Eviota storthynx (Rofen 1959)

Eviota storthynx (Rofen)

Eviotops storthynx Rofen, 1959:237, fig. 3 [type-locality: Bungau, Sulu Province, Philippine Islands].—Larson, 1976:500.

MATERAL EXAMINED.—709 specimens from 5 localities, totaling 297 males, 240 females, 172 juveniles; total size range 4.9–20.9; largest male 20.9, largest female 16.6; smallest gravid female 11.4.

Holotype: SU 52108, (16.9), male; Philippine Is., Sulu Prov., Bungau, 17 Sep 1940, A. W. Herre.

Paratype: SU 39853, 1(14.4), male; same data as holotype.

Other Material: PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: USNM 219424, 5 (12.0–15.1), 4 males (15.1), 1 female (12.0); Palawan Prov., Cuyo I., 21 May 1978, V. G. Springer and Smithsonian team, SP 78–17. PALAU ISLANDS: CAS 43783, 28 (10.5–18.3), 1 juv., 12 males (18.3), 15 females (15.9); off Kaibakku I., 3 Oct 1957, DeWitt, sta 57–30, GVF Reg. 1408. USNM 213875, 28 (10.6–18.6), 13 males (18.6), 15 females (15.9); same data as above. CAS 43793, 34 (9.9–16.5), 11 juv., 11 males (16.5), 12 females (15.7); reef between Koror I. and Ho I., 19 Nov 1957, DeWitt, sta 57–62, GVF Reg. 1442. CAS 43794, 42 (8.0–17.7), 11 juv., 20 males (17.7), 11 females (15.8); Koror I., 21 Nov 1957, DeWitt, sta 57–65, GVF Reg. 1445. CAS 43741, 3 (14.5–17.3), males; Koror I., 4 Aug 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 59, GVF Reg. 558. CAS 43774, 4 (12.9–16.3), 1 male (15.6), 3 females (16.3); Koror I., 7 Sep 1957, DeWitt, sta 57-5, GVF Reg. 1380. CAS 43804, 4 (14.2–15.9), 2 males (15.9), 2 females (14.6); Koror I., 19 Jun 1959, Y. Sumang, sta 59-67, GVF Reg. 1894. CAS 43734, 9 (9.1-ca. 18.0), 1 juv., 5 males (ca. 18.0), 3 females (13.9); Koror I., 19 Sep 1954, R. R. Harry, sta 186, GVF Reg. 489. ANSP 141213, 19 (12.3–16.2), 11 males (16.2), 8 females (13.8); Koror I., 23 Jul 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 33, GVF Reg. 532. CAS 43736, 7 (13.6–19.9), 6 males (19.9), 1 female (14.1); Koror I., 18 Jul 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 10, GVF Reg. 509. CAS 43749, 61 (8.8–20.9), 9 juv., 26 males (20.9), 26 females (14.2); Iwayama Bay, 21 Oct 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 244, GVF Reg. 754. CAS 43791, 95 (7.4–19.3), 55 juv., 24 males (19.3), 16 females (16.6); Iwayama Bay, 18 Nov 1957, DeWitt, sta 57–59. GVF Reg. 1439. CAS 43788, 27 (7.3–17.3), 15 juv., 7 males (17.3), 5 females (15.3); Iwayama Bay, 31 Oct 1957, DeWitt, sta 57-53, GVF Reg. 1433. CAS 43747, 3 (ca. 9.7–17.2), 1 male (17.2), 2 females (13.2); Iwayama Bay, 28 Aug 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 133, GVF Reg. 639. CAS 43733, 3 (11.8–15.3), 2 males (15.3), 1 female (11.9); Urukthapel I., 12 Sep 1954, R. R. Harry, sta 180, GVF Reg. 483. CAS 43803, 1 (20.7), male; Urukthapel I., 19 Apr 1959, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 59-42, GVF Reg. 1870. USNM 213883, 60 (9.1–18.5), 12 juv., 34 males (18.5), 14 females (16.3); Urukthapel I., 20 Jul 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 27, GVF Reg. 526. AMS I. 20810-001, 25 (11.7–15.8), 11 males (15.8), 14 females (13.1); Auluptagel I., 18 Sep 1957, DeWitt, sta 57-15, GVF Reg. 1390. CAS 43744, 8 (7.7–12.5), 2 juv., 2 males (11.7), 4 females (12.5); Auluptagel I., 16 Aug 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 100, GVF Reg. 602. CAS 43739, 9 (10.5–15.4), 1 juv., 4 males (15.4), 4 females (13.7); Auluptagel I., 22 Jul 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 30, GVF Reg. 529. CAS 43795, 2 (14.5–12.0), male and female; Auluptagel I., 29 Nov 1957, DeWitt sta 57-71, GVF Reg. 1451. CAS 43743, 2 (11.7, 12.2), males; Auluptagel I., 12 Aug 1955, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 85A, GVF Reg. 586. CAS 43777, 23 (6.3–15.5), 10 juv., 7 males (15.5), 6 females (14.4); Auluptagel I., 19 Sep 1957, DeWitt, sta 57-16, GVF Reg. 1391. CAS 43784, 18 (11.1–15.5), 11 males (15.5), 7 females (12.9); Auluptagel I., 7 Oct 1957, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 57-36, GVF Reg. 1414. CAS 43785, 118 (4.9–16.0), 41 juv., 39 males (16.0), 38 females (14.6); Auluptagel I., 9 Oct 1957, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 57-37, GVF Reg. 1415. CAS 43781, 4 (7.3–11.2), 3 juv., 1 male (11.2); Babelthaup I., 25 Sep 1957, DeWitt, sta 57-22, GVF Reg. 1400. CAS 43780, 61 (10.6–17.7), 33 males (17.7), 28 females (15.8); Babelthaup I., 22 Sep 1957, H. A. Fehlmann, sta 57-19, GVF Reg. 1397. YAP ISLANDS: CAS 43807, 1 (15.3) male; Tarang I., 12 Jan 1960, Sumang, sta 118, GVF Reg. 1941. CAS 43805, 6 (14.4–19.6), 4 males (19.6), 2 females (14.8); Map I., 16 Dec 1959, Bapilung, sta 87, GVF Reg. 1910. JAVA SEA: USNM 213871, 1 (16.3), male; Pulau Seribu, 5 Apr 1974, V. G. Springer 74-33. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: WAM P.25315-004, 2 (17.7, 16.0), male and female; Abrolhos Is., 20 May 1975, G. R. Allen.

