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Abstract
Bathygobius is currently represented by three species in the
western Atlantic (B. soporator, B. curacao and B. mystacium)
based on diagnostic morphological features. Our combined
genetic and morphological analyses indicate that there are
at least six species of Bathygobius comprising eight genetic
lineages in the western Atlantic. Two lineages are identified
as B. curacao and B. mystacium. Four lineages possess char-
acters that would previously have led to their identification
as B. soporator. Two of those are morphologically indistin-
guishable and are recognized here tentatively as a single
species, B. soporator. A third “B. soporator” lineage is dis-
tinct, and Gobius lacertus is resurrected here as Bathygobius
lacertus for that lineage. The fourth “B. soporator” lineage is
also distinct and is described as a new species. Two other
closely related genetic lineages are morphologically indis-
tinguishable and are treated as a single new species.
Redescriptions of B. soporator, B. mystacium and B. curacao
are provided. Comments are made on the identification of
larval Bathygobius from Belize.
Zusammenfassung
Bathygobius ist nach bisherigem Kenntnisstand nach
morphologischen Kriterien im Westatlantik mit drei Arten
vertreten (B. soporator, B. curacao und B. mystacium).
Unsere kombiniert genetischen und morphologischen
Untersuchungen belegen aber, dass es im Westatlantik
mindestens sechs Bathygobius-Arten gibt, die aus acht
genetischen Linien bestehen. Zwei Linien lassen sich mit
B. curacao und B. mystacium in Übereinstimmung brin-
gen. Vier der Linien zeigen Merkmale, die man bisher B.
soporator zugeordnet hätte. Davon sind zwei morpholo-
gisch ununterscheidbar, sodass sie hier vorläufig zu einer
einzigen Art, nämlich B. soporator, zusammengefasst wer-
den. Eine dritte „B.-soporator“-Linie unterscheidet sich,
sodass für sie die Wieder-Einrichtung des alten Namens
Gobius lacertus als Bathygobius lacertus vorgeschlagen wird.
Auch die vierte „B.-soporator“-Linie unterscheidet sich; sie
wird hier als neue Art beschrieben. Zwei weitere nahe ver-
wandte genetische Linien sind morphologisch ununter-
scheidbar und werden als eine einzige weitere neue Art zu -
sammengefasst. Es folgen revidierte Beschreibungen von B.
soporator, B. mystacium und B. curacao sowie Bemerkungen
zur Bestimmung von Bathygobius-Larven von Belize.
Résumé
Le genre Bathygobius est habituellement représenté par
trois espèces dans l’ouest atlantique (B. soporator, B. cura-
cao et. B. mystacium) sur base de données morphologiques
diagnostiques. Nos analyses à la fois génétiques et mor-
phologiques montrent qu’il y a au moins six espèces de
Bathygobius comprenant huit lignages dans l’ouest atlan-
tique. Deux lignages sont identifié comme B. curacao et B.
mystacium. Quatre lignages ont des caractères qui auraient
conduit jadis à leur identification comme B. soporator.
Deux d’entre eux sont indifférenciables morphologique-
ment et sont proposés ici, hypothétiquement, comme une
seule espèce, B. soporator. Un troisième lignage de “B. sopo-
rator” est distinct et Gobius lacertus est rebaptisé Bathygo -
bius lacertus pour ce lignage. Le quatrième lignage “B. sopo-
rator“ est aussi distinct et décrit comme espèce nouvelle.
Deux autres lignages génétiques étroitement apparentés
sont morphologiquement indifférenciables et sont traités
comme nouvelle espèce unique. Des redescriptions de B.
soporator, B. mystacium et B. curacao sont fournies. Des
commentaires sur l’identification de Bathygobius larvaires
de Belize sont présentés.
Sommario
Sulla base di caratteristiche morfologiche il genere Bathy-
gobius è attualmente rappresentato nell’Atlantico occiden-
tale da tre specie (B. soporator, B. curacao eB. mystacium).
La nostra analisi combinata genetica e morfologica indica
che nell’area esistono almeno sei specie di Bathygobius sud-
divise in otto linee genetiche. Due linee sono identificate
come B. curacao e B. mystacium. Quattro linee possiedono
caratteristiche che dovrebbero portare tutte a identificarsi
con B. soporator. Due di queste sono morfologicamente
indistinguibili e sono qui tentativamente riconosciute
come un’unica specie, B. soporator. Una terza linea di “B.
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
141
aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae)
with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Luke Tornabene1*, Carole Baldwin2, Lee A. Weigt2, Frank Pezold1
1) College of Science and Technology, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive,
Corpus Christi, Texas 78412, USA. *Corresponding author: Luke.Tornabene@tamucc.edu
2) National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012,
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, USA.
Received: 28 March 2010 – Accepted: 24 June 2010
soporator” risulta distinta e coincidente con la specie nom-
inale Gobius lacertus che è qui riassegnato come Bathygob-
ius lacertus. La quarta linea di “B. soporator” è altresì dis-
tinta e descritta come nuova specie. Due altre discendenze
genetiche molto vicine sono morfologicamente indistin-
guibili e sono trattate anch’esse come una nuova specie.
Viene fornita una nuova descrizione di B. soporator, B.
mystacium e B. curacao. Sono riportati commenti sull’iden-
tificazione delle larve di Bathygobius del Belize.
INTRODUCTION
The genus Bathygobius Bleeker, 1878, currently
comprises 26 nominal species (Eschmeyer 2010)
with representatives in all tropical oceans.
Although no formal review of the genus as a whole
has been attempted thus far, there have been
reviews of species in the western Atlantic (Gins-
burg 1947), Colombia (Garzón-Ferreira & Acero
1992), Japan (Akihito & Meguro 1980; Akihito et
al. 1988), the eastern Pacific (Ginsburg 1947;
Miller & Stefanni 2001) and West Africa (Miller &
Smith 1989). Three species of Bathygobius are cur-
rently recognized from the western Atlantic: Bathy-
gobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837), B. curacao
(Metzelaar, 1919) and B. mystacium Ginsburg,
1947. Four subspecies of B. soporator and one sub-
species of B. curacao were described primarily on
the basis of minor differences in the number of
modified free pectoral fin rays, modal differences
in pectoral fin ray counts, subtle morphometric
differences, and the presence or absence of a highly
variable patch of scales on the operculum (Gins-
burg 1947). Analyses of nuclear allozymes and
mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data on
specimens from the Bahamas, coastal Brazil and
Rocas Atoll suggested the presence of one or more
undescribed species of Bathygobius from the west-
ern Atlantic (Lima et al. 2005). The western
Atlantic species of Bathygobius have highly con-
served morphology, making it difficult to deter-
mine the number of valid species using morpho-
logical characters alone. Furthermore, general col-
oration in these species is somewhat variable, and it
has been suggested that populations of B. soporator
exhibit two distinct patterns of pigmentation
depending on whether they are living over sandy
bottoms or rocky substrates (Tavolga 1950). The
purpose of this study was to use cytochrome coxi-
dase-I (COI) sequence data and subsequent mor-
phological investigation to clarify the status of the
nominal species of Bathygobius in the western
Atlantic and detect cryptic lineages that may exist
in the region. Herein we redescribe the three cur-
rently recognized western Atlantic Bathygobius
species, describe two new species, and resurrect and
redescribe one previously synonymized species.
We present a taxonomic key to the species that illu-
minates the subtle morphological and pigmenta-
tion characters useful in their identification, and
we make comments on previous identifications of
Bathygobius larvae from Belize in light of new
genetic data.
METHODS
Specimens used in this study were collected from
Belize, the Bahamas, Curacao, Panama, Tobago,
Venezuela, Florida, Puerto Rico and Texas, and are
listed at the beginning of the appropriate species
description below. Depending on the locality, fish
specimens were collected using quinaldine sulfate,
rotenone, plankton tow (for larvae), seine, or dip-
nets from various habitats including sheltered and
exposed rocky shorelines, tidepools, mangroves,
rock jetties and reef crests. In addition to the west-
ern Atlantic collections, specimens of Bathygobius
andrei (Sauvage, 1880) (AMNH 251643, DNA
#PAN35a, 32 mm SL, Punta Patilla, Panama,
Panama, 31 July 2000, J. Van Tassell and D. R.
Robertson; AMNH 251643, DNA #PAN35b, 39
mm SL, Punta Patilla, Panama, 31 July 2000, J.
Van Tassell and D. R. Robertson) and Bathygobius
ramosus Ginsburg, 1947 (AMNH 251645, DNA
#ELS31a, 49 mm SL, Golfo de Fonseca El Sal-
vador, 9 March 2001, D. R. Robertson, C. Bald-
win, J. Van Tassell, E. Barraza, K. Kaiser and E.
Ochoa) from the eastern Pacific were included in
the analysis for comparison. Additional museum
specimens were examined for each species and are
listed in the appropriate section below. Most spec-
imens were photographed using a digital camera to
record color patterns prior to dissection and preser-
vation. Voucher specimens from each recovered
genetic lineage were subsequently analyzed for
diagnostic patterns in pigmentation and morphol-
ogy. To determine if the lineages represented novel
species or taxa that had been previously described
and subsequently synonymized, type specimens for
all western Atlantic Bathygobius and their syn-
onyms were examined. Larval Bathygobius were
collected in Belize and included in our DNA
analysis, and comments made on their identifica-
tion. All measurements were taken with digital
calipers and counts of procurrent caudal fin rays
were made from digital radiographs of specimens.
Descriptions of pigmentation are based on fresh
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 142
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
143
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
Fig. 1. Neighbor-joining tree of western Atlantic Bathygobius derived from COI sequences, with 61 sequences removed to
reduce size. Larval specimens denoted with L*. See Appendix for neighbor-joining tree of all 167 sequences. Scale bar units
= substitutions/site.
and recently preserved specimens. The postorbital,
temporal and shoulder spots described here for
each species are the same markings shown by
Miller & Stefanni (2001: Fig. 4) and occur at the
following locations on the body: postorbital
blotch – posterior to the eye, anterior to a vertical
through posterior margin of preopercle; temporal
marking – directly above posterodorsal corner of
preopercle; and shoulder spot – directly above pos-
terodorsal corner of operculum. Meristic counts
and measurements follow Miller & Smith (1989).
Digital photographs of most of the voucher speci-
mens were taken at the time of collection and are
housed at the Smithsonian Institution.
Molecular techniques follow those of Baldwin et
al. (2009). Tissue sampling for molecular work
involved removing a muscle biopsy, eye, fin clip, or
caudal body portion then storage in saturated salt
buffer (Seutin et al. 1990) or 95% ethanol.
Genomic DNA was extracted from up to approxi-
mately 20 mg minced preserved tissue via an auto-
mated phenol:chloroform extraction on the Auto-
genprep965 (Autogen, Holliston, Massachusetts)
using the mouse tail tissue protocol with a final
elution volume of 50 µL. For polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), 1 µL of this genomic DNA was
used in a 10 µL reaction with 0.5 U Bioline (Bio-
Line USA, Boston, Massachusetts) Taq polymerase,
0.4 µL 50 mM MgCl2, 1 µL 10× buffer, 0.5 µL 10
mM deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate (dNTP),
and 0.3 µL 10 µM each primer FISH-BCL (5’-
TCAACYAATCAYAAAGATATYGGC AC) and
FISH-BCH (5’-TAAACTTCAGGGTGACCAAA
AAATCA). The thermal cycler program for PCR
was 1 cycle of 5 min at 95°C; 35 cycles of 30 s at
95°C, 30 s at 52°C, and 45 s at 72°C; 1 cycle of 5
min at 72°C; and a hold at 10°C. The PCR prod-
ucts were purified with Exosap-IT (USB, Cleve-
land, OH) using 2 µL 0.2× enzyme and incubated
for 30 min at 37°C. The reaction was then inacti-
vated for 20 min at 80°C. Sequencing reactions
were performed using 1 µL of this purified PCR
product in a 10 µL reaction containing 0.5 µL
primer, 1.75 µL BigDye buffer, and 0.5 µL BigDye
(ABI, Foster City, California) and run in the ther-
mal cycler for 30 cycles of 30 s at 95°C, 30 s at
50°C, 4 min at 60°C, and then held at 10°C.
These sequencing reactions were purified using
Millipore Sephadex plates (MAHVN-4550; Milli-
pore, Billerica, Massachusetts) per manufacturer’s
instructions and stored dry until analyzed.
Sequencing reactions were analyzed on an ABI
3730XL automated DNA sequencer, and sequence
trace files were exported into Sequencher 4.7
(GeneCodes, Ann Arbor, MI). Using the Sequen -
cher program, ends were trimmed from the raw
sequences until the first and last 10 bases contained
fewer than 5 base calls with a confidence score
(phred score) lower than 30. After trimming, for-
ward and reverse sequences for each specimen were
assembled. Each assembled pair was examined and
edited by hand, and each sequence was checked for
stop codons. Finally the consensus sequence (655
bp) from each contig was aligned and exported in
a nexus format (sensu Swofford 2002). Neighbor-
joining trees (Saitou & Nei 1987) and distance
matrices were generated using Paup*4.1 (Swofford
2002) and Mega 4.0 (Tamura et al. 2007) on an
analysis of Kimura two-parameter distances
(Kimura 1980). A total of 168 sequences were ana-
lyzed in this study. Several to many redundant
specimens (61 total) were removed from each lin-
eage in the resulting neighbor-joining tree (Fig. 1)
for easier viewing. The complete tree with all 167
sequences is included as Appendix I. COI seq u en -
c es are deposited in Genbank (accession numbers
HM748331-HM748428 and HM775883-
HM775951).
RESULTS
Diversity of Bathygobius in the western Atlantic
(Fig. 2): The neighbor-joining tree constructed
from the COI sequence data shows eight distinct
genetic lineages from the western Atlantic (Fig. 1).
