GOBIIDAE


Silhouettea species, 2.1 cm SL
(photo by Koichi Shibukawa)



Silhouettea species, 2.1 cm SL
(photo by Koichi Shibukawa)


Silhouettea species

D VI+I, 10; A I, 12; P1 15; LR 25; PDS 0.

Body slender and subcylindrical, compressed. Head depressed; mouth oblique, lower jaw projecting beyond upper jaw; gill opening not or just extending to a vertical through posterior margin of preopercle. Base of second dorsal fin shorter than that of anal fin; pelvic fins united medially; frenum present. Scales on body cycloid and weak ctenoid; head naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; longitudinal pattern of sensorypapillae rows on cheek. Color: ground color of head and body pale grayish brown; lateral and ventral sides of head densely pigmented especially in male; distal margin of dorsal fins with a row of white spots. Size: 2.7 cm. Distribution: Andaman Sea and West Pacific. Remarks: Similar to Silhouettea evanida Larson and Miller, 1986, but distinguished from it by having e.g., densely-pigmented branchiostegal membrane in both sexes (vs. pale in S. evanida).