Varicus decorum Van Tassell, Baldwin & Tornabene, 2016
Decorated splitfin goby

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  4.12 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.553 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 99 - 251 m
Distribution:  Western Central Atlantic: Curacao.
Diagnosis:  Anal soft rays: 7-8; Vertebrae: 27-27. This species can be distinguished by the following set of characters: D1 VII, without notably elongate spines; D2 I,9; A I,7-8; pectoral fin with 17 rays, 5th and 6th rays from ventral very elongate, extending well beyond other rays of fin, giving pectoral fin an asymmetrical appearance; pelvic fins I, 5, well separated with 5th pelvic-fin ray ca. 1/3-1/5 length of 4th, all pelvic-fin rays unbranched and some may have flattened fleshy tips; body and head entirely naked except for 2 modified ctenoid scales with enlarged ctenii present on each side of caudal-fin base; interorbital papillae row pb’ and pc’ present; no cephalic lateralis pores on head or preopercle present; single anal-fin pterygiophore inserted anterior to haemal arch; D1 fin with scattered yellow spots in life, some with small dark centers; dorsal surface of body with prominent round yellow circles of varying sizes; side of head with two distinct narrow yellow vertical stripes, one through eye and one through posterior margin of preopercle (Ref. 113825).
Biology:  Known from deep reefs. Collected from sandy habitats with scattered rocks and calcareous rubble. This species perch on open sand and retreat into crevices when disturbed (Ref. 113825).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 09 October 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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