In addition to these eight lineages, the eastern
Pacific B. ramosus and B. andrei also formed dis-
tinct genetic lineages (Fig. 1). Lineage 4 is identi-
fied as B. curacao based primarily on the presence
of 15-17 pectoral fin rays and 31-36 lateral scale
rows (Ginsburg 1947) in the voucher specimens
and the B. curacao type material. Lineage 8 is iden-
tified as B. mystacium based on the presence of 31-
36 lateral scale rows, 18-21 pectoral fin rays and a
short upper jaw (9.2-11.7 % SL) (Ginsburg 1947).
Lineages 6 and 7 comprise individuals that are
morphologically indistinguishable, and do not
unequivocally match the descriptions of B. sopora-
tor, B. curacao or B. mystacium. We recognize this
pair of lineages as a single new species, B. gemina-
tus, but note that future studies may provide addi-
tional evidence warranting the separation of these
lineages into distinct species.
Specimens from the remaining four lineages (1, 2,
3, 5) originally were identified as B. soporator
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 144
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
145
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
based on characters described by Ginsburg (1947),
specifically a high number of lateral scale rows (37-
42), a long upper jaw (11.5-16.5 %SL) and 17-22
pectoral fin rays. We found subtle differences in
patterns of pigmentation and predorsal squama-
tion that diagnose lineage 1, the combined lineage
2/3, and lineage 5. We have found no morpholog-
ical characters or pigment patterns that separate
lineages 2 and 3. As with lineages 6 and 7, we treat
lineages 2 and 3 as a single species pending further
study.
To determine which of the three species repre-
sented by lineages 1, 2/3 and 5 is B. soporator, we
examined the original description, images of the
Gobius soporator syntypes, and type material of
Ginsburg’s (1947) four B. soporator subspecies (B.
Fig. 2. Digital images of freshly collected western Atlantic Bathygobius specimens, shown here arranged in rows by species to
accentuate the differences in diagnostic pigment patterns among the species. From left to right by row: B. lacertus – USNM
397570, DNA sequence #BLZ 7218, 48 mm SL, Belize, photo by Julie Mounts (JM) and Amy Driskell (AD), Smithsonian
Institution (SI); AMNH 251649, DNA #PR 1196, 33 mm SL, La Boca, Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, photo by R. Chabarria
(RC); USNM 397577, DNA #TOB 9402, 25 mm SL, Tobago, photo by Carole Baldwin (CB) and Lee Weigt (LW), SI;
AMNH 251656, DNA #PR 1546, 39 mm SL, beach near Hwy 3, Patillas, Puerto Rico, photo by RC; B. soporator – USNM
397587, DNA #FLA 7157, 24 mm SL, Florida, photo by JM and CB, SI; USNM 397598, DNA #FLA 9012, 57 mm SL,
Florida, photo by CB, SI; USNM 397599, DNA #FLA 9013, 42 mm SL, Florida, photo by CB, SI; USNM 397597, DNA
#FLA 9008, 53 mm SL, Florida, photo by CB, SI; B. curacao – USNM 397561, DNA #BLZ 6066, 32 mm SL, Belize,
photo by CB and LW, SI; USNM 397562, DNA #TOB 9399, 29 mm SL, Tobago, photo by CB and LW; USNM 397564,
DNA #TOB 9401, 29 mm SL, Tobago, photo by CB and LW, SI; USNM 397563, DNA #TOB 9400, 29 mm SL, Tobago,
photo by CB and LW, SI; B. antilliensis – USNM 398060, DNA #BLZ 7203, 68 mm SL, Belize, photo by JM and AD, SI;
USNM 398064, DNA #BLZ 7214, 44 mm SL, Belize, photo by JM and AD, SI; USNM 398065, DNA #BLZ 7378,
paratype, 76 mm SL, Belize, photo by CB and LW, SI; No voucher available, DNA #BLZ 7066, 33 mm SL, Belize, photo
by JM and AD; B. mystacium – USNM 398086, DNA #BLZ 7037, 63 mm SL, Belize, photo by JM; no voucher available,
DNA #BLZ 7065, 35 mm SL, Belize, photo by JM and AD; USNM 398085, DNA #BLZ 6419, 29 mm SL, Belize, photo
by JM and AD, SI; USNM 398088, DNA #BLZ 7039, 37.5 mm SL, Belize, photo by JM, SI; B. geminatus – USNM
398101, DNA #FLA 7466, 38 mm SL, Florida, photo by CB and LW, SI; USNM 398104, DNA #FLA 9009, 33 mm SL,
Florida, photo by CB, SI; USNM 38110, DNA #FLA 9019, 35 mm SL, Florida, photo by CB, SI; USNM 398106, DNA
#FLA 9011, paratype, 24.5 mm SL, Florida, photo by C. B, SI. Image editing by C. B.
soporator soporator, B. soporator sextaneus, B. sopora-
tor longiceps and B. soporator catulus). Specimens
from all four lineages are morphologically consis-
tent with Valenciennes’ (1837) original description
of G. soporator. Ginsburg (1947) attempted to dif-
ferentiate the subspecies by a series of overlapping
body measurements, modal differences in pectoral
fin-ray counts, and patterns of branching on the
pectoral fin rays. We find that those characters are
not diagnostic of any of the genetic lineages recov-
ered in this study. The two morphologically indis-
tinguishable sister lineages (2/3) appear to be B.
soporator based on similarities between the G. sopo-
rator syntypes and vouchers from both lineages in
predorsal squamation patterns and in pigmenta-
tion on the first dorsal fin. Gobius lacertus Poey,
1860, long considered a synonym of B. soporator, is
resurrected here as Bathygobius lacertus for lineage
1, based on similarities in trunk pigmentation and
predorsal squamation between the voucher speci-
mens of this lineage and the G. lacertus holotype.
The remaining lineage (5) has a combination of
morphological and pigmentation characters that
are not present in the holotypes or syntypes of B.
soporator or any of its synonyms, and therefore we
describe it as a new species, B. antilliensis.
SYSTEMATICS
Bathygobius antilliensis n. sp. Tornabene,
Baldwin & Pezold
Antilles frillfin (Figs 2-3)
Holotype: AMNH 251650, DNA #PR1313, 46
mm SL, female, Playa Magui, Hatillo, Puerto Rico,
18°29’26”N, 66°48’57”W, 27 May 2009, L. Torn-
abene and R. Chabarria.
Paratypes: AMNH 251658, DNA #PR1312, 45
mm SL, from holotype locality, Puerto Rico, 27
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
USNM 397605, DNA #BAH8203, 41 mm SL,
Sugar Beach Cave, Bahamas. USNM 397607,
DNA #BAH9123, 41 mm SL, Sugar Beach Cave,
Bahamas. USNM 398061, DNA #BLZ7207, 47
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
398063, DNA #BLZ7213, 45 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. USNM 398065, DNA
#BLZ7378, 76 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 25
January 2007, L. Weigt. USNM 398066, DNA
#BLZ7379, 42 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 25
January 2007, L. Weigt. USNM 398068, DNA
#CUR8182, 61 mm SL, Boka Sami, Curacao, 13
March 2008, C. Baldwin, D. Smith and L. Weigt.
USNM 398069, DNA #CUR8183, 51 mm SL,
Boka Sami, Curacao, 13 March 2008, C. Baldwin,
D. Smith and L. Weigt. USNM 398070, DNA
#CUR8184, 39 mm SL, Boka Sami, Curacao, 13
March 2008, C. Baldwin, D. Smith and L. Weigt.
USNM 398073, DNA #TOB9070, 56 mm SL,
Arnos Vale Beach, Tobago, 15 March 2009, C.
Baldwin, D. Smith and L. Weigt. USNM 398077,
DNA #TOB9310, 39 mm SL, Culloden Bay
Beach, Tobago, 18 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D.
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 146
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 3. Bathygobius antilliensis, holotype, 46 mm SL, female, Hatillo, Puerto Rico, DNA #PR1313, AMNH 251650. A, lon-
gitudinal pattern of pigment on first dorsal fin; B, upper, complete row of 7-8 blotches, row terminating just anterior to
basicaudal markings; C, lower, incomplete row of 3 (rarely 4) blotches row usually terminating anterior to origin of anal fin.
Photo by R. Chabarria. Image editing by L. Tornabene.
Smith, L. Weigt, and Gonzales. AMNH 251658,
33.5 mm SL, from holotype locality, Puerto Rico,
27 May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
AMNH 251658, 31 mm SL, from holotype local-
ity, Puerto Rico, 27 May 2009, L. Tornabene and
R. Chabarria. 251658, 41 mm SL, from holotype
locality Puerto Rico, 27 May 2009, L. Tornabene
and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251658, 37.5 mm SL,
from holotype locality, Puerto Rico, 27 May 2009,
L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. ANSP 191377, 42
mm SL, from holotype locality, Puerto Rico, 27
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. ANSP
191378, 43 mm SL, from holotype locality, Puerto
Rico, 27 May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabar-
ria.
Additional material examined: COI-sequenced
specimens: AMNH 251657, DNA#PR1563, 21
mm SL, Guanica Beach, Puerto Rico, 8 June 2009,
L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. USNM 397604,
DNA #BAH8202, 45 mm SL, Sugar Beach Cave,
Bahamas, 18 June 2008, C. Baldwin and relatives.
USNM 397606, DNA #BAH8204, 36 mm SL,
Sugar Beach Cave, Bahamas, 18 June 2008, C.
Baldwin and relatives. USNM 397608, DNA
#BLZ5382, 62 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 5
May 2005, C. Baldwin. USNM 397609, DNA
#BLZ5383, 54 mm SL, Belize, 5 May 2005, C.
Baldwin. USNM 397610, DNA #BLZ5386, 16
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 5 May 2005, C.
Baldwin. USNM 397611, DNA #BLZ5434, 17
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 7 May 2005, C.
Baldwin. USNM 397612, DNA #BLZ5436,
90mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 7 May 2005,
C. Baldwin. USNM 397613, DNA #BLZ6416,
61 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 April 2006,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
397614, DNA #BLZ6417, 55 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 17 April 2006, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. USNM 398059, DNA
#BLZ7040, 30 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 12
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398060, DNA #BLZ7203, 68
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
398062, DNA #BLZ7211, 45 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. USNM 398064, DNA
#BLZ7214, 44 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398067, DNA #CUR8149, 30
mm SL, Cas Abou, Curacao, 12 March 2008, C.
Baldwin, D. Smith and L. Weigt. USNM 398071,
DNA #CUR8310, 26 mm SL, Blue Bay, Curacao,
14 March 2008, D. Smith. USNM 398072, DNA
#CUR8311, 21 mm SL, Blue Bay, Curacao, 14
March 2008, D. Smith. USNM 398074, DNA
#TOB9071, 49 mm SL, Arnos Vale Beach,
Tobago, 15 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith
and L. Weigt. USNM 398075, DNA #TOB9072,
39 mm SL, Arnos Vale Beach, Tobago, 15 March
2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith and L. Weigt.
USNM 398076, DNA #TOB9309, 49 mm SL,
Culloden Bay Beach, Tobago, 18 March 2009, C.
Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt and Gonzales.
USNM 398078, DNA #TOB9311, 36 mm SL,
Culloden Bay Beach, Tobago, 18 March 2009, C.
Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt and Gonzales.
COI sequences without voucher specimens:
BLZ7066, 33 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 13 January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell.
Additional specimens: MCZ 62340, 19, 15-53
mm SL, Bonaire. UF 16322, 5, 39-62 mm SL,
Utila Island, Honduras. UF 16609, 43, 21-82 mm
SL, Morant Cays, Jamaica. UF 19248, 10, 23-94
mm SL, Rocas Atoll, Brazil. USNM 178205, 6,
27-62 mm SL, Little Courland Bay, Tobago.
USNM 178891, 4, 19-61 mm SL, Leeward I.,
Antigua. USNM 192183, 100, 14-80 mm SL,
Marianao, Cuba. USNM 359412, 14, 12-57 mm
SL, Navassa Island.
Diagnosis: Pectoral fin rays 18-21; lateral scale
rows 38-42; upper jaw length 9.5-13 % SL, rarely
less than 11% SL; predorsal squamation reaching
anteriorly beyond vertical through posterior mar-
gin of preopercle, often reaching posterior edge of
postorbital blotch; first dorsal fin either with 1-4
dark blotches on each element forming 1-4 stripes
across fin, or with one broad, dark brown longitu-
dinal stripe across middle of fin; ventral portion of
trunk with two rows of markings, upper row con-
sisting of 7-8 dark blotches along lateral midline
from beneath pectoral fin to point just anterior to
markings on caudal peduncle, lower row typically
consisting of 3 conspicuous dark spots – occasion-
ally with diffuse 4th spot beginning beneath ventral
portion of pectoral fin and terminating just ante-
rior to origin of anal fin.
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal rays, including
procurrent rays, 17 in dorsal lobe, 15 in ventral
lobe (rarely 17/16 or 16/15); predorsal scale rows
18-21; cheek and operculum without scales; snout
length 4.5-8.5% SL, slightly less than or roughly
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
147
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
equal to eye diameter; eye diameter 6.5-9.0%;
lower jaw extending to vertical through center of
pupil and often beyond this point; interorbital
region narrow; HL 27.2-32.1% SL; snout profile
convex; body depth at origin of first dorsal fin
roughly one-fourth to one-fifth of SL, 16.0-24.5%
SL; caudal peduncle depth 11.0-16.7% SL; pec-
toral fin slightly longer than head, usually reaching
vertical through posterior margin of first dorsal fin,
and sometimes beyond this point; dorsalmost 4-5
rays free from membrane, extent of branching
highly variable (see “Discussion”); pelvic fin disk
oval-shaped or slightly elliptical, extending to or
just falling short of anus.
