RESEARCH ARTICLE

A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Seychelles, Indian Ocean

Richard Winterbottom, Eleanor Brighton & Christophe Mason-Parker

Abstract

A new species of pygmygoby, Trimma cavicapum, is described from St. Francois Atoll, in the Alphonse Group of the outer islands of Seychelles, Indian Ocean. The new species was at first thought by the senior author to be the same as, or very close to, T. dalerocheila, a species which has an essentially red background coloration, and white/pale blue lines on the head and which has been recorded from the Seychelles. Two specimens obtained by the junior authors for COI analysis shows that the new species differs considerably in the DNA sequence of that gene, and closer examination of the morphology and color pattern revealed further differences. The live color pattern of this species is diagnostic, with a plain yellow or tan body with three bright blue stripes (one medial, two bilateral) on the head on a yellow to strongly pink/red background. It occurs in pairs or small groups, inhabiting crevices and/or caves on steep sloping reefs below 20 m, and has recently also been photographed at Astove Island.

CITATION:

Winterbottom, R., Brighton, E. & Mason-Parker, C. (2024) A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Seychelles, Indian Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 41, 37-45.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12594852

publication date: 18 July 2024