Butterfly Shrimpgoby

This species is distinguished from its congeners in having the following set of characters: segmented dorsal-fin rays 11; segmented anal-fin rays 11; longitudinal scales 27; predorsal scales 11; third spine of first dorsal fin elongate, filamentous, and longer than the other spines; fifth and ninth branched caudal-fin rays elongate, filamentous, and forming bifurcate caudal fin; fifth and ninth branched rays each with a single branch; cephalic sensory-papillae row 'a' with 3 widely spaced papillae; numerous small yellow spots scattered on cheek, operculum, nape, body, and dorsal fins in fresh or live individuals; below the eye is a dusky yellowish brown vertical bar; body with 4 dark gray brown saddles, in addition to a similarly colored large blotch at midlateral caudal-fin base (Ref. 55718).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 11; Vertebrae: 26

A single specimen collected from a sandy-mud bottom at a depth of 45 m in a protected bay. Observed to be usually at 40-50 m depths (area with pebbles); the young at depths of 8 m to about 30 m, but apparently on rare occasions; the species symbiotically associates with alpheid shrimp (species name uncertain) (Ref. 55718).