Lentipes palawanirufus Maeda & Palla, 2021
Palawan lentipes goby
Palawan lentipes goby

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Sicydiinae
Max. size:  4.72 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.92 cm SL (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Philippines.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 10-10. This species is distinguished from all its congeners by having the following set of characters: D2 and A I, 10; pectoral fin rays usually 18-19; fourth and/or fifth spines longest in first dorsal fin of male; no or small interval between first- and second-dorsal-fin bases in male (less than 1/3 of the length of the first-dorsal-fin base; the fin bases are often connected); cephalic sensory pore D single; preopercular sensory canal usually with two (M’ and O’) or three pores (M’, N, and O’); without enlarged lobes or projections in front of the urogenital papilla of males; lateral scales reaching anteriorly beyond the area below the origin of the first dorsal fin; scales with large, spike-like ctenii laterally on the trunk in male. Colouration of male with a broad, reddish-brown or dark-red band between bases of the second dorsal and anal fins, red, reddish-brown, or dark-brown head, belly without clear black lines, second dorsal fin being reddish brown or dark red proximally and white or light yellowish brown distally, a black spot at anterior part of second dorsal fin, and anal fin being reddish brown or dark red proximally and translucent distally (Ref. 125534).
Biology:  This species was commonly observed with many other goby species and two cyprinid species at the reaches below the first waterfall of Estrella Falls. It was more abundant at the reaches above the waterfal, a habitat it occupies together with Sicyopus zosterophorus. In the Olanguan Falls which consists of continuous waterfalls along the course of one stream. this species co-occurred with many other goby species, a cyprinid species, and two Kuhlia species (Ref. 125534).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Type locality of Lentipes palawanirufus, Palawan Island, Narra, Estrella Falls. Found only in the Philippines and was collected from two streams flowing in the Sulu Sea. Recorded from Estrella Falls in the municipality of Narra, and another was Olanguan Falls in Puerto Princesa City (Ref. 125534).


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