Panamanian Worm Blenny

Cryptic species found among weed on rocky reefs.

Stathmonotus culebrai Seale

Stathmonotus culebrai Seale, 1940:42 [Port Culebra, Costa Rica; holotype CAS 5745].

DIAGNOSIS.—Unique among the subgenus Parastathmonotus in lacking a supraorbital cirrus. Dorsal-fin spines 37–41; segmented anal-fin rays 20–25; pectoral-fin rays 9–11; segmented caudal-fin rays 12; total vertebrae 44–47; precaudal vertebrae 17–18; caudal vertebrae 27–30 (Table 3); pleural ribs 17–18; epineurals 32–34. Body naked; a small nasal cirrus present; nuchal cirrus absent. Maxillary of males longer than that of females.

COLORATION.—Variable (pale, dark, and spotted morphs known) and similar to that described for S. sinuscalifornici (above). Dark morphs have pale distal margins on the median fins (e.g., GCRL 15068). A spotted morph (Figure 19) has dark spots and mottling over the head and body, a largely unpigmented dorsal fin, a series of diagonal blotches on the anal fin, rows of spots on the caudal and pectoral fins, and a single spot on the middle of the pelvic fin.

COMMENTS.—The original description and illustration of S. culebrai are in error in reporting and depicting 42 dorsal-fin spines and 24 segmented anal-fin rays. We count 39 dorsal-fin spines and 22 segmented anal-fin rays from a radiograph of the holotype.

DISTRIBUTION.—Eastern Pacific: Central America from Costa Rica southward to Ecuador, including Isla Malpelo (Figure 14).

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Costa Rica: Port Culebra, CAS 5745 (radiograph of holotype); Uvita Bay, CAS 46338 (1); Guanacaste, GCRL 15068 (1), UAZ 68–74–45 (1 cleared and stained); Golfo de Nicoya, UAZ 68–73–19 (1); Punta Arenas, USNM 212254 (1 cleared and stained). Panama: Isla Ladrones, SIO 70–359 (1); Isla Jicarón, SIO 70–356 (1), 71–51 (1); Azuero peninsula, USNM 312975 (1), 323268 (2); Isla del Rey, Perlas Islands, USNM 312976 (1); Bahia Pinñas, ANSP 102617 (3, 1 cleared and stained). Columbia: Isla Malpelo, CAS 31544 (1), SIO 72–96 (3), 72–97 (1), USNM 210660 (1). Ecuador: Isla La Plata, ANSP 102492 (1), 102621 (1), 102639 (1).

Stathmonotus culebrai, the Panamanian worm blenny, is a species of chaenopsid blenny found in rocky reefs around Costa Rica and Panama, in the eastern central Pacific ocean. It can reach a maximum length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL.