly; head width greater than head depth and broader ventrally; snout length shorter than orbit diameter; gill opening extending forward to or anterior to posterior margin of preopercle; no canine tooth at side of lower jaw; caudal fin truncate to slightly rounded; pelvic fins short, round, and cup-like, the pelvic spines short; body translucent greenish yellow, the skeletal features of body visible; head and abdomen yellowish green with numerous black dots; a yellowish green band with black dots from eye to eye across front of snout and enclosing nostrils; red of gill filaments visible through operculum; fins translucent; iris dusky yellowish green with a broad inner white circle. A small species, the largest specimen 17.8 mm SL.

Distribution. Known from Micronesia, Great Barrier Reef, Ryukyu Islands, Chagos Archipelago, and the Red Sea.

Remarks. Herler & Hilgers (2005) reported this species in the Gulf of Aqaba only on the hydrozoan coral Millepora dichoma on the reef edge and upper reef slope. It clings to this stinging coral, usually in a head-down position. It was difficult to collect, moving quickly from branch to branch, and generally escaping in the network at the base. The second author observed B. ridens in southern Egypt in calm lagoons and bays from depth of 0.5-10 m, and it should be expected throughout the Red Sea. Because of its transparency, it is easily overlooked.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Bryaninops ridens, Brayka Bay, Marsa Alam, Egypt. Photo by S. V. Bogorodsky.