Bull. Natl. Mus. Nat. Sci., Ser. A, Suppl. 1, pp. 101–107, March 22, 2007

A New Shrimp Goby of the Genus Amblyeleotris (Perciformes:
Gobiidae) from the Ogasawara Islands, Japan
Hiroshi Senou1 and Yoshimasa Aonuma2
1

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History, 499 Iryuda, Odawara, Kanagawa 250–0031, Japan
E-mail: senou@nh.kanagawa–museu.jp
2
Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute,
148–446 Fukai, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907–0451, Japan
E-mail: aonuma@fra.affrc.go.jp

Abstract A new shrimp-associated goby, Amblyeleotris morishitai, is described on the basis of 2
specimens from Ototo-jima Island, the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The species is distinguishedfrom other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: second dorsal-fin
rays I, 13; anal-fin rays I, 14; pectoral-fin rays 20; pelvic frenum present; pelvic fins joined bymembrane to tips of fifth rays (relative length of connecting membrane to fourth pelvic-fin ray
0.52–0.56); head length 25.7–26.8% in standard length; caudal peduncle length 14.9–15.5% instandard length; a yellowish orange stripe coursing from eye to orange vertical bar on opercle; ayellowish orange slightly curved bar with blue border just behind the base of caudal fin.
Key words : New species, Gobiidae, Amblyeleotris morishitai, Ogasawara Islands, Japan.

The fishes of the Indo-Pacific genus Amblyeleotris Bleeker, 1874 are colorful gobiids,
living symbiotically with snapping shrimps of thegenus Alpheus. In this genus, 34 species (out of
38 nominal species) are currently considered asvalid (Randall, 1995; Aonuma and Yoshino,
1996; Chen et al., 1998; Mohlmann and Munday,
1999; Aonuma et al., 2000; Mohlmann and Randall, 2002; Randall, 2004; Hoese and Larson,
2004; Randall and Earle, 2006). Although new
species nearly equal to a third of total were addedsince 2000 by several authors, many undescribed
species are still found in coastal waters such asbays and coral reefs (for example, see underwaterphotographs of this genus in Kuiter and Tonozuka, 2001 and Suzuki and Shibukawa, 2004). In
the present paper, we describe a new species of
the genus collected from the Ogasawara Islands
in 1997.
Methods of measurements followed Hubbs andLagler (1964), being expressed as percentage ofstandard length (SL) or head length (HL). Lengthof caudal peduncle was also measured as the horizontal distance from the terminus of anal-finbase to the base of caudal fin. Length of caudal
fin was measured from the midpoint of caudal
base to the distal tip of the fin. The measuringmethods of “length of dorsal or of anal base” and“predorsal length” by Hubbs and Lagler (1964)
were applied for “length of first and second dorsal bases,” and “pre-first dorsal, pre-second dorsal, pre-anal and prepelvic lengths,” respectively.
Counting methods followed Prince Akihito et al.
(1984). The length of the interradial membrane
between the pelvic fins relative to the longest
pelvic-fin ray is expressed as CM-value (UMvalue of Yanagisawa, 1976). Vertebrae werecounted from soft X-ray negatives. Notation forthe cephalic sensory canal pores, sensory papillae and relationship between pterygiophores ofthe dorsal fin and vertebrae (P-V) followed
Prince Akihito et al. (1984), Miller (1986) andBirdsong et al. (1988), respectively. Cephalicsensory systems were observed based on thespecimens stained with cyanine blue, following amethod of Akihito et al. (2002). Type specimens
are deposited in the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History (KPM-NI) and the Nation-

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H. Senou and Y. Aonuma

al Science Museum, Tokyo (NSMT-P). Images
were deposited at the Image Database of Fishes
in the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural
History (KPM-NR).
Amblyeleotris morishitai sp. nov.
(New Japanese name: Morishita-datehaze)(Figs. 1–3)
Amblyeleotris sp. 1: Suzuki in Suzuki and Shibukawa,
2004: 339 (an underwater photograph, Ototo-jima Island, Ogasawara Islands, 55 m depth, photo by O. Morishita).
Holotype: KPM-NI 4166, 94.4 mm SL, female,
Ototo-jima Island, Ogasawara Islands, 52 m depth, 11
Sep. 1997.
Paratype: NSMT-P 73061 (formerly KPM-NI 4167),80.7 mm SL, female, same collection data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other speciesof Amblyeleotris by having the following combi-

