Identification of the rare deep-dwelling goby Suruga fundicola Jordan & Snyder, 1901 (Gobiiformes, Gobiidae) from the Yellow Sea

Abstract

During the 2022 R/V cruises in the Yellow Sea, four goby specimens (51.2‒63.5 mm) were captured by using an Agassiz trawl at a water depth of about 70 meters. These specimens were identified as Suruga fundicola, mainly by the morphometric characters. Their identification was further confirmed by a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 12S and COI mtDNA genes. Considering that the four specimens were in good condition and that the original description is brief, a detailed description of the specimens is given. Moreover, the present study presents a preliminary analysis of its phylogenetic position within the Acanthogobius-lineage (Gobiidae). The discovery of this goby in the Yellow Sea enriches our knowledge of the fish diversity and distribution of this region, and sheds some light on the ecological habitat of these gobies.