Divine Dwarf Goby

Benthic spawner.

Benthic in coral, crevices and under ledges (Ref. 58302). In the spur-and-groove habitat in Kaneohe Bay, Oʻahu, Hawai‘i, it feeds mainly on harpacticoid copepods, tanaids, and amphipods, as well as a large variety of other small invertebrates (Ref. 107299).

Eviota epiphanes Jenkins

Eviota epiphanes Jenkins, 1903:501, fig. 42 [type-locality: Honolulu].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—393 specimens from 6 localities, totaling 85 males, 106 females, 197 juveniles and unsexed specimens (due to dessication, etc.); total size range 7.7–15.7; largest male 15.7, largest female 15.7; smallest gravid female 11.6.

Holotype: USNM 50720, (14.1), male; Honolulu, coll. 1889, O. P. Jenkins.

Paratypes: SU 8707, 6 (ca. 11.7-ca. 14.2), 4 unsexed, 1 male (13.7), 1 female (ca. 14.2), Honolulu, summer 1889, O. P. Jenkins.

Other Material: MIDWAY ISLANDS: UH 926, 3 (12.3–15.5), 1 unsexed, 2 females (12.6); E of Eastern I., 29 Jun 1950, Gosline. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: LAYSAN: UH 1067, 2 (10.4, 12.7), males; 23 Jul 1950, Gosline. CAS 43817, 61 (8.2–14.7), 48 juv., 5 males (14.3), 8 females (14.7); 13 Jul 1951, sta 51-GV-26, GVF Reg. 26. CAS 43818, 9 (7.9–14.5), 6 juv., 1 male (12.2), 2 females (14.5); Jun 1951, George Vanderbilt Pacific Equatorial Exp. USNM 213868, 8 (8.7–15.2), 5 juv., 1 male (12.9), 2 females (15.2); same data as above. BPBM 4804, 2 (14.4, 12.7), male and female; May 1923, S. C. Ball. FRENCH FRIGATE SHOALS: UH 874, 6 (11.6–14.5), 2 males (14.5), 4 females (14.3); East I., 19 Jun 1950, Gosline. UH 891, 1 (13.0), male; Gin I., 20 Jun 1950, Gosline. ANSP 65673, 2 (10.2, 14.7), 1 juv., 1 male (14.7); Jul 1923, Tanager Exp. BPBM 4814, 3 (10.9–12.3), 2 males (11.0), 1 female (12.3); Jun 1923, Tanager Exp. OAHU: USNM 78064, 5 (8.9–12.5), 2 juv., 2 males (12.5), 1 female (12.1); Honolulu, coll. 1901, U. S. Fish Commission. USNM 126683, 9 (11.7–14.5), 2 juv., 2 males (13.1), 5 females (14.5); Honolulu, coll. 1901, Jordan and Evermann, USBF 1093. USNM 133656, 2 (13.6, 11.9), male and female; Haunama Bay, coll. 1937, S. F. Light. USNM 149976, 19 (8.4–15.7), 7 juv., 6 males (15.7), 6 females (14.6); Waikiki Lab., Mar–Apr 1942, Lt. G. S. Mansfield. USNM 143072, 1 (14.3) male; Honolulu, 8 May 1902, Albatross. USNM 216590, 11 (8.7–14.5), 3 juv., 2 males (14.5), 6 females (13.8); Kaneohe Bay, 13 Sep 1975, B. Carlson. USNM 213865, 61 (7.8–15.7), 26 juv., 15 males (14.8), 20 females (15.7); Kaneohe Bay, 19 Jun 1969, W. Baldwin, HIMB 69-9. CAS 43819, 5 (11.3–13.6), 1 juv., 2 males (13.6), 2 females (12.9); same data as above. AMS uncataloged, 6 (12.6–15.6), 3 males (13.8), 