- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- PERCIFORMES
- GOBIIDAE
- Priolepis
- cyanocephala
Blue-head Reefgoby, Priolepis cyanocephala Hoese & Larson 2010
A Blue-head Reefgoby, Priolepis cyanocephala, at Clovelly, New South Wales, Australia, January 1977, depth 12 m - image of live holotype. Source: Rudie H. Kuiter / Aquatic Photographics. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A yellowish goby with a bluish head, distinct scale margins, four vertical bands on the head, and no bands on the body.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2021, Priolepis cyanocephala in Fishes of Australia, accessed 24 Mar 2023, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4939
Blue-head Reefgoby, Priolepis cyanocephala Hoese & Larson 2010
More Info
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Distribution |
Sydney, New South Wales, and the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin spines VI + I, 10; Anal fin I, 9; Pectoral fin 19 Bony interorbital trench absent, eyes elevated well above the interorbital region forming a non-bony trench; head broader than deep, distinctly depressed; predorsal largely naked with body scales extending forward to just above pectoral origin to just above posterior quarter of operculum; opercular scales absent; pelvic fins connected to form plate, no interspinal membrane; cheek sensory papillae a reduced transverse pattern; mouth oblique, forming an angle of about 35°-40° with body axis. |
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Biology |
Species of the genus Priolepis form monogamous pairs, and are capable of bidirectional sex change. In laboratory experiments with female-female pairs, the larger individual changed sex to male, and in male-male pairs, the smaller changed to female. The gonads of these species simultaneously formed ovarian and testicular portions with an accessory gonadal structure (Manabe et al. 2013). |
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Similar Species |
The Blue-head Reefgoby differs from other species of Priolepis in having a reduced transverse papilla pattern, second dorsal-fin rays I, 10, the predorsal largely naked, and the head with vertical bands, but no bands on the body. |
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Etymology |
The specific name cyanocephala is from the Greek cyano (= blue) and cephalus (= head), in reference to the blue head of this species. |
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Species Citation |
Priolepis cyanocephala Hoese & Larson 2010, Ichthyological Research 57: figs 2, 5c, d. Type locality: Clovelly, Sydney, New South Wales. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2021 |
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Resources |
Blue-head Reefgoby, Priolepis cyanocephala Hoese & Larson 2010
References
Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2 (as Quisquilius sp. 3)
Hoese, D.F. & Larson, H.K. 2010. Description of two new species of the genus Priolepis from the Indo-Pacific with redescription of Priolepis profunda and Priolepis psygmophilia. Ichthyological Research 57: 373-388
Manabe H, Toyoda K., Nagamoto K., Dewa S.I., Sakurai M., Hagiwara K., Shinomiya A. & Sunobe T. 2013. Bidirectional sex change in seven species of Priolepis (Actinopterygii: Gobiidae). Bulletin of Marine Science 89(2): 635-642. https://doi.org/10.5343/bms.2012.1050
Winterbottom, R. & Burridge, M. 1993. A new species of Priolepis (Teleostei; Gobiidae) from the Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean, with comments on relationships. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71: 2077-2079 (as Priolepis DFH sp. 3)
