Diagnosis: Modal fin-ray counts of D-VI,11 A-11 and Pect-18-20 indicate Coryphopterus venezuelae. Most other sand-goby congeners have 10/10, with only a rare individual with 11 fin elements. C. venezuelae has 11 elements in both the second dorsal and anal fins. The distinguishing features of adult C. venezuelae are mostly not present on recruits and small juveniles.
Analogues: The sand goby clade share morphology and most markings as larvae and new recruits. C. venezuelae can best be separated by fin-ray counts (11/11) at these early stages. C. venezuelae and the other head-striped sand gobies develop short stripes on top of the head very early in transition, separating them from the spotted-head gobies (i.e. C. eidolon, C. thrix, C. alloides, C. kuna, and the non-sand Coryphopterus species). Recruits of C. venezuelae appear almost identical to C. glaucofraenum; they diverge in transition when C. venezuelae have a long streak at the base of the first anal-fin rays, usually over 5-6 rays, while on C. glaucofraenum the streak is short and covers about 3 rays. C. glaucofraenum (and C. venezuelae) diverge from the other head-striped gobies (C. tortugae, C. bol, and C. dicrus) as early recruits when they develop colon-like rounded spots at the base of the caudal fin and as melanophores form at about 7-8 o'clock on the orbital rim extending forward in a stripe (not obliquely down) across the upper jaw vs. at 6-7 o'clock down to the angle of the jaw in C. tortugae and C. bol.
Description: Recruits develop three stripes behind the eye with the lowest stripe extending in a straight line across the jaw, not continuous under the eyeball until about 14 mm SL. Notably, recruits have no melanophores extending down from the orbital rim at 6-7 o'clock toward the corner of the jaw. A row of melanophores develop at the lower base of the pectoral fin after transition and the median-fins are heavily speckled. Two colon-like rounded spots are present at the base of the caudal fin and rows of X-shaped markings develop along the sides of the body.