Pigmentation: Ventral portion of trunk with two
rows of markings, upper row consisting of 7-8 dark
blotches along lateral midline from beneath pec-
toral fin to point just anterior to markings on cau-
dal peduncle, lower row typically consisting of 3
conspicuous dark spots, occasionally with diffuse
4th spot, beginning beneath ventral portion of pec-
toral fin and terminating just anterior to origin of
anal fin; markings on trunk typically more distinct
and horizontally elongate in small specimens; dor-
sal portion of body with 3 very pale dorsal saddles,
barely distinguishable near and below lateral mid-
line; background color of body pale; in life, scales
often with yellow fringes giving appearance of very
narrow zigzag shapes along body, this pattern often
less apparent in specimens collected from dark sub-
strates; basicaudal markings typically a pair of ver-
tically oriented spots; paired spots separate from
small spot at origin of dorsal procurrent caudal
rays; first dorsal fin either with 1-4 dark blotches
on each element forming 1-4 distinct longitudinal
stripes across fin, or with one broad, dark brown,
longitudinal stripe across fin; second dorsal fin pig-
mentation similar to first, but stripes sometimes
less distinct as those on first dorsal fin; branched
caudal fin rays with dark blotches of varying
length, giving appearance of complete or partially
broken vertical bars in life; anal fin lightly pig-
mented medially, becoming more densely pig-
mented distally, but often with very narrow pale
margin at the distal edge; proximal portion of anal
fin and overall background color of dorsal, caudal,
and pectoral fins, light brown; in life, this light
brown pigment tinged with yellow; fin color may
be darker depending on the substrate over which
specimens were collected; pelvic fin ranging from
uniformly dusky to lightly pigmented or pale; pec-
toral fin base densely pigmented, often with two
concentrations of melanophores forming two dis-
tinct blotches, one above the other, continuing
onto pectoral fin rays, fading distally; operculum
speckled with melanophores; cheek often with two
distinct dark blotches, each blotch slightly smaller
in diameter than the pupil, anterior cheek blotch
typically occurring at posterior margin of lower
jaw, second slightly more posterior; third spot of
same size sometimes present just posterodorsal to
second spot; small, dark, distinct spot present at
posteroventral corner of orbit; jaws and snout with
scattered melanophores, sometimes giving those
areas mottled appearance; configuration of postor-
bital blotch highly variable among populations,
typically either round or oval in shape, but may be
divided by sensory canal into two blotches, one
large and one much smaller; diameter of postor-
bital marking usually about 2/3 that of pupil; tem-
poral marking very small, sometimes indiscernible,
but typically present as pair of separate or loosely
connected oblong spots; shoulder spot usually the
same size as or slightly larger than postorbital
blotch, variable in shape (sometimes dark irides-
cent shade of blue in life); gular, prepelvic, and
branchiostegal regions dusky to lightly pigmented;
abdomen very lightly pigmented or completely
pale.
GenBank accession number for COI sequence
of holotype: HM748393
Habitat: This species’ habitat preference may be
slightly more restricted than that of other species of
Bathygobius in the region. Bathygobius antilliensis
has been collected primarily from reef crests and
from shallow tidepools on exposed beaches, where
it typically co-occurs with B. mystacium and B. lac-
ertus. A single specimen was collected co-occurring
with three species, B. geminatus, B. lacertus, and B.
soporator, from a sheltered rocky shoreline near an
irrigation canal in Puerto Rico.
Distribution: DNA voucher specimens for this
study were collected from Belize, Tobago, Curaçao,
Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas.
Museum specimens from Antigua, Grand Cay-
man, Jamaica, Cuba, Swan Island, Florida Keys,
Great Corn Island off the coast of Nicaragua, Utila
Island off the coast of Honduras, and Rocas Atoll
appear to fit the description of this species as well,
although it has been suggested that populations
from the Rocas Atoll may represent an undescribed
species or subspecies that is genetically distinct
from populations in the Caribbean (Lima et al.
2005). Bathygobius antilliensis is the most common
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 148
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
western Atlantic Bathygobius species collected from
insular and continental islands in the Caribbean.
The single record of this species in our study from
the continental mainland is an 11 mm SL speci-
men from Venezuela. Specimens from Belize are
not from the mainland, but rather from offshore
islands. This species also may occur off continen-
tal Columbia, as the illustration of Colombian “B.
soporator” in Garzon-Ferriera & Acero (1992)
appears to be B. antilliensis.
Discussion: Bathygobius antilliensis is one of sev-
eral genetic lineages in our study that fit Ginsburg’s
(1947) redescription of B. soporator. It is wide-
spread in museum collections from throughout the
Caribbean under the name B. soporator, often
occurring in mixed lots with B. lacertus and B. my -
stacium. Despite its abundance in collections, the
morphological characters that diagnose this lineage
(trunk pigmentation, extent of predorsal squama-
tion, pigment pattern on first dorsal fin) are not
present or are indiscernible in the name-bearing
types of the valid species of Bathygobius or their
synonyms. We therefore have described this lineage
as a new species.
Comparisons: Bathygobius antilliensis is morpho-
logically similar to B. lacertus and B. soporator in
having a high number of lateral scale rows and pec-
toral fin rays (18-21) and in having a long upper
jaw (rarely less than 11% SL). It can be distin-
guished from B. lacertus in most cases in having
more extensive predorsal squamation (usually
extending anteriorly beyond a vertical through the
posterior margin of the preopercle in B. antilliensis
vs extending to and rarely beyond the vertical in B.
lacertus). It is distinguished from all western
Atlantic Bathygobius by the spotting pattern along
the body: specifically the incomplete row of 3-4
spots ventral to a row of 7-8 spots along lateral
midline. It further differs from B. soporator in hav-
ing a longitudinal pigment pattern across the first
dorsal fin (vs a broad vertical or slightly diagonal
bar) and by the basicaudal spotting (a pair of sepa-
rate or loosely connected spots one above the other
in B. antilliensis vs a large irregularly shaped blotch
often reaching dorsal midline in B. soporator).
This species exhibits a wide degree of variation in
terms of branching of the free pectoral fin rays.
Some specimens from Belize have the three upper-
most rays branched once and the 4th ray branched
more than once. In a population from Puerto Rico,
nearly all of the samples have bifurcate or multi-
furcate 4th pectoral fin rays, with some of them of
them having bifurcate 2nd and 3rd pectoral rays.
Samples from Jamaica, Cuba, Swan Island and the
Bahamas contain some specimens with rays 1-3
branched more than once and others with rays 1-3
branched once. In addition to variation at the pop-
ulation level, many individuals of both sexes from
each population have different branching patterns
on the right pectoral fin versus the left. Bathygob-
ius ramosus from the eastern Pacific, a species that
is genetically similar to B. antilliensis, is also diag-
nosed from other eastern Pacific species in having
more extensive pectoral fin branching (Miller &
Stefanni 2001). The dorsalmost 3-4 pectoral fin
rays typically branch once in eastern Pacific and
western Atlantic Bathygobius. The more extensive
branching pattern may be a synapomorphy uniting
B. ramosus and B. antilliensis as sister taxa.
Etymology: The epithet antilliensis, an adjective
formed from the proper noun “Antilles,” is in ref-
erence to the islands of the Antilles, which consti-
tute most of the known range of this species and
the region where this species is most abundant.
“Frillfin” is commonly used for Bathygobius gobies
(Nelson et al. 2004) and is in reference to the free
pectoral fin rays in the dorsal portion of the fin.
Bathygobius curacao (Metzelaar, 1919)
Notchtongue goby (Figs 2, 4)
Gobius curacao Metzelaar, in Metzelaar 1919: 136,
Fig 38 (type locality Curacao and Bonaire
Islands)
? Bathygobius curacao lepidopoma Ginsburg, in
Ginsburg, 1947: 278 (type locality Newfound
Bay, Florida)
Material Examined: DNA voucher specimens:
AMNH 251644, DNA #VEN3a, 31 mm SL,
Carabobo, Venezuela, 26 June 2007, J. Van Tassell,
D.R. Robertson and J. Posada. AMNH 251644,
DNA #VEN3b, 24 mm SL, Carabobo, Venezuela,
26 June 2007, J. Van Tassell, D. R. Robertson and
J. Posada. USNM 397561, DNA #BLZ6066, 32
mm SL, Twin Cays, Belize, 1 April 2006, C. Bald-
win, L. Weigt and R. Murphy. USNM 397562,
DNA #TOB9399, 29 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago,
20 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt,
D. Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397563, DNA
#TOB9400, 29 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago, 20
March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, D.
Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397564, DNA
#TOB9401, 29 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago, 20
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
149
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, D.
Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397565, DNA
#TOB9403, 21 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago, 20
March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, D.
Rousseau and Langton.
COI sequences with no voucher specimens:
BLZ4052, larva, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 21 Feb-
ruary 2004, C. Baldwin and J. Mounts. BLZ4074,
larva, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 22 February 2004,
C. Baldwin and J. Mounts. BLZ4154, 10.5 mm
SL, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 26 Feb-
ruary 2004, C. Baldwin and J. Mounts. BLZ5128,
5 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize,
26 April 2005, C. Baldwin and J. Mounts.
BLZ5505, 6 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 10 May 2005, C. Baldwin, L. Weigt,
and Murphy. BLZ6039, 6 mm SL, photographed,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 31 March 2006, C. Bald-
win, L. Weigt and Murphy. BLZ6428, 6 mm SL,
photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 April
2006, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell.
BLZ6430, 6 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 17 April 2006, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. BLZ6447, 11 mm SL, pho-
tographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 18 April 2006,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. BLZ7023, 6
mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 11
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. BLZ7193, 6 mm SL, photographed,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007, C. Bald-
win, D. Smith, L. Weigt and J. Mounts.
BLZ7259, 6 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 18 January 2007, C. Baldwin, D.
Smith, L. Weigt and J. Mounts. BLZ7260, 6 mm
SL, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 18 Jan-
uary 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt and J.
Mounts. BLZ7305, 5.5 mm SL, photographed,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 20 January 2007, C. Bald-
win, D. Smith, L. Weigt and J. Mounts.
BLZ7306, 5.5 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 20 January 2007, C. Baldwin, D.
Smith, L. Weigt and J. Mounts. BLZ7307, 6 mm
SL, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 20 Jan-
uary 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt and J.
Mounts.
Additional specimens: MCZ 44621, 5, 26-34
mm SL, Juan Chiquita, Panama. UF 18341, 22,
18-32 mm SL, Andros Islands, Bahamas. UF
201839, 30, 15-33 mm SL, Virginia Key, Florida.
ZMA 111890, Gobius curacao syntypes, Curacao
and Bonaire Islands. USNM 57452, Bathygobius
curacao lepidopoma holotype, 55 mm SL, New-
found Bay, Florida.
Diagnosis: Pectoral fin rays 16-17 (rarely 15 or
18); lateral scale rows 31-36; upper jaw length
11.1-15.0 % SL; predorsal squamation extending
anteriorly to vertical through posterior margin of
preopercle, sometimes slightly beyond this point;
body variously covered in dark blotches, sometimes
loosely forming 6-7 diffuse dark blotches of vary-
ing size down body, but trunk typically with no
apparent diagnostic pattern of pigment.
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal fin rays, including
procurrent rays 16 in dorsal lobe, 15 in ventral lobe
(rarely 17/15 or 16/16); predorsal scales 17-20;
cheek and operculum typically without scales;
snout length 4.5-7.0% SL, slightly less than eye
diameter; eye diameter 7.5-11.0% SL; lower jaw
typically extending to or slightly beyond vertical
through center of pupil; HL 27.5-36.0% SL; slope
of snout more or less convex; body depth at origin
of first dorsal fin 21.4-24.8% SL; caudal peduncle
depth 11.0-14.0% SL; pectoral fin reaching verti-
cal through posterior margin of first dorsal fin;
dorsalmost 3-4 pectoral rays free from membrane,
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 150
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 4. Bathygobius curacao, 29 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago, DNA #TOB9399, USNM 397562. A. ventral portion of trunk
with no distinct markings. Photo by C. Baldwin and L. Weigt. Image editing by L. Tornabene.
each free pectoral ray usually branching once;
pelvic fin disk oval-shaped or slightly elliptical,
extending to or just falling short of anus.
Pigmentation: Trunk variously covered in dark
blotches, sometimes 6-7 diffuse dark blotches of
varying size evident, but trunk typically with no
apparent diagnostic pattern of pigment; dorsal half
of trunk often with 3-4 dark saddles that may fade
in preservation; background of body pale; first dor-
sal fin with 2-3 dark blotches on each element, giv-
ing appearance of 2-3 longitudinal stripes across
fin; second dorsal fin with 3-4 dark blotches on
each element typically forming 3-4 longitudinal
stripes (often incomplete or broken) across fin;
anal fin dusky to lightly pigmented; caudal fin var-
iously pigmented, often possessing 1-4 blotches on
each branched ray, forming 3-4 vertical bars; basi-
caudal pigment highly variable, ranging from
inconspicuous irregular dark blotch to series of
three connected spots arranged in triangular shape;
pelvic fin pale to uniformly dusky; pectoral fin base
covered with melanophores, sometimes forming
dark blotches of varying shape and size; postorbital
spot somewhat small, round or slightly oblong;
temporal blotch present as two tiny distinctly sep-
arated or loosely joined spots; shoulder spot larger
than postorbital or temporal spots, least defined,
and most irregular in shape; operculum, and cheek
uniformly pigmented or blotchy with no consis-
tent patterns; gular, branchiostegal, and pre-pelvic
regions sparsely or densely covered in melano pho -
res; abdomen usually pale.
Habitat: In the Bahamas this species is reportedly
taken in sheltered bay habitats with B. soporator, as
opposed to exposed shorelines where B. mystacium
typically occurs (Bohlke & Chaplin 1993). Bathy-
gobius curacao specimens in this study were col-
lected from shallow sheltered shorelines with rock
and turtle grass, and around muddy substrate near
mangrove roots. The only species in our study with
which adult specimens of B. curacao have been col-
lected is B. lacertus, both taken from mangroves in
Tobago.
Distribution: Specimens in this study were col-
lected from Belize, Tobago, and Venezuela.
