Review of the genus Diplogrammus (Teleostei: Callionymidae) of the Red Sea, with description of a new species from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Species of the callionymid fish genus Diplogrammus of the Red Sea are reviewed. Four species are recognized: D. gruveli Smith, 1963 from the northern Gulf of Suez and Suez Canal; D. infulatus Smith, 1963 from the western shores of the Red Sea and the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba; D. paucispinis n. sp. from the eastern shore of the Red Sea; D. randalli Fricke, 1983 from the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. Diplogrammus paucispinis n. sp. is characterized by having three or four curved spinules on the dorsal margin of the preopercular spine, first dorsal fin with a filament in males but not in females, first spine significantly longer than first ray of the second dorsal fin in males, anal fin translucent in males with outer one-third black, no bluish lines on head and body in males. A key to the species of Diplogrammus is presented; endemism of Red Sea fish species is discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:848161AE-0E4C-456E-8743-E5E3F62AB507

Keywords:

• fishes
• dragonets
• taxonomy
• morphology
• identification key

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following persons for information, loan of specimens, or permission to examine specimens under their care: C. J. Ferraris Jr. (AMNH), D. F. Hoese, J. Leis, M. McGrouther, J. Paxton (AMS), D. A. Didier, W. F. Smith-Vaniz (ANSP), O. Crimmen (BMNH), J. E. Randall, A. Y. Suzumoto (BPBM), W. N. Eschmeyer, T. Iwamoto (CAS including SU), P. Last (CSIRO), R. K. Johnson, D. J. Stewart (FMNH), P. Pruvost (MNHN), R. Gajeelee (NHMI), M. Gomon (NMV), H. K. Larson (NTM), R. J. McKay (QM), M. J. P. van Oijen (RMNH), R. Rosenblatt (SIO), T. Alpermann (SMF), S. Smith, J. T. Williams (USNM), G. R. Allen, J. B. Hutchins, S. Morrison (WAM), H. Wilkens (ZIM), H.-J. Paepke (ZMB), T. Abe, Y. Tominaga (ZUMT). We are grateful to T. Alpermann (SMF) for providing a catalogue numbers for the type series of the new species, and for his assistance during the collection of fish material. John E. Randall (BPBM) is acknowledged for provision and permission of reproduce fish photographs.