A study of the fast flowing freshwater streams of three of Fiji's largest islands has revealed a new species of freshwater goby from the Schismatogobius genus.
The new goby, which has been named Schismatogobius vitiensis, was found in rapids on the Fijian islands of Viti Levu, Taveuni and Vanua Levu, and is the first time the species has been found on any of the Fijian islands.
The genus Schismatogobius are unusual among gobies in that they are small, scaleless species usually found living among the rocks in fast flowing freshwater streams.
There are currently eight other species in the genus, including: S. marmoratus; S. deraniyagalai; S. vanuatuensis; S. roxasi; S. bruynisi; S. insignus; S. ampluvinculus and S. fuligimentus. These are distibuted from Taiwan and the Ryuku Islands across to Indonesia.
For more details on the new species see the paper: Schismatogobius vitiensis, a new freshwater goby (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Fiji Islands. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, Vol. 16. No. 1. pp 75-82.