Lagoon shrimp goby, Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia (Bleeker, 1853) (Teleostei: Gobiidae), an additional fish element for the Iranian waters

Abstract

Shrimp-associated gobies are burrowing fish of small to medium size that are common inhabitants of sand and mud substrates throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Due to specific habitat preference, cryptic behavior, the small size and sampling difficulties, many gobies were previously overlooked and thus the knowledge about their distribution is rather scarce. This study presents lagoon shrimp goby, Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia , as additional fish element for the Iranian waters in the coast of Hormuz Island (Strait of Hormuz). The distribution range of lagoon shrimp goby was in the Western Central Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean. This species is distinguished by the several traits such as body elongate and compressed, snout truncate, body brownish grey color with 11 vertical narrow whitish blue lines on the sides, largely greenish yellow on head and mandible, head and base of pectoral fin with numerous short blue oblique broken lines and spots with markings on the head and snout. Providing data on C. cyanotaenia which is now widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, would offer particularly valuable information on the biogeography of species.