Lebetus patzneri Schliewen, Kovačić & Ordines, 2019
Patzner's goby
photo by Kovacic, M.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobionellinae
Max. size:  1.68 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 60 - 72 m
Distribution:  Mediterranean: Spain.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-8; Anal spines: -1; Anal soft rays: 6-6; Vertebrae: 26-27. This species is distinguished by the following characters: pectoral-fin rays 15-16; second dorsal segmented fin rays 7-8; snout slightly larger than eye diameter; eyes small, 23.3-25.5% of head length; body height low, body depth at pelvic fin 14.9-16.4% of SL; lips thick, giving mouth a broad, almost rectangular shape in dorsal and lateral view; with minute black “pepper” spots on predorsal area, dorsum, flanks and caudal peduncle, visible in fresh and preserved specimens; most of the caudal peduncle similarly colored as the lateral area below D2, reddish or brown (Ref. 121603). (Ref. 121603).
Biology:  Specimens were collected from a Peyssonnelia bed off the southern coast of Menorca (mainly Peyssonnelia inamoena), also with some presence of rhodolith forming species such as the coralline algae Lithothamnion valens and Spongites fruticulosus. The holotype was collected from a rhodolith bed in the Menorca Channel, with dominance of coralline red algae species, mainly L. valens, unidentified crustose coralline algae and S. fruticulosus. In the three sampling stations, the specimens were also accompanied by a large diversity of benthic animals (both sessile and mobile) with most abundant species including the decapods crustaceans Inachus dorsettensis, Inachus thoracicus and Pagurus prideaux; teleost fish Buenia massutii, Odondebuenia balearica, Diplecogaster bimaculate and Serranus hepatus; echinoderms Sphaerechinus granularis, Ophiura albida and Echinaster sepositus; annelids Hyalinoecia tubicola and Laetmonice hystrix; ascidians Aplidium nordmanni, Ciona spp. and Ascidia mentula; and, several unidentified sponge species (Ref. 121603).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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