nation of characters: second dorsal-fin rays I, 13;anal-fin rays I, 14; pectoral-fin rays 20; pelvic
frenum present; pelvic fins joined by membrane
to tips of fifth rays (CM-value 0.52–0.56); headlength 26.1–28.1% in SL; caudal peduncle length
14.9–15.5% in SL; a yellowish orange stripe
coursing from eye to first bar on opercle; a yellowish orange slightly curved bar with blue border just posterior to the base of caudal fin.
Description. Counts and proportional measurements are shown in Table 1. Data in parentheses are for paratype. Dorsal-fin rays VI–I, 13;anal-fin rays I, 14; pectoral-fin rays 20; branchedcaudal-fin rays 7714; longitudinal scales 99101; transverse scales 32; predorsal scales absent; P-V 3-22110; vertebrae (abdominalcaudal) 101626.
Body moderately elongate and compressed.
Mouth rather large, gape oblique. Maxilla extending slightly posterior to the vertical at center

Fig. 1. Amblyeleotris morishitai sp. nov., KPM-NI 4166, holotype, female, 94.4 mm SL. Top: photographed by
H. Senou; bottom: drawn by Y. Aonuma.

New Shrimp Goby of Amblyeleotris

Fig. 2. Ventral view of pelvic fin of Amblyeleotris
morishitai sp. nov., NSMT-P 73061, paratype,female, 80.7 mm SL. Shadow indicates pelvic
frenum. Bar indicates 5 mm. Drawn by Y.
Aonuma.

of pupil. Lower jaw slightly projecting beyond
upper jaw. Upper jaw with 2 or 3 irregular rowsof small subconical teeth; outer teeth larger, more
spaced and strongly curved compared with inner
ones; inner teeth inwardly curved. Lower jaw
with 3 or 4 irregular rows of subconical teeth inanterior part, reduced posteriorly to 1 row; anterior outer teeth slightly larger and more spaced
than inner ones. Two large canine-like teeth oneach side of lower jaw. Snout rather pointed,
shorter than eye diameter. Gill opening extending
just ventral to oculoscapular canal pore F. Nares
separated; anterior naris with a short nasal tube
dorsal to upper lip, posterior one with simple
pore close to anterior margin of eye. Opercularand preopercular edges smooth. Dorsal fin divided in 2 parts, not united by membrane one to another. Third spine longest in first dorsal fin. Second dorsal and anal fins with a single spine andbranched soft rays. Origin of anal fin ventral to
first soft ray of second dorsal fin; last anal fin ray

103

just below or slightly posterior to the vertical atlast second dorsal-fin ray. Posterior margin of
second dorsal and anal fins angular. Penultimate
soft ray longest in second dorsal fin, much longer
than longest anal-fin ray. Pectoral fin rounded,shorter than head length, reaching to just ventral
to second dorsal-fin origin when adpressed ornot. Caudal fin rounded, longer than head. Pelvic
fins joined by membrane to tips of fifth rays,
CM-value 0.52 (0.56); fourth ray longest, reaching to base of second soft ray of anal fin when
adpressed; pelvic frenum present (Fig. 2). Scales
on side of body cycloid anteriorly, ctenoid posteriorly; ctenoid scale area reaching anteriorly to avertical through third or fourth soft ray of second
dorsal fin. Ventral surface of body except isthmus
covered with small cycloid scales. Dorsal midlineof head naked. Remainder of head naked except
a part with small scales on side of nape extending forward above midpoint between preopercle
and opercle, or just reaching dorsal to dorsoposterior corner of opercle. Scales absent on pectoral-fin base. Cephalic sensory system as shownin Fig. 3. Anterior oculoscapular canal with pores
B, C(S), D(S), E, F, G and H; posterior oculoscapular canal with pores K’ and L’; preopercular canal with pores M, N and O. Sensory
papillae moderately developed (Fig. 3); 3 pairs oflarge sensory papillae on dorsal surface of snout;a large sensory papilla just anterior to pore B (2on left side of holotype, but one of them muchsmaller than the other); a large sensory papillajust dorsal to anterior naris; 2 large sensory
papillae between anterior and posterior nares (1on right side of paratype); 3 large sensory papillae on preorbital region, anteriormost one justventral to anterior naris; 6 transverse sensory
papillae rows (rows 1–4, 5s, 6s; row 1 interrupted
on left side of holotype) and a sensory papilla(equivalent to row 7; forming a short sensorypapillae row in right side of paratype) present on
suborbital region; row 1 continuous with a longitudinal row (row d) above maxilla, not interrupted; 1 transverse sensory papillae row (row 6i) behind row d; another transverse sensory papillae
row (row 5i) behind row 5s; a longitudinal senso-

