format= Species: #dorsal/#anal fin elements #pectoral rays (pelvic fin state)

fewer than 10 total anal fin elements

C. kuna: mode 9/9 pect 15

C. alloides: mode 10/9 Bohlke: 10, rare 9/9, rare 8 pect 16-17 (divided pelvic fins)

10/10 group

(total second dorsal and anal fin elements)

C. lipernes: Randall: 10/10 pect 16-18 (divided pelvic fins)

C. glaucofraenum: Randall: 10/10 pect 17-20 Bohlke: 10/10, rare 9 pect 17-20 usu 19

C. tortugae: Acero: 10/10 pect 18-20

C. bol: Victor 2008: 10/10 pect 18-20

C. eidolon: Randall: 10 (11 was typo)/9-10, mode 10 pect 19-20, rare 18 Bohlke: 10/10, rare 9 pect 19-20

C. thrix: Bohlke: 9-10/10 pect 17-19

C. dicrus: Randall: 10/10 pect 18-20 Bohlke: 10/10 pect 18-20

10+ group

C. punctipectophorus: Bohlke: 11/10 pect 18-20 (South Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico)

C. venezuelae: Cervigon: 11/11 pect 18-20 (NE Venezuela: Cubagua, Isla Margarita, and Cumana; often 12 dorsal and/or anal fin elements)

C. personatus: divided pelvic fins, Randall: 10-11/10-11 pect 14-16 Bohlke: 10-11, mode 11/10-11, mode 11 pect 14-16

C. hyalinus: divided pelvic fins, (same as C. personatus, although perhaps usu 10/10?)

Diagnosis: The sand gobies are separated by the presence or absence of a pelvic frenum, the relative length of the innermost pelvic fin rays, and by markings. In C. glaucofraenum, the pelvic fin has a frenum and the innermost pelvic fin rays are about equal in length to the next ray (slightly shorter or longer). The bridled goby is one of several 10/10 sand gobies. This species is typically found in inshore habitats; it accounts for virtually all the sand gobies in silty mangrove or turbid-water shallows, many of the sand gobies in shallow bays with mixed reef/sand habitat, and only occasionally on offshore patch reefs or deeper habitats. The suite of markings that identify adult C. glaucofraenum include

• a two-pronged dorsal projection on the mid-eye stripe
• two round colon-like spots at the caudal-fin base (sometimes joined by a constricted bridge but with the tips distinctly rounded)
• no 8 o'clock oblique bar of melanophores to the mid-maxilla
• variable markings on the lower pectoral fin base, usually not a discrete spot

Diagnosis: The sand gobies are separated by the presence or absence of a pelvic frenum, the relative length of the innermost pelvic fin rays, and by markings. In C. tortugae, the pelvic fin has a frenum and the innermost pelvic fin rays are about equal in length to the next ray (slightly shorter or longer). The patch-reef goby is one of several 10/10 sand gobies. This species is typically found in shallow patch reef environments; it accounts for most of the sand gobies on mid-shelf reefs and around patch reefs in clear water (less than 50 feet deep) and many of the sand gobies in shallow bays with mixed reef/sand habitat. The suite of markings that identify adult C. tortugae include

• triangular dorsal projection (point-up) on the mid-eye stripe
• broken upper-eye stripe with discrete midline head spots, no chain-link loops
• no 8 o'clock oblique bar of melanophores to the mid-maxilla
• no discrete lower pectoral fin base spot
• basicaudal bar, sometimes breaks into two spots, but not with rounded tips

• triangular dorsal projection (point-up) on the mid-eye stripe
• complete upper-eye stripe with short linear midline head spots, often connected by loops of melanophores in a chain-link pattern
• no 8 o'clock oblique bar of melanophores to the mid-maxilla
• discrete oval lower pectoral fin base spot
• thick C-shaped basicaudal bar in heavily-marked fish, otherwise variable bar

• no dorsal projection on the mid-eye stripe
• upper-eye stripe broken at ends, central portion linear
• 8 o'clock oblique bar of melanophores to the mid-maxilla
• discrete oval lower pectoral fin base spot
• variable bar of melanophores at the base of the caudal fin
• sometimes extended second dorsal fin spine in juvenile

• prominent black spot occupying upper half of pectoral fin base
• small reticulated black spots overlying the dorsal aspect of the iris
• no dorsal projection on the mid-eye stripe
• upper-eye stripe broken into spots
• 8 o'clock oblique bar of melanophores to the mid-maxilla
• irregular spot on lower pectoral fin base
• variable short bar of melanophores at the base of the caudal fin
• often extended second dorsal fin spine

• prominent round black spot on the upper and lower third of the pectoral fin base
• wider body with numerous small dark spots
• upper-eye stripe broken into spots
• variable bar of melanophores at the base of the caudal fin

Diagnosis: Modal fin ray counts of D-VI,9 A-9 and Pect-15 indicate the newly-described species Coryphopterus kuna (Victor 2007), found widely in the Caribbean Sea (thus far in Yucatan (Banco Chinchorro), Belize, Honduras (Utila), Panama, San Andres, and Guadeloupe).