Ambon Blenny

Large bushy tentacles above the eyes and the broad rounded snout (Ref. 48636).

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 20; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 18 - 20

In sheltered bays and lagoons, on rocky reefs and commonly found under jetties on the pylons near the surface (Ref. 48636); also found along semi-exposed rocky shorelines (Ref. 1602). Also found in mangroves and on shoreline reefs. Solitary (Ref. 90102) but also occurs in small groups (Ref. 48636). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205).

Paralticus amboinensis (Bleeker)

Salarias amboinensis Bleeker, 1857a:67 [Amboina; holotype, RMNH 4781, largest of 3 specimens].

Salarias goesii Bleeker, 1859a:19 [Doreh, Nieuw-Guinea; holotype, RMNH 4659].

DESCRIPTION.—Dorsal fin. XIV, 18 to 20 = 32 to 34 (32 in only 1 of 15 specimens examined for character); membrane between spinous and segmented-ray portions notched deeper than half length first segmented ray; membrane from posteriormost ray attaching to point ranging from on dorsal edge of caudal peduncle just in advance of caudal-fin base to dorsal edge of caudal fin just posterior to base. One specimen (ZMA 120.372) with apparently aberrant dorsal-fin formula XIII,20, notch depth noticeably < half length first segmented ray; radiograph indicates last spine not reduced in length, as in other specimens, and first 2 segmented rays supported by same pterygiophore in relationship normally comprising last spine and first segmented ray.

Anal fin. II,19 to 21 (only 1 of 15 specimens with 19); posterior element simple, never split to base; last ray bound by membrane to caudal peduncle for at least half length of ray. Skin covering anal-fin spines and anterior segmented rays in adult males not modified (only 4 males available).

Pectoral-fin rays 13 or 14 (13 only unilaterally, in only 1 specimen).

Pelvic-fin rays I,3.

Caudal fin. Dorsal procurrent rays 7 or 8, ventral procurrent rays 5 or 6, total procurrent rays 12 to 14, segmented rays 14.

Vertebrae. 11+26 to 28 = 37 to 39; posteriormost pleural rib on 11 th from anteriormost centrum (= posteriormost precaudal centrum); posteriormost epineural on 15th to 18th from anteriormost centrum.

Cirri. Nape cirrus absent. Orbital cirrus (Figure 57d,e) usually broad, flap-like, with up to 12 secondary cirri on perimeter, much shorter than orbital diameter in females, about equal to orbital diameter in males. Nasal cirrus short, fine, usually simple, sometimes with ragged edge or few very fine branches.

Lateral line. Continuous canal anterodorsally with simple pores (no vertical pairs of pores), extending posteriorly to point between verticals from bases of 3rd and 6th dorsal-fin spines, then continuing posteriorly and posteroventrally as series of 6 to 12 short, disconnected, horizontally bi-pored canals (tubes) in skin; posteriormost tube in area between verticals from 8th and 14th dorsal-fin spines.

Mandibular pores 3 or 4 (3 only unilaterally, in only 1 specimen).

Five sensory pore positions between 1 and 5 o'clock on postorbital margin; all positions occupied by single pores.

Posterior canines well developed in males, absent in females.

Ventral margin of upper lip crenulate; dorsal margin of lower lip varying from weakly to strongly crenulate.

Both sexes lack blade-like crest on head; swollen, fleshy hump dorsally on head variably present in males.

Color pattern (in preservative; Figure 57a–c). Sexes apparently similar. Pattern complex, head dark, with irregular, pale and dark bands radiating ventrally from orbit onto lip, remainder of head with irregular, broad, dark patches separated by smaller, pale spaces; body with more or less uniformly positioned, irregular, dark markings, separated by narrower, pale areas; dark patches sometimes embracing numerous darker specks; dark patches faintly resembling about 5 to 7 pairs of bands, which extend onto dorsal fin basally; dorsal- and caudal-fin rays with regular rows of dark spots; membranes between first 2 or 3 dorsal-fin spines with conspicuous dark spot; vertical pair of dark spots basally on caudal fin; anal fin dusky or with faint spots on rays only; fleshy pectoral-fin base with irregular dark bands or spots, fin itself irregularly dusky, or dusky spotted; pelvic fin immaculate.

Color pattern of fresh specimen (based on color slide). Generally dark, olive green with irregular, pale-yellow or white vermiculations segregating patches of green color embracing numerous dark specks.

Size. Largest male, 141 mm SL; largest female, 106 mm SL; smallest specimen available, female, 70 mm SL.

COMPARISONS AND RELATIONSHIPS.—See this section under the generic account of Paralticus.

Paralticus amboinensis differs from all Blenniella and Istiblennius species in lacking dorsal and ventral postcleithra (both present in the other genera) and in having modally 4 mandibular pores (versus modally 5 or 6); modally 5 pore positions between 1 and 5 o'clock on the postorbital margin (versus modally 6 or more in the other species); 14 segmented caudal-fin rays (versus strongly modally 13 in the other species); and in always having the last anal-fin ray bound by membrane to the caudal peduncle (versus having the ray free in at least 95% of the specimens of each of the other species). Among the Istiblennius species, it superficially resembles I. colei in having modally 14 dorsal-fin spines, but is readily distinguished from that species by many characters (two easily accessible characters: last anal-fin ray attached by membrane to caudal peduncle and lip margins crenulate in amboinensis; ray free from caudal peduncle and lip margins entire in colei).

The only species of Istiblennius that commonly exhibits 14 segmented caudal-fin rays is the Australian endemic I. meleagris. In I. meleagris, 14 rays occurs only in some specimens from localities west of Torres Strait. The normal condition for segmented caudal-fin rays in I. meleagris, and all other species of Istiblennius and Blenniella, is to have 7 rays in the dorsal half of the fin and 6 in the ventral half. When a 14th ray is present in I. meleagris, the additional ray is usually in the dorsal half of the fin, so that there are 8 dorsal and 6 ventral segmented rays. In P. amboinensis, there are 7 segmented rays in both the dorsal and ventral halves of the fin.

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 66).—Known only from northeastern Sabah east to western New Guinea at Biak Island and Geelvink (= Sarera or Cenderawasih) Bay, in depths as little as 0.3 m, often near mangroves.

NOMENCLATURAL

Paralticus amboinensis, the Ambon rockskipper or the big-nose blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western central Pacific Ocean. This species reaches a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) TL. It is currently the only known member of its genus.