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H. Senou and Y. Aonuma

Fig. 3. Head of Amblyeleotris morishitai sp. nov., KPM-NI 4166, holotype, female, 94.4 mm SL, showing thearrangement of sensory canal pores and papillae. AN: anterior nostril; B to O: sensory canal pores; GO: anterior end of gill opening; PN: posterior nostril; S: single pore; Sym: a pair of sensory papillae on symphysis;
1 to 4, 5i, 5s, 6i, 6s, 7, b, d, e, g, h, m, o, os, ot and x1: papilla rows. Drawn by H. Senou.

ry papillae row (row b) behind row 5i, divided
into 2 parts; a transverse sensory papillae row(row n) just behind sensory canal pore E; a pairof pit organs (equivalent to row o) and 2 pairs oflongitudinal sensory papillae rows (rows g andm) behind row n in occipital region; a longitudinal sensory papillae row (row x1) coursing fromthe vertical through pore G to posterior to thevertical through pore L’, but interrupted just dorsal to pore H’ and posterior oculoscapular canal;
longitudinal sensory papillae row (row h) present
on nape, divided into 2 parts; a transverse sensory papillae row (row ot) and 2 longitudinal sensory papillae rows (row os) present on opercle; 2sensory papillae rows (row e) coursing ventrally
along the mandible and extending along the freeedge of preopercle to pore O’ with only a shortinterruption near the posterior corner of lower
jaw, sensory papillae nearer to the ventral midline larger than those of the row that is distal tothe ventral midline; a pair of large sensory papillae on symphysis just posterior to mental frenum.
Coloration when fresh (Fig. 1). Head andbody grayish white with 5 yellowish orange bars
in total; first bar vertical on head, the other onesslightly oblique on body; each bar edged withpale blue (distinct when alive) narrower than eye
diameter; first from nape across opercle andbranchiostegal membranes, second ventral tofifth and sixth dorsal spines, third ventral to thirdand fourth dorsal soft rays, fourth ventral toeleventh dorsal soft ray, and fifth on caudal peduncle; each interspace between neighboringbars with 3 to 4 vivid yellow spots with darkedge dorsally, and indistinct pale yellow networkor a few vertical lines. Head with a yellowish orange horizontal stripe, edged with pale blue,
coursing from eye to first bar on opercle; stripe
wider than pupil diameter, but narrower than eye
diameter; a short, yellowish orange bar edged
with pale blue obliquely posterior from ventral
margin of eye, extending to just posterior to corner of mouth; a pale blue stripe on branchiostegal
membranes; blue edges and stripes on head more
distinct when alive; ventral side of head yellowish orange. Dorsal fins pale yellow with numer-New Shrimp Goby of Amblyeleotris
Table 1.

105

Counts and proportional measurements of Amblyeleotris morishitai sp. nov.

Standard length (mm)Total length (mm)Sex
Dorsal fin rays
Anal fin rays
Pectoral fin rays
Pelvic fin rays
Branched caudal fin raysLongitudinal scale rows
Transverse scale rows
Vertebrae
Percentage of standard length
Head length
Body depth
Depth of caudal peduncle
Length of caudal peduncle
Length of caudal peduncle (horizontal distance)
Length of first spine of first dorsal fin
Length of second spine of first dorsal fin
Length of third spine of first dorsal fin
Length of fourth spine of first dorsal fin
Length of fifth spine of first dorsal fin
Length of longest ray of second dorsal fin
Length of longest ray of anal fin
Length of pectoral fin
Length of pelvic fin
Length of caudal fin
Length of first dorsal base
Length of second dorsal base
Length of anal basePre-first dorsal lengthPre-second dorsal lengthPre-anal length
Pre-pelvic length
Percentage of head length
Snout length
Eye diameter
Interorbital widthous, vivid yellow spots; each spot smaller onouter side of fins, with dark edge, surrounded bya pale blue margin. Anal fin yellow with a dark
yellowish orange stripe with blue edge on threefifths from base; basal half of anal fin with a pale
blue streak along each fin ray; submarginal portion of anal fin with a pale blue spot on each finmembrane, forming a row of spots. Caudal fin
yellow with numerous vivid yellow spots on dorsoposterior part (also on ventroposterior part inparatype); each yellow spot surrounded by pale

Holotype

Paratype

KPM-NI
4166

NSMT-P
73061

94.4
127.2
female
VI–I, 13
I, 14
20
I, 5
771410132
101626

80.7
110.3
female
VI–I, 13
I, 14
20
I, 5
771499
32
101626

28.0
16.9
11.0
14.9
14.2
13.5
15.9
18.9
18.4
15.9
21.1
20.1
23.1
24.9
37.1
19.5
35.9
33.5
31.7
50.6
53.0
31.7