Museum records exist from the Florida Keys, the
Bahamas, Panama, Nicaragua and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Discussion: The subspecies B. curacao curacao,
and B. curacao lepidopoma were described from the
western Atlantic, the latter being distinguished
from the former in most cases in having a patch of
1-8 scales on the anterodorsal corner of the opercle
and a patch of scales on the cheek (Ginsburg
1947). The subspecies B. curacao lepidopoma was
described from the holotype and 10 other individ-
uals, all of which were collected from near Key
West, Florida. Specimens of B. curacao used in our
genetic analysis had no scales on the opercle or the
cheek. Although we did not collect B. curacao from
near the B. curacao lepidopoma type locality, we
found no evidence of significant genetic divergence
among populations of B. curacao from Belize,
Tobago, and Venezuela. Further sampling from
near Key West is needed to verify the presence of
multiple subspecies of B. curacao.
Comparisons: Bathygobius curacao is quite differ-
ent both morphologically and genetically from the
other species of Bathygobius in the Western
Atlantic. Typically it can be distinguished from all
other species in the region by the absence of dis-
tinctive trunk pigmentation; from all except B.
mystacium and B. geminatus in having a lower
modal number of pectoral fin rays (15-17 in B.
curacao, 18 or higher in B. lacertus, B. soporator, B.
antilliensis); from B. mystacium in most cases in
having less extensive predorsal squamation (pre-
dorsal squamation extending anteriorly to vertical
through posterior margin of preopercle vs extend-
ing well anterior to the posterior margin of the pre-
opercle); and from B. lacertus, B. soporator, B. antil-
liensis, and B. geminatus in having fewer lateral
scale rows (31-36 in B. curacao vs more than 36 in
other species).
Bathygobius geminatus n. sp. Tornabene,
Baldwin & Pezold
Twin-spotted frillfin (Figs 2, 5)
Holotype: USNM 398105, DNA # FLA 9010,
female, 33 mm SL, north-east end of bridge on
highway A1A, Indian River, Sewall’s Point, Florida,
United States, 30 October 2009, C. Baldwin and
A. Vaslet.
Paratypes: AMNH 251648, DNA #PR1189, 20
mm SL, La Boca, Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, 25
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
398102, DNA #FLA7467, 28 mm SL, from holo-
type locality, Florida, 28 April 2007, C. Baldwin,
D. Smith, L. Weigt, S. Yanosh, S. Taylor and J.
Bagley. USNM 398103, DNA #FLA7498, 20 mm
SL, from holotype locality, Florida, 28 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, Yanosh, Taylor
and J. Bagley. USNM 398106, DNA #FLA9011,
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
151
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
24.5 mm SL, from holotype locality, Florida.
USNM 398107, DNA #FLA9015, 36 mm SL,
from holotype locality, Florida, 30 October 2009,
C. Baldwin and A. Vaslet. USNM 398109, DNA
#FLA9017, 28 mm SL, from holotype locality,
Florida, 30 October 2009, C. Baldwin and A.
Vaslet. USNM 398112, DNA #FLA9021, 26 mm
SL, from holotype locality, Florida, 30 October
2009, C. Baldwin and A. Vaslet.
Additional non-type specimens: USNM
398101, DNA sequence #FLA7466, 38 mm SL,
holotype locality, Florida, 28 April 2007, C. Bald-
win, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S. Yanosh, S. Taylor and
J. Bagley. USNM 398104, DNA #FLA9009, 33
mm SL, holotype locality, Florida, 30 October
2009, C. Baldwin and A. Vaslet. USNM 398108,
DNA #FLA9016, 34 mm SL, holotype locality,
Florida, 30 October 2009, C. Baldwin and A.
Vaslet. USNM 398110, DNA #FLA9019, 35 mm
SL, holotype locality, Florida 30 October 2009, C.
Baldwin and A. Vaslet. USNM 398111, DNA
#FLA9020, 36.5 mm SL, holotype locality,
Florida, 30 October 2009, C. Baldwin and A.
Vaslet.
Diagnosis: Pectoral rays 17-18; lateral scale rows
36-38 (modally 37); upper jaw length 10.3-10.7%
SL; anterior extent of predorsal squamation reach-
ing anteriorly to vertical through posterior margin
of preopercle, with a few scales sometimes extend-
ing slightly beyond this point; first dorsal fin ele-
ments with 2-3 dark blotches on each element giv-
ing appearance of 2-3 longitudinal stripes across
fin; lower body with two rows of dark spots, spots
in two rows directly above one another, beginning
immediately behind pectoral fin base and termi-
nating just anterior to dark blotch at base of caudal
fin; upper and lower spots more distinctly separate
from one another anteriorly, becoming closer to
one another and loosely connected posteriorly;
arrangement of spots appearing as 6 to 7 sets of
vertically paired spots often forming “=” shaped
markings along ventral portion of trunk.
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal fin rays, including
procurrent rays 15-17 in dorsal lobe of fin, 14-15
in ventral lobe; predorsal scales 17-20; cheek and
operculum without scales; snout length 6.0-7.5%
SL, slightly less than eye diameter; eye diameter
8.1-9.9% SL; lower jaw typically extending to ver-
tical through center of pupil, rarely beyond this
point; interorbital region narrow; HL 28.8-32.1%
SL; snout profile slightly convex; body depth at
origin of first dorsal fin 19.0-22.5 % SL; caudal-
peduncle depth 11.3-12.1 % SL; pectoral fin
slightly longer than head, usually extending poste-
riorly beyond vertical through posterior margin of
first dorsal fin, sometimes reaching below origin of
second dorsal fin; dorsalmost 4 rays of pectoral fin
free from membrane, with first 3-4 rays branching
only once, the fourth sometimes branching more
than once; pelvic fin disk oval-shaped or slightly
elliptical, extending to or just falling short of anus.
Pigmentation: lower body with two rows of dark
spots, spots in two rows directly above one another,
beginning immediately behind pectoral fin base
and terminating just anterior to dark blotch at base
of caudal fin; upper and lower spots more dis-
tinctly separate from one another anteriorly,
becoming closer to one another and loosely con-
nected posteriorly; net effect of arrangement of
spots is 6 to 7 sets of vertically paired spots often
forming “=” shaped markings along ventral por-
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 152
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 5. Bathygobius geminatus, holotype, 37 mm SL, female, Sewall’s Point, Florida, DNA #FLA9010, USNM 398105;
A. longitudinal pattern of pigment on first dorsal fin; B. two rows of 6-7 dark blotches along body, blotches one directly
above the other. Photo by C. Baldwin. Image editing by L. Tornabene.
tion of trunk; body with three broad dorsal sad-
dles, saddles not extending ventrally beyond lateral
midline; each saddle sometimes possessing small,
shallow, narrow pale band in center sometimes giv-
ing impression of 6 narrow dark bands when
viewed from above; first dorsal fin elements with 2-
3 dark blotches on each element giving appearance
of 2-3 longitudinal stripes crossing fin; second dor-
sal fin with 2-4 dark blotches on each element
forming 2-4 longitudinal stripes across fin; anal fin
dusky with pigmentation becoming darker distally;
branched caudal fin rays with 2-4 dark spots on
each ray often producing vertical bands crossing
caudal fin; pelvic fins uniformly covered with
lightly scattered melanophores; pectoral fin base
densely covered with melanophores; pectoral fin
ray membranes with lightly scattered melano -
phores; postorbital blotch small and somewhat
round, distinctly smaller in diameter than pupil;
temporal blotch similar in size to postorbital
blotch, though slightly more elongate; shoulder
spot slightly larger than both temporal and postor-
bital spots, with irregular shape; operculum with
pair of dark blotches one above the other, similar in
appearance to diagnostic blotches on trunk; head
with small dark spot on posteroventral margin of
orbit and scattered dark blotches on cheek and
jaws; abdomen and prepelvic region pale, (some-
times reflecting bluish pigment in fresh speci-
mens); gular region usually lightly pigmented with
scattered melanophores.
GenBank accession number for COl sequence of
holotype: HM748368
Habitat: Specimens of this species were collected
in Florida along rocky and sandy shorelines with
seagrass in a sheltered bay, along with B. soporator.
A single specimen was collected on a sheltered rock
and pebble shoreline near the mouth of an irriga-
tion canal in Puerto Rico, along with B. soporator,
B. lacertus and a single specimen of B. antilliensis.
Distribution: This species is currently only
known from the type locality and the surrounding
region, as well as a single locality on the northern
coast of Puerto Rico. A photograph of a Bathygo -
bius specimen from Brazil on FishBase,
(http://www.fishbase.org) (Froese & Pauly 2009) is
labeled as B. mystacium, but possesses the distinct
body markings that are diagnostic of B. geminatus.
We have not examined these particular specimens
and it remains unclear as to which Bathygobius
species occur in Brazil.
Discussion: Scales in this species are fairly decid-
uous and for many specimens we were forced to
rely on counting scale pockets. Thus the numbers
of predorsal scales and lateral scale rows should be
regarded primarily as approximate ranges. As noted
previously, B. geminatus comprises two genetic lin-
eages (Fig. 1); only specimens from the lineage
containing the holotype were designated as
paratypes to avoid confusion in the event that the
two lineages are recognized as distinct species in
the future.
Comparisons: Bathygobius geminatus can be dis-
tinguished from all other Bathygobius in the region
by its distinctive ventral trunk pigmentation,
though some specimens of B. soporator have a
slightly similar spotting pattern anteriorly. It can be
further distinguished from B. soporator in having a
longitudinal pigmentation pattern on the first dor-
sal fin as opposed to a broad vertical or slightly
diagonal pattern, and from all other species in the
region except B. mystacium by its relatively short
upper jaw (typically less than 10.7 % SL in B. gem-
inatus vs. >10.9 % SL in B. antilliensis, B. soporator,
B. curacao, B. lacertus). Bathygobius geminatus can
be further distinguished from B. mystacium and B.
antilliensis in most cases in having less extensive
predorsal squamation and from B. curacao in hav-
ing more lateral scale rows (36-38 in B. geminatus
vs. 31-36 in B. curacao).
Etymology:The epithet geminatus, past-partici-
ple of the latin verb “geminare”, meaning paired,
doubled, or repeated, is in reference to the diag-
nostic pattern of vertically paired spots that are
repeated 6-7 times laterally along the body of this
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
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Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
Fig. 6. Type locality of Bathygobius geminatus, north-east
end of bridge on highway A1A, Sewall’s Point, Florida,
United States. Photo by C. Baldwin.
species. We give the new species the common
name of “twin-spotted frillfin” in reference to the
paired markings on the trunk.
Bathygobius lacertus (Poey, 1860)
(Figs 2, 7)
Gobius lacertus Poey, in Poey, 1860: 278 (type
locality Cuba).
? Bathygobius soporator sextaneus Ginsburg, in Gins-
burg, 1947: 280 (type locality Bermuda)
Specimens Examined: DNA voucher specimens:
AMNH 251634, DNA #PAN16a, 50 mm SL,
Ensenada Indio, Panama, 28 May 2007, J. Van
Tassell, D.R. Robertson, B. Victor, E. Pena and L.
Tornabene. AMNH 251635, DNA #CUR13a, 29
mm SL, Piscadera Baai, Curacao, 9 February,
2005, J. Van Tassell et al. AMNH 251636, DNA
#FLK6a, 62 mm SL, Fiesta Key, Florida, 17 June
2006, J. Van Tassell, C. Anderson and J. Holmes.
AMNH 251637, DNA #FLK2a, 64 mm SL, Key
West, Florida, 6 January 2004, J. Van Tassell and J.
Maniscalco. AMNH 251649, DNA #PR1196, 33
mm SL, La Boca, Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, 25
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
AMNH 251653, DNA #PR1416, 53 mm SL,
shoreline north of airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
1 June 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
AMNH 251656, DNA #PR1543, 68 mm SL,
beach along Hwy 3, Patillas, Puerto Rico, 8 June
2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. AMNH
251656, DNA #PR1544, 36 mm SL, beach along
Hwy 3, Patillas, Puerto Rico 8 June 2009, L. Torn-
abene and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251656, DNA
#PR1546, 39 mm SL, beach near Hwy 3, Patillas,
Puerto Rico, 8 June 2009, L. Tornabene and R.
Chabarria. AMNH 251656, DNA# 1549, 27 mm
SL, beach near Hwy 3, Patillas, Puerto Rico, 8 June
2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. USNM
397568, DNA #BAH9121, 47 mm SL, Hawk’s
Nest Island off Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas, 27
July 2009, C. Baldwin. USNM 397569, DNA
#BAH9122, 42 m SL, Hawk’s Nest Island off
Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas, 27 July 2009, C.
Baldwin. USNM 397570, DNA #BLZ7218, 48
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007,
D. Smith, A. Driskell and J. Mounts. USNM
397571, DNA #TOB9393, 42 mm SL, Petit Trou,
Tobago, 20 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L.
Weigt, D. Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397572,
DNA #TOB9394, 37 mm SL, Tobago. USNM
397573, DNA #TOB9395, 31 mm SL, Petit Trou,
Tobago, 20 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L.
Weigt, D. Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397574,
DNA #TOB9396, 35 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago,
20 March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt,
D. Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397575, DNA
#TOB9397, 35 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago, 20
March 2009, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, D.
Rousseau and Langton. USNM 397576, DNA
#TOB9398, 32 mm SL, Petit Trou, Tobago.
USNM 397577, DNA #TOB9402, 25 mm SL,
Petit Trou, Tobago, 20 March 2009, C. Baldwin,
D. Smith, L. Weigt, D. Rousseau and Langton.
USNM 397578, DNA #TOB9404, 24 mm SL,
Petit Trou, Tobago, 20 March 2009, C. Baldwin,
D. Smith, L. Weigt, D. Rousseau and Langton.
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 154
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 7. Bathygobius lacertus, 39 mm SL, beach near Hwy 3, Patillas, Puerto Rico, DNA #PR1546, AMNH 251656; A. Lon-
gitudinal pattern of pigment on first dorsal fin; B. two rows of 6-7 blotches along body, blotches in upper and lower rows
offset from one another forming a checker-board pattern; blotches extending posteriorly to caudal peduncle, those in lower
row becoming diffuse posteriorly. Photo by R. Chabarria. Image editing by L. Tornabene.