3 females (15.6); same data as above. SU 66899, 1 (13.7), female; Honolulu, coll. 1901, U. S. Fish Commission. FMNH 63600, 7 (10.4–14.2), 1 juv., 2 males (14.2), 4 females (13.1); Kahuku, 21 Apr 1961, L. P. Woods. ANSP 89161, 18 (8.1–13.6), 13 unsexed, 5 females (13.6); Makuleia, Sep 1936, Otto Degener. ANSP 94845, 1 (13.6) unsexed; (cleared and stained); Diamond Head, 18 Jun 1937, G. Vanderbilt Exp. E Pacific. ANSP 83861, 4 (8.5–13.5), 3 juv., 1 female (13.5); same data as above. ANSP 83821, 2 (9.7, 11.6). juv. and male; Diamond Head, 30 Jun 1937, G. Vanderbilt Exp. S Pacific. ANSP 77907, 1 (11.6), unsexed; Honolulu, coll. 1901, U. S. Fish Commission, no. 1718. ANSP 65815–65816, 2 (ca. 8.3, ca. 11.7), unsexed; Kaaawa Reef, 29 Jun 1923, C. H. Edmondson. ANSP 80658, 1 (13.7), female; Waikiki Reef, Nov 1938, G. B. Mainland, no. 5473. ANSP 77904, 4 (12.5–14.6), 1 unsexed, 2 males (14.3), 1 female (14.6); Waikiki, coll. 1922, C. H. Edmondson. BPBM 4802, 6 (13.0–15.1), 5 unsexed, 1 female (14.6); Waikiki, coll. 1922, C. H. Edmondson. BPBM 5310, 2 (11.5, 12.2), females; Waimanalo, T. T. Dranga. BPBM 7903, 9 (9.8–12.4), 7 males (12.4), 2 females (11.4); Moku Manu, 6 Oct 1969, J. Randall and W. Baldwin. BPBM 5474, 4 (10.3–13.5), 1 juv., 1 male (13.5), 2 females (13.0); Kaneohe Bay, Oct 1938, G. Mainland. BPBM 7909, 3 (10.3–11.1), 2 unsexed, 1 male (11.1); Moku Manu, 3 Oct 1969, J. Randall. BPBM 5474, 20 (7.7–15.2), 13 juv., 6 males (15.2), 1 female (14.3); Waikiki, Feb 1939, G. Mainland. BPBM 4810, 3 (8.0–12.5), 2 unsexed, 1 female (12.0); Malve Kahana, 7 May 1925, C. M. Cooke, Jr. BPBM 5473, 14 (8.0–15.3), 7 juv., 4 males (15.1), 3 females (15.3); Waikiki, 26 Nov 1938, G. Mainland. BPBM 5311, 6 (12.3–13.6), unsexed; Waikiki, 6 Nov 1927, Edmondson. BPBM 22572, 36 (8.1–14.3), 28 juv., 1 male (11.4), 7 females (ca. 14.3); Kahe Point, 8 Mar 1968, Doug Hume. UH 373, 3 (13.1–13.8), 1 male (13.1), 2 females 13.8); Hauula Park, 28 Jun 1949, Gosline. UH 767, 3 (13.5–14.4), 1 male (13.5), 2 females (14.4); Waimea. UH 715, 1 (15.5), male; Punalou Point, 1 Apr 1950, Kangetter. UH 1214, 1 (13.5), female; Kahuku, 4 Feb 1951, Gosline. UH 30, 1 (14.1), male; Kaneohe Bay, 2 Oct 1948, Gosline. USNM 213899, 1 (14.4) male; Kaneohe Bay, Oct 1938 or Waikiki Reef, Feb 1939, G. B. Mainland, Univ. Washington Cat. 14505. JOHNSTON ISLAND: BPBM 22570, 4 (12.0–12.9), 2 males (12.9), 2 females (12.9); S of Sand I., 31 Jan 1965, Jones. ANSP 65795, 1 (12.7), female; inner reef, coll. 1923, Tanager Exp. BPBM 4815, 2 (11.9, 12.1), females; 18 Jul 1923, Tanager Exp. LINE ISLANDS: CAS 43820, 2 (8.1, 14.2), juv. and female; Christmas I., 25 Aug 1951, sta 51-GV-51, GVF Reg. 51.