26.1
15.5
11.0
15.5
13.5
14.7
16.2
22.3
18.7
15.7
19.2
19.1
23.3
26.0
34.6
20.2
33.9
33.3
30.4
50.6
54.9
32.2

22.7
24.6
4.5

24.2
23.7
4.7

blue margin; a yellowish orange curved bar
edged with blue on basal part of fin. Pelvic fin
yellow with a yellowish orange streak in innerpart (Fig. 1) and blue streaks or markings likebranches along fin rays (Fig. 2). Pectoral fin hyaline.
Coloration in preserved specimens. Headand body pale to dull yellow with 5 faint darkvertical bars in total; edges of first bar visible asbrown line; yellow spots faded, but visible aspale ones. Dorsal portion of eye and interorbital

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H. Senou and Y. Aonuma

space dark brown. Bar ventral to eye changing tobrown. Longitudinal stripe between eye and bar
on opercle absent, but edges visible as parallelbrown stripes. Symphysis of lower jaw and chinbrown. Stripe on branchiostegal membranes visible as brown one. Coloration of all fins faded, butblue edges of a stripe on anal fin and a bar of
caudal fin visible as parallel brown streaks ineach. Streaks and spots on pelvic fin visible asbrown ones.
Distribution. Ototo-jima Island, Ogasawara
Islands, Japan. Underwater photographs (KPMNR 88474, 88476-88480) of this new species
were taken at depths of 40–43 m in Izu-oshimaIsland of the Izu Islands from November to December in 2004 by A. Ito.
Remarks. Amblyeleotris morishitai sp. nov.
can be easily distinguished in life from othermembers of the genus by having a stripe between
eye and first bar on opercle, and a curved bar on
caudal fin.
The genus Amblyeleotris is divided into 2
groups, according to the presence or absence of apelvic frenum (Aonuma et al., 2000: as ventral
frenum). Furthermore, the species group with apelvic frenum is subdivided into 3 groups basedon degree of development of the interradial
membrane uniting the pelvic fins: the first grouphas very short membrane joining fins basally (seefig. 2A of Aonuma and Yoshino, 1996); the second group has deeply notched or concave pelvic
fins, joined by short membrane extending to tipsof fifth rays (Fig. 2); the third has a complete
disc-like pelvic fin, joined by well-developed interradial membrane (see description of A.
fontanesii (Bleeker, 1852) in Iawata et al., 1996).
The new species belongs to the second group.
The other members of this group are as follows:
A. biguttata Randall, 2004; A. masuii Aonuma
and Yoshino, 1996; A. melanocephala Aonuma,
Iwata and Yoshino, 2000; A. triguttata Randall,
1994 (Randall, 1994; Aonuma and Yoshino,
1996; Aonuma et al., 2000; Randall, 2004). Of
these 5 species, the new species and A. triguttata
have more than 13 anal soft rays (13 in the other3 species). The new species can be easily distin-

guished from A. triguttata by having smaller
head (26.1–28.0% vs. 29.0–30.6% in SL) andlonger caudal peduncle (13.5–14.2% vs. 12.3–
13.5% in SL) (data for A. triguttata from theoriginal description by Randall, 1994).
In the members of the group with a pelvic
frenum, the new species shares 14 soft anal rays
with Amblyeleotris japonica Takagi, 1957, A.
rubrimarginata Mohlmann and Randall, 2002
and A. triguttata. Except for A. triguttata mentioned above, however, A. japonica and A. rubrimarginata are distinguishable from the new
species in having very short interradial membrane uniting the pelvic fins (the first group mentioned above) and lower counts of longitudinalscale rows (74–87 in A. japonica and 81–86 in A.
rubrimarginata vs. 99–101). See Yanagisawa(1978) and Mohlmann and Randall (2000) fordata about A. japonica and A. rubrimarginata.
Etymology. Amblyeleotris morishitai is
named in honor of Osamu Morishita, who first
discovered this species.
Acknowledgments
We thank Osamu Morishita for providing thespecimens of the new species from the Ogasawara Islands, Akemi Ito for providing her underwater photographs of the new species from
Izu-oshima Island, Koichi Shibukawa (NSMT)
for taking data of the paratype and Tomoyuki
Nomura for taking X-rays. We also thank E. O.
Murdy (National Science Foundation, USA) and
Jun-ichi Aoki (KPM) for reading the manuscript.
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