A new cleaner goby of the genus Elacatinus (Teleostei: Gobiidae), from Trindade Island, off Brazil

Abstract

Elacatinus pridisi n. sp., a cleaner goby from Trindade Island, off Brazil, differs from its congeners of the Horsti Complex that have a pale stripe extending from the eye to the caudal fin base by the following combination of characters: dark longitudinal stripe wide, reaching lower abdomen and base of anal fin (vs. never reaching lower abdomen or base of anal fin in all other species); pectoralfin rays typically 18 (vs. typically 17 in E. randalli (B hlke & Robins) and E. figaro Sazima et al. and typically 16 in E. atronasum (B hlke & Robins)); anal-fin rays typically 11 (vs. typically 10 in E. figaro); a pale oval spot present on snout (vs. no spot in E. atronasum and E. horsti (B hlke & Robins), a "V"-shaped spot in E. prochilos (B hlke & Robins), and a medial bar in E. xanthiprora (B hlke & Robins), E. louisae (B hlke & Robins) and E. lori Colin). The new species was recorded in depths ranging from 3 to 30 m, over rocky reefs and calcareous-algae banks around the island. It has been observed in cleaning activities during the day with clients varying from large-sized carnivores such as Carcharhinus perezi (Poey) to small-sized planktivores such as Chromis multilineata (Guichenot). The discovery of the new species reinforces recognition of the Trindade-Martin Vaz insular complex as an area of endemism in the Atlantic Ocean.