DIAGNOSIS.—Pectoral fin rays 11–15 almost always branched; spinous dorsal fin not elongate; fifth pelvic fin ray absent; dark bars, dorsally on head and nape, weak to moderately developed, gradually reduced to spots along the midline, to end of second dorsal fin.

DESCRIPTION.—Dorsal fin VI-I,7(1), VI-I,8(8), VI-I,9(25); anal fin I,7(3), I,8(28), I,9(1); pectoral fin 15(2), 16(15), 17(13); pectoral fin rays 10–16 may be branched, 1–9 and 17 always unbranched; pelvic fin I,4(28), I,4 1/10(1); branches on fourth pelvic fin ray average 7.8; segments between consecutive branches of fourth pelvic fin ray usually 1, range 1–3; membrane between the pelvic fin rays reduced; branched caudal fin rays 11(2), 12(5), 13(4), 14(2); segmented caudal fin rays 17(29); lateral scale rows 23(19), 24(4); transverse scale rows 5(4), 6(10). Scales with 25–35 ctenii, 12–15 radii; breast scaleless.

No spinous dorsal elongation, the first spine always shorter or equal to second or third spine; pelvic fins rarely reaching origin of anal fin.

The cephalic sensory pore system is pattern 1. Cutaneous papilla system is pattern A.

Genital papilla in male not fimbriate, stout, short, and broad at base, tapering moderately and fringed at tip, usually not extending to anal spine; genital papilla in female bulbous, short, not reaching anal spine, the tip with 4–8 fingerlike projections.

Nine females, 11.1–14.4 mm SL, from the Hawaiian and Johnston Islands, were gravid or nearly so.

Veterbrae 10(19) pecaudal and 16(18), 17(1) caudal, total 26(18), 27(1).

COLOR IN PRESERVATION.—Head and nape of both sexes with well-defined transverse bars descending to midside of head and upper pectoral fin base; bars diminish in size at the spinous dorsal fin becoming spots along the midline to end of soft dorsal fin; bars on head and nape variable in intensity from solid dark to loose collections of chromatophores, bars sometimes broken into irregular patches; bar immediately behind eye usually most dense and extends forward into narrow interorbital; the second most anterior bar is sometimes V-shaped and directed posteriorly; the head bars on Christmas Island specimens descend to lower opercle and preopercle, and below the eye there are 3 well-defined small, vertical bars; snout, lower cheek, and pectoral base with fine scattered melanophores, underside at head pale; 5 spots on ventral midline, all but the fourth associated with a subcutaneous bar that extends to upper trunk; the fourth spot associated with a small ventral subcutaneous patch; the last bar forms a large, dark midpeduncular subcutaneous spot; the preanal subcutaneous bars terminate ventrolaterally in broad, dark, paired patches, those from the anal origin to the end of the caudal peduncle extend the depth of the trunk and terminate ventrally along the midline in dark patches of chromatophores; scale pockets on trunk with a narrow margin of 1–2 vertical rows of chromatophores, or with a solid dark margin, usually absent on scaled areas of belly and lower caudal peduncle; rays of the pectoral fin delicately dashed in black, from base to tip, membranes clear; pelvic fin clear; outer portion of spinous dorsal dark, the membrane between the fifth and sixth spines, and posterior to the sixth spine usually intensely black basally; the anterior basal portion of the fin pale between the dark medial spots on the trunk midline; second dorsal fin dusky, the area between the basal midline spots pale; anal fin pale to dusky; caudal fin pale, margins of rays sometimes finely outlined. Color pattern well developed in specimens of 8 mm SL.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—Restricted to the North Central Pacific, common in the Hawaiian Islands region. Found at Midway, Laysan, French Frigate Shoals, Oahu, Johnston Island, and Christmas Island (Figure 10).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known from two areas of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba and the coastal waters and islands of Ethiopia, and from one locality in the Gulf of Oman (Figure 13).

