The taxonomic status of the freshwater gobiid genus Rhinogobius, specimens of whcih were collected throughout Taiwan is reviewed. Nine species of this genus are recognized which can be assigned into 2 species complexes. The R. giurinus complex has only a single species, R. giurinus (Rutter, 1897); and the R. brunneus complex contains the remaining 8 species: 5 valid nominal species (R. candidianus [Regan 1908]; R. nagoyae formosanus Oshima, 1919; R. rubromaculatus Lee & Chang, 1996; R. gigas Aonuma & Chen, 1996, and R. nantaiensis Aonuma & Chen, 1996), and 3 new species, R. delicatus, R. maculafasciatus, and R. henchuenensis. These species can be distinguished by the combination of fin ray count, vertebrae count, scalation, color pattern, habitat, and distribution. The 3 new species are described here with a key and specimen photos, as well as with morphological comparisons of all species of this genus distributed in Taiwan.
Freshwater gobies, Diadromous fish, Fish taxonomy, Fish fauna, Gobiidae
