Sangrey's Blenny

description

Description. See Table 1. Dorsal spines XIX-XX, usually XIX (XIX in holotype); segmented dorsal rays 7 - 8 (8); total dorsal elements 26 - 27, usually 27 (27); anal spines II; segmented anal rays 14 - 16, usually 15 (15); dorsal segmented caudal-fin rays 7; ventral segmented caudal-fin rays 6; dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays 5 - 6, usually 6 (6); ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays 4 - 6, usually 5 (5); segmented pelvic-fin rays 2; pectoral-fin rays 14 - 15, rarely 15 (14); vertebrae 10 + 21 - 22 = 31 - 32, rarely 31 (10 + 22 = 32); 1 - 4 pairs of infraorbital pores, usually 4 pairs between 3 and 6 o'clock (4 pairs); orbital cirri absent; nape cirri present; anterior nostril cirri present; belly and pectoral-fin base naked or with only a few rows of scales anterior to the anus. Specimens examined ranging from 12.0 to 19.0 mm SL; HL 29 - 34 % SL (31 % in holotype); male genital papilla adhered to first anal spine proximally; papilla length between two-thirds and three-quarters length of first anal spine, 0.6 - 1.0 mm; some females with very small genital papilla.

Seven new species within western Atlantic Starksia atlantica, S. lepicoelia, and S. sluiteri (Teleostei, Labrisomidae), with comments on congruence of DNA barcodes and species

diagnosis

Diagnosis. A species of Starksia distinguished by the following combination of characters: no orbital cirrus, regular vertical brown bars on trunk separated by narrow white interspaces, and a well defined horseshoe-shaped blotch of dark pigment on cheek.

Seven new species within western Atlantic Starksia atlantica, S. lepicoelia, and S. sluiteri (Teleostei, Labrisomidae), with comments on congruence of DNA barcodes and species

distribution

Distribution. All material that we examined is from Belize. The range of the species also apparently includes Honduras, as Greenfield and Johnson (1981) noted that a specimen of Starksia atlantica from Honduras has regular vertical bars of pigment on the body.

Seven new species within western Atlantic Starksia atlantica, S. lepicoelia, and S. sluiteri (Teleostei, Labrisomidae), with comments on congruence of DNA barcodes and species

etymology

Etymology. The species name is in honor of Mary Sangrey for her many years of work coordinating the intern program at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Mary brought the intern application of the second author to the first author's attention and took the first steps toward procuring funding for Castillo's internship.

Seven new species within western Atlantic Starksia atlantica, S. lepicoelia, and S. sluiteri (Teleostei, Labrisomidae), with comments on congruence of DNA barcodes and species