TOMIYAMICHTHYS ELLIOTENSIS - (ALLEN, ERDMANN & DUDGEON, 2023)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Gobiiformes (Order) > Gobioidei (Suborder) > Gobiidae (Family) > Gobiinae (Subfamily) > Tomiyamichthys (Genus)
Lady Elliot Shrimpgoby,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10, no dorsal fin spine elongated, longest spine: 1.0-1.3 in HL; Anal spine: 1; Anal soft rays: 10; Pectoral fin rays: 17-18 (usually: 17), all branched; Pelvic fin elements: I, 5, all segmented rays branched with 2-3 branch points, the fifth rays joined medially with membrane; Segmented caudal fin rays: 17 (with 14 branched), plus 5 upper and 4 (4-5) lower rays unsegmented; Lateral scale series: 78-84; Transverse scale rows: 18-24 (usually: 20); Predorsal scales absent; Males types with no prepelvic scales and female types with several embedded prepelvic scales; Circumpeduncular scales: 20-27 (usually: 28); Vertebrae: 26. Scales entirely cycloid; Scales absent on cheek, opercle, predorsal, and pectoral-fin base; Gill opening extending to about level of posterior edge of preopercle; Caudal fin rounded, about equal to head length or 3.2-3.6 in SL; Gill rakers poorly developed: 2 + 4-6; Body elongate, depth at pelvic fin origin: 6.8-7.5 (usually: 7.3); Max. length: 5.27 cm SL; Depth range: 15 - 26 m.
Lady Elliot Shrimpgoby,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10, no dorsal fin spine elongated, longest spine: 1.0-1.3 in HL; Anal spine: 1; Anal soft rays: 10; Pectoral fin rays: 17-18 (usually: 17), all branched; Pelvic fin elements: I, 5, all segmented rays branched with 2-3 branch points, the fifth rays joined medially with membrane; Segmented caudal fin rays: 17 (with 14 branched), plus 5 upper and 4 (4-5) lower rays unsegmented; Lateral scale series: 78-84; Transverse scale rows: 18-24 (usually: 20); Predorsal scales absent; Males types with no prepelvic scales and female types with several embedded prepelvic scales; Circumpeduncular scales: 20-27 (usually: 28); Vertebrae: 26. Scales entirely cycloid; Scales absent on cheek, opercle, predorsal, and pectoral-fin base; Gill opening extending to about level of posterior edge of preopercle; Caudal fin rounded, about equal to head length or 3.2-3.6 in SL; Gill rakers poorly developed: 2 + 4-6; Body elongate, depth at pelvic fin origin: 6.8-7.5 (usually: 7.3); Max. length: 5.27 cm SL; Depth range: 15 - 26 m.
Color
Generally pale gray to whitish with 4 large, brown, oblong spots along middle of side, decreasing in size posteriorly, the anteriormost sometimes greatly expanded to form a broad dark-brown bar that extends dorsally onto first dorsal fin; 4 diffuse clusters of small, irregular, brown spots along base of dorsal fin at level of each large mid-lateral spot; Head with variable brown to orange markings, including diagonal band from lower margin of eye across cheek, dark spot in contact with posterior extent of jaws, several spots on upper part of cheek and opercle, and a cluster of close-set spots on predorsal portion of nape; Some individuals with greatly expanded brown markings on cheek and opercle; Iris white, often with a hint of a brown bar across middle of upper portion; First dorsal fin with 5-6 diagonal brown bands or rows of orange spots on a pale gray to brownish background, a brown outer margin, and alternating brown and white bands on first spine; Second dorsal fin whitish with widely spaced small orange spots, a brown stripe on middle portion and a narrow yellow outer margin; Anal fin bluish with narrow orange stripes except pale yellowish on basal third; Caudal fin semitranslucent and whitish; Pelvic fin yellow with blue rays; Pectoral fin translucent with bright white area basally that extends onto fleshy base, upper half of fleshy base sometimes with brown stripe and orange-yellow spots. A few individuals are very pale and exhibit faded patterns with diffuse markings.
