Goby expert Ronald Watson has described a new species of freshwater goby from southern Sumatra.
The new species, a sicydiine goby, has been named Stiphodon carisa in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa.
Stiphodon carisa can be distinguished from other members of the genus in having a combination of the following characters: 9 second-dorsal fin rays; 15 pectoral-fin rays; 41"59 premaxillary teeth; predorsal scales sexually dimorphic in number, male with 5"11 and female with 8"16; 25"35 lateral scales; slightly embedded cycloid scales present on the belly; male with a triangular-shaped first-dorsal fin with third and/or fourth spines longest but not filamentous and a patch of white fatty tissue posterior to pectoral-fin base; female usually with 5 (4"5) dusky to blackish blotches or spots along lateral midline from second-dorsal fin with usually 4 (3"4) posterior-most spots positioned close together on caudal peduncle, dusky band extending from anterior to eye to upper hypural base usually indistinct posterior to pectoral-fin base, with or without a dusky or black gular blotch; in some females xanthism exists which fades in preservation and in life yellow with orange to bright red markings....
Stiphodon carisa by J Andres Lopez. Paratype female (top) 38.6mm SL and paratype male (bottom) 33.2mm SL from Way Nagarip, Lampung Province, Sumatra, Indonesia.
The new goby was collected from shallow, swift rivers with gravel riffles and sandy runs, and its name comes from the Latin carisa, meaning artful woman, in allusion to the unique patterns and color occurring in each female of the new species.
Thanks to J Andres Lopez of the Florida Museum of Natural History for kindly supplying the images of the new species.
For more information see the paper: Watson, RE (2008) A new species of Stiphodon from southern Sumatra (Pisces: Gobioidei: Sicydiinae). Zootaxa 1715, pp. 43"56.