Common Name
Peppermint Goby
Year Described
Bohlke & Robins, 1962
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VI; I, 9
Anal Fin: I, 9
Pectoral Fin: 16-18
Pelvic Fin: I, 5
Caudal Fin: 17 segmented rays
Lateral Line Scales: 26
Vertebrae: 9+17=26
Body elongate. Snout profile rounded. Eyes large and placed dorsally. A low fleshy ridge present on nape from between eyes to dorsal fin origin. Anterior nostril tubular. Posterior nostril not tubular. Mouth small. Tongue truncated to lobed. No teeth on vomer or palatine. Teeth in jaws present in several irregular rows. Gill membranes joined to isthmus. Pectoral, soft dorsal, and anal fins with all rays branched and bound by membranes (first element simple). Second dorsal base longer than caudal peduncle length. Ventral fins separated with no frenum or rear membrane. Body covered in ctenoid scales, becoming cycloid on chest. Head and nape naked. Head pores present (two between eyes and one pair between rear nostrils). No lateral line.
Color
Body translucent yellowish with two yellow stripes: one on upper trunk and one on lower trunk. In visceral area there are two blue stripes above and below the lower yellow stripe. Body heavily peppered with black melanophores. Head with alternating yellow and blue stripes. Blue stripes runs from upper eye onto rear of head, through lower eye onto side of head, and another across upper cheek to pectoral base. Lower head grayish. Cheek rosy. Fins pale to clear with sprinkled melanophores. Eye black and blue.
Size
Maximum size to 30mm SL.
Habitat
Coral reefs from 6-60m. Occurs singly on bottom or in small schools above the substrate.
Range
Bahamas to Venezuela.
References
Baldwin, C.C., Weigt, L.A., Smith, D.G., & J.H. Mounts. 2009. Reconciling genetic lineages with species in western Atlantic Coryphopterus (Teleostei: Gobiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences, 38: 111-138.
Baldwin C.C. & D.R. Robertson. 2015. A new, mesophotic Coryphopterus goby (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from the southern Caribbean, with comments on relationships and depth distributions within the genus. ZooKeys 513: 123-142.
Böhlke, J.E. & C.R. Robins. 1960. A revision of the gobioid fish genus Coryphopterus. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 112, 103-128.
Other Notes
The clade of Coryphopterus lipernes, C. hyalinus, and C. personatus is unique in being more midwater swimmers compared to the usual benthic nature of other genus members.