Eviota pardalota Lachner and Karnella

Eviota pardalota Lachner and Karnella, 1978:11, figs 6–7 [type-locality: Gulf of Suez, Red Sea].

Eviota stigmapteron.—Clark, 1968: 6 [in part].

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Known from 31 specimens from several localities in the Red Sea reported on by Lachner and Karnella (1978:11).

DIAGNOSIS.—Pectoral fin rays 3–16 may be branched and 10–14 always branched; spinous dorsal fin elongate or filamentous in both sexes, longer in males; fifth pelvic fin ray small, one-tenth length of fourth ray or rudimentary; head with large dark spots, about the size of the pupil, nape with similar spots or transverse bars; 2 large dark spots on fleshy base of pectoral fin; a series of dark spots on trunk along the dorsal and ventral midlines.

DESCRIPTION.—The important species characters treated by Lachner and Karnella (1978) are compared with 30 other species of Eviota in Tables 1–8.

COLOR IN PRESERVATION.—Head with dark spots (about the size of pupil) dorsally, laterally, and ventrally, those on occipital area darker, larger, and sometimes joined to form transverse bars; spots ventrally on head small and weak; cheek with about 4 circular spots and a prominent vertical bar from eye to rictus; snout with moderate to weak spotting and faint pigmentation; spots crowded dorsally on head immediately behind eyes.

Predorsal area on trunk has 2–3 short, transverse dark bars, the posteriormost bar sometimes segmented into lateral spots and the posterior bars sometimes connecting laterally.

Two dark spots, about the size of pupil, on upper and lower fleshy base of pectoral fin, weak scattered chromatophores between spots.

A series of 10 spots along dorsal midline from about base of second spine of first dorsal fin to procurrent rays of caudal fin, the first to third spots passing onto base of spinous dorsal fin, and the fourth to sixth spots passing onto second dorsal fin, leaving clear spaces between spots.

A series of 6 dark spots along ventral midline from origin of anal fin to procurrent caudal fin rays, spots 1–2 adjacent to anal fin, spots 3–6 on caudal peduncle; spots 1–5 are associated with vertical subcutaneous bars extending dorsally on trunk.

Scales laterally over most of trunk with heavily pigmented scale pockets.

Pectoral fin rays with fine dark chromatophores, the membrane clear. Pelvic fins clear. Two, weak to moderately developed, dark spots on each side of anterior portion of base of pelvic fins. First dorsal fin with 3 broad, oblique, bandlike marks, extending upward from the first 3 dorsal midline trunk spots, more or less joined in midsection of fin, leaving clear areas between dark basal spots. The filamentous dorsal spines have small dark spots to tip. Second dorsal fin dusky, the spine and rays with small dark spots in a linear series of 3–4 rows, usually poorly developed. Anal fin uniformly dusky with a narrow, clear margin; area at base of anal fin between midline spots pale. Caudal fin dusky with a series of 4–5 irregularly arranged small spots on most branched rays, moderately developed. Weak vertical bar at base of fin rays.

Five weak to moderately developed subcutaneous bars aligned with the ventral midline spots, and a weak sixth bar on lower trunk above the sixth spot; third and fourth bars merge along midline and form a single bar on upper trunk; fifth bar widens at midline and may be divided at midline but is single above and below. Three weak, wide subcutaneous bars on belly region, not joined along ventral midline, posteriormost just lateral of anal aperture.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—This species is endemic to the Red Sea, taken at three general localities: the Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Suez, and the coastal and insular areas of Ethiopia (Figure 15).