Diagnosis: The strong modal fin-ray count of D-XXIII,15 sA-24 P-13 with 38 total dorsal-fin elements indicates Acanthemblemaria betinensis, endemic to Panama, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Unlike most other chaenopsids, A. betinensis frequently have 6 procurrent caudal-fin rays. Ekemblemaria nigra is also endemic to the Panama region and has the same number of total dorsal-fin elements, but with only XXI spines, as well as 13 pectoral-fin rays and 4 procurrent caudal-fin rays. A rare A. maria would have 15 dorsal-fin soft rays (and an uncommon A. betinensis would share 14 rays with A. maria) and rarely A. betinensis would overlap 22 dorsal-fin spines with A. aspera (note that many of the latter have only 12 segmented caudal-fin rays). Several Emblemaria overlap the lowest range of fin-ray counts for A. betinenesis. (DNA) Description: bet n7529b140
