Japanese scientists have described two new species of the gobiid genus Trimma from southern Japan.
Named Trimma kudoi and T. yanoi by Toshiyuki Suzuki and Hiroshi Senou, the descriptions of the two new species are published in a recent supplemental issue of the Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science Series A. Zoology.
Gobies of the genus Trimma are small (under 4 cm standard length) colourful fishes found on the coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific.
Trimma kudoiThis species is distinguished from other members of the genus in having a combination of: scales on the predorsal midline absent ; elongate spines of the first dorsal fin absent; fifth pelvic-fin ray unbranched and 50"70% of the fourth ray in length; basal membrane between the innermost pelvic-fin rays 10"17% of the length of the fifth ray; a shallow or deep interorbital trough and postorbital trough absent; nape with a slightly developed longitudinal ridge in the midline; 22"23 longitudinal scales; bright yellow head and body, vivid yellow iris, with three deep purple oblique lines margined by pink.
The new species is named after the collector of the holotype, Takahiro Kudo.
Trimma yanoiThis species is distinguished from other members of the genus in having a higher anterior and posterior transverse scale counts (16"16.5 and 15.5"16 respectively, vs.