COI sequences with no voucher specimens:
BLZ4001, larva, photographed, Carrie Bow Cay,
Belize, 18 February 2004, C. Baldwin and J.
Mounts. BLZ7370, 6 mm SL, photographed, Car-
rie Bow Cay, Belize, 20 January 2007, C. Baldwin,
D. Smith, L. Weigt and J. Mounts. BLZ4184, 68
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 18 February
2004, C. Baldwin and J. Mounts.
Additional specimens: GCRL V70:5049, 8, 20-
42 mm SL, Isla Mujeres, Mexico. USNM 360525,
39, 23-43 mm SL, Pelican Bay, Belize. USNM
120413, Gobius lacertus holotype, 74 mm SL,
Cuba. USNM 21231, Bathygobius soporator sexta-
neus holotype, 103 mm SL, Bermuda.
Diagnosis: Pectoral fin rays 18-20 (modally 19);
lateral scale rows 38-42; upper jaw length 12.5-
15.9 % SL; first dorsal fin with 1-4 dark blotches
on each spine, producing 1-4 distinct longitudinal
stripes of pigment, stripes fading distally; predorsal
squamation reaching anteriorly to vertical through
posterior margin of preopercle, sometimes extend-
ing slightly beyond this point or falling short just
short of it, rarely reaching postorbital spots; trunk
with two offset rows of 6-7 dark blotches ventrally,
often forming distinctive pattern resembling alter-
nating dark squares on a checkerboard; first row
positioned just below lateral midline and extending
from beneath pectoral fin to caudal fin base; sec-
ond row of spots offset from first, positioned just
above ventral midline and extending from beneath
pectoral fin to caudal fin base; spots in lower row
typically more diffuse than spots in upper row,
becoming more diffuse posteriorly.
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal fin rays, including
procurrent rays, 17 in dorsal lobe, 15-16 in ventral
lobe; predorsal scales 17-20; cheek and operculum
without scales; snout length 6.2-9.1 % SL, slightly
less than eye diameter; eye diameter 8.5-11.0 %
SL; lower jaw typically extending past vertical
through center of pupil and often to posterior mar-
gin of orbit; interorbital region narrow; HL 31.1-
39.0 % SL; snout profile convex; body depth at
origin of first dorsal fin 19.6-24.5 % SL; caudal
peduncle depth 12.1-15.25 % SL; pectoral fin
reaching or extending slightly beyond vertical
through posterior margin of first dorsal fin; dor-
salmost 4 (rarely 3 or 5) pectoral fin rays free from
membrane, each free ray typically branching once
until ray 5; pelvic fin disk oval-shaped or elliptical,
extending to or just falling short of anus.
Pigmentation: Trunk with two offset rows of 6-7
dark blotches ventrally, both rows beginning
beneath pectoral fin and terminating just before
basicaudal markings; spots in two rows offset from
one another, forming checkerboard pattern; spots
in ventral row typically more diffuse than those in
upper row and becoming more diffuse posteriorly;
dorsal portion of body with 3 very faint dorsal sad-
dles, rarely distinguishable near and below lateral
midline; body background color pale; in life, scales
often with yellow fringes, which may be less appar-
ent in specimens collected from darker colored
substrates; first dorsal fin with 1-4 dark blotches
on each element, giving appearance of 1-4 distinct
longitudinal stripes of pigment across fin, stripes
fading somewhat distally; second dorsal fin with
pigment pattern similar to that of first, with 2-4
dark blotches on each element forming 2-4 dark
longitudinal stripes across fin; branched caudal fin
rays with dark blotches of varying length, giving
appearance of broken vertical bars across fin; anal
fin with scattered melanophores, spots becoming
more concentrated distally; proximal portion of anal
fin and overall background color of dorsal, caudal
and pectoral fins light brown; in life, this light-
brown coloration tinged with yellow, but fins may
be darker in specimens collected from dark sub-
strates; pelvic fin ranging from uniformly dusky to
lightly pigmented or pale; pectoral fin base densely
pigmented, often with two concentrations of
melanophores forming two distinct blotches, one
above the other; pigment on pectoral fin base con-
tinuing onto pectoral rays, becoming scattered and
pale distally; opercle and preopercle covered with
melanophores, variously mottled, or with no dis-
cernable pattern; small, dark distinctive spot present
at posteroventral corner of eye; jaws and snout with
scattered melanophores, sometimes appearing dis-
tinctly mottled; postorbital blotch divided as pair of
small dark blotches, dorsal marking round or bell-
shaped and directly above sensory canal, ventral
marking small, oval or horizontally elongate, posi-
tioned just below sensory canal; temporal blotch
present as pair of small, separate or loosely con-
nected, round to oblong spots, each roughly same
size as ventral postorbital blotch; shoulder spot
above pectoral fin base larger than both temporal
and postorbital spots, with irregular shape and dif-
fuse border; gular, pre-pelvic, and branchiostegal
regions dusky to lightly pigmented; abdomen very
lightly pigmented or completely pale.
Habitat: This species exhibits a diversity of habi-
tat preferences, and has been taken from shallow
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
155
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
warm pools formed in limestone on exposed
beaches with moderate wave action, from sheltered
intertidal pools on rock and pebble shorelines of
bays or coves, on reef crests, and over silt and mud
around mangrove roots. It has been collected with
B. curacao, B. soporator, B. antilliensis, B. mystacium
and B. geminatus.
Distribution: The B. lacertus specimens investi-
gated in our study were collected from Tobago,
Belize, Panama, Curacao, Puerto Rico, the
Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. Additional
museum specimens of this species were examined
from Mexico (Isla Mujeres) and Bermuda.
Discussion: Bathygobius lacertus is one of several
Bathygobius lineages identified in this study that
fits Ginsburg’s (1947) redescription of B. soporator
in having high numbers of pectoral fin rays and lat-
eral scale rows and a long upper jaw. Gobius lacer-
tus (Poey, 1860) was described from Cuba, and
although the term “type” or “holotype” was never
used in reference to a specific specimen, the
description was said to be based on an “individu
décrit” translated as a single “described individual”
for which the total length was given (Poey 1860).
Howell-Rivero (1938) recognized this specimen as
the holotype for G. lacertus. Based on Article
73.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological
Nomenclature (ICZN) (International Commission
on Zoological Nomenclature 1999) we interpret
Howell-Rivero’s action as correct. The original
description makes no reference to any other speci-
mens, therefore the only specimen in the type
series is the holotype. Though somewhat faded, the
trunk pigmentation on the G. lacertus holotype
closely resembles the diagnostic offset spotting pat-
tern of the specimens in our lineage 1 (Fig. 1).
Furthermore, the predorsal squamation in the G.
lacertus holotype, which extends slightly anterior to
the posterior margin of the preopercle but falls well
short of the postorbital blotches, matches the ante-
rior extent of predorsal squamation in our speci-
mens of this lineage. Pigmentation on the first
dorsal fin is completely faded in the holotype, so
we cannot assess the presence or absence of the ver-
tical or diagonal bar of pigment on that fin diag-
nostic of B. soporator (see B. soporator discussion);
however, the two characters mentioned above leave
little doubt that our voucher specimens from lin-
eage 1 and the G. lacertus holotype are the same
species.
The holotype of B. soporator sextaneus also pos-
sesses two parallel rows of spotting on the trunk
anteriorly, but the pattern is faded posteriorly, and
we cannot determine if the lower row of trunk
spots is complete (B. lacertus) or incomplete (as in
B. antilliensis). Pigment on the first dorsal fin and
the anterior extent of predorsal squamation in B.
soporator sextaneus are similar to those of B. lacertus,
and we consider B. soporator sextaneus a possible
synonym of B. lacertus.
Comparisons: The two offset rows of 6-7 pig-
ment spots on the lower portion of the trunk sep-
arates B. lacertus from all other western Atlantic
species. The trunk pigment of B. antilliensis is most
similar, but the lower row of spots in that species is
abbreviated, rarely extending beyond the origin of
the anal fin and rarely exceeding 3 spots in num-
ber. The anterior extent of predorsal squamation
distinguishes B. lacertus from B. antilliensis and B.
soporator in most cases, but this character is some-
what variable, and there is a small degree of overlap
among the species. Bathygobius lacertus is easily dis-
tinguished from B. soporator by the longitudinal
stripes of pigment on the first dorsal fin (vs. a
broad vertical or diagonal bar); from B. curacao in
having more pectoral fin rays (18-20 vs. 15-17)
and lateral scale rows (38-42 vs 31-36); and from
B. mystacium in having more lateral scale rows (38-
42 vs. 33-36), a longer upper jaw (12.5-15.9% SL
vs. 9.2-11% SL), and in having a less steep snout
profile. Bathygobius lacertus can be distinguished
from B. geminatus in having a longer upper jaw
(12.5-15.9% SL vs. 10.3-10.7% SL) and in the
configuration of the body spots, as B. lacertus pos-
sesses two offset rows and B. geminatus possesses
two rows one directly above the other.
Bathygobius mystacium Ginsburg, 1947
Island frillfin (Figs 2, 8)
Bathygobius mystacium Ginsburg, 1947: 275 (type
locality Nassau, Bahamas)
Materials examined: DNA voucher specimens:
AMNH 251652, DNA #PR1408, 33 mm SL,
public beach in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1 June
2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. AMNH
251652, DNA #PR1410, 21 mm SL, public beach
in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1 June 2009, L.
Tornabene and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251654,
DNA #PR1418, 38 mm SL, shoreline north of air-
port, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1 June 2009, L. Torn-
abene and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251655, DNA
#PR1508, 49 mm SL, public beach in Ponce,
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 156
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Puerto Rico, 6 June 2009, L. Tornabene and R.
Chabarria. USNM 398079, DNA #BAH9124, 28
mm SL, Hawk’s Nest Island off Great Harbour
Cay, Bahamas, 27 July 2009, C. Baldwin. USNM
398080, DNA #BLZ4137, 47 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 26 February 2004, C. Baldwin.
USNM 398081, DNA #BLZ5384, 40 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 5 May 2005, C. Baldwin.
USNM 398082, DNA #BLZ5385, 16 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 5 May 2005, C. Baldwin.
USNM 398083, DNA #BLZ5433, 15 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 7 May 2005, C. Baldwin.
USNM 398084, DNA #BLZ5435, 21 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 7 May 2005, C. Baldwin.
USNM 398085, DNA #BLZ6419, 29 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 April 2006, D. Smith,
J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM 398086, DNA
#BLZ7037, 63 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 12
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398087, DNA #BLZ7038, 38
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 12 January 2007,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
398088, DNA #BLZ7039, 37.5 mm SL, Carrie
Bow Cay, Belize, 12 January 2007, D. Smith, J.
Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM 398089, DNA
#BLZ7041, 27 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 12
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398090, DNA # BLZ7204, 56
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, collected17 Janu-
ary 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell.
USNM 398091, DNA #BLZ7208, 49 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, collected17 January 2007,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
398092, DNA #BLZ7209, 48 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, collected17 January 2007, D. Smith, J.
Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM, DNA
#BLZ7210, 13.5 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize,
collected17 January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. USNM, DNA #BLZ7215, 42
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, collected17 Janu-
ary 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell.
USNM 398095, DNA #BLZ7216, 29 mm SL,
Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007, D.
Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM, DNA
#BLZ7219, 55 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize,17
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398097, DNA #BLZ 7220, 47
mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007,
D. Smith, J. Mounts and A. Driskell. USNM
398098, DNA #BLZ7221, 44 mm SL, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 17 January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts
and A. Driskell. USNM 398099, DNA
#BLZ7222, 44 mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 17
January 2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts and A.
Driskell. USNM 398100, DNA #CUR8309, 26
mm SL, Blue Bay, Curacao, 14 March 2008, D.
Smith.
COI sequences with no voucher specimens:
BLZ7064, 43 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 13 January 2007, D. Smith, J.
Mounts, and A. Driskell. BLZ7065, 35 mm SL,
photographed, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, 13 January
2007, D. Smith, J. Mounts, and A. Driskell.
Additional specimens: UF 17675, 5, 29-36 mm
SL, Grand Cayman, Cayman Isles. UF 18293, 17,
19-43 mm SL, Grand Cayman, Cayman Isles.
USNM 119895, B. mystacium holotype, 57 mm
SL, Nassau, Bahamas.
Diagnosis: Pectoral fin rays 17-20; lateral scale
rows 33-36; upper jaw length typically 9.2-11.0%
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157
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
Fig. 8. Bathygobius mystacium, 38mm SL, Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, DNA #BLZ7038, USNM 398087; A. head with short
upper jaw and steeply sloped snout. B. longitudinal pigmentation pattern on first dorsal fin; C, large square to irregularly
shaped blotches on ventral portion of trunk. Photo by J. Mounts and A. Driskell. Image editing by L. Tornabene.
SL (a single specimen with 11.7%); predorsal squa-
mation reaching anteriorly well beyond vertical
through posterior margin of preopercle; first dorsal
fin pigmentation variable, typically 1-3 longitudi-
nal stripes with pale distal border of varying width,
but sometimes uniformly dusky in larger speci-
mens; trunk with 3 dorsal saddles sometimes
reaching lateral midline and row of 6 large square
to irregularly shaped blotches beneath lateral mid-
line ranging in size from slightly larger than pupil
to as large as or larger than orbit.
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal fin rays, including
procurrent rays, 17 in dorsal lobe, 15 in ventral
lobe (15/13 in one specimen); predorsal scales 17-
20; cheek and operculum without scales; snout
length 5.5-8.5% SL, slightly less than eye diame-
ter; eye diameter 7.5-10.0% SL; lower jaw typically
extending to vertical through center of pupil, rarely
beyond this point; interorbital region narrow; HL
29-32.5% SL; slope of snout straight and steep;
body depth at first dorsal fin 18.5-23.0% SL; cau-
dal peduncle depth 11.9-14.9% SL; pectoral fin
reaching vertical through posterior margin of first
dorsal fin; dorsalmost 4 (rarely 3 or 5) pectoral fin
rays free from membrane, each free pectoral ray
branching once; pelvic fin disk oval-shaped or
slightly elliptical, extending to or just falling short
of anus.
