Description

SINGLE PAPER

Volume 14, Issue 4 – 15 October 2008

Aaron P. Jenkin, Gerald R. Allen and David Boseto: Lentipes solomonensis, a new species of freshwater goby (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Sicydiinae) from the Solomon Islands, pp. 165-174

Abstract

A new species of freshwater gobiid, Lentipes solomonensis, is described on the basis of 10 specimens, 18.2-26.9 mm SL, collected from Rendova, Ranongga and Makira Islands, Solomon Islands. The species is distinguished from its closest relatives by a combination of characters that include: dorsal rays VI-I, 9; anal rays I, 9; pectoral rays usually 16; membrane of last spine of first dorsal fin connected to base of second dorsal fin origin in males; upper jaw with 12-16 tricuspid teeth in males; single pair of broad and flattened lobes obscuring most of a pointed urogenital papillae in males and absent in females; female urogenital papillae rectangular and usually retracted into sheath-like groove; male upper lip and snout golden yellow, diffusing posteriorly into golden-yellow flecks along dorsal half of trunk to caudal peduncle; basal two thirds of dorsal and pectoral fins golden-yellow, second dorsal fin with pearl white spot outlining a small dark spot medially at ray one.