Luciogobius punctilineatus n. sp., a new earthworm goby from southern Japan

Abstract

Luciogobius punctilineatus n. sp. is described on the basis of 21 type specimens from Kyushu, and the Koshiki and Osumi Islands, southern Japan. It is also found in Kochi Prefecture (Shikoku) and Amami-oshima island (Ryukyu Islands), Japan, confirmed by examination of non-type specimens. The genus Luciogobius includes 15 valid and several undescribed species, and most of them inhabit interstitial spaces of stones and gravel in the intertidal zone. The new species is characterized by the following combination of characters: total second dorsal-fin rays 10–12 (modally 11); total anal-fin rays 12–14 (13); pectoral-fin rays 8–12 (10); vertebrae 16–18 + 22–24 = 39–42 (17 + 23 = 40); pectoral-fin posterior margin slightly concave; pelvic fins united, forming a ventral disc; snout relatively short, length 3.1–4.3% of SL; anus to anal-fin origin (AAA) distance twice body depth at anus, 11.4–16.9% of SL; snout length less than 34.7% of AAA distance; pre-anus length less than 85.5% of pre-anal-fin length; single poorly defined black longitudinal line along mid-lateral body region from behind pectoral fin to caudal-fin base, indistinct anteriorly (line embedded, visible through semi-transparent muscle tissue in fresh or live specimens); black spots forming a single longitudinal row on mid-lateral body surface from behind pectoral fin to caudal-fin base (more distinct in preserved specimens).

A new species of the genus Luciogobius Gill, 1859 (Teleostei, Oxudercidae) from Taiwan

“…We examined one L. elongatus specimen from Osaka Museum of Natural History ( OMNH -P ) for comparison. Meristic counts and morphometric measurements follow Shibukawa et al (2019) , except for the following characters which follow Koreeda and Motomura (2022) : AAA was measured from the posterior margin of the anus to the anal-fin origin; body depths were taken at the pelvic-fin origin, anus and anal-fin origin; counts of the abdominal and caudal vertebrae. Other abbreviations: SL , standard length; HL, head length.…”

“…The earthworm goby genus Luciogobius Gill, 1859 of the family Oxudercidae (sensu Nelson et al 2016 ) comprises at least 16 valid species distributed along coasts of eastern Russia, Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, and northern Vietnam ( Lindberg and Krasyukova 1975 ; Chen et al 2008 ; Cho and Choi 2014 ; Shibukawa et al 2019 , 2020 ; Ta et al 2021 ; Koreeda and Motomura 2022 ). Luciogobius species mostly dwell in the intertidal zones or in estuaries that contain rocky substrates or sandy sediments ( Yamada et al 2009 ; Shibukawa et al 2019 ; Koreeda and Motomura 2022 ). Their elongated bodies and finely segmented vertebral columns allow them to access various microhabitats ( Yamada et al 2009 ; Kondo and Kato 2018 ; Shibukawa et al 2019 , 2020 ).…”