Pigmentation: Trunk with 6 distinct, large,
square to irregular-shaped blotches ranging in size
from slightly larger than pupil to as large as or
larger than orbit; central basicaudal blotch present,
confluent with small blotch on dorsal margin of
caudal peduncle at caudal fin origin; trunk with
three broad dorsal saddles, sometimes only slightly
darker than base color of body; saddles sometimes
extending to lateral midline and connecting with
series of 6 blotches along ventral portion of trunk;
background of body pale; in life each lateral body
scale often having yellow border, giving appear-
ance of narrow yellow zigzag-shaped lines down
the length of body; first dorsal fin pigmentation
variable, ranging from 1-3 longitudinal stripes with
light distal margin of varying width (yellow in life)
to uniformly dusky; second dorsal fin pigmenta-
tion variable and similar to that of first dorsal fin;
anal fin dusky to lightly pigmented; caudal fin
often with 1-4 blotches on each branched ray,
appearing as 3-4 vertical bars across entire fin;
pelvic fins pale to uniformly dusky; pectoral fin
base heavily pigmented, with pigmentation
extending onto interradial membranes, becoming
paler distally; operculum densely pigmented,
sometimes with 1-2 distinct dark blotches; postor-
bital blotch highly variable, sometimes single,
round and smaller than or as large as pupil, some-
times forming pair of small round spots separated
by sensory canal; temporal blotch small and more
horizontally elongate than postorbital blotch,
sometimes appearing as two separate or loosely
connected hyphen-shaped markings; shoulder spot
slightly larger than both temporal and postorbital
spots, with irregular shape and diffuse border; head
with small dark spot on posteroventral margin of
orbit and scattered dark blotches on cheek and
jaws; abdomen and pre-pelvic region pale; gular
region mottled with scattered melanophores or
uniformly pale.
Habitat: Bohlke & Chaplin (1993) reported B.
mystacium from more exposed shorelines than B.
curacao, which is more frequently taken in shel-
tered bays. Specimens examined in this study were
collected from warm-water pools formed in lime-
stone on beaches with moderate wave action, from
shallow rocky intertidal flats with turtle grass on
exposed shorelines, and from reef crests. Bathygob-
ius mystacium has been collected with B. lacertus
and B. antilliensis.
Distribution: Specimens in this study were col-
lected from Belize, Curacao, the Bahamas and
Puerto Rico. Additional localities from museum
records for this species exist from the Cayman
Islands, Cuba, Swan Island and the Tortugas.
Bathygobius mystacium is also reported from Brazil
(Moura et al. 1999), but no images or illustrations
were included in that publication. One photo-
graph of Brazilian B. mystacium from Fishbase (by
Macieira, http://www.fishbase.org, Froese & Pauly
2009) more closely resembles B. geminatus, which
morphologically is similar to B. mystacium (see
comparisons). Brazilian specimens have not been
examined, and we cannot confirm the presence of
B. mystacium in Brazil.
Comparisons: In most cases B. mystacium is easily
recognized by the large, square to irregular blotches
of dark pigment along the ventral portion of the
trunk. This species is morphologically distinct and
can be distinguished from B. curacao in having a
higher number of pectoral rays (17-20 in B.
mystacium vs. 15-17 in B. curacao) and from B. lac-
ertus, B. antilliensis and B. soporator in having a
shorter upper jaw (typically 11 % SL or less in B.
mystacium), steeper snout profile, and fewer lateral
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 158
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
scale rows (31-36 vs. 37-42). Bathygobius mysta cium
overlaps to varying degrees with B. geminatus in pec-
toral fin rays (17-20 in B. mystacium vs. 17-18 in B.
geminatus), lateral scale rows (33-36 vs. 36-38), and
upper jaw length (9.2-11.0 % SL vs. 10.3-10.7 %
SL), but B. mystacium never has the double row of
spots on the trunk diagnostic of B. geminatus.
Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837)
Frillfin goby (Figs 2, 9, 10)
Gobius soporator Valenciennes, in Cuvier & Valen-
ciennes, 1837: 344 Fig. 1; Plate I a-d (type local-
ity Martinique)
Gobius catulus Girard, in Girard, 1858: 169 (type
locality St. Joseph Island, Texas)
? Gobius Mapo Poey, in Poey, 1860: 277 (type local-
ity Cuba)
? Gobius humeralis Duméril, in Duméril, 1861:
248, Pl 21 (Figs. 2-2a) (type locality Gabon)
Gobius caroliniensis Gill, in Gill, 1863: 268 (type
locality Charleston, South Carolina)
Gobius brunneus Poey, in Poey, 1868: 393 (type
locality Havana, Cuba)
Bathygobius soporator longiceps Ginsburg, in Gins-
burg, 1947: 280 (type locality Porto Bello,
Panama)
Materials Examined: DNA voucher specimens:
AMNH 251638, DNA #CUR14a, 50 mm SL,
Piscadera Baai, Curacao, 9 February 2005, J. Van
Tassell et al. AMNH 251639, DNA #VEN15b, 36
mm SL, Santa Cruz, Venezuela, 3 July 2007, J. Van
Tassell, D.R. Robertson and J. Posada. AMNH
251640, DNA #VEN17b, 73 mm SL, Altagracia,
Venezuela, 1 July 2007, J. Van Tassell, D.R.
Robertson and J. Posada. AMNH 251641, DNA
#PAN11a, 49 mm SL, Portobello, Panama, 28
May 2007, J. Van Tassell et al. AMNH 251646,
DNA #PR1163, 34 mm SL, rock jetty at Punto
Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 25 May 2009, L. Tornabene
and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251646, DNA
#PR1164, 24 mm SL, rock jetty at Punto Arecibo,
Puerto Rico, 25 May 2009, L. Tornabene and R.
Chabarria. AMNH 251647, DNA #PR1186, 36
mm SL, La Boca, Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, 25
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
AMNH 251651, DNA #PR1338, 50 mm SL,
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
159
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
Fig. 9. A-B. A. Bathygobius soporator (lineage 2), 36 mm SL, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, DNA #PR1186, AMNH 251647;
B. Bathygobius soporator (lineage 3),33 mm SL, preserved, Port Aransas, Texas, DNA #TEX10a, AMNH 251642; C. verti-
cal or slightly diagonal broad dark bar on first dorsal fin; D. large and irregularly shaped dark basicaudal blotch, either extend-
ing to dorsal midline or loosely connected to a separate dark spot near dorsal midline. Photos and image editing by L. Torna -
bene & R. Chabarria.
A
B
Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 28 May 2009, L. Tornabene
and R. Chabarria. AMNH 251651, DNA
#PR1340, 42 mm SL, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 28
May 2009, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria.
AMNH 251642, DNA #TEX10a, 33 mm SL,
rock jetty at Port Aransas, Texas, 15 November
2008, L. Tornabene and R. Chabarria. AMNH
251647, DNA #PR1190, 20 mm SL, La Boca,
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, 25 May 2009, L. Torn-
abene and R. Chabarria. USNM 397581, DNA
#FLA7118, 24 mm SL, St. Lucie County, Florida,
20 April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith and J.
Mounts. USNM 397582, DNA #FLA7119, 18
mm SL, St. Lucie County, Florida, 20 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, and J. Mounts. USNM
397583, DNA #FLA7120, 15 mm SL, St. Lucie
County, Florida, 20 April 2007, C. Baldwin, D.
Smith, and J. Mounts. USNM 397584, DNA
#FLA7121, 15 mm SL, St. Lucie County, Florida,
20 April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, and J.
Mounts. USNM 397585, DNA #FLA7122, 14
mm SL, St. Lucie County, Florida, 20 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, and J. Mounts. USNM
397586, DNA #FLA7123, 13.5 mm SL, St. Lucie
County, Florida, 20 April 2007, C. Baldwin, D.
Smith, and J. Mounts. USNM 397587, DNA
#FLA7157, 24 mm SL, St. Lucie County, Florida,
20 April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, and J.
Mounts. USNM 397588, DNA #FLA7464, 75
mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28 April 2007, C.
Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S. Yanosh, S. Taylor
and J. Bagley. USNM 397589, DNA #FLA7465,
52 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S. Yanosh, S. Tay-
lor and J. Bagley. USNM 397590, DNA
#FLA7468, 23 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28
April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S.
Yanosh, S. Taylor and J. Bagley. USNM 397591,
DNA #FLA7480, 85 mm SL, Stuart, Florida, 28
April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S.
Yanosh, S. Taylor and J. Bagley. USNM 397592,
DNA #FLA7481, 50 mm SL, Stuart, Florida, 28
April 2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, S.
Yanosh, S. Taylor and J. Bagley. USNM 397593,
DNA #FLA8011, 37 mm SL, Port Canaveral,
Florida, 21 November 2007, E. Reyier. USNM
397594, DNA #FLA8012, 32 mm SL, Port
Canaveral, Florida, 21 November 2007, E. Reyier.
USNM 397595, DNA #FLA8013, 28 mm SL,
Port Canaveral, Florida, 21 November 2007, E.
Reyier. USNM 397596, DNA #FLA8014, 21 mm
SL, Port Canaveral, Florida, 21 November 2007,
E. Reyier. USNM 397597, DNA #FLA9008, 53
mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 30 October 2009,
C. Baldwin and A. Vaslet. USNM 397598, DNA
#FLA9012, 57 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 31
October 2009, C. Baldwin. USNM 397599, DNA
#FLA9013, 42 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 31
October 2009, C. Baldwin. USNM 397600, DNA
#FLA9014, 39 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 31
October 2009, C. Baldwin. USNM 397601, DNA
#FLA9018, 34 mm SL, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 31
October 2009, C. Baldwin.
COI sequences without voucher specimens:
BLZ5131, 7.5 mm SL, photographed, Carrie Bow
Cay, Belize, 26 April 2005, C. Baldwin and J.
Mounts. BLZ6072, 6 mm SL, photographed, Car-
rie Bow Cay, Belize, 1 April 2006, C. Baldwin, L.
Weigt and Murphy. FLA7165, 21 mm SL, pho-
tographed, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 21 April 2007,
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 160
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 10. Comparison of first dorsal fin pigmentation in (left) Bathygobius soporator, 36 mm SL, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, DNA
#PR1186, AMNH 251647 and (right) Gobius soporator, syntype, 101 mm SL male, Martinique, MNHN A-1254. Note pale,
lightly pigmented region on (A) the base and (C) distal portions of spines 1-3, with (B) a broad diagonal dark bar originat-
ing centrally on spines 1-3 and continues onto the proximal portions of spines 4-6. Photo of Gobius soporator by C. Ferrara.
Photo of B. soporator and image editing by L. Tornabene.
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, and J. Mounts. FLA7189,
19 mm SL, photographed, Stuart, Florida, 23 April
2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, J. Mounts, L. Weigt,
and Yanosh. FLA7291, 33 mm SL, photographed,
St. Lucie County, Florida, 25 April 2007, D.
Smith, Yanosh and Hoffman. FLA7495, 66 mm
SL, photographed, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28 April
2007, C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, Yanosh,
Taylor and J. Bagley. FLA7496, 57 mm SL, pho-
tographed, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, Yanosh, Taylor
and J. Bagley. FLA7497, 49 mm SL, pho-
tographed, Sewall’s Point, Florida, 28 April 2007,
C. Baldwin, D. Smith, L. Weigt, Yanosh, Taylor
and J. Bagley.
Additional specimens: AMNH 248452, 1, 56
mm SL, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. AMNH
082697, 58 mm SL, Mobile Bay, Alabama.
AMNH 52032, 9, 26-63 mm SL, Dauphin Island,
Alabama. AMNH 76598, 2, 56-58 mm SL,
Charleston, South Carolina. GCRL V67:2357, 13,
12-49 mm SL, Veracruz, Mexico. GCRL
V68:2841, 23, 12-68 mm SL, Tamaulipas, Mex-
ico; GCRL V70:4643, 9, 13-40 mm SL,
Campeche, Mexico. GCRL V72:9608, 10, 50-79
mm SL, Isla Itaparica, Brazil. MCZ 26071, 2, 61-
62 mm SL, Martinique. SLU 12668, 1, 31 mm
SL, Palm Beach, Florida. TCWC 11203.17, 12,
38-55 mm SL, San Martin Lake, Texas. TCWC
11212.01, 6, 47-71 mm SL, Redfish Bay, Texas.
TCWC 316.26, 4, 66-67 mm SL, Mustang Island,
Texas. TCWC 422.06, 5, 48-65 mm SL, Port
Isabel, Texas. TCWC 575.16, 31, 15-63 mm SL,
Port Isabel, Texas. TCWC 624.06, 22, 25-61 mm
SL, Escambia, Florida. TCWC 625.05, 4, 28-64
mm SL, Biloxi Bay, Mississippi. TCWC 670.02, 7,
46-67 mm SL, Pensacola, Florida. TCWC
8361.10, 7, 33-85 mm SL, Rio Grande, Texas.
TCWC 871.05, 6, 31-75 mm SL, Port Aransas,
Texas. TCWC 919.08, 7, 43-57 mm SL, Mustang
Island, Texas. UF 115914, 42, 24-65 mm SL, Palm
Beach, Florida. UF 230656, 2, 87-89 mm SL,
Venado Beach, Panama. UF 36063, 41, 13-64 mm
SL, Withlacoochee River, Florida. UF 60246, 10,
57-92 mm SL, Bayamon, Puerto Rico. USNM
087804, 7, 36-54 mm SL, Paranagua, Brazil.
USNM 121543, 43, 39-72 mm SL, Maracaibo,
Venezuela. USNM 81816, Bathygobius soporator
longiceps paratypes, 15, 30-56 mm SL, Porto Bello,
Panama. MNHN A-1254, Gobius soporator syn-
types, 2, 90-110 mm SL, Martinique. USNM
6612, Gobius catulus syntypes, St. Joseph Island,
Texas. USNM 648, Gobius catulus syntype, St.