Etymology
Tomiyamichthys: in honor of ichthyologist (sometimes spelled Ichiro) Tomiyama (1906-1981), Tokyo Imperial University, who described type species, Tomiyamichthys oni, in 1936 + from Greek, ichthys = fish.
elliotensis: named for the type location, Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Original description: Cryptocentrus oni Tomiyama, 1936 - Type locality: Queensland, Lady Elliot Island, Lighthouse Bommie, Australia, female, 52.7 mm SL, -24.1156°, 152.708°, 19 m, clove oil and hand net, M.V. Erdmann & C.L. Gudgeon, 15 February 2023.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Lady Elliot Island (southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia) and New Caledonia (Sournois Reef, Boulari pass and Dieppoise).
Biology
Reported on relatively flat sandy bottoms exposed to periodic strong tidal currents. Temperatures at this site range from 20-28° C across the year. Most individuals observed appeared to be solitary, while about 20% of burrows encountered had a pair of shrimpgobies guarding the entrance. Interestingly, observations during peak tidal currents revealed that nearly all shrimpgoby burrows were completely covered by shifting sands; Only during slack tides would the alpheid shrimp reopen the burrow entrances.
Similar species
Tomiyamichthys gomezi (Allen & Erdmann, 2012) - Distribution: Philippines; Photographed at Seribu Islands, Java.
Last update: 14, October 2023
Generally pale gray to whitish with 4 large, brown, oblong spots along middle of side, decreasing in size posteriorly, the anteriormost sometimes greatly expanded to form a broad dark-brown bar that extends dorsally onto first dorsal fin; 4 diffuse clusters of small, irregular, brown spots along base of dorsal fin at level of each large mid-lateral spot; Head with variable brown to orange markings, including diagonal band from lower margin of eye across cheek, dark spot in contact with posterior extent of jaws, several spots on upper part of cheek and opercle, and a cluster of close-set spots on predorsal portion of nape; Some individuals with greatly expanded brown markings on cheek and opercle; Iris white, often with a hint of a brown bar across middle of upper portion; First dorsal fin with 5-6 diagonal brown bands or rows of orange spots on a pale gray to brownish background, a brown outer margin, and alternating brown and white bands on first spine; Second dorsal fin whitish with widely spaced small orange spots, a brown stripe on middle portion and a narrow yellow outer margin; Anal fin bluish with narrow orange stripes except pale yellowish on basal third; Caudal fin semitranslucent and whitish; Pelvic fin yellow with blue rays; Pectoral fin translucent with bright white area basally that extends onto fleshy base, upper half of fleshy base sometimes with brown stripe and orange-yellow spots. A few individuals are very pale and exhibit faded patterns with diffuse markings.
Etymology
Tomiyamichthys: in honor of ichthyologist (sometimes spelled Ichiro) Tomiyama (1906-1981), Tokyo Imperial University, who described type species, Tomiyamichthys oni, in 1936 + from Greek, ichthys = fish.
elliotensis: named for the type location, Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Original description: Cryptocentrus oni Tomiyama, 1936 - Type locality: Queensland, Lady Elliot Island, Lighthouse Bommie, Australia, female, 52.7 mm SL, -24.1156°, 152.708°, 19 m, clove oil and hand net, M.V. Erdmann & C.L. Gudgeon, 15 February 2023.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Lady Elliot Island (southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia) and New Caledonia (Sournois Reef, Boulari pass and Dieppoise).
Biology
Reported on relatively flat sandy bottoms exposed to periodic strong tidal currents. Temperatures at this site range from 20-28° C across the year. Most individuals observed appeared to be solitary, while about 20% of burrows encountered had a pair of shrimpgobies guarding the entrance. Interestingly, observations during peak tidal currents revealed that nearly all shrimpgoby burrows were completely covered by shifting sands; Only during slack tides would the alpheid shrimp reopen the burrow entrances.
Similar species
Tomiyamichthys gomezi (Allen & Erdmann, 2012) - Distribution: Philippines; Photographed at Seribu Islands, Java.
Last update: 14, October 2023