Tomicodon rupestris (Poey 1860)

Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 10; Analsoft rays: 6 - 9; Vertebrae: 30 - 33

Collected from rocky shallow surge zones (Ref. 50106).

Tomicodon rupestris (Poey, 1860)

Gobiesox rupestris Poey, 1860:283 [type locality: Cuba; type specimen lost; neotype, USNM 365864, a Poey specimen from Cuba, designated in “Nomenclatural Discussion,” below].

DESCRIPTION (Table 1).—Dorsal-fin rays 7–10 (usually 8 or 9). Anal-fin rays 6–9 (usually 7 or 8). Pectoral-fin rays 20–22 (mode 21). Caudal-fin segmented rays 10–12 (mode 11). Vertebrae 13–15+17–19=30–33 (mode 14+18=32); last rib on vertebra 13–16 (usually 14 or 15); last epineural on vertebra 20–25 (mode 22). Anal fin originating at vertical from base of dorsal-fin ray 2–5 (usually 3 or 4). Upper jaw with 2 canines, 10 incisors. Lower jaw with 2 canines, 6 or 8 incisors. Anterior margin of pelvic disk crenulate, with flap complexity increasing with specimen size. Pelvic disk region A with 6 or 7 irregular rows of papillae; region B with 6 or 7 irregular rows. Anus position varying from midway to near anal-fin origin, usually midway. Anterior nostril usually with tiny dermal flap, flap sometimes absent or moderately developed.

Body elongate, rounded in cross section. Head width ≤2× head depth for all specimen sizes. Head length 26.3%–31.7% SL (x = 28.5%). Head width 15.0%–24.6% SL (x = 21.1). Pelvic disk small, length 18.0%–27.2% SL (x = 24.1%). Longest known specimen 27.3 mm SL.

Mature females with large, cigar-shaped ovaries extending length of body cavity. In one specimen (23.7 mm SL; USNM 365863) with well-developed ovaries, right ovary with about 50+ eggs. Largest egg diameters about 0.4 mm in 23.7 mm SL specimen and 0.5 mm in 25.3 mm SL specimen (both USNM 365863). Genital papilla of females short and conical with somewhat pointed tip; male papilla a slender, elongate tube.

ECOLOGICAL HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION.—Specimens have been taken from rocky shallow surge zones in depths of 3 m or less. The known distribution of T. rupestris is Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, Belize, Honduras, and San Andrés Island, Colombia (in western Caribbean, east of Nicaragua).

PRESERVED COLOR PATTERN (Figure 12).—Pigmentation apparently is retained after preservation.

Males: Head and body with dark brown bars on tan background. Head with five narrow dark bars radiating from eye: anteriormost bar radiating from eye to middle of upper lip, extending anteriorly and meeting similar bar from other side; bar beneath middle of eye broadening ventrally into a somewhat triangular shape; remaining bars extending posteroventrally from eye to just below ventrolateral curvature of head; posterodorsalmost bar extending from eye to ventrolateral border of opercle. Underside of head pale, with dark brown spots on each side of lower lip, these being anterior extensions of the triangular bar beneath the eye. Usually six hourglass-shaped, dark saddles along dorsal profile: anteriormost saddle on top of head, posteriormost saddle on top of caudal peduncle. Body laterally bearing approximately 8–13 narrow, dark bars separated by broader pale interspaces; anteriormost bar behind pectoral-fin base, posteriormost bar on caudal peduncle. Dark lateral bars on body from anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base reaching ventral midline. Belly and region anterior to anal-fin origin pale. Dorsal fin with dark blotch covering basal one-half of first four or five rays, and scattered melanophores extending as dusky streak along central portion of fin. Anal fin varying from pale to having a few melanophores associated in an irregular streak at about midlength of anterior four or five rays. Caudal fin pale basally and distally, with two intervening broad, dark bars separated by a pale interspace, the anterior dark bar somewhat crescent shaped and cradling a reduced, more rounded, and centrally positioned second bar. Pelvic disk pale. Pectoral-fin base typically with large dark blotch covering dorsal half and extending onto bases of dorsalmost 8–12 pectoral-fin rays, remainder of pectoral fin and base without noticeable pigmentation.

Females: Similar to males except lateral bars irregular and forming mottled pattern along sides of body, posteriormost one or two bars sometimes bearing a few scattered melanophores reaching ventral midline.

FRESH COLORATION.—Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY.—The specific epithet apparently is based upon the Latin rupestris, meaning rocky or of rocks and presumably refers to the rocky surge-zone habitat in which specimens of this species are found.

GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION.—Our data do not indicate any significant modal shifts for meristic characters among the several geographic regions for which we have sufficient sample sizes (i.e., Bahamas, Cuba, and Puerto Rico).

NOMENCLATURAL