Joseph Island, Texas. MCZ 13116, Gobius mapo
holotype, 88 mm SL, Cuba. MNHN A-1193,
Gobius humeralis holotype, 62 mm SL, Gabon.
MCZ 13110, Gobius brunneus syntypes, 2, 70-94
mm SL, Cuba. USNM 119896, Bathygobius sopo-
rator longiceps holotype, 108 mm SL, Porto Bello,
Panama.
Diagnosis: Pectoral fin rays 18-21 (modally 20);
lateral scale rows 38-42 (44 in a single specimen);
upper jaw length 11.9-13.7% SL; first dorsal fin
with dark broad bar extending vertically or diago-
nally (anterodorsal to posteroventral) across fin;
predorsal squamation reaching anteriorly beyond
vertical through posterior margin of preopercle,
often reaching posterior edge of postorbital
blotches; trunk with 3 prominent dark saddles
reaching ventrally to lateral midline, saddles some-
times dividing into two parts ventrally; side of
body with 6-7 large dark irregular blotches along
midline, some extending ventrally onto ventral
portion of trunk; anteriorly ventral extensions
sometimes present as separate entities, appearing to
be loosely connected pairs of blotches; blotches
along midline often connecting dorsally to ventral
portions of dorsal saddles (or divided saddles).
Description: First dorsal fin VI; second dorsal fin
I,9; anal fin I,8; total caudal fin rays, including
procurrent rays 17 in dorsal lobe, 16 in ventral lobe
(rarely 16/16 or 17/15); predorsal scales 19-22;
snout length 6.5-9.0% SL, equal to or slightly less
than eye diameter; eye diameter 6.5-10.5% SL;
lower jaw typically extending to vertical through
center of pupil and often beyond this point;
interorbital region narrow; HL 27.5-34.0% SL;
snout profile convex; body depth at origin of first
dorsal fin 15.5-24.5% SL; caudal peduncle depth
10.9-14.6% SL; pectoral fin slightly longer than
head, usually extending to or slightly beyond verti-
cal through posterior margin of first dorsal fin;
dorsalmost 4 rays (rarely 3 or 5) free from mem-
brane, with rays 1-4 usually branching once; pelvic
fin disk oval-shaped or slightly elliptical, extending
to or just falling short of anus.
Pigmentation: Trunk with 3 prominent dark sad-
dles reaching ventrally to lateral midline, saddles
sometimes dividing into two parts ventrally; side of
body with 6-7 large dark irregular blotches along
midline, some extending onto ventral portion of
trunk, ventral extensions sometimes present as sep-
arate entities anteriorly, appearing as loosely con-
nected pairs of blotches; blotches along midline
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
161
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
often connecting dorsally to ventral portions of
dorsal saddles (or divided saddles); first dorsal fin
with dark, broad bar extending vertically or diago-
nally (anterodorsal to posteroventral) across fin,
pigment less obvious in larger specimens and often
fading completely shortly after death or preserva-
tion; shape and definition of bar on first dorsal fin
slightly variable, but fin typically with pale region at
anterior base, similarly pale region along distal mar-
gin posteriorly and more darkly pigmented region
between those two pale regions constituting verti-
cal/diagonal bar; second dorsal fin uniformly dusky
or with 1-3 longitudinal stripes crossing fin (often
with narrow pale, orange or yellow band distally in
life); caudal fin with irregular blotches on branched
rays giving appearance of irregular vertical bands
across fin; large, irregularly shaped basicaudal
blotch, often extending to dorsal margin of caudal
peduncle or loosely connected to separate dark spot
at that location; anal fin lightly pigmented proxi-
mally, becoming darker distally but often possessing
very narrow pale stripe along the distal margin of
fin; pelvic fins dusky, often with narrow pale band
near distal margin; pectoral fin base either uni-
formly darkly pigmented or with two concentrated
areas of pigment, one dorsally and one ventrally,
separated by pale region; in both cases, pigment on
ventral portion of pectoral fin base extending ante-
riorly underneath margin of operculum and poste-
riorly onto bases of pectoral rays, pigment on rays
becoming lighter to nearly pale distally; opercle
mottled, but often possessing narrow, triangular-
shaped dark blotch, apex directed ventrally and
reaching horizontal through angle of preopercle;
cheek and jaw dusky with irregular dark blotches;
postorbital blotch usually large, often equivalent in
length to diameter of pupil, sometimes separate
concentration of melanophores present below lon-
gitudinal sensory canal; postorbital blotch shape
variable, but often somewhat triangular; temporal
blotch small, horizontally elongate, hyphen-shaped
marking, often indiscernible in small specimens;
shoulder blotch as large as or larger than postorbital
blotch, irregular in shape, and dark, but with dif-
fuse margin; gular, prepelvic and branchiostegal
regions light to dusky; abdomen pale.
Habitat: Bathygobius soporator has been taken
from sheltered rock and sand beaches, mangroves,
cobble shorelines with patches of seagrass, rock jet-
ties, seawalls near the mouths of rivers and streams,
near Millepora reefs and warm, shallow tidepools
covered with soft algae on sheltered shores. This
species has been collected with B. geminatus and B.
lacertus. At one site in Puerto Rico, it was taken
with those species and a single specimen of B.
antilliensis from a rocky shore near the mouth of an
irrigation canal.
Distribution: Bathygobius soporator is widespread
throughout the western Atlantic, and may also
occur off western Africa (see “Discussion”). Speci-
mens from lineage 2 (Fig. 1) were collected from
the east coast of Florida (Jacksonville south to
Florida Keys), Venezuela, Panama, Puerto Rico,
Curacao, and Belize (larvae only). Specimens from
lineage 3 were taken from Texas and the Atlantic
coast of Florida. Additional localities of B. sopora-
tor tabulated from museum specimens examined in
this study include Mexico, Brazil, Martinique,
Alabama, Mississippi, and the west coast of
Florida, but in the absence of genetic data for those
specimens we do not know to which of the B. sopo-
rator lineages they belong.
Discussion: As noted (see “Results”), several
genetic lineages illuminated in this study fit Gins-
burg’s (1947) redescription of B. soporator. Identi-
fying the lineage in this study that represents the
true B. soporator was difficult because the pigment
in the Gobius soporator syntypes has largely faded,
and patterns of pigmentation are important diag-
nostic characters in western Atlantic Bathygobius.
Trunk pigmentation on the syntypes has com-
pletely faded; however, pigmentation on the first
dorsal fin is evident in one of the syntypes (101
mm SL male; the first dorsal fin pigment on the
other syntype is completely faded). On the 101
mm SL syntype, the basal and distal portions of
dorsal spines I-II are pale (Fig. 10A, C) and a broad
area between those pale regions is darkly pig-
mented (Fig. 10B). This dark pigment continues
onto the proximal portions of the other dorsal
spines, giving the appearance of a broad vertical or
slightly diagonal dark bar across the fin. As noted
above, the presence of this bar of pigment on the
first dorsal fin is diagnostic of our lineages 2 and 3,
but it is not characteristic of the other lineages ini-
tially confused with B. soporator (i.e., lineage 1, B.
lacertus, and lineage 5, B. antilliensis). Predorsal
squamation also is somewhat helpful in separating
the species. Predorsal squamation on both of the
G. soporator syntypes extends anteriorly well
beyond the posterior margin of the preopercle,
reaching the posterior margin of the postorbital
spots. By contrast, the predorsal squamation in the
lineage we recognize as B. lacertus rarely extends
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 162
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
anterior to the posterior margin of the preopercle.
Based on the extent of predorsal squamation and
the pattern of pigmentation on the first dorsal fin,
it is most parsimonious to conclude that specimens
in lineages 2 and 3 and the G. soporator syntypes
represent the same species. We were unable to
identify morphological features that separate lin-
eages 2 and 3 and we assign both to B. soporator
pending further investigation.
Gobius catulus Girard, 1858, was described from
St. Joseph Island, Texas, and was resurrected as the
subspecies B. soporator catulus by Ginsburg (1947).
The characters he proposed to distinguish this sub-
species (a smaller eye diameter, a shorter caudal fin
and a lower average number of pectoral fin rays) do
not diagnose any of the lineages identified in this
study. The G. catulus syntypes have predorsal squa-
mation that extends anteriorly to slightly beyond a
vertical through the posterior margin of the preop-
ercle, but falls short of the postorbital blotches,
making it difficult to determine the identity of G.
catulus based on this character. The pigmentation
on the trunk and first dorsal fin of the syntypes is
completely faded. Bathygobius lacertus and B. antil-
liensis are absent from the Gulf of Mexico in the
material examined in this study and the only
species occurring from that region in our material
is B. soporator. More specifically, B. soporator is the
only species in this study that we collected from
Port Aransas, Texas, a locality less than 20 miles
away from the type locality of G. catulus and part
of the same major bay system. We therefore suggest
that G. catulus remain a synonym of B. soporator.
Gobius brunneus Poey,1868, is another species
that has long been recognized as a synonym of B.
soporator. The anterior extent of predorsal squama-
tion and first dorsal fin pigmentation of the G.
brunneus syntypes both support this synonymy.
Gobius mapo Poey, 1960, another B. soporator syn-
onym, was described from a single individual (110
mm total length) referred to as “l’individu décrit”
which translates as “the described individual” (Poey
1860). Howell-Rivero (1938) later referred to that
specimen as the holotype. Though Poey (1860)
never used the term “holotype” or “type”, we agree
with Howell-Rivero’s (1938) recognition of the
holotype following Article 73.1.1 the ICZN
(International Commission on Zoological Nomen-
clature 1999). Howell-Rivero (1938) reports five
individuals (including the holotype) deposited at
MCZ by Poey. The presence of two collection
numbers (MCZ 13116-13117) in one jar for these
five specimens suggests that two lots were mixed at
the museum or by subsequent investigators.
Although the specimens were cataloged into the
collection as syntypes, per Article 73.1.1 we regard
the specimen referenced in the original description
(110 mm total length, 88 mm SL) as the holotype
and only type specimen of G. mapo, and the
remaining four specimens in MCZ 13116-13117
as having no type status (this lot has now been sep-
arated into two, with the holotype as MCZ 13116
and the remaining specimens as MCZ 13117 ).
The holotype of G. mapo and the holotype of B.
soporator longiceps Ginsburg, 1947, both possess
predorsal squamation that reaches the postorbital
blotch. Pigmentation on the body and first dorsal
fin of the holotype of both species has faded.
Because these types cannot be unambiguously
linked to any other species recognized in this study,
we suggest that G. mapo and B. soporator longiceps
remain in the synonymy of B. soporator. Gobius car-
oliniensis Gill, 1863, previously considered a syn-
onym of B. soporator, was described from
Charleston, South Carolina. The holotype of this
species is apparently lost, and the original descrip-
tion does not provide sufficient information to tie
it to one of our genetic lineages. The specimens of
Bathygobius from Charleston in our study (AMNH
76598) possess all of the diagnostic characters of B.
soporator, and therefore we suggest that G. carolin-
iensis also remains in the synonymy of B. soporator.
Gobius humeralis Duméril, 1861, from Gabon,
Africa, is another species currently considered a
synonym of B. soporator. The only diagnostic char-
acter evident from the G. humeralis holotype is the
predorsal squamation, which extends anteriorly to
the postorbital blotch. Though West African mate-
rial is not included in this study, unpublished pre-
liminary phylogenetic studies suggest that Bathygo-
bius from Guinea that are morphologically indis-
tinguishable from specimens of western Atlantic B.
soporator form a third genetic lineage within this
species based on mitochondrial DNA sequence
data (Tornabene et al. unpublished). Thus, it is
possible that G. humeralis and other morphologi-
cally similar West African Bathygobius belong to B.
soporator, as suggested by Miller & Smith (1989),
or perhaps form a distinct sister species to B. sopo-
rator. Miller & Smith (1989), however, described
B. soporator as having a longitudinal pigmentation
pattern on the first dorsal fin, which is contrary to
our findings. It is possible that more than one
species occurs in West Africa that fits Ginsburg’s
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
163
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 164
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Fig. 11A-D. Bathygobius larvae from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize; A. B. curacao, 5.5 mm SL, DNA sequence #BLZ7305, SI; B.
B. curacao, 6.0 mm SL, DNA sequence #BLZ7260; C. B. lacertus, 6.0 mm SL, DNA sequence #BLZ7370; D. B. soporator,
6.0 mm SL, DNA sequence #BLZ6072. Photos A-C by J. Mounts, C. Baldwin, L. Weigt; photo Dby C. Baldwin and L.
Weigt. Image editing by J. Mounts.
(1947) and Miller & Smith’s (1989) description of
B. soporator. We retain G. humeralis as a synonym
of B. soporator pending further analysis of West
African material.
Comparisons: Bathygobius soporator can be distin-
guished from all other western Atlantic species of
Bathygobius in having a broad vertical or slightly
diagonal bar on the first dorsal fin. This character,
as well as the overall body pigmentation of B. sopo-
rator, is similar to that observed in the genetically
similar B. andrei from the eastern Pacific (Miller &
Stefanni 2000). Although the bar of pigment on
the first dorsal fin becomes less distinct in very
large or poorly preserved specimens, it never
approximates a striped or longitudinal pattern
characteristic of other Bathygobius. Bathygobius
soporator is morphologically similar to B. antillien-
sis and B. lacertus in having a high number of pec-
toral fin rays (18-21) and lateral scale rows (38-42),
and in having a long upper jaw (typically greater
than 11% SL). The high number of lateral scale
rows further distinguishes this species from B.
mystacium and B. curacao and trunk pigmentation
further distinguishes it from B. geminatus. In some
cases, the anteriormost trunk markings of B. sopo-
rator appear as a pair of loosely connected dark
blotches, similar in appearance to the paired mark-
ings diagnostic of B. geminatus. In B. geminatus
however, these markings are distinctly separate
anteriorly and continue posteriorly to the caudal
fin base, whereas in B. soporator they are less dis-
tinct and only evident anteriorly. In most cases, the
shape and size of the dark basicaudal blotch distin-
guishes this species from B. lacertus and B. antil-
liensis (large and irregularly shaped, often reaching
the dorsal midline of the caudal peduncle in B.
soporator vs. a set of 2 small loosely connected or
separate spots in B. lacertus and B. antilliensis).
