Vol. 40 No. 3, 2001

Five New Indo-Pacific Gobiid Fishes of the Genus Coryphopterus

John E. Randall

Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817-2704, USA

John E. Randall (2001) The Indo-Pacific species of the gobiid genus Coryphopterus consist of C. aureus, C. duospilus, C. inframaculatus, C. longispinus, C. neophytus, C. signipinnis, and the following new species: C. gracilis from the western Pacific, east to Fiji, has the pelvic fins separated, lacks a pelvic frenum, and has a slender body (depth 5.45-5.75 in SL); C. humeralis from the Red Sea to the Society Islands, the smallest species (to 33.7 mm SL), has the posterior nostril next to the orbit, usually 18 pectoral rays, a short snout (3.4-3.7 in SL), and 2 prominent black spots (above pectoral-fin base and at midbase of caudal fin); C. maximus, from the Red Sea to the western Pacific, the largest species (to 75 mm SL), has prominent dusky orange-yellow spots on head, body, dorsal, and caudal fins, some on head nearly as large as pupil, a black spot at front of 1st dorsal fin, 1 at midbase of caudal fin, and usually 18 pectoral rays; C. melacron from the Andaman Sea and western Pacific east to Fiji has the pelvics separated and without a frenum, 10 dorsal and 9 anal soft rays, the 1st dorsal fin elevated and black-tipped, and usually 20 pectoral rays; and C. pallidus, similar to C. maximus but has 19 or 20 pectoral rays and its orange-yellow spots show little dark pigment (hence largely lost on preserved specimens).

Key words: Gobiidae, Coryphopterus, Indo-Pacific, New species.

*Correspondence: -