DIAGNOSIS.—Pectoral fin rays not branched; spinous dorsal fin elongate or filamentous in both sexes; rays of pelvic fins moderately fringed, the fifth pelvic fin ray inconspicuous, one-tenth to two-tenths length of fourth ray; a dark postocular spot; trunk with a series of moderately dark spots along the midline, dorsally and ventrally, sometimes forming weak subcutaneous vertical bars; caudal fin with dark reticulated markings or dark, irregular vertical bars.

DESCRIPTION.—Dorsal fin VI–I,8(12), VI–I,9(1), VI–II,8(1); anal fin I,7(14); pectoral fin 14(1), 15(7), 16(6); pelvic fin I,4 1/10(9), I,4 2/10(4); fourth ray of pelvic fin modally with 5 branches, the branches are fairly long; segments between consecutive branches of the fourth pelvic fin ray number 2–8; pelvic fin membrane well developed; branched caudal fin rays 11(9), 12(1), 13(1); segmented caudal fin rays 17(14); lateral scale rows 22(10), 23(3); transverse scale rows 5(4), 6(17). Scales with a single row of about 18–31 fairly large ctenii on posterior margin; 8–10 radii in anterior field, none in lateral fields but radii approach them; scale eccentric with a broad focal area. Breast rarely with scales, no scales (33 specimens), 1(2), 3(1).

First four dorsal fin spines may be filamentous in large males, the second or third spine longest, often extending to the end of the depressed second dorsal fin; first and second dorsal spines of females may be elongate, reaching the base of the sixth dorsal fin ray; pelvic fins long, extending beyond origin of anal fin, usually reaching midportion of anal fin base.

The cephalic sensory pore system is pattern 2. Cutaneous papilla system is pattern B-1.

Genital papilla in male not fimbriate, elongate, extending to first anal fin ray, bilobed at tip; female with bulbous papilla about as long as its width, not extending beyond anal fin spine.

Vertebrae 10(7), 11(2) precaudal and 14(2), 15(7) caudal, total 25.

COLOR IN PRESERVATION.—Head with a prominent, postocular, dark brown spot on each side, deeper than wide, its greatest dimension larger than one-half diameter of eye, smaller or nearly obsolete in young and juveniles; remainder of head more or less uniformly pigmented with fine, light brown to blackish, chromatophores; trunk with characteristic dark brown to black crescent-shaped marks, formed by concentrated chromatophores at the scale pockets, in about 6–7 horizontal rows on midbody area; a series of conspicuous dark brown spots, about the size of the pupil or somewhat larger, on middorsal and midventral areas; these spots, dorsally, extend from the occipital area to the anterior portion of the upper procurrent caudal rays, 3 on the nape, 4 in the spinous dorsal area, 4 in the soft dorsal area, and 4 over the caudal peduncle; 7–8 spots on ventral midline, from about the origin of the anal fin posteriorly to end of lower peduncle; the dark brown midline spots transcend into the lower parts of the first and second dorsal and anal fins, and subcutaneously on lower trunk only.

First dorsal fin clear at base between the dark brown spots, the membrane above base dusky, the outer one-fourth to three-fourths of the anterior portion clear; a series of small brown spots, numbering 12 or more, on filamentous spines, extending to their extremities; the second dorsal fin with 4 basal spots separated by clear areas, about one-sixth depth of fin, the remainder of fin dusky with 2–3 scattered rows of more densely pigmented small spots, on the fin rays, that in some specimens are separated from one another by a series of larger, clear, roughly circular spots; anal fin uniformly dusky with a narrow clear margin; caudal fin with a small brown central spot basally, about the size of the pupil or slightly smaller, and a similar spot on the midupper base and midlower base of fin, remainder of fin membrane clear and series of dark brown spots forming about 5–7 wavy lines, more or less vertically aligned on fin, the pigment on the rays, not the membrane; base of pectoral fin with fine, uniform, light brown to dark pigment; pectoral and pelvic fins clear or lightly dusky. Male genital papilla sometimes speckled.

The above color description was based on males about 15–19 mm SL. Females about 16 mm SL, or smaller, have the same general color pattern, although the intensity, particularly that of the second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, is often greatly reduced, necessitating the examination of many specimens in order to determine the basic color pattern.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—Known from the Philippine Islands; Yap and Palau Islands, Caroline Group; Seribu Island, Java Sea; and the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia (Figure 33).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known from 12 localities in a broad band extending from the Caroline Islands and Indonesia southeastward to the Samoa Islands (Figure 31).