Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Varicus: Latin, varix = dilated vein (Ref. 45335); cephalocellatus: Named for the series of ocelli on head extending diagonally from mouth to nape (Ref. 113825).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 114 - 159 m (Ref. 113825). Tropical
Western Central Atlantic: southern Lesser Antilles, St. Vincent, Barbados and Bonaire.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.0 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species can be distinguished by the following set of characters: D1 VII; D2 I,10; A I,9; P 19-20, (23.9-30.6% SL), with rays 13-16 greatly extended, reaching base of anal rays 1-3, giving fin asymmetrical appearance; fleshy exertions on tips of spinous dorsal, first six rays of second dorsal; pelvic fins well separated, with no anterior frenum and membrane connecting innermost rays, 5th pelvic-fin ray 1/4-1/5 length of 4th ray, all rays unbranched or branched internally and re-fused, with flattened fleshy tips, longest ray extending posteriorly to anal-fin origin or reaching origin of 2nd anal-fin ray; 12-23 ctenoid scales on the side of body extending anteriorly to between vertical under the middle of the 2nd dorsal fin, to just posterior of pectoral-fin base, scales becoming smaller with reduced ctenii anteriorly; presence of modified basicaudal scales; sensory papillae rows 5s and 5i connected as a continuous transverse row, separated by a distance of 1-2 papillae in two specimens; interorbital papillae pc’ and pe’ present; no cephalic lateralis pores on head or preopercle; single anal-fin pterygiophore inserted anterior to haemal arch; head is lined with 3-5 prominent yellow ocelli, extending from mouth to nape over dense field of numerous red, brown and gold chromatophores (Ref. 113825).
Collected on a gentlly sloping sand-calcareous bottom with scattered small calcareous rocks and ledges. It is also collected from fresh volcanic deposits, a submerged pyroclastic flow, mostly rocks with thin layer of dark sediments, scattering of small rocks, ledges and various sessile invertebrates (Ref. 113825).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Tornabene, L., J.L. Van Tassel, D.R. Robertson and C.C. Baldwin, 2016. Molecular phylogeny, analysis of discrete character evolution, and submersible collections facilitate a new classification for a diverse group of gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Gobiosomatini: Nes subgroup), with descriptions of nine new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177(4):764-812. (Ref. 113825)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00724 (0.00339 - 0.01546), b=3.10 (2.92 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
