A new species of Rhinogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Zhejiang Province, China

Abstract

A new freshwater goby, Rhinogobius niger, was collected from Zhejiang Province, Southern China. This species can be distinguished from all congeners by a combination of the following features: second dorsal fin rays modally I/9, anal fin rays I/8, pectoral fin rays 16-18, longitudinal scale series 35-37, transverse scale series 10-12, predorsal scale series modally 0, vertebral counts modally 10 + 17 = 27, head and body blackish in male, cheek without any stripe or spot, the upper margin of the preoperculum with two horizontally aligned reddish brown stripes running backwardly, branchiostegal membrane with 15-25 small reddish orange round spots in adult male, first dorsal fin with a large black blotch anteriorly. A diagnostic key to all nominal species of Rhinogobius with high vertebral count (27-29) from mainland southeastern Asia, China, Japan and Taiwan is also provided.