The anterior extent of predorsal squamation is also
useful in distinguishing this species from B. lacer-
tus (usually extending anteriorly to postorbital
blotch in B. soporator vs. terminating near a verti-
cal through posterior margin of preopercle in B.
lacertus), although there is some variation in this
character in the two species.
Key to the western Atlantic species of Bathygobius
As noted previously, Bathygobius species are mor-
phologically conserved, although most species can
be easily distinguished based on pigmentation (Fig.
2). If pigment has faded, most Bathygobius species
cannot be identified. The exception is B. curacao,
which typically has a longer upper jaw than B. gem-
inatus and B. mystacium (11.1-15.0 % SL in B.
curacao vs. 10.3-11.0 % SL in B. geminatus and B.
mystacium), and fewer pectoral fin rays than B. lac-
ertus, B. antilliensis, and B. mystacium (typically 16
-17 in B. curacao vs. 18-21 in the other species).
The extent of predorsal squamation can be useful
in separating species, although there is some over-
lap among species. The intraspecific variation in
this character does not appear to be directly corre-
lated with the size of the individual or the locality
in which the specimen was collected. Despite this
apparent variation, there is still diagnostic utility in
this character when used in combination with
other characters. The diagnostic pigment and mor-
phological characters described in detail above are
summarized in the taxonomic key to the species of
western Atlantic Bathygobius, below.
1a. First dorsal fin with a broad vertical or slightly
diagonal bar ................................ B. soporator
1b. First dorsal fin with a longitudinal pattern of
pigment, either a single broad stripe or 1-4
narrow stripes .............................................. 2
2a. Ventral portion of trunk with two rows of 7-8
vertically paired blotches, one directly above
the other; blotches beginning beneath pectoral
fin and terminating just anterior to basicaudal
blotch ........................................ B. geminatus
2b. Ventral portion of trunk variously pigmented,
with or without blotches, but never with verti-
cally paired markings as described above ..... 3
3a. Ventral portion of trunk with two rows of 6-7
dark blotches, the blotches in the two rows off-
set and reminiscent of the dark squares on a
checker-board; both rows complete, i.e., begin-
ning beneath the pectoral fin and terminating
just before caudal fin base, the lower row of
spots more diffuse than top row and becoming
more diffuse posteriorly; predorsal squamation
reaching a vertical through the posterior mar-
gin of preopercle, rarely extending beyond this
point; lateral scale rows 38-42.........................
B. lacertus
3b. Ventral portion of trunk variously pigmented,
with or without blotches, but never with two
offset rows of markings as described above; lat-
eral scale rows 31-42.................................... 4
4a. Ventral portion of trunk with two rows of
markings, the uppermost with 7-8 dark
blotches beginning beneath the pectoral fin
and terminating just before basicaudal mark-
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
165
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
ings; the lower row incomplete, comprising 3
(rarely 4) spots, and typically terminating ante-
rior to origin of anal fin; predorsal squamation
reaching anterior to a vertical through the pos-
terior margin of preopercle, often to the poste-
rior margin of postorbital blotches; lateral scale
rows 38-42..................................B. antilliensis
4b. Ventral portion of trunk variously pigmented,
with or without blotches, but never with one
complete and one incomplete row of spots as
described above; lateral scale rows 31-36 (rarely
37)............................................................... 5
5a. Trunk typically with no apparent diagnostic
pattern of pigment (sometimes 6-7 diffuse dark
blotches of varying size along body); pectoral
fin rays 15-17; upper jaw length 11.1-15 % SL
........................................................B. curacao
5b. A row of 6 large square to irregularly shaped
blotches beneath lateral midline ranging in size
from slightly larger than the pupil to as large as
or larger than the orbit; pectoral fin rays 18-21
(rarely 17); upper jaw length 9.2-11.0 % SL ..
.................................................. B. mystacium
Bathygobius larvae (Fig. 11): Baldwin & Smith
(2003) described settlement-stage larvae of B. cura-
cao and B. soporator from Belize, Central America,
based on wild-caught specimens collected in a
plankton net off the Smithsonian’s Carrie Bow Cay
marine station. Species identifications were made
by rearing selected specimens through transforma-
tion. Identification of reared B. curacao was based
on low numbers of scales in a longitudinal series
(32-33) and pectoral fin rays (16-17). Our DNA
data include sequences from numerous Belizean
larval Bathygobius (Fig. 1, indicated by “L*”), some
of which are in the B. curacao lineage (Fig. 1).
Those larvae have all of the diagnostic characters of
B. curacao larvae described by Baldwin & Smith
(2003: 646, Figs 1, 17A), including the presence of
approximately five large melanophores on the ven-
tral midline along the posterior portion of the
trunk, one large melanophore around the anus, six
large melanophores along the dorsal midline and
internal melanophores along the myosepta of the
epaxial and hypaxial musculature. In terms of diag-
nostic color patterns, they have xanthophores asso-
ciated with the trunk melanophores and a single
erythrophore at the base of the caudal fin (Fig.
11A,B). The identification of Baldwin & Smith’s
(2003) B. curacao larvae is thus confirmed through
DNA barcoding.
Baldwin & Smith’s (2003: 648, Figs 2, 17B) lar-
vae of B. soporator have three or four large, stellate
melanophores on the ventral midline on the poste-
rior half of the body, two large melanophores on
the dorsal midline ventral to the posterior half of
the second dorsal fin and a patch of partially inter-
nal pigment midlaterally. There is a melanophore
on the membrane of each of the second through
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 166
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
Table I. Distance matrix showing the mean Kimura 2-parameter genetic distances between the genetic lineages from the com-
plete neighbor-joining tree. Shaded values are mean within-lineage genetic distances. Values between the lineages of B. sopo-
rator and B. geminatus are highlighted in bold.
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010
167
Luke Tornabene, Carole Baldwin, Lee A. Weigt and Frank Pezold
Appendix I. Complete neighbor-joining tree of all167 COI sequences.
fifth elements of the second dorsal fin, and the anal
fin has flags of pigment distally on approximately
the third through fifth elements. Chromatophores
include xanthophores associated with the
melanophores on the dorsal and ventral midlines
and a single erythrophore at the base of the caudal
fin. Larvae with those diagnostic features are in the
same genetic lineage as B. lacertus in our neighbor-
joining tree (Fig. 1). Baldwin & Smith’s (2003:
649) identification of larval B. soporator was based
on a single specimen reared through transforma-
tion, and they noted that the 18 pectoral fin rays
present in that specimen is within the extremes of,
but not the typical count for, any of the three
species considered valid at the time. Their identifi-
cation was based on the presence of approximately
39 scales in a longitudinal series (37-41 in B. sopo-
rator, 31-34 in B. curacao, and 33-36 in B.
mystacium (Böhlke & Chaplin 1993; Ginsburg
1947). Eighteen pectoral fin rays and 39 longitudi-
nal scales have been observed in specimens of four
lineages in this study, but they are most commonly
seen in B. lacertus. We suggest that Baldwin &
Smith’s (2003) larval B. soporator (Fig. 11C) is B.
lacertus.
Baldwin & Smith (2003) described one variant of
their B. soporator that has orange vs. yellow chro-
matophores on the body, but they were not sure if
the color difference represented variation within a
single species or was indicative of a different species
with similar meristic counts. Our material from
Belize includes two larval specimens that also differ
from B. lacertus larvae in having orange vs. yellow
pigment on the trunk (Fig. 11D). In our analysis,
those specimens belong to lineage 2 of B. soporator
(Fig 1) and thus it appears that Baldwin and
Smith’s (2003) variant of B. soporator is the true B.
soporator. Additional intact larval specimens are
needed to provide a full description of larvae of this
species.
We have no larval specimens of B. antilliensis, B.
mystacium, B. geminatus, or lineage 3 of B. sopora-
tor. Peters (1983) described larvae and juveniles of
B. soporator from Florida, which, as noted by Bald-
win & Smith (2003) are different from their “B.
soporator” (now B. lacertus) from Belize. Peters’
(1983) larvae are part of a reared series, and illus-
trations of 41- and 49-day old specimens (his Fig.
2C-D) show a nearly vertical bar of dark pigment
on the first dorsal fin. As that character is diagnos-
tic of B. soporator and larvae of one lineage of that
species (lineage 2, Fig. 1) have been identified, it
seems likely that Peters’ larval B. soporator repre-
sents the other B. soporator lineage (lineage 3, Fig.
1). Fresh larval specimens are needed to confirm
that identification genetically. Identification of lar-
vae of all Bathygobius species could provide infor-
mation useful, in combination with adult features
and genetic data, in resolving interspecific phylo-
genetic relationships.
The question of sympatric cryptic species: It has
been suggested that the species of Bathygobius in
the western Atlantic are in an early stage of specia-
tion, and that contrasting populations may be
closer to subspecies than actual species (Ginsburg
1947). Our results show that although western
Atlantic Bathygobius species are fairly conserved
morphologically, many of the species show evi-
dence of deep ancestral divergences (0.06-0.17
genetic distance between most lineages, Table I)
with no obvious correlation between geographic
distance and genetic variation. However, in two
cases in this study, morphologically indistinguish-
able individuals form two closely related genetic
lineages (Fig 1. B. soporator lineages 2/3, B. gemi-
natus lineages 6/7). In both of those instances, we
provisionally treat the pairs of “lineages within lin-
eages” as belonging to a single species. Within each
pair of lineages, voucher specimens were indistin-
guishable with regards to every morphological and
pigmentation character analyzed in this study. A
more exhaustive morphological examination
including a multivariate morphometric analysis
might uncover subtle differences providing evi-
dence that these lineages represent distinct species.
In both instances, specimens from each of the sis-
ter lineages were collected from the same site on
two different occasions from localities on the east
coast of Florida, but further fine-scale investigation
of specific local habitat is needed to determine
whether or not the fishes of each of the sister lin-
eages are truly syntopic in the strictest sense. The
genetic distance between sister lineages in both
cases (0.029 for B. soporator, 0.021 for B. gemina-
tus, Table I) is less than the distance between the
other congeners in the region, but is considerably
larger than the intraspecific variation typical of the
other species in this region (≤0.006; Table I).
Although both cases may be indicative of more
recent speciation events, support from other inde-
pendent lines of evidence such as nuclear markers
is needed. Some authors caution the use of mito-
chondrial DNA alone in delimiting species bound-
aries and argue that the maternally inherited, non-
aqua vol. 16 no. 4 - 15 October 2010 168
Exploring the diversity of western Atlantic Bathygobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cytochrome coxidase-I, with descriptions of two new species
recombining nature of mitochondrial DNA will
always result in gene lineages that show a phyloge-
netic pattern of transmission, even within popula-
tions of a single species (e.g. Davis 1996; Puorto et
al. 2001). Thus the sympatric haplotypes that are
present here may represent independently evolving
gene lineages within single species. Until more crit-
ical testing of these hypotheses is done using other
independent genetic markers and additional mor-
phological data, we treat both pairs of sister lin-
eages as single species.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
J. Van Tassell and D.R. Robertson provided spec-
imens from Florida, Venezuela, Panama, and
Curaçao. R. Chabarria assisted the first author in
the field. Y. Chen assisted the first author with
molecular work. R. Causse, P. Keith, M. Habsi,
and C. Ferrara at MNHN provided invaluable
photographs of type material. K. Hartell and A.
Williston at MCZ assisted with type material and
references. L. Valle at UPRM Isla Magueyes Lab
and A. R. Duran of the Mata de Platano Field Sta-
tion and Nature Reserve helped coordinate field
work in Puerto Rico. Field work in Puerto Rico
was made possible by funding to R. Chabarria
from the USDA Hispanic Leaders in Agriculture
and the Environment program. Funding for the
first author’s travel to the Smithsonian was pro-
vided by the Smithsonian Institution Schultz
Fund, and we are grateful to L. Parenti and C.
Youmans for coordinating funding and travel
arrangements. A. Driskell and A. Ormos provided
laboratory and logistical assistance. D. Smith pro-
vided field assistance and contributed in numerous
other ways to the project. J. Bagley, M. Carpenter,
C. Castillo, A. Driskell, M. Fagan, Z. Foltz, A.
Lang, J. Lang, L. Lang, B. Langton, J. Mounts, A.
O’Donnell, G. O’Donnell, S. Reed, A. Vaslet and
J. Williams provided field assistance. Research in
Florida was conducted pursuant to SAL # 07SR-
1024B to the second author. A. Gazit, K. Wilson,
and M. Kunen made it possible for the second and
third authors to collect fish samples through the
CARMABI laboratory in Curacao. Fieldwork in
the Bahamas was conducted under the auspices of
the Perry Institute of Marine Science, with logisti-
cal assistance from B. Gadd and D. O’Donnell. A
portion of the research in the Bahamas was funded
by a generous donation from Christine B. Lang to
the Smithsonian Institution in memory of David
E. Baldwin and Richard A. Lang. R. Langton, J.
Gobin, and K. Caesar facilitated collecting in
Tobago, and B. Holt provided support and logisti-
cal help for research on South Caicos Island. The
Smithsonian Marine Science Network provided
major funding for fieldwork through a grant to the
second author, and the Smithsonian DNA Barcod-
ing Initiative provided funding for COl analyses.
This is Contribution No. 885 of the Caribbean
Coral Reef Ecosystems Program (CCRE), Smith-
sonian Institution, supported in part by the Hun-
terdon Oceanographic Research Fund, and Smith-
sonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce (SMSFP)
Contribution No. 827.
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ERRATA
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sight was corrected throughout the rest of the manuscript, for clarity’s sake the phrase “12s” on page 130 should read
“Control Region”.
