Exyrias akihito

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Exyrias akihito
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Suborder: Gobioidei Family: Gobiidae Subfamily: Gobiinae Genus: Exyrias Species: E. akihito
Binomial name
Exyrias akihito Allen & Randall, 2005

Exyrias akihito is a species of marine goby. Since the recent description of this species it has been found to have a wide distribution in the western Pacific including the Great Barrier Reef, New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and the Yaeyama Islands, Japan.

Members of this species used to be assigned to the widespread species Exyrias belissimus but it differs from that species in a number of respects, notably in the very long dorsal fin spines and the paler coloration with numerous yellow or orange spots on all parts. It also differs in habitat: E. belissimus is a bottom-dwelling species of turbid waters while E. akihito prefers clear water and is usually associated with coral reefs.

The species was named in honour of Emperor Akihito of Japan, who is a keen ichthyologist with a special interest in gobies. Type material for the new species was in part procured by the Imperial Household Agency's Biological Laboratory.

[edit] References

• Allen, Gerald R. & Randall, John E. (2005): Exyrias akihito, a new species of coral-reef goby (Gobiidae) from the western pacific. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 53(2): 231-235. PDF fulltext