Abstract
A new species of Clariger Jordan & Snyder, 1901 was collected from northern Taiwan. The genus was previously known only from Japanese waters. This discovery is the first formal and southernmost record of these marine gobies from the waters of subtropical Taiwan. The new species, Clariger taiwanensis sp. n., is distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of features: (1) fin rays: dorsal-fin rays III, I/8; anal-fin rays modally I/8; and pectoral-fin rays modally 19 (2+16+1); (2) longitudinal dermal ridge on head with 6 barbels; and (3) specific coloration pattern: head and trunk dark brown with scattered pale spots and blotches; cheek, ventral portion of head sometimes pale with deep brown spots; pectoral-fin base with a dark brown band; and caudal fin mostly dark brown proximally and with alternating and irregular dark brown and pale bands distally. A diagnostic key to all nominal species from Japan and Taiwan is provided.
Highlights
The generally small body-sized gobiid fishes of the family Gobiidae constitute the most diverse group of marine teleost fishes (Miller 1988; Chen and Kottelat 2005)
Gill (1859), Astrabe Jordan and Snyder (1901) and Clariger Jordan and Snyder (1901), which share the following features (Akihito et al 2000; 2002): slender to elongate body with 30 or more vertebrae in most species, a longitudinal infraorbital papillae pattern, and first dorsal fin with fewer than 4 spinous rays or first dorsal fin absent. These gobies mainly inhabit coastal waters of Japan (Akihito et al 2000; 2002), but their ranges extend toward Korea, eastern China, and Taiwan (Chen and Fang 1999; Akihito et al 2000; 2002; Wu et al 2009)
Yamada et al (2009) investigated the molecular phylogenetics of the Luciogobius generic complex based on the Japanese species and revealed the very close relationship of these three gobiid genera
Summary
The generally small body-sized gobiid fishes of the family Gobiidae constitute the most diverse group of marine teleost fishes (Miller 1988; Chen and Kottelat 2005). Gill (1859), Astrabe Jordan and Snyder (1901) and Clariger Jordan and Snyder (1901), which share the following features (Akihito et al 2000; 2002): slender to elongate body with 30 or more vertebrae in most species, a longitudinal infraorbital papillae pattern, and first dorsal fin with fewer than 4 spinous rays or first dorsal fin absent These gobies mainly inhabit coastal waters of Japan (Akihito et al 2000; 2002), but their ranges extend toward Korea, eastern China, and Taiwan (Chen and Fang 1999; Akihito et al 2000; 2002; Wu et al 2009). One member of the Luciogobius complex, the coastal gobiid genus Clariger, has been recognized as an endemic genus of Japan that includes at least 5 nominal species: C. cosmurus Jordan and Snyder (1901), C. exilis Snyder (1911), C. papillosus Ebina (1935), C. sirahamaensis Sakamoto (1932), C. chionomaculatus Shiogaki (1988) (Shiogaki 1988, Eschmeyer and Fricke 2011) and one undescribed species, C. sp., that was recognised in Akihito et al (2000, 2002)
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