Australian ichthyologists have described two new species of Glossogobius gobies from southern New Guinea and a third related species from northeastern Australia in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa.
Douglas Hoese and Gerald Allen name the new species Glossogobius bellendenensis (from northeastern Queensland) G. muscorum and G. robertsi (both from the Fly River drainage in New Guinea).
Glossogobius bellendenensis is named after the Bellenden Ker Range, where the species was first discovered.
It is distinguished from congeners by its dorsal and anal-ray counts, reduced predorsal scale coverage, absence of scales of prepelvic area and pectoral base and distinctive shape of the mental frenum (a fleshy flap of skin on the lower lip).
Glossogobius muscorum is most similar to G. bellendenensis, but differs in the number of vertebrae, the shape of the mental frenum and coloration. Its name comes from the Latin for fly (muscus), in reference to its type locality (Fly River).
Glossogobius robertsi is named after ichthyologist Tyson Roberts, who collected most of the type material.
It is distinguished from congeners with a well-developed mental frenum by the large spots on the side of the body, the reduced scale coverage on the pectoral base and prepelvic area, short round pelvic fin, and absence of opercular scales.
For more information, see the paper: Hoese, DF and GR Allen (2009) Description of three new species of Glossogobius from Australia and New Guinea. Zootaxa 1981: 1"14.