Varicus veliguttatus Van Tassell, Baldwin & Gilmore, 2016
Spotted-sail goby

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  4.15 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.5 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 152 - 293 m
Distribution:  Western Central Atlantic: Bahamas, Curacao, and Tobago.
Diagnosis:  Anal soft rays: 6-7; Vertebrae: 27-27. This species can be distinguished by the following set of characters: D1 VII, without notably elongate spines, spines 2-4 nearly equal; D2 I,8; A I,6-7; P 17-18; pelvic fins well separated with 5th ray ca. 1/4-1/5 length of 4th, rays 1-4 unbranched or slightly branched near end of ray with tips of branches joining as flattened fleshy tips, 4th pelvic-fin ray very long, extending to base of anal-fin rays 3 or 4; 23-34 lateral scales on the side of the body extending anteriorly to beneath pectoral fin; 2 modified basicaudal scales present; single anal-fin pterygiophore inserted anterior to haemal arch; D1 fin with scattered prominent black spots bordered with yellow in life, two prominent small black spots on first dorsal-fin spine (Ref. 113825).
Biology:  Collected from oolite sedimentary rock. Also found in sand habitats with rubble, gravel and shells (Ref. 113825).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 October 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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