Revision of the Blenniid Fish Genus Omobranchus with Descriptions of Three New Species and Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchini VICTOR G. SPRINGER and MARTIN F. GOMON SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 177 SERIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION The emphasis upon publications as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Insti- tution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This keynote of basic research has been adhered to over the years in the issuance of thousands of titles in serial publications under the Smithsonian imprint, com- mencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Annals of Flight Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes original articles and monographs dealing with the research and collections of its several museums and offices and of professional colleagues at other institutions of learning. These papers report newly acquired facts, synoptic interpretations of data, or original theory in specialized fields. These pub- lications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, laboratories, and other interested institutions and specialists throughout the world. Individual copies may be obtained from the Smithsonian Institution Press as long as stocks are available. S. DILLON RIPLEY Secretary Smithsonian Institution SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 177 Revision of the Blenniid Fish Genus Omobranchus with Descriptions of Three New Species and Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchini Victor G. Springer and Martin F. Gomon SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1975 ABSTRACT Springer, Victor G., and Martin F. Gomon. Revision of the Blenniid Fish Genus Omobranchus with Descriptions of Three New Species and Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchini. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 177, 135 pages, 52 figures, 17 tables, 1975.—Omobranchus comprises 19 species, one of which includes two subspecies. Three species are described as new: O. meniscus, from Thailand, O. steinitzi, from the southern Red Sea, and O. verticalis, from Queensland. A key is given to all taxa of Omobranchus, and sexual dimorphism, geographic distribution and variation, habitat, and nomen- clature are discussed. All taxa are illustrated and their distributions plotted on maps. Neotypes are designated for the following species: Blennechis fasciolatus Valenciennes (1836), Petroscirtes lineolatus Kner (1868a,b), Petroscirtes ferox Herre (1927). Omobranchus is native to the Indo-west Pacific, and all taxa, except one sub- species, occur only in areas west of the Andesite Line. One species, O. punctatus, has been introduced into the Caribbean. Circumstantial evidence indicates that O. punctatus was probably introduced by ships transporting East Indian coolies from Madras and Calcutta around southern Africa to the Caribbean between 1845 and the opening of the Panama Canal (1914). New information (range extensions, taxonomy, errata), since Springer's 1972 Synopsis of the Tribe Omobranchini, is given for the genera Enchelyurus, Haptogenys, Omox, and Parenchelyurus. Haptogenys quadripora Springer is synonymized with H. bipunctata (Day). OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. SI PRESS NUMBER 5111. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Springer, Victor Gruschka, 1928- Revision of the blenniid fish genus Omobranchus. (Smithsonian contributions to zoology, no. 177) Supt. of Docs, no.: SI 1.27: 177. 1. Omobranchus. 2. Blenniidae. I. Gomon, Martin F., joint author. II. Title. III. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian contributions to zoology, no 177 QL1.S54 no. 177. [QL638.B6] 59I'.08s [597'.58] 74-4249 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 • Price $2.65 (paper cover) Contents Page Introduction 1 Methods 2 Acknowledgments . 8 Omobranchus Ehrenberg 9 Key to the Species and Subspecies of Omobranchus 17 O. anolius (Valenciennes) 20 O. aurosplendidus (Richardson) 22 O. banditus J. L. B. Smith 24 O. elegans (Steindachner) 26 O. elongatus (Peters) 28 O. fasciolatoceps (Richardson) . 33 O. fasciolatus (Valenciennes) 34 O. ferox (Herre) . 38 O. germaini (Sauvage) 41 O. lineolatus (Kner) 45 O. loxozonus (Jordan and Starks) 48 O. mekranensis (Regan) 50 O. meniscus, new species 52 O. punctatus (Valenciennes) 53 How O. punctatus Became Established in the Caribbean Sea 59 O. rotundiceps (Macleay) 63 O. r. rotundiceps (Macleay) . 63 O. r. obliquus (Garman) 68 O. steinitzi, new species 70 O. verticalis, new species 71 O. woodi (Gilchrist and Thompson) 72 O. zebra (Bleeker) 74 O. species 76 Questionable Species 76 List of Nominal Taxa of Omobranchus and Their Current Identification 77 Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchini 78 Enchelyurus ater (Gunther) 78 Enchelyurus flavipes Peters 78 Haptogenys bipunctata (Day) 78 Omox biporos Springer 79 Parenchelyurus hepburni (Snyder) 79 Literature Cited 80 Figures 8-35: The Species of Omobranchus 85-99 Figures 36-52: Graphs 101-135 in Revision of the Blenniid Fish Genus Omobranchus with Descriptions of Three New Species and Notes on Other Species of the Tribe Omobranchini Victor G. Springer and Martin F. Gomon Introduction blenniid genera (e.g., Alloblennius, Ecsenius, Cirri- pectes), the species of Omobranchus are not Springer (1972a) revised the genera of the definitely known to occur on living corals, although blenniid tribe Omobranchini with the exception of they may occur on hard substrate near corals. Only Omobranchus. It is the purpose of our study to one specimen is definitely known to have been taken revise Omobranchus and to provide information on at a depth greater than four meters, while many the other species of Omobranchini that has come specimens have come from depths of less than half to our attention since the 1972 study. a meter. The species are secretive and few are Omobranchus, with 19 species, is the largest of brightly colored in life. the six genera in the Omobranchini, which com- The question arises as to how many species of prises only 29 species altogether. The species of Omobranchus are yet to be described. Inasmuch Omobranchus are small, carnivorous, benthic in- as Omobranchus occurs almost exclusively in shal- habitants of the shallow, close-shore, marine and low, close-shore habitats, which are generally well estuarine waters of the Indo-west Pacific (one collected, one might surmise that few species re- species has been introduced into the Caribbean). main undescribed. Entomacrodus, which also occurs At least one species is reported to occur in fresh- predominantly in shallow, close-shore waters, was water. The species most commonly inhabit rocky revised several years ago (Springer, 1967), and con- and oyster reefs, often near the edge of mangrove siderable collecting in Entomacrodus-type habitats swamps; one species has been observed living in since 1967 has failed to produce any new species of holes in mangrove roots. Unlike the species of some Entomacrodus. In Ecsenius, whose species may occur at greater depths and distances from shore than those of either Omobranchus or Entomacro- Victor G. Springer, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Na- dus, new species are continually appearing in tional Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560. Martin F. Gomon, University of collections (Springer, 1971, 1972b; more unde- Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, scribed species are at hand). With the possible Miami, Florida 33149. exception of the species we treat here as "Omobran- 1 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY chus species," we expect that few new, primarily Vertebral counts distinguish precaudal and cau- marine, species of Omobranchus will be found. dal vertebrae. The first caudal vertebra includes the Omobranchus, however, also occurs in estuarine and first centrum with a recognizable hemal spine, and freshwater habitats (where Entomacrodus and Ecse- the last includes the hypural-bearing "centrum" nius do not occur). These habitats have not been (actually a complex element). Occasional speci- well collected in the Indo-west Pacific, and it would mens exhibit fusions among the caudal vertebrae; not be surprising to encounter a few undescribed caudal vertebral counts for these specimens were species of Omobranchus in them. not recorded, with the following exception: the penultimate centrum is often enlarged and may bear bifurcate neural and/or hemal spines, but except for size, the centrum appears normal on METHODS radiographs and was counted as one vertebra. COUNTS.—Dorsal-, anal-, and caudal-fin, vertebral, The pelvic fins invariably consist of a spine (not and epipleural rib counts were taken from radio- visible externally) and